It doesn’t matter if it’s Two-Buck Chuck or a bottle that costs the same as your car payment: wine tastes better when stored correctly. A regular refrigerator can keep things chilled, but temperature alone isn’t what spoils a wine. Humidity, light, vibration, and the scent of nearby food (hi, pad thai leftovers) can permeate the bottle. When a sommelier says, “This wine will pair well with your meal,” they don’t mean “Sit these two next to each other in the fridge so that you taste lemongrass and peanuts with every glass.”
If you’re someone who meticulously selects the right bottle to serve when guests are over, we definitely recommend a wine cooler. If you’re someone who buys the cheapest bottle at Trader Joe’s and drinks it while dissociating to Friends reruns, we still recommend it. Wine coolers (or wine fridges) are for everyone. They keep all wines – expensive and economical – safe from spoiling. In the long run, it saves you the trauma of having to dump out an unopened bottle of wine that smells like the inside of a YMCA.
What is a wine cooler?
So your landlord won’t allow you to cut holes into the floorboards to make a wine cellar. A wine cooler is the next best thing. It gives you control over temperature and humidity, which keeps the wine tasting crisp (nice) and slows down the aging process (double nice). They’re compact enough to fit in most kitchens, but if you want to store it in your room, that's fine. Life is short. Who cares.
What’s the difference between a normal refrigerator and a wine fridge?
There are a few reasons you would want to go for a wine fridge over your standard refrigerator. A normal fridge is meant to keep your fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, and other ingredients fresh, which requires a temperature that's often too low for wine. Both temperature extremes – too hot or too cold – can affect the flavor of wine. The same goes for light. Any time you open the fridge door (which is often), you’re letting light in. Sounds minor, but light impacts the flavor and aroma of the wine.
How much do wine fridges cost?
Luckily, there’s a big range of options to fit any budget. Depending on the features you need and how much wine you want to store, a good wine fridge can cost anywhere between $99 and $500.
What size fridge do you need for wine?
Ultimately, it’s up to you. If you’re planning on storing a lot of bottles for a long period of time, a larger wine fridge will suit you. If your kitchen is already feeling a little cramped, a smaller fridge that can be tucked away under a counter or sit by your dining table is a great option.
Wine coolers are sold in the number of bottles they can store, rather than liters of space, which makes the decision process easier. And if you overestimate your desire to drink wine, it can also be used to store sodas, seltzers, and beer.
What temperature should a wine fridge be?
Different wines have distinct temperature requirements for optimal storage. For instance, red wine thrives between 50°F (11°C) and 65°F (18°C), while white wine prefers cooler temperatures ranging from 45°F (7°C) to 50°F (11°C). You can always adjust the temperature to suit the type of wine you like.
Caught in the middle between white and red? Hisense offers wine coolers with dual-cooling to cater to both varieties simultaneously.
What’s the best place to store a wine fridge
Unlike a regular appliance, wine coolers add a touch of je ne sais quoi to any space. No one would bat an eye if you stored your wine cooler in a dining room or living area. It can go anywhere, really, just as long as you keep it away from direct sunlight, which ages wine.
Elevate your space with a wine fridge from Hisense
Play life on easy mode. Add a Hisense wine cooler to your space and live out your lottery-winner fantasy.