Wine coolers

How it differs from a refrigerator and why it costs so much

Wine coolers – at first glance, wine cooler are not particularly different from wine refrigerators, but the price says otherwise. With the same volume, the difference in cost can be 3 to 15 times. Not realizing the difference, wine coolers are often referred to as a product of marketing. Is this really the case? In this article, we will understand the main differences between these cooling devices.

Features and differences

Not every establishment or wine connoisseur can afford to maintain a separate wine cellar, especially in an urban environment. The wine fridge is designed to mimic all the conditions of such cellar without taking much space. It turns out that both the refrigerator and the cooler are designed for long-term storage. The answer lies in the sensitivity and duration storage of different wines, so these appliances have key differences.

Maximum temperature

Wine refrigerators do not need a wide temperature range. Their task is to cool, but not to freeze products (we are talking about the refrigerated compartment). Therefore, the maximum (constant) temperature in most refrigerator models does not exceed +8°C. In wine coolers it goes up to +18°C. If the temperature of refrigerators is still sufficient for storing sparkling wine, which needs +5°C, white and red wines are already overcooled: they need +11°C and +18°C respectively (the temperature is approximate and may vary depending on the variety).

Humidity

This mainly refers to wine refrigerators with ‘No Frost’ technology, which has become very popular lately. Due to the constant air circulation, products in such refrigerators quickly become weathered and dried out. This is unacceptable for wine: when drying out the cork shrinks and air begins to penetrate inside the bottle, which leads to a change in flavor and rapid spoilage of a drink. In wine cooler there are no active air flows, moreover, the condensate is not discharged outside, but re-evaporates inside the chamber.

Minimum vibrations

Any vibrations, which may not even be felt by humans, affect the condition of the wine. This is why wine cellar manufacturers pay special attention to the quality of assembly and the performance of the inpidual elements. Compressors here are exclusively of inverter type in order to minimize vibrations and temperature difference. In low cost refrigerators there are collector compressors, which work in cycles. Some inexpensive wine coolers also have thermoelectric cooling. It functions due to the Peltier effect: almost no vibrations, but the cooling efficiency is lower. For the same purpose, wine coolers have wooden boards as shelves, which are excellent at dampening small vibrations.

Capacity

Wine bottles can only be stored horizontally. This is to ensure that the cork is constantly wet and does not shrivel up. If you take into account the number of horizontal shelves, then with the total volume of the chamber in wine coolers, their density is much greater.

Climate zones

Wine coolers can have separate climate zones with different temperatures, for example, for simultaneous storage of red and white wine. Refrigerators also have additional ‘freshness’ zones, but the near-zero temperature is not at all suitable for storage. Contact with us online or by phone 844 653-3330 for wine coolers repair and services.

Summary

The high cost of wine coolers is fully justified because refrigerators cannot replace them in any way, at least for long-term storage. Wine requires many conditions to be stored and this cannot be done in an ordinary household appliance. More information about wine coolers you can find here https://www.subzero-wolf.com/sub-zero/