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+--- Thread: Chosing a beginner wine refrigerator (/thread-16110.html)
- nethervoid - 12-01-2005
Hi everyone. I'd like to get into collecting a bit of wine to consume at later dates, and was wondering if you might be able to point me to a good small unit holding approximately 30 or so bottles.
Also any 'must know' info on storage, etc. I tried to store just a few bottles in a low-light, low temp change environment, and was not successful.
- Innkeeper - 12-01-2005
Hi Nether and welcome to the Wine Board. Go down to the next to bottom thread on this board called Storage/Cellars/Racking and find a wealth of information. Living in the North Country we have always used passive systems.
- tw - 12-01-2005
I think most of the small cellars are created by the same company so just find one that looks nice and go for it. I think Danby, Vinotemp and Avanti are some of the more popular models. Try and keep the fridge in a low light cool room away from vibration. Also a place that is fairly humid is best. Good luck on the journey and enjoy some nice wines for me.
So many wines, so little money.
Chris
- nethervoid - 12-01-2005
Thanks guys! I'll check those out!
- hotwine - 12-01-2005
Suggest you keep your sights at eye level, Nether. Don't expect too much from a small unit. For example:
- humidity control is rarely available in small units, but fortunately it's usually not needed.
- the displayed temperature might cycle +/- 5F from the set temp in a low-cost unit, which isn't that great a characteristic for long-term aging of good wines. My little 34-btl Haier unit does that; it was my first, and fortunately now is only used as a staging point between the cellar or EuroCave and the dinner table.
- an auxillary temp and humidity gauge is very useful. I use a widget from Radio Shack, cat. #63-1013 battery-powered digital temp/humidity gauge, smaller than a cigarette pack, to provide a sanity check on the info provided by the fridges themselves; all of $25 or so. I use three, can't beat 'em.
- Check Sam's Club, Costco, Home Depot and Lowe's for available units. Good deals on wine fridges are uncommon (in this area); the word "wine" in front of "fridge" seems to command a 3X premium on the actual value of the unit. But sometimes you can get lucky, so shop around. A good price would be $150 (or even less), but expect to pay double that.
- Listed bottle capacity is usually based on Bordeaux-style bottles, and will be less for Burgundy-style or Champagne.
- A 30-btl unit will be filled in no time at all; suggest you look at larger units, esp. 100 btl and larger.
Good luck.
- californiagirl - 12-02-2005
hotwine's right on target!! i've got a 54 bottle unit, and 36 bottle unit. 90 max, at times shoved to about 110. i really need to re-think the whole set up. just wish it was feesible(sp) when the purchases happened!!