Updated on Nov. 15, 2024
We hate to break it to you, but you've probably been sipping your vino at the wrong temperature. That's why you need to make up for it now with a wine fridge or wine cooler.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.
Whether you’re a dedicated wine aficionado or just an occasional sipper of fine vintages, you may have considered purchasing a wine fridge. They’re typically small refrigerators specially designed for storing bottles of wine at their optimal temperatures. Wine fridges also store bottles on their side, so that sediments don’t deposit in the bottom. They make a welcomed addition to a basement bar (right next to your beer fridge, maybe?), a kitchen island or as a conversation piece in the living room.
Wine fridges come in a range of sizes, prices and features, so we kept those elements in mind when compiling this list of the best options. There’s something out there for every space and budget. You can thank us next time you pop the cork on your favorite bottle of wine.
Pros:
Cons:
There’s a lot to love about this all-around solid wine cooler from trusted brand Samsung. It has a 51-bottle capacity, and dual temperature cooling areas for red and white wines. A UV glass door protects wine from harmful UV rays (who knew?), and the door can be mounted to open left or right. A sleek stainless steel finish means this wine fridge will blend in well in just about any setting.
Pros:
Cons:
This isn’t the cheapest model out there, but we chose this Koolatron wine fridge as our budget pick based on its 20-bottle capacity, digital display and attractive design—at a wallet-friendly price. Plus, it looks like a more expensive wine fridge than it is. This freestanding model is small enough for a countertop, can tuck under a table or be placed against a wall.
Pros:
Cons:
Apartment dwellers, tiny house enthusiasts, RV owners and part-time oenophiles, rejoice! This mini wine fridge from Cuisinart is ideal for small spaces and for keeping just a few bottles chilled at a time. At just 10.5 inches wide and 17.5 inches tall, it really is small enough to fit on a countertop or tucked into a small interior space.
Pros:
Cons:
Leave it to LG to combine luxury wine chilling with multitasking functionality. This 65-bottle, dual-zone wine fridge includes a conventional refrigerator drawer—ideal for keeping beer and soft drinks cold, or having a stash of charcuterie to pull out for your next party—and a freezer drawer. The bonus champagne drawer is a thing of beauty.
We’re going to assume that you’re enough of a wine lover that you actually need a wine fridge in your life. With that established, your deciding factors are most likely to be space, capacity and budget. These are chicken-and-egg issues, since your budget might not allow for the capacity you want, or you may not have enough space for a fancy wine fridge with all the bells and whistles.
Start by deciding where your wine fridge will go, then look at options available for those dimensions. If capacity is your priority, a single-zone wine fridge will hold more bottles (and usually cost less, too). But if your collection is fairly evenly divided between red, white and sparkling wines, then dual-zone is probably the way to go.
In addition to fridges with single or dual zones, there are three main types of wine fridges:
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
Yes, but it’s complicated. Conventional refrigerators are too cold for both white and red wines, which should be served at 45 to 50 and 50 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Storing wine at the correct temperature improves its longevity—this is especially true for reds—and enhances its flavor. It’s also ready to serve when company pops by.
Unopened wine will generally stay good longer when kept in a wine fridge, but time does not improve all wines. White wines tend to start to change character (and not in a good way) after about one to two years. Reds last longer—typically three to five years—and many improve with age. Many wines come with expiration dates, though experts say that even if wine is expired, if it tastes and smells good, it’s fine to drink.
Technically, yes, but it’s probably not a good idea, especially in a warm climate. Your wine fridge is designed to keep wine cool, and hot temperatures mean your wine fridge will be working harder to stay cool. Condensation may form inside and out.
