The 8 Best Wine Fridges for Getting Your Drink On

Wine has increasingly become part of the American palate over the past few decades. What was once something upper class and only available to people-in-the-know has become user-friendly and mainstream. You can purchase wine over the web and heck, even at a gas station. 

In order to best unlock the flavors of wine, it should be served at a specific temperature. Which is something you balk at until you are served wine at the correct temperature and come to the unnerving realization that those wine connoisseurs have a point. What’s to be done now that you have become a wine snob?! It’s time for a wine fridge.

An in-home wine fridge can help you get to the right temperature for storage and enjoyment. Some wine fridges today even offer multiple zones that allow you to chill a variety of wine and other beverages like beer or soda. It doesn’t matter if you collect wine and know a 1961 Sauternes from a Chateau Margaux or if you are a casual consumer who likes a glass of white served with reality television. There is a wine fridge for everyone’s needs, and many are readily available over the web.

Options for the Casual Sipper

You don’t need to be a wine snob to own a wine fridge — many options offer multiple zones to accommodate your favorite bottles and a few brews or even some soft drinks. Many models are small enough to live on your counter or just underneath. It might be just the appliance to keep a growing family hydrated and the adults entertained.

Here are eight models you’ll want to consider that will keep your wine chilled and your home looking elegant. 

1. NewAir 9-Bottle, 48-Can Wine Fridge

Top Features:

• Adjustable rack
• Elegant look
• Triple-pane glass

This model comes with dual zones and adjustable racks, giving flexibility for use. Nine Bordeaux-sized bottles can fit in the compact model. It measures 34 inches and is the right height to install under your kitchen counter.  

The lower part of the fridge has drawers that can accommodate a variety of can and bottle shapes. This model has a lock to keep out the kids. It’s a great option for those looking for simplicity. 

View NewAir 9-Bottle, 48-Can Wine Fridge on Wayfair

2. Whynter 54-Bottle Single Zone

Top Features:

• Great capacity
• Powerful fan
• Single zone temperature

Whynter offers a silent, built-in option that does exactly what it says. It keeps wine between a crisp 65 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit.  This option is stripped down compared to many other bottles, offering only one chilling zone. 

However, it makes up for the simplicity in performance with deep drawers that can fit up to 54 standard bottles of wine. That’s more than enough space to keep your collection and a few choice options for a rainy day. This is an excellent straightforward option.

View Whynter 54-Bottle Single Zone on Wayfair

3. NewAir 20-Bottle, 80-Can Dual Zone Fridge

Top Features:

• Dual zone temperature
• Premium upgrade
• Compressed cooling

Do you love entertaining or have an outdoor kitchen? This NewAir model might be the right pick for you. It has a sleek stainless steel exterior with two drawers. The top drawer can keep up to 20 bottles cool and the bottom can fit 80 cans. No one will be left without a cool beverage at your next barbecue. 

This option is a high-performing refrigerator that is up to the task of keeping a variety of things cool. It is uniquely compressor operated, which is not always the case for wine coolers. It has a wide temperature range from just around freezing up to room temperature. This is a workhorse great for anyone who loves a party or always has a large crowd.

View NewAir 20-Bottle, 80-Can Dual Zone Fridge on Wayfair 

4. Antarctic Star 24-Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator 

Top Features:

• Ideal lighting
• Reinforced glass door
• Quiet operation

For every high-end model, there must be a simple option. This little guy measures up at 18 inches tall, nearly half the height of the standard under-counter option. It is a seriously quiet freestanding model that fits on the counter in an apartment, dorm, or even an office. It keeps 24 items cool even with the petite stature, and temperatures can be customized to a range between 40 and 61 degrees Fahrenheit.  

This model is also available in smaller and even slightly larger options if 24 items simply won’t do for your household’s needs. It is simple and a crowd favorite for its comparatively modest price point. This cooler is just the place to start for someone unsure if they would use a wine fridge or wishing to use one in a secondary location.

VIew Antarctic Star 24-Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator on Amazon

5. Colzer 30 Bottle Refrigerator

Top Features:

• Digital touch control
• Easy to use
• State-certified materials

This 15-inch cutie is built to last. Colzer offers 8 to 10 years of service on their refrigerators, even cute options that offer the flexibility to be kept under the counter or above. There are larger and smaller options by this manufacturer, but 30 bottles represent a sweet spot for the average wine consumer. 

The temperature can be adjusted between 40 and 61 degrees and offers the variance for long-term aging and immediate usage. This option touts a tempered glass window, allowing you to see the collection at a glance without degrading the wine through light damage. It’s a smart pick with time-proven quality.

View Colzer 30 Bottle Refrigerator on Amazon

Options for the Wine Enthusiast

Everyone has snobbish opinions about something, why not let it be wine? These options can capture an entire collection with several shelves. Who needs a restaurant when you have an entire wine arsenal in your kitchen? 

6. Philestina 24-Bottle Wine and Beer Fridge

Top Features:

• Energy-effecient
• Great capacity
• Sleek craftsmanship

This option may be petite but it is not lacking in professional-grade features. It’s a favorite for hotel mini-bars and claims to chill any beverage imaginable. The beverage cooler side can get near freezing while the wine cooler offers slightly warmer temps. All the temperatures can be digitally controlled with specific accuracy. 

The ergonomic brushed metal finish can withstand the test of time. It will not become dinged and grimy after just a few months of use, it is meant to last and be used. This fridge comes in a variety of size options. It’s simple, commercial perfection in a home-sized package. A solid option, it will last years.

View Philestina 24-Bottle Wine and Beer Fridge on Amazon

7. Kalmera Triple-Layered Freestanding Refrigerator

Top Features:

• Extra-large capacity
• Tall and elegant
• Memory functions

For the most serious wine collectors, Amazon has a pick for them. This closet-sized option can fit up to 157 bottles and keeps a variety of temperature zones. It offers easy-to-use, one-touch temperature adjustments to keep an entire collection cooled. 

For a wine-lover who likes to keep variety in their collections, this fridge is an excellent option. It allows users to keep many different shapes of bottles in the same cooler. A curvy bottle of champagne can fit near a narrow bottle of Pinot Noir in this refrigerator. The massive size of this wine chiller is sure to impress dinner guests, almost as much as the wonderful vintages kept inside. It’s even impressive enough to make the casual wine drinker start their own collection.

View Kalmera Triple-Layered Freestanding Refrigerator on Amazon

8. Whynter Freestanding Wine Cellar

Top Features:

• Smooth LED
• Smoked-glass pane
• Touchscreen controls

While it may be the dream to have a wine cellar in the basement, most suburban homes don’t offer the ability to dig a cellar to keep the petit syrah cool. However, this option is the next best thing and does not require expensive construction or complicated permits. 

This is the Cadillac of wine coolers. It is a dual-zone compressor-based refrigerator that has the largest capacity of any fridge on this list, fitting a whopping 164 standard bottles. There are 15 wooden boxes to accommodate the massive stash while keeping it visible to the collector. To top it off, it has LED controls and soft white lighting, and a fan to keep the cool temperatures across the wine cooler. It has all the bells and whistles, including a 40-degree low-temperature threshold.

View Whynter Freestanding Wine Cellar on Wayfair

The Bottom Line

Buying an appliance can be a vexing decision. There are many options out there that can appear to do the same thing. It may seem simple especially if you are not a wine connoisseur, but there are many factors to consider.

Do you have the space?

Size matters when it comes to a wine fridge. If you want to use your wine fridge, it needs to fit in your kitchen and entertaining areas. There are many compact options that offer the power and features of their much larger competitors. Some are even meant to sit on the counter next to a toaster or under the counter where there would otherwise be dead space.  Conversely, there are also large options more affordable than one would expect.

How much wine do you drink?

This is not your doctor asking, so you should be honest. There’s no judgment here. If wine is something you drink but perhaps you also enjoy a beer or other beverages, then a model with multiple zones might be for you. 

Is there a warranty or repair service?

Any time you purchase an appliance this should be a major consideration. Appliances are investments and should be protected and treated as one. While that may mean spending money on the front end, it might mean years more of enjoyment.

Drink It In 

A wine fridge is an ideal investment for someone who likes to entertain guests, and extensive knowledge of wine and vintage year is not necessarily a requirement. These fridges can be a handy way to keep any beverage cool and available in your kitchen, leaving room for larger food products in the fridge and adding a cool feature to your interior.