A beverage refrigerator can become a great addition to your apartment design or travel plans.
It adds convenience and luxury to your parties, in or out. Putting it in the dining room will make serving drinks convenient and free up space in the main fridge. It’s important, though, to choose the correct size and proper features. In case you need help to make the right choice, here’s a TOP-5 best coolers and lots of useful info after the list.
Last update on 2020-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1. Whynter Thermoelectric Wine Cooler – Amazon’s Choice
- Measures: 20.5" Long x 15.79" Wide x 22" High
- Capacity: 20 standard wine bottles
- Black tinted mirror glass door with sleek...
Last update on 2020-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Design
The highlight of this Whynter cooler is its black-tinted door. The cabinet of the unit is also black, so kudos to the designer team. There are 5 stainless steel chrome shelves that can all be removed to reorganize the cooler. There are also soft LED 75-watt lights to showcase the content.
Capacity and Performance
Special Features
This one is super stylish and is a great choice for wine-lovers. It’s recommended to check the temperature with a thermometer, though, as sometimes the cooler may not maintain the right temperature.
- Tinted door to prevent UV lights
- Gorgeous design
- Vibration-free
- 1-year warranty
- Not designed for custom wine bottles
2. hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler – Smart Thermostat
- MODERN ELECTRIC BEVERAGE COOLER - This 3.2...
- LARGE CAPACITY BEER & WINE CHILLER - Under...
- ADVANCED TEMPERATURE CONTROLS - Single zone...
Last update on 2020-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Design
The hOmeLabs cooler looks elegant and suits both as a part of the kitchen ensemble and a couch-side part of the living room. It has a see-through glass door with a frame made from stainless steel. The door is reversible, although the manufacturer states it’s only left-hinge. There’s also an LED illumination, that you can turn on in the evening to see what’s inside.
Capacity and Performance
Special Features
The cooler is equipped with a smart thermostat that will restore the temperature you set before in case of a power outage or unplugging. There’s also an auto-defrost feature to avoid ice buildup. It’s a great model that has everything I was looking for. Compact yet with a nice capacity, neutral metallic design, auto-defrost, and an easy-to-use thermostat. It’s also very quiet so I put it in the living room to save time running to the kitchen to get drinks for my guests.
- Smart thermostat
- Quiet sound
- Reversible door
- Well-packed for delivery
- Not found
3. Antarctic Star Wine Cooler/Cabinet Beverage Refrigerator – Reinforced Door
- KEEP WINE COOL: Heat is enemy number one for...
- IDEAL LIGHT and HUMIDITY: With its reinforced...
- PERFECT WINE STORAGE: 26 standard red or...
Last update on 2020-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Design
This Antarctic Star cooler is made for storing wine, but you can use it for beer as well. It’s warmer than the other coolers so higher alcohol volume of beer is preferred. The unit has blue soft LED lights inside to show the wine to advantage. It’s compact and stylish, good both for the kitchen and for the living room.
FYI: Best mini-fridges TOP.
Capacity and Performance
Special Features
The unit has a reversible reinforced glass door that keeps UV rays outside and helps maintain air humidity inside. It doesn’t vibrate to make sure the natural sediment in wine is not disturbed. This one has great features but seems a bit too professional for me. Besides, some reviews say it’s not very long-lasting temperature-wise, cools more than it should in several months. However, it’s not a mass-problem, so I still recommend this model due to its special features and great design.
- Reinforced glass reversible door
- Quiet sound
- 1-year warranty
- Soft LED lights
- May be too cold for some wines even at the warmest temperatures
- Capacity may not be 100% accurate
4. Vremi Beverage Refrigerator – Digital Command Center
- BEVERAGE COOLER with MODERN STYLISH DESIGN -...
- LARGE CAPACITY BEER and WINE CHILLER -...
- ADJUSTABLE DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL - Mini...
Last update on 2020-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Design
The Vremi cooler is very much like the hOmeLabs one. It has almost the same level of quality and features yet it’s cheaper. There are three chrome shelves you can adjust to put non-standard cans or bottles there. The raised edges of the shelves allow you to arrange the cans and bottles anyway you want – they won’t fall out when the door’s open.
Capacity and Performance
Special Features
The air is evenly distributed within the cooler due to the Vremi Vortex special cooling tech. There are also the auto-defrost feature and a smart thermostat. It’s a nice cheaper version of my favorite cooler, great for standard use. If you don’t need anything extra-fancy, this may be your choice.
- Reversible door
- Smart thermostat
- Quiet sound
- Auto-defrost
- Not found
5. EdgeStar Stainless Steel Beverage Cooler – Great Capacity and Lock
- Capacity: 142 standard 12 oz. cans;...
- Powerful compressor-based cooling;...
- Includes glass shelves; Factory installed...
Last update on 2020-05-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Design
The EdgeStar cooler has a standard appealing stainless steel design. Its door isn’t transparent but there are glass shelves inside that create an illusion of additional space. The unit is only for indoor use, but the company has a similar model for outdoor use as well.
Capacity and Performance
Special Features
There’s a lock on the door so you can keep children out if you store alcohol or want to limit their sugar intake.
The model also has the auto-defrost feature. Besides, there’s a built-in carbon filter. I’d recommend this one if you need to store a lot of drinks all the time. The model is limited in usage but great for indoor large parties.
- Door lock
- Built-in or freestanding
- Carbon filter
- Auto-defrost
- Great capacity
- For indoor use only
Buyer’s Guide: Beverage Cooler FAQ and Usage Tips
What Are the Main Features of a Cooler?
Here are some of the features to pay attention to when choosing a beverage cooler:
The way the door of the cooler opens can limit the space where you can put the unit. But if it’s reversible, a lot more options are open;
● Safety lock
A great feature if you have kids and store alcohol in the refrigerator;
● Capacity
Storing too much in a small one won’t allow proper cooling. And vice versa, if you store 12 cans in an 84-can cooler, there will be too much space and the air there will heat quickly;
● Energy Star
Look for the models with an Energy Star. This means the appliance saves more energy than one without this label.
Does Environment Temperature Affect the Work of My Cooler?
Among other things, yes, the temperature of the room or outside (depending on where you store the cooler) matters. Refrigerators should operate fine in temperatures from 50F to 95F. If it’s outside this range, the appliance may have issues with reaching or maintaining the needed temperature. And even if it manages to work properly, its life expectancy becomes way shorter.
It’s better to store the fridge in a room with climate control and close the door well to make sure hot humid air doesn’t get into the cooler.
How to Prevent Condensation and Mold?
The reason for both problems is humidity. The more you open the door and the more the difference between the refrigerator and outside temperatures are, the more condensation there will be. And humid air is inside the unit causes mold.
The best way out is to clean and wipe the refrigerator regularly. Take everything out of it before cleaning, and don’t forget to work on the shelves and the door seal. Also, it’s recommended to turn the unit off and unplug it prior to cleaning.
Here are some nice solutions:
- 1 part baking soda + 2 parts water;
- 1 part vinegar + 1 part water (may leave an odor for some time);
- 1 part bleach + 10 parts water;
- 1 tbsp. Borax + 1 cup water.
In addition to cleaning, try not to leave the door open for a long time to prevent warm humid air going into the unit. If you need to use the cooler often, consider these moisture absorption options:
● Silica Gel – humidity controller made from silicon dioxide;
● Baking soda – a DIY absorbent that will take in the extra moisture; should be changed regularly.
Why Is My Cooler Making Strange Noises?
A strange noise is one of the biggest concerns of beverage cooler users. In most cases, the sound comes from the fans inside the unit. Those help air circulation – getting warm air out and getting the cold air in. They also help make cooling in all parts of the unit as equal as possible.
Over time, dust builds up on the blades of the fans so they start wobbling a bit. Usually, this is the main source of the weird noises you may hear coming from the cooler.
Try locating the noisy fan by stopping them one after another. Clean it with a brush or a vacuum (use the additional brush-like head). If it doesn’t help, there must be a piece of debris in the rotor. You can take the fan out and clean it more thoroughly.
If you aren’t sure you can take the fan out yourself or if the noise comes from another part of the unit, call an expert.
Useful Tips on Using a Beverage Cooler
● Control the temperature inside with a thermometer. Keep in mind that the temperature of the inside of the cooler and the beverages stored will be different;
● If storing food (which is not recommended), make sure it’s preserved;
● Control the amount of time the door of the cooler is open, try to minimize it;
● Organize the beverages inside to make sure you don’t need a lot of time to find what you need;
● Clean and wipe the unit regularly, check ice storages if any, inspect the fans.
How to Install A Beer or Wine Fridge
Consider Every Point Before Choosing a Perfect Beverage Refrigerator
There are so many types of coolers that it’s easy to get lost. So, start with the purpose of the purchase: why do you need it? This question will start a chain of other questions and answers that will eventually lead you to the best model. It will suit your needs, design, and budget.
Don’t be afraid to research the market, even if you think it’s too difficult for someone who doesn’t know a lot about coolers. Nowadays, information is presented in understandable ways, just like this guide.
Contents
- 1. Whynter Thermoelectric Wine Cooler – Amazon’s Choice
- 2. hOmeLabs Beverage Refrigerator and Cooler – Smart Thermostat
- 3. Antarctic Star Wine Cooler/Cabinet Beverage Refrigerator – Reinforced Door
- 4. Vremi Beverage Refrigerator – Digital Command Center
- 5. EdgeStar Stainless Steel Beverage Cooler – Great Capacity and Lock
- Buyer’s Guide: Beverage Cooler FAQ and Usage Tips
- How to Install A Beer or Wine Fridge
- Consider Every Point Before Choosing a Perfect Beverage Refrigerator