Basement wine fridges and basement wine cabinets need to be chosen carefully and will ideally be fitted with both a charcoal filter and a winter system due to the fact that basements especially can present bad odours which over time, if they get into the basement wine fridge, could case spoilage and a winter system to control the fluctuating ambient temperature of a basement (if not insulated).

Basement wine fridges are ideal for those who do not have the space in their regular home for a wine cabinet but do have electric to their basement , allowing them to include a wine fridge in the basement and save space.

There are several brands that area ideal for this purpose but those especially from Swisscave, La Sommeliere, Climadiff, Dunavox, Artevino and Vin Garde will work best. 

Basement Wine Fridges, Coolers & Cabinets

Expert Advice on Basement Wine Cabinets

Basement wine cabinets tend to have larger bottle capacities (100-300 bottles) and are offered with solid doors as well as UV protected glass doors. All our recommendations have winter systems to offset any fluctuating temperatures of your cellar.

Basement wine cabinets contain all the technology that their indoor use wine cabinets do but also tend to contain other features due to their basement settings including audible alarms and carbon filters. This is not only because the wine lover may not be in the basement to see the issue and thus the alarm, but also because wine storage in the basement is often for long term storage of expensive bottles and so it's essential bad odours don't get into the wine fridge - like damp for instance.

Are Basement Wine Fridges fine in colder weather?

This is the main question. temperatures in a basement can fluctuate far more than in the home. The setting is more extreme in terms of heat, vibration and odours, so it’s important that the basement wine fridge contains all the features needed to combat these plus all the regular wine fridge features.

Basement wine fridges will need a winter system to combat the fluctuations in temperature, a carbon filter to offset any basement/car aromas and anti-vibration shelving and compressor to offset the vibrations from the home/road. All of the products in our basement wine cabinet range offer these key features.

Basement wine coolers are most often freestanding wine fridges, this means they can not be built in to carpentry. Whilst most basements should have the 3-5cm of ventilation space required all around the wine fridge, this makes a freestanding wine fridge the best option for a basement. 

Basement Wine Cabinets – Buying Guide

Do Fridges for Basement Need a Carbon Filter?

Over time wines can absorb odours from outside sources which can ultimately disrupt the sealed wine through the cork. A charcoal filter fitted into the wine cooler guards against this undesirable outcome.

This is especially important if the basement fridge is situated next to DIY products such as cans of paint as odours from these products can escape and seep into the air. A charcoal filter protects your wines against this environmental threat. The most common aroma in a basement is mold and this is something you want to keep out of your wine fridge and maintain pure air with a carbon filter.

Charcoal filters are to combat the odours coming from the room that the wine fridge is held that could enter into the wine fridge and potentially penetrate through to the wine. Basement , probably more than any other space, do tend to collate odours, either from exhausts, potentially damp or DIY product odours. For this reason we recommend purchasing a basement  wine fridge with a carbon (charcoal) filter.

Do Fridges for the Basement Need a Winter System?

The UK summers and winters are becoming more extreme, and whilst it may be tempting to think your basement wont get that hot, or that cold, it may be safer to invest that little bit more and ensure the wine fridge for the basement has a winter system.

A winter system is basically a gentle heating element that means should the temperatures outside dip below the temperature you have your wine fridge set too, it will activate and gently warm the internal capacity. As with any wine fridge, it is also a fridge, and so will cool the wines should the ambient temperature be above that which your wine fridge is set.

If you believe that your basement wine cabinet will never be in a situation where the basement is colder than the internal temperature (perhaps you have a heated basement ?) then a winter system is not necessary.

Do Fridges for Basement Need a Solid Door?

Wine Fridges for basement don’t need a solid door, probably even less so than a wine fridge in the home as basement tend to have less natural light. The reason most basement wine fridges do have a solid door option is because most wine collections kept in a basement are expensive and as such a solid door is the best way to absolutely ensure 100% no trace of UV light can enter the space where your wines are maturing.

Do Basement Wine Fridges have two temperature zones?

Most dual zone wine coolers do need to have a couple of degrees of separation between the two compartments, meaning both zones can't maintain 12°C. If the purpose of your basement wine fridge is long term maturation then you should buy a single zone wine fridge. 

If however you want to use the whole wine fridge for storage, or want to use the wine fridge for partial service and partial storage, then a dual zone would be ideal for the basement . 

Are Wine Fridges Suitable For Basement Noisy?

Not particularly and often not more so than a home unit. The reason they are not noisy is often because they are single zones, solid doors and very energy efficient, they are doing less than a household wine fridge in that case so are not noisy. Most basement wine fridges range from 37-43dB. As you’re not spending much time in your basement (as compared to your kitchen), generally speaking, noise is less of an issue than energy efficiency.

What security features are there for Basement Wine Fridges?

Wine cabinets for the basement are most frequently filled with wine destined for maturation, this wine tends to be expensive, so feeling secure that the wine fridge is protected is important.

Most basement wine fridges will have an external lock, a child lock, security alarms and alarms for malfunctions.

Need Expert help Choosing a Wine Fridge for the Basement ?

At Coolersomm we have 15 years of wine industry experience in fine wine and wine maturation so for any questions please email info@coolersomm.com, call 020 3627 2644, speak to us via Live Chat or visit us in our London store in Wandsworth. For more on basement wine coolers read our expert blog on the subject.