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The Best Wine Cellar Cooling System

Last updated on February 21, 2020

We looked at the top 4 Wine Cellar Cooling Systems and dug through the reviews from 10 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Wine Cellar Cooling Systems.

Best Wine Cellar Cooling System

Our Review Process

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If you love a delicious glass of wine, you probably also know the flavor breakdown that happens as the temperature rises. Temperatures as low as 70 degrees can begin to age a wine too quickly, and even higher temperatures can lead to “cooked” wine, which spoils it.

For best results, your wine should be stored at a temperature no lower than 45 degrees Fahrenheit and no higher than 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The perfect temperature is said to be 55 degrees, although you shouldn’t stress yourself out trying to achieve that exact number at all times. Something within that range will be fine.

Casual wine drinkers will be fine relying on the refrigerator. A casual drinker buys a bottle and drinks it within days of opening, or weeks if it’s unopened. But that’s not a solution to rely on for more than a few months at a time. That means if you plan to collect wine, you’ll need a way to keep your wine fresh.

To create the ideal storage conditions for your bottles, you’ll need a dark, cool place. Like heat, light is also the enemy, especially the ultraviolet light that comes from the sun and fluorescent bulbs. For long-term storage, you’ll also need to store the bottles on their sides to prevent the corks from drying out. Otherwise, you can store the bottles horizontally or vertically.

Whether your chosen area is a cellar, basement, or closet, experts recommend bringing an expert to conduct an assessment before you turn it into a formal wine cellar. This will help identify whether you need ductwork, insulation or darkening of windows to create the ideal conditions. But you can also assess the environment yourself and determine whether you can, indeed, achieve the ideal 55-degree temperatures and dark environment necessary to store wine.

“The cellar’s environment is absolutely crucial in maintaining the delicate balance of temperature and humidity so a collection can be properly stored and aged,” says home expert Vicki Liston. “If the room is too dry, the corks shrink and air can get inside the bottles. Too much humidity and the corks can mold. Perfect wine equilibrium can be accomplished with a wine cellar cooling system. ”

One final thing you’ll need to do before you shop is determine the size of the area you’ll need to cool. The storage space you’ll require depends on the size of the collection you plan to have. Most wine cellar cooling systems can handle an area of up to 1000 cubic feet, but experts recommend keeping the area to 500 square feet or smaller, if only to reduce the cost of cooling the space.

Our Picks For The Top Wine Cellar Cooling Systems

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Product Overview
Our Take
  Best Overall

WhisperKOOL SC PRO 4000 Wine Cooling Unit

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

WhisperKOOL

SC PRO 4000 Wine Cooling Unit

The WhisperKOOL SC PRO 4000 Wine Cooling Unit packs in the latest technology to provide efficient, high-quality airflow for your wine cellar. You can cool an area up to 1000 cubic square feet in size using only 3.7 amps of power. It also includes a condensate management system to reduce moisture.

Overall Take

Energy EfficientThe WhisperKOOL SC PRO 4000 Wine Cooling Unit includes an expansion valve that improves airflow efficiency, saving energy while it cools.

  Best for Small Spaces

Breezaire WKL 1060 Wine Cooling Unit – 140 Cu. Ft. Wine Cellar

Breezaire

WKL 1060 Wine Cooling Unit Wine Cellar

With the Breezaire WKL 1060 Wine Cooling Unit Wine Cellar, you can cool areas between 100 and 2000 cubic feet, but it's at its best in smaller spaces. This cooling unit is built with top-quality components to ensure it lasts, but it also comes with a 5-year warranty. The unit is both compact and self-contained to ensure it fits discreetly in smalle...

Overall Take

Great for Wine ClosetsThe Breezaire WKL 1060 Wine Cooling Unit Wine Cellar can squeeze into wine closets, making it the perfect choice for small spaces.

  Includes Bottle Probe

WhisperKOOL Platinum Split System 4000 Wine Cellar Cooling Unit

WhisperKOOL

Platinum Split System Wine Cellar Cooling Unit

The WhisperKOOL Platinum Split System Wine Cellar Cooling Unit is part of WhisperKOOL's line of extremely quiet systems. It can cool an area up to 1,000 cubic feet, but it's at its best at up to 500 cubic feet. An included liquid bottle probe lets you test the contents of your bottles to ensure they're being cooled properly.

Overall Take

Quiet OperationYou won't have to worry about a noisy wine cellar with the WhisperKOOL Platinum Split System Wine Cellar Cooling Unit.

  Easy Installation

Breezaire WKL4000 Wine Cooler Unit w/ Sentry III – 1000 Cu. Ft

Breezaire

WKL4000 Wine Cooler Unit w/ Sentry III

The Breezaire WKL4000 Wine Cooler Unit w/ Sentry III is designed to tuck away into cabinets and credenzas to avoid interfering with your aesthetic. It's designed for easy set up, so you won't have to worry about paying a professional for installation. It can cool up to 1000 cubic feet, and you can monitor the temperature using the LED display.

Overall Take

Stores in CabinetThe Breezaire WKL4000 Wine Cooler Unit w/ Sentry III can slip inside a cabinet to avoid interfering with your cellar decor.

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Products Considered

We identified the majority of the wine cellar cooling systems available to purchase.
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Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

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Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources.

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Our Expert Consultant

Vicki Liston 
Home Improvement Expert

Vicki Liston writes, produces, and narrates “On The Fly…DIY,” an award-winning home improvement and DIY show of unique project tutorials for the casual DIY’er.

Home improvement and all things DIY have been Liston’s passion since she bought her first house in 2007 and she started making video blogs in 2014. She’s performed hundreds of DIY projects, from small ones to major, wall-smashing renovations and can teach you how to make a trendy DIY barn door for cheap. The proceeds earned from “On The Fly…DIY” are donated to no-kill animal shelters and rescue organizations.

What to Look For

  • You’ll have two major choices when you begin looking for a cooling system for your wine cellar: ducted split versus ductless split. A ducted-split system requires ductwork to be installed, which adds an expense to the process. But with this type of system, you can install the cooling unit in an adjacent room and keep it out of the way.

“Aptly named, ducted systems utilize ducts to move air into your wine cellar,” says Liston. “These are more aesthetically pleasing, as the unit itself can be mounted (and hidden) elsewhere and won’t take up room in the cellar. Ducted systems also protect your collection from vibrations, which can negatively affect the wine’s value, and you won’t have to talk over any operational noise.”

  • Also make sure your cellar is well insulated to keep your system from having to do extra work.
  • Capacity will vary dramatically from one system to another. Measure the area where it will be used and make sure you choose a unit that can handle that room size.
  • One hazard of the environment you create with a wine cellar is condensation. This likely won’t affect the wine itself — in fact, it can help keep your corks from drying out. But it can damage the labels, which will be a big problem if you’re a collector. But far more dangerous is mold, which can begin to damage your bottles, particularly the corks. Look for a cooling system that includes condensation management to reduce this risk.
  • As you’re assessing your wine storage needs, consider where you’ll store your cooling system. Some are designed to slide into a cabinet or closet, where they’ll be safely out of view. You can also find some that come with mounts so that you can hang them on the wall.
  • In addition to capacity, pay close attention to the power requirements of your chosen cooling unit. Some draw plenty of amps, which means you’ll see a higher utility bill. An efficient wine cellar cooling unit can save you money.
  • A cooling unit with a thermostat can help you keep an eye on how efficient your cooling unit is. Some have this mounted directly on the system itself.
  • Noise may be a factor, depending on the location of your wine storage. Some cooling systems operate with very little noise, which can keep your environment quiet.
  • Durability is also a consideration. Spending a little extra for a cooling system built with top-quality materials can keep you from having to replace it in a few years. Also pay attention to the warranty on the cooling system you choose.
  • If you aren’t having your cooling system professionally installed, make sure the wiring in your wine storage area will support the voltage of the unit you choose.
  • There are tools you can buy to monitor the internal temperature of the wine you’re storing. Some cooling systems even come with a probe that helps with this.
  • Some units promise to improve the airflow efficiency in the area in which they’re kept. This can be especially useful if this improvement is done without using excess power.
  • Safety is a consideration with any appliance. Look for a cooling system that has a control built-in that will shut the unit off if conditions become unsafe, such as a blockage or a fan failure.

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