Freestanding wine fridges and built-in wine fridges are becoming increasingly popular in homes across the country, and with good reason. Not only do they look great and add a sense of sophistication to any kitchen, but they can also help to keep your wine at the perfect temperature for optimal flavour. Furthermore, recent research carried out by a well-known UK home and property magazine found that the presence of a wine fridge in a kitchen can increase the asking price of a home. Built-in wine fridges are a great way to add a touch of luxury to your home, and they also provide a convenient and efficient way to store and serve your favourite wines.
When it comes to selecting a built-in wine fridge, there are a few things to consider. First, it’s important to think about the size and capacity of the fridge. If you’re an avid wine collector, then you’ll likely need a larger fridge to ensure that you have enough space to store all of your bottles. On the other hand, if you’re just looking for a way to store and serve a few bottles at a time, then a smaller unit may be more suitable. Your kitchen may also have limited space within the design.
The next consideration is where you plan to place your wine fridge. Most built-in wine fridges are designed to fit beneath a countertop or inside a kitchen cabinet, but there are also some models that can be installed as a standalone unit. It’s important to measure the space carefully before making a purchase to ensure that the fridge will fit in your designated area. Wine storage comes in freestanding, built-in and integrated options, most people choose to build-in or integrate their wine fridge into their kitchen, however, if you have the space, there’s no reason a freestanding wine fridge couldn’t be kept in the kitchen too.
When it comes to features, there are a few things to look for in a built-in wine fridge. All models are equipped with adjustable temperature settings, so you can store your wine at the ideal temperature for its particular type and come in either single, dual or multi temperature zones. Many wine fridges also come with a digital display that allows you to monitor the temperature and other settings like humidity. Additionally, some models come with a lock to prevent unauthorized access, while others feature changeable LED lights that illuminates the interior when the door is opened. Wine fridge shelving will also be a serious consideration when making your purchase as many manufacturers offer sliding shelves rather than static shelving allowing fast access to your favourite bottles. If you’re a Champagne fan you’ll want to make sure you can fit the wide bottles into the fridge. This can be a particular challenge in a narrow fridge like the 150mm or 300mm wide wine fridges.
Finally, you’ll want to think about the type of design that best fits in with the aesthetics of your home. Built-in wine fridges are available in a variety of styles, from sleek modern designs to more traditional wood or stainless steel finishes. At the end of the day, built-in wine fridges are a great way to add luxury and convenience to your home. They provide a great way to store and serve your favourite wines, as well as keep them at the perfect temperature for optimal flavour. With the right model, you can make sure that your wine is always ready to enjoy. Some models, especially those from Swisscave also offer long term wine maturation as a built-in option, allowing you to store your Sassicaia alongside (or probably in a separate compartment too), your Sainsbury’s Sauvignon Blanc!
What size built-in wine fridge works for your kitchen?
With wine fridges for the kitchen, not only the width has to be considered, but also the depth and height of your wine fridge. This is going to be dependent on the aperture/gap you have in your kitchen space. Our built in wine fridges vent from the front and so the only requirement for use is that they fit in your gap and that the front grille for ventilation is not obscured or blocked – otherwise the unit would over heat.
Our built-in wine fridges come in 150mm, 300mm, 400mm, 500mm and 600mm widths with the standard height being under-counter but some mid sized and full sized units (fridge freezer height) are also available to be built in.
What colours are available for built in wine fridges?
Most commonly built-in wine fridges will come in a piano black or stainless steel colour.
What brands are the best for built in wine fridges?
The best brands for the kitchen include Swisscave, Dunavox and Liebherr, these brands were designed with the kitchen in mind and so many time offer extra features that particularly suit kitchen presence like dual zones, on/off lighting, sliding shelving and flush mounting.
What is a good price for a built in wine fridge?
Generally a good under-counter wine fridge will cost between £1000-£2000 (Jan 2024) however, cheaper brands are available on the market. We highly recommend checking out your favoured brand on websites like Trustpilot as often, if a price looks too good to be true, it’s because it is. Check for warranty length, check for the quality of the features and read the reviews of past owners. We’re proud to stock only premium brands who pride themselves in quality engineering and longevity.
What are some common features I would require for a built in wine fridge?
- Single or Dual Zone – Pay attention to the max and min settings of each zone and also how far the two zones must be set apart. Some wine fridges can keep wines as low as 2°C whilst others allow the wines to be as warm as 22°C.
- Sliding Shelves - Not all wine fridges come with shelving on rails. Many wine fridges have static wire shelves or moveable beech shelving. To allow easy access to your wine ensure the shelves are sliding.
- Lock - Most wine fridges have a child lock, this stops anyone playing with your temperature settings however, if you have important bottles or indeed, just want to keep your children away from alcohol, you may want a lockable door. Use the filters when searching our website and check the option for lock.
Do I need a carbon filter for my built-in wine fridge?
Carbon filters battle bad aroma build up in the fridge. If you are rotating wines very frequently and not storing wines over the longer term then a carbon filter isn’t necessary. If you plan to mature your wines for any length of time, we always recommend a carbon filter.
Do I need a dual zone or single zone built in wine fridge?
Do you want to serve both red and white wine at the ideal temperature straight from the wine fridge? If so, then yes. If not, and you only drink one colour of wine, then a single zone is fine.
Can Champagne bottles fit in under-counter, built in wine fridges?
Like all wine, Champagne needs to be stored level so the corks do not dry out. The issue smaller wine fridges have is their limited capacity and smaller spaces for shelving. Many Champagne bottles are very wide and oddly shaped, this makes them very difficult to store in small spaces. You may find that you need to remove a shelf in order to store Champagne unless the wine fridge is designed specifically to counter this issue.
How do I install an undercounter/built-in wine fridge?
Many under counter units are very easy to install. Most frequently it’s simply a case of measuring the space you have available, purchasing the right size and sliding the unit into place. All the wine coolers have adjustable feet, so unless your undercounter height is particularly small or tall, you should be able to level up/or down the wine cooler to fit neatly into your space. All the product pages on the website contain fitting instructions under the ‘supporting documentation tab. Integrated wine fridges are much trickier to install as regularly do not sit on the floor and need to be housed with specific ventilation requirements.
How does a wine fridge protect my wine?
A wine fridge is designed to maintain the optimal temperature for storing and aging your bottles, and keep them away from any sudden fluctuations in temperature. Humidity is also an important factor in protecting your wine. Too much humidity can cause the cork to expand, allowing air to enter the bottle and oxidize the wine. Too little humidity can cause the cork to dry out, allowing air to enter the bottle and spoil the wine. A wine fridge is designed to maintain the optimal humidity level for storing and aging your bottles, and keep them away from any sudden fluctuations.
Light is also an enemy of your wine. Ultraviolet (UV) light can cause a chemical reaction in the wine, resulting in an unpleasant flavor and aroma. A wine fridge is designed to keep your bottles away from any direct or indirect light sources. Many models even come with UV-protected glass, ensuring your bottles are safe from any light damage.
Finally, a good wine fridge will also provide an optimal storage environment for your bottles. Most models come with adjustable shelves, allowing you to store your bottles at the optimal angle for long-term aging. This ensures that the cork remains moist and the wine stays in the best condition possible. By investing in a good wine fridge, you can ensure that your bottles stay in optimal condition for as long as possible. A wine fridge will protect your wine from damaging temperatures, humidity, and light, and provide an optimal storage environment for your bottles. With the right care and maintenance, your wine fridge can keep your bottles in excellent condition for years to come.
What types of wine fridges are there?
Wine fridges are either thermoelectric or compressor driven. There are pros and cons to both types of wine fridge although for premium fridges almost every single wine fridge will be compressor driven as they are able to cool quicker and keep temperatures steadier. All of our wine fridges are compressor driven. Compressor driven wine fridges are able to cool larger capacities and handle larger ranges of ambient temperature too. All our kitchen based, in-built wine fridges are compressor driven.
Can I keep beer or spirits in my wine fridge?
You can, however, beer or spirits are rarely served at the same temperature and neither will the shelving of the wine fridge be ideal for cans of beer or bottles of vodka. That said, there is nothing to stop you keeping other bottles or cans in the fridge, some of our customers have even bought built in wine fridges to keep their speciality cheese and ciders in. As with everything in life, each to their own!