Can I Store Wine in the Kitchen Refrigerator?
Most people make the mistake of storing wine in the kitchen refrigerator, and that’s entirely wrong! So, where to store wine? If you have ever had to think of where to store wine with the knowledge that the kitchen refrigerator is not ideal, you do wonder where else you can store wine. It is the reason why we have written this article, and you do find out in a short while the best place to store wine as you continue reading.
The kitchen refrigerator? Oh no! We already mentioned that. While your fridge may be the best place to store consumables, it is not recommended for wines. Instead, you need a wine refrigerator, also known as a wine cooler, to store your wine.
This article will attempt to show you why it’s best to store your wine in a wine cooler instead of your regular refrigerator for consumables. But first, a quick look at our recommended wine refrigerators.
6 Best Wine Refrigerators to Consider
The following are some wine refrigerators that ticks the major boxes and will be suitable for your use.
1. Antarctic Star 18 Bottle Wine Cooler/Cabinet
The Antarctic Star wine refrigerator is a great choice for storing your wine.
With an abundance of space that can contain up to 18 wine bottles, you can store enough wine bottles in it. You can even store beverages with it without harm to your wine.
The wine refrigerator keeps your wine in optimal conditions by adhering to the temperature range. It also maintains the recommended humidity level, so your wine doesn’t get spoilt. More so, the fridge doesn’t vibrate and will work quietly.
It is backed by a one-year warranty, which assures you of a quality refrigerator for storing your wines.
2. Koldfront TWR327ESS 32 Bottle Free Standing Dual Zone Wine Cooler
This freestanding fridge has all the features that will make you love it.
With its two-temperature zone, you’ll be able to store two types of wines in different sections of the fridge. The two zones included in this wine fridge are 46 to 66 F in the lower zone and 54 to 66 F in the upper zone.
You can control the refrigerator from the adjustment buttons located centrally on the fridge. The safety lock ensures that no unauthorized person will get access to the wine refrigerator.
You can store up to 32 wine bottles.
3. KUPPET 35 Bottles Compressor Freestanding Wine Cooler
This is perfect wine storage with a capacity of up to 35 bottles. You can store any type of wine and beverages in it.
The almost no noise of this wine refrigerator will be useful if you will want to keep it in whatever space you desire.
You will also find the advanced technology of this refrigerator useful to you as it can adjust the temperature seamlessly and ensures efficient air circulation inside.
4. Ivation Premium Stainless Steel 24 Bottle Dual Zone Thermoelectric Wine Cooler
The stainless-steel design of this wine refrigerator makes it sturdy for use.
You can store your wine with this wine storage for the long term in an environment with a stable temperature. There are two zones in this refrigerator. The lower zone with a temperature between 54 to 64 F and the upper zone with a temperature between 46 to 64 F.
The fridge is designed with a CFC-free dense foam that prevents odor from accumulating inside and thus keeping the humidity constant.
5. hOmelabs 18 Bottle Wine Cooler
This minimalist wine refrigerator can help you keep your wines in good taste at the same time, taking very little space in your home. The interior is attractive and offers a way to store both smaller and larger sized wine bottles.
Its thermoelectric cooling system ensures that there’s minimal noise disturbance. The system also takes care of vibrations, keeping your wine safe. The control buttons are simple enough for you to control the temperature of the refrigerator.
6. Lanbo Built-in Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator with Safety Lock
This large size wine refrigerator is the perfect option if you intend to store a large number of wines in your home. You can store up to 138 wine bottles in it.
With multiple zones contained in this wine fridge, you can store any type of wine you desire. Despite having a powerful compressor that cools the wine, the silence and low vibration of the fridge is remarkable.
More so, this wine cooler is equipped with a safety lock, which can help prevent unauthorized access to your wines.
Why You Should Not Store Wine in a Kitchen Refrigerator
You can store a lot of foodstuffs and drinks in the refrigerator to prevent them from getting spoilt. The fridge, thus, becomes the best place for storing drinks. However, kitchen fridges are not suitable for storing wines.
The sole reason why you should not use the regular kitchen refrigerators for storing wines is that the average operating temperature of 35 to 38 F is not suitable for wines. Also, the humidity revolves around 30 percent, which is also not a good one for wines. Wines require higher levels of temperature and humidity than what you do get from the kitchen refrigerator. This is why you need a wine refrigerator to store your wines so that they don’t get spoilt.
A wine refrigerator operates between 45 to 60 F temperature, which is the most favorable temperature for wines. Also, wine refrigerators have perfect humidity—around 70 to 90 percent.
Another point is, you need to keep wines away from excessive vibration, and your regular fridge is not free from vibration. This can be harmful to wines. Instead of preserving, you do be surprised to see that your wine is getting sour. Low levels of temperature and too much vibration are not ideal for wines.
Features of Wine Refrigerator
The following are the most important features that separate the normal refrigerator from wine refrigerators. If you can find these in a refrigerator, then you should pick it.
Temperature and Humidity Control
The wine refrigerator of choice should be able to maintain a temperature range between 45 and 60 F. Within this range, the wine will retain its taste.
Humidity control is also vital for storing wine. The humidity level should be about 70%.
This high humidity level prevents the wine from developing a nasty odor.
Interior Light
A good wine refrigerator should have an interior light so that you can see inside your wine collection at any time of the day.
However, the lights should be an energy-saving LED as they don’t give out much heat.
Normal lighting bulbs dissipate a lot of energy that becomes heat. The heat will make your wine change its taste to a revolting one.
The light should also be extremely bright as that can make the wine lose its flavor.
Protective Design
Most wine bottles are fragile. A good wine refrigerator should protect the wine.
The kitchen refrigerator usually vibrates due to the presence of a motor. This vibration can cause your wine to shake, creating a chemical reaction that increases the alcoholic content of the wine.
They should also be protected against UV lights from the sun. Wine refrigerators should have a screen that blocks UV rays.
Various Temperature Zone
You might want to store different types of wines with varying temperature requirements. A wine refrigerator with multiple temperature zones will work. You will be able to store your white, red, or any other type of wine. This way, they’ll be in their optimum temperature zone. Besides, the multiple zones also help you segment the wine.
ALSO READ: Are there any Vegan Wines?
Safety Lock
The safety lock will help you deny access to people you don’t want to get into your wine fridge. It might be a child, teenager, or whosoever you don’t want.
Buying a Wine Refrigerator: Factors to Consider
If you are ready to purchase a wine refrigerator, there are certain factors to consider to ensure that you do not make the wrong choice. So, here are the things to note:
Are you Buying a Wine Refrigerator for the First Time?
If you are buying a wine cooler for the first time, odds are you know nothing about the features. However, we already discussed the features you need in a wine refrigerator above. Based on your needs, you should go for one with features that cover your needs. Maybe you need a small, medium-sized or large wine cooler, be sure to check the description carefully to know if that’s what you want.
On the other hand, if you have used a wine cooler before and perhaps the one you had was faulty, you should be able to know what went wrong with your old refrigerator. That way, you can choose a different product that won’t develop the same fault. The bottom line is that you need to define your needs before making a purchase, and you should get one that has the features you want.
ALSO READ: Different Types of Wines and Where to Find Them
Should I Buy Cheap Wine Refrigerators?
Maybe you’re wondering whether cheap wine refrigerators are of good quality or not, right? You sure want to get a good quality wine refrigerator, and it’s okay to be wary of certain cheap products as they turn put to be a bad purchase most times. However, cheap products could still be good quality products sometimes. So whenever you’re trapped in a dilemma of whether to buy a cheap product or one with a higher price, you should look through the feedback from existing users. You do find out what they have said about the product. This should help you know which is best.
Of course, we already recommended six wine refrigerators above. They are proven to meet your needs adequately.
Budget
Get a budget and stick to it. Before you set out to buy, you should have conducted a market survey to see what you can buy. So that you don’t run into the problem of comparing prices and quality of products when you’re on the verge of buying, do your market survey in time, get a budget and stick to it. This should also help you prevent overspending.
Warranty
You may also want to consider a warranty to boost your confidence in the product. As a general rule of thumb when it comes to making purchases, a vendor with warranty policy usually wins the hearts of customers as it assures the quality of a product. So, if a seller has a warranty policy you want to buy from such a seller, however, you can still buy a wine cooler without a warranty as long as past users’ feedback about the product is positive.
Wrap Up
As you can see, it is not safe to store your wine in a kitchen refrigerator but a wine refrigerator. So, we have recommended six best wine coolers you can consider in this article, as well as the features you should look out for before getting a wine cooler.
Storing wines is no mean feat, but with the right storage method, you’ll be able to. Although not exhaustive, the refrigerators mentioned above will help you take care of your wines.