Choosing a wine cooler
Once the preserve of slick, city bars, wine coolers are now near the top of many people’s appliance shopping list – particularly when planning a new kitchen. Although a wine cooler might seem luxurious, it’s a very practical fixture. After all, chilling a summer weekend’s supply of whites and bubbles eats into refrigerator space, whilst the appeal of having a bottle of perfectly cool Picpoul instantly to hand is hard to dismiss.
But, with wine coolers now coming in every possible shape and size, where should you start? Here are the Bryan Turner’s design team’s top recommendations…
- For the serious wine connoisseur, there are some fabulous wine coolers out there – see Gaggenau’s full height RW 464 or RW414 models or Sub-Zero’s ICBWS-30 – also full height and with a staggering 147 bottle capacity.
- If these sommelier-quality wine coolers are a little OTT, why not consider an undercounter cooler? One of our favourite places is below an island – putting that crisp Sancerre within easy reach when entertaining.
- Love the idea of a full height wine cooler, but reluctant to relinquish the space? Why not try a tall, slim cooler. Sub-Zero’s skinniest full height (2134mm) cooler has a width of just under half a metre (457mm) – and is a great way to fill a gap.
- Today’s wine coolers utilise some very impressive technology. If you’re buying a full height wine cooler, go for a model that has at least two different, digitally controlled temperature zones.
- Good, internal lighting gives a wine cooler the wow-factor. However, don’t forget that sunlight can damage delicate, fine wines – so a cooler that features UV-resistant glass is also a good move.
Sub-Zero’s ICBIW-18 is a full height wine cooler, but has a super slender width of just 457mm. It has capacity for 59 bottles and can be supplied with a stainless steel fascia or fitted with bespoke cabinetry to match your kitchen.
One of our favourite places for an undercounter wine cooler is within an island. All your favourite tipples, conveniently at hand – and perfect if you like to cook and converse with friends at the same time. (Picture below)