Best Wine cabinet, cooler or Rack? Top mistakes people make when buying a wine cabinet

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"Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy".

Benjamin Franklin

If you are looking for the best wine cabinet then there are a few mistakes that you should avoid. If you collect wine for enjoyment or as an investment then you need to store it at an optimal level.
1. You must differentiate between wine coolers and wine cabinets. Coolers keep wine at serving temperature .They have high temperature fluctuations but it does not matter much – as the wine is not being stored for long time. The wine coolers do not regulate humidity nor do not regulate the amount of light .However wine cabinets are used to store wine for long periods and in some cases years . They have to maintain an optimal storage temperature of about 55 to 60 degrees, which is warmer than the chilled temperature of wine coolers. They also have to regulate humidity as well as ensure low levels of light.
2. It is important to look into the wine racks inside the wine cabinet. They should be of adequate size especially as more and more wine is stored in large bottles. Racks have to be able to hold these larger bottles. For example Burgundy Pinot and champagne bottles don’t fit regular racks that have 3 and ¼ inch racks. They require 3 and ¾ inch racks . So make sure your wine cabinet has adequate number of larger than normal wine racks.

"Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read."Francis Bacon

A man who was fond of wine was offered some grapes at dessert after dinner.— “Much obliged,” said he, pushing the plate aside; “I am not accustomed to take my wine in pills.”

3. Insulation . You must make sure that the wine cabinet is well insulated .If the wine cabinet is not well insulated then the cooling unit will have to keep running to maintain the required temperature. A minimum of 1 and ½ inch double quality insulation is the minimum you should accept.
4. Noisy cooling systems- One of the things you should focus on is the quality or type of cooling system that the cabinet has. Since cooling systems can run for as many as 18 hours in a day you don’t need one that is loud . If you make that mistake , it may keep you and your family awake at night as it comes on and goes off- in an effort to regular the temperature inside the cabinet.
5. Space requirement- Have you ever seen people who buy TVs which are simply too big for the rooms they have? Well you should not do that with wine cabinets. Some of them require clearance above or behind them. Some can be placed against the wall while others require up to seven inches of clearance behind them. So make sure you have enough space for the wine cabinet you want.
6. Warranty- A lot of people do not pay attention to their warranties. Its is important to make sure that you understand what is covered and what is not covered by the particular warranty. Is labor covered, are parts covered? Does the manufactures send a replacement to you while working to repair your wine cabinet if anything ever goes wrong? Remember your wine needs to be protected even if your cooling system ever goes in for repairs.
7. Not planning for the future.-Most people fail to plan for the future , when they will have amassed more and more bottles of wine. In this case they buy wine cabinets which are adequate for current needs but not those of the year after. Don’t be one of those people. Make sure you plan for the future so you don’t have to buy a new wine cabinet every year.

"Under the pressure of the cares and sorrows of our mortal condition, men have at all times, and in all countries, called in some physical aid to their moral consolations - wine, beer, opium, brandy, or tobacco."

Edmund Burke

Best wine chillers buying guide

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Wine chillers, sometimes also called wine coolers , wine cellars and or wine refrigerators are becoming very popular as more and more Americans are getting into wine drinking .

If you collect wine then you understand that it has t be chilled at a certain temperature to taste its best. In addition the wine chillers maintain the wines ate uniform temperatures. This is important as wine stored at a spot with different temperatures swings can degrades if quality . Different wines have different optimal chilling temperatures depending on the wine’s density .For sparkling wines, reds and whites the optimal chilling temperature sis between 45 to 60 degrees F.

There are different types of wine coolers in the market such as under counter and freestanding models. There can accommodate different number of wine bottles from 8 to as many as 80 bottles.
There are also two zone wine chillers in the marker which can stores different types of wine at different temperatures .

The two zone wine coolers are different from the single compartment model which are colder at the bottom where colder air settles.

Under counter wine chillers are usually around 24 inches wide and 34 inches high while the freestanding ones are usually much narrower .

One of the the major considerations you have to take into consideration when purchasing a wine chiller is the noise. Some are quite noisy while others are quiet. With the loud vibrating wine chillers- the continuous shaking can affect the quality of the wine .

Another factor to consider is the energy use. Wine chillers are not part of the is Energy Star program so unlike regular refrigerators some of them are energy inefficient. Of course the energy settings also affect the energy consumption . However the overall cost is very low. For example we found that one of the best models we tested cost less than $10 a year in energy costs. However there were others models that costs as much as $20 dollars to run a year and used more energy that large regular refrigerators.

There are some other features that you should know about. For example some wine chillers have a digital temperature controls- which are more exact and are without guesswork , and which can also be set without having to pen the doors . Some of the wine chillers have shelves that come off which makes space for larger bottle to fit. Some few the wine chillers have water bins which ensure high humidity levels and prevents corks and labels from drying out.

Depending on where you r wine chiller is placed in the house , you may chose to have integrated locks which can keep unauthorized people away from your wine. There are some wine chillers which have tinted glass doors which will keep ultraviolet rays at bay. There are some wine chillers with adjustable interior lighting . Some also have shelves which tilt up and make a great display of your wine collection.

If you enjoy your wine, then its important to ensure that it is chilled at the right temperature for an optimal taste.
In terms of price- there are some cheap wine chillers while other costs as much as regular refrigerators . Some of the best wine chillers are Wine Refrigerator: Best single zone thermoelectric Wine cooler is the NewAir AW 181 E, Best Wine cabinet with Glass door is Winsome and the Best wine cabinet is the Newport Expandable Bar Cabinet