Freestanding Wine Coolers - How Many Bottles Can They Hold?
Wine coolers are a necessity for any wine lover - they keep your wine cool while protecting your bottles from the elements.
Wine should be stored in specific conditions, and if you store your wine incorrectly, it can prematurely age, develop unwanted flavours and textures, and lose its value pretty quickly.
Freestanding wine coolers are one of the most popular types of wine coolers, but how much do you know about them? How many bottles can a freestanding wine cooler hold? Keep reading to find out.
What Is a Wine Cooler?
A wine cooler is an appliance that stores your wine in the best possible way.
The main function of a wine cooler is to keep your wine cool, but the majority of wine coolers in 2021 can offer much more - they can regulate humidity levels, protect your wine from UV rays, display your wine collection, and offer multiple temperature zones.
Generally, the optimal storage temperature for wine is between 11°C and 14°C, and slightly lower to prepare your wine for serving.
There are numerous benefits to storing your wine at the right temperature - it can help your wine age better, retain optimal freshness, and preserve your wine bottle and labels. Wine stored at the right temperature will usually taste better too.
If you browse wine coolers, you’ll find that some offer dual or multiple temperature zones instead of just one.
This is so you can keep your wine stored for the long term, while you have wine stored at serving temperatures at the same time. This is perfect if you have an extensive wine collection. For more information on this, click here.
When you’re purchasing a wine cooler, it’s important to check the shelving.
Many wine coolers will have adjustable shelves, which is important if you have different bottle sizes, as most coolers are designed to store standard Bordeaux bottles.
Some wine coolers have shelving layouts that enable you to store the bottles upright or at an angle, whereas others will allow you to stack the bottles horizontally.
Another thing to check out when browsing wine coolers is extra features - some will have alarms that warn you when the temperature changes, or when you leave the door open.
Other wine coolers will feature a handless design, so the doors open by touching them, but most simply have handles.
The three main designs of wine coolers are freestanding, built-in, and fully integrated - but today, we’re talking about freestanding wine coolers.
Freestanding Wine Coolers
Freestanding wine coolers are one of the most common types of wine coolers - they are designed to stand freely.
They are a versatile option that gives you plenty of freedom when deciding where to place them.
However, when placing your cooler, it’s important that you consider ventilation - you should leave between 5cm and 10cm of space around the rear and sides of the unit.
This prevents the unit from overheating and allows the cool air to reach the compressor and the warm air to escape.
You should also ensure that there is sufficient space above the unit - usually, around 12 inches should be fine.
You can find wine coolers that come in different sizes - some can fit on countertops, and others stand freely.
You can find a wine cooler that will look great in your dining room, kitchen, garage, or even utility space.
What Are The Benefits Of A Freestanding Wine Cooler?
Freestanding coolers are a great choice as they require very little effort to install and do an excellent job of storing your wine collection in the best possible way.
One of the best things about freestanding wine coolers is that they can come in a wide variety of sizes and aren’t limited to counter or cabinet space, or kitchen nooks.
You can find coolers that can stand freely next to your fridge, or coolers that you can place on a table or counter.
Although this isn’t always the case, freestanding wine coolers are generally cheaper than built-in and fully integrated wine coolers.
They are also pretty low-maintenance, and if there are any issues with the unit, it’s easier to identify the problem.
Unlike built-in and fully integrated wine coolers, you can place freestanding units anywhere in your home or business - they aren’t restricted to kitchen space.
Most people choose to place their freestanding wine coolers in the kitchen, dining room, utility space, or garage - but you could place it in your gym, lounge, or cellar if you wanted.
The only things you need to consider when purchasing a freestanding wine cooler is sunlight, humidity, and of course, leaving a few centimetres of space around the unit for ventilation.
How Many Bottles Can Freestanding Wine Coolers Hold?
You can find wine coolers in all different sizes - some wine coolers will store just one or two bottles, some are perfect for medium collections, and others can store upwards of 150 bottles.
The amount of bottles that a wine cooler can store depends on the brand, the shelving, and the size of the unit.
Because freestanding wine coolers vary greatly in size, you can find a freestanding wine cooler to accommodate any sized wine collection.
Whether you have a small collection of under 15 bottles or over 100 bottles, you’re sure to find a suitable freestanding cooler for your needs.
You’ll find that freestanding coolers designed to sit on a countertop will store between 5 and 15 bottles - so if you have a larger collection, you may prefer a larger freestanding unit or a built-in unit for under your countertop.
However, under-counter wine coolers are generally more suitable for medium-sized collections.
Freestanding wine coolers will typically have between 4 and 6 shelves for storing the bottles, but depending on the size or brand, you can find wine coolers with up to ten shelves.
Many people prefer coolers with adjustable or removable shelves to accommodate larger bottles and to give more freedom in the interior design of the unit.
If you are a Champagne lover or prefer to drink homemade wine, it’s best to look for a freestanding wine cooler that has adjustable shelves.
This is because most coolers are designed to store standard Bordeaux bottles.
Click here for our buyer's guide on wine coolers!