Wine fridges

Author
Discussion

Peeping Turtle

Original Poster:

2,430 posts

232 months

Yesterday (02:18)
quotequote all
HI, so looking to buy an undercounted wine fridge (well actually a half wine half beverage style) but every one I look at have (10pct one star) reviews claiming to break down after 1-2 years.
Is there any reliable brands out there ? or ignore the 10pct?
Why are wine fridges so unreliable?
Note im in the US but would like to know what brands are classed as reliable and if it's the same situation in the UK (wine fridges being crap)

LooneyTunes

8,254 posts

173 months

Yesterday (06:23)
quotequote all
What do you mean by a “wine fridge”?

A chiller, or a proper storage unit?

If the latter, Liebherr or Eurocave. I bought one of the former almost 25 years ago and the latter around 20 years ago, albeit full size rather than under-counter ones. I believe both are still in service.

If I were buying another, Eurocave would almost certainly be the one I’d go for.

OutInTheShed

11,300 posts

41 months

Yesterday (10:19)
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The wine fridges with show-off glass doors are necessarily poorly insulated, so the compressor has to work harder than with a normal fridge.
Add in the 'undercounter' position so it's got poor cooling, it's no surprise many don't last long.

We have some display fridges in our self-run sailing club bar. They are reliable, commercial things, which were not crazily expensive AFAIK, but they've got fans which would be too noisy for a home kitchen. They munch through some electricity too!

hidetheelephants

30,192 posts

208 months

Yesterday (10:29)
quotequote all
Buy fridge, put wine in it; wine fridge. drink Why does it need a glass door? Do you have the memory of a gold fish?

The Three D Mucketeer

6,511 posts

242 months

Yesterday (10:35)
quotequote all
I just converted a bedroom wardrobe (no chilling required for Red)



Beer is in the next wardrobe hehe



Edited by The Three D Mucketeer on Monday 7th July 10:40

hidetheelephants

30,192 posts

208 months

Yesterday (10:37)
quotequote all
Hopefully not the guest bedroom. hehe

wolfracesonic

8,201 posts

142 months

Yesterday (10:38)
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I’m told the cellars under the east wing are optimal…

LooneyTunes

8,254 posts

173 months

Yesterday (13:10)
quotequote all
hidetheelephants said:
Buy fridge, put wine in it; wine fridge. drink Why does it need a glass door? Do you have the memory of a gold fish?
A normal fridge won't have any airflow. A proper wine storage fridge will. A basic undercounter wine chiller probably won't.

Ascayman

13,088 posts

231 months

Yesterday (13:26)
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Meile do fantastic (all be it pricey) full size ones, not sure if they do half size ones might be worth looking though.


hidetheelephants

30,192 posts

208 months

Yesterday (13:36)
quotequote all
LooneyTunes said:
hidetheelephants said:
Buy fridge, put wine in it; wine fridge. drink Why does it need a glass door? Do you have the memory of a gold fish?
A normal fridge won't have any airflow. A proper wine storage fridge will. A basic undercounter wine chiller probably won't.
So, a st air conditioner/fridge with fked door seal then? hehe

AC43

12,682 posts

223 months

Yesterday (14:39)
quotequote all
hidetheelephants said:
Buy fridge, put wine in it; wine fridge. drink Why does it need a glass door? Do you have the memory of a gold fish?
My fridge is always full of food. Hence a seperate fridge for drinks. Handy.

shirt

24,316 posts

216 months

Yesterday (14:47)
quotequote all
Peeping Turtle said:
HI, so looking to buy an undercounted wine fridge (well actually a half wine half beverage style) but every one I look at have (10pct one star) reviews claiming to break down after 1-2 years.
Is there any reliable brands out there ? or ignore the 10pct?
Why are wine fridges so unreliable?
Note im in the US but would like to know what brands are classed as reliable and if it's the same situation in the UK (wine fridges being crap)
as someone has already mentioned, under counter ones are usually installed with no consideration for the free air volume required by the compressor. commercial ones have the compressor at the front.

my boss is american and a wine enthusiast. the wine coolers has has installed at all company properties [including here, in a tropical climate] are made by eurocave.

AB

18,352 posts

210 months

Yesterday (14:48)
quotequote all
Ours is made by 'CDA' - we had it installed about 8 months ago with a new kitchen. We don't really drink wine so I had to them buy wine to fill it up which cost more than the fridge itself.

Seems to work fine!

TeeRev

1,719 posts

166 months

Yesterday (18:22)
quotequote all
We've had a CDA undercounter two zone wine fridge for the last 6 years, an excellent product with no problems.

Chumley.mouse

691 posts

52 months

Yesterday (19:43)
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The Three D Mucketeer said:
I just converted a bedroom wardrobe (no chilling required for Red)



Beer is in the next wardrobe hehe



Edited by The Three D Mucketeer on Monday 7th July 10:40
Are you an alcoholic?

valiant

12,276 posts

175 months

Yesterday (20:15)
quotequote all
We had a Samsung beer wine fridge that lasted without issue for about 9 years before we got rid of it
due to kitchen upgrade.

Didn’t think there was much to go wrong with them to be honest.

b14

1,204 posts

203 months

Yesterday (20:51)
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We've had a Swisscave one for about 8 months now. It looks good, keeps things cold, hasn't broken yet.

The_Nugget

718 posts

72 months

Yesterday (21:00)
quotequote all
The Three D Mucketeer said:
I just converted a bedroom wardrobe (no chilling required for Red)



Beer is in the next wardrobe hehe



Edited by The Three D Mucketeer on Monday 7th July 10:40
You have more faith that I would have in the strength of chipboard and those little shelf pins..

Michael_B

1,042 posts

115 months

Yesterday (21:02)
quotequote all
A decade ago I bought our of these for our place in Burgundy (farmhouse built on heavy clay, no possibility for a real cellar), and it’s still going strong. Artevino also do under counter models.

https://www.my-wine-cabinet.com/single-temperature...

Though back in 2015 it was only about €1200.


The Three D Mucketeer

6,511 posts

242 months

Yesterday (22:11)
quotequote all
Chumley.mouse said:
Are you an alcoholic?
I don't think an Alcoholic lays wine down , just drinks it down hehe