With around a dozen wine fridge brands on our website and hundreds to choose from worldwide, one question we get asked more than most is 'Is EuroCave worth the money" and "Why should I pay more for a EuroCave wine fridge". As the only official UK specialist wine fridge partner of EuroCave we are well placed to answer this question.
Even if EuroCave were the originators of the wine fridge, many brands have emulated a lot of their technology and produce wine fridges of a high quality, if not quite as high as EuroCave using parts from China and non-European manufacturing.
The core difference is the quality of the manufacturing, proven in the length of the warranty and also EuroCave's keen focus on technical differences with their fridges which really make a difference to the serious wine collector. Today we'll look at these differences and whether these extra touches are worth the extra cost for the wine collector.
10 Reasons to choose a EuroCave
#1 French manufacturing - The wine fridge industry, like all electronics industries, is dominated by Chinese parts and manufacturing, whilst this has helped lower costs for multiple brands it hasn't always been associated with an increase in quality or durability. The first EuroCave cabinets rolled off the production lines in France in the 1970's and even today EuroCave is manufactured to the highest of standards close to Lyon in France. The level of quality shows through in terms of production and durability.
Each EuroCave wine fridge is made to order where the customer can choose the door side, style and internal shelving system and with some units, the EuroCave Royale, even the finish.
#2 Collectors shelving - the main au sommelier shelving system offers vibration free rest for any wine bottle shape from Bordeaux, Burgundy through Champagne and even peculiar bottle shapes like Gattinara will fit snugly upon their shelves. A second great benefit of a EuroCave wine cabinet is that the shelves can be placed at incremental heights of a couple of cm up or down which means all different types of width bottle can be accommodated, even the most wide based bottles of Champagne. Effectively this means that the EuroCave can morph to the wine lovers collection over time and never scratch the labels.
#3 Storage and service - EuroCave wine storage cabinets are popular with collectors for long term maturation and storage but also wine bars and top end restaurants use their dual zone wine fridges for wine service. Common features amongst EuroCave storage cabinets would include carbon filters, humidity monitoring, lock and key and tightly held temperature controls that measure and control temperatures to the 0.1c.
#4 Longest guarantees - With some warranties as long as 10 years, EuroCave offer the longest warranties on the market. Even the standard units benefit generally from 5 year warranties, so confident are they in the quality of the product.
- 10 years parts and labour for the Royale collection
- 5 years parts and labour for the Revelation and Inspiration collections
- 3 years parts and labour for La Première, Compact and Pure collections
#5 Lifelong support - Each EuroCave sale is registered with the company and you will be sent handy reminders about the expiration of your carbon filters. Each customer is supported through the length of their warranty by the EuroCave London team and their servicing network which stretch up and down the UK.
#6 Accurate temperature and humidity controls - Unlike other wine fridges, EuroCave's display temperatures to the closest tenth of a degree with some units also displaying the humidity levels. This cockpit view control over your wine, combined with audible alarms in case of any major fluctuation, offers peace of mind that your wines are maturing nicely.
#7 Design and aesthetics - We all like our furniture and electronics to look good in our home. The EuroCave aesthetic manages to combine discretion with an attractive exterior and soft lighting. EuroCave's can either be focal points of a room (like the Royale or Champagne cabinet) or blend into your kitchen like the built-in range. With dozens of models and sizes to choose from, there will be a EuroCave for any room of the house.
#8 Long term maturation - The one area where EuroCave can really claim complete supremacy over every other wine fridge brand is their ability to mature fine wine. As discussed, the temperature and humidity controls are the most advanced of any manufacturer, the shelving systems offer the most flexibility and the least vibration, their UV glass in some models filters out more UV light than other wine fridges. If you have bottles of Petrus, Sassiacaia, Lafite etc, these marginal gains in maturation may mean the difference between a perfectly matured bottle from a great vintage to one that has dulled over time.
#9 Quality across the range - EuroCave manufacture all types and installation of wine fridges for every room in the home and even cooler rooms like a cellar or garage, they offer freestanding wine fridges, wine cabinets, and built-in wine fridges and integrated wine fridges of varying heights, widths and depths.
#10 Wow factor - As the indisputable kings of the wine cabinet, the EuroCave brand has a certain cache. This is why you find the EuroCave brand not only in the home of wine collectors but also private members clubs and Michelin star restaurants. Any business that is serious about fine wine considers EuroCave a top brand and a serious contender to hold their favourite bottles.
Comparable brands to EuroCave?
In terms of wine cabinets for collectors or wine bars and restaurants, a cheaper alternative with similar build quality levels although without the added touches of the expert shelving would be Swisscave. Their premium range is about as close in terms of design as some of the Premier level EuroCave wine fridges.
In terms of comparable quality levels of manufacturing and longevity then perhaps only Liebherr wine fridges come close with long warranties and German engineering. Their grand cru range of wine cabinets could be comparable to the quality of a EuroCave.
So, is a EuroCave worth the money?
If you're a wine bar or shop who specialise in fine wine, or a restaurant who has a strong mature wine offering then owning a EuroCave isn't just a guarantee of perfectly preserved bottles but also a signal to your clientele that you're serious about wine. It's common to see the finest wine bars and restaurants in major cities trust EuroCave with their wine.
For individual collectors, whether you plan on drinking your wine or selling it on, knowing the wines are resting in a EuroCave where the temperatures are always accurate, the humidity is being measured and the charcoal filter monitored offers peace of mind that your fine Bordeaux, Burgundy and Barolo wines are being kept in the best possible condition.
If you're new to wine collecting, have only a few bottles of value in your collection or plan on drinking your wines pretty quickly after you buy them then a EuroCave probably isn't worth the money and you'd be better looking at other reliable brands like La Sommeliere and Climadiff.
Why buy a EuroCave from CoolerSomm?
Our team benefit from regular training at EuroCave HQ and can help assist you in choosing the right wine cabinet for your project. Apart from Harrods, there is no other UK based partner of EuroCave and with our core business focus being wine fridges we can also help you compare and contrast the market and purchase the ideal wine fridge for your space. If you want to see our range of EuroCave wine fridges then why not visit our Wandsworth store or chat to us online for help and advice.