The Best Wine Chillers

Buying Guide

You don’t need to be a wine aficionado to enjoy a glass or two now and then. Whether it’s a robust red or a crisp white, wine can take any meal to the next level. You can also enjoy a glass while hanging out with friends, watching a movie or enjoying a game on TV.

If you want to ensure your wine has the best flavor profile, it’s important to drink it at the right temperature. Some wines require chilling. If you don’t want to run to the refrigerator every time you need a top-up, consider getting a wine chiller.

Much more than a fancy ice bucket, a wine chiller is a vessel that is designed specifically to hold a bottle of wine. They are tall and cylindrical in shape to match the shape of the wine bottle. Wine chillers can be made from different materials such as steel or marble, and can keep a bottle cold for hours so that you don’t have to rush drinking it. The wine chiller doesn’t require any ice or cooling ingredient. Simply place a chilled bottle inside the vessel, and it will maintain its temperature for hours.

If you don’t like the look of a vessel holding a bottle of wine or don’t have the room to store it, you can try the rod style of wine chiller. This is a thin, stainless steel rod that goes inside the wine bottle to keep it cold. You pre-chill the rod in the freezer for an hour until the gel inside is frozen. Once placed inside the wine bottle, it keeps the liquid cool for several hours. Since the rod takes up less space than the vessel, it is easy to transport and store.

• Not sure which style of wine chiller is right for you? Consider how much storage space you have first, as this can be a deciding factor. Keep in mind that vessel-style wine chillers can be multipurpose,; you can use them to show off utensils or other accessories when you’re not using them as a wine chiller. Rod-style wine chillers are not as versatile, but they take up a lot less storage room.
• How long does it take you and your friends to finish a bottle of wine? If you’re having it with a nice dinner and conversation, it may be a few hours. When buying a wine chiller, check if it will keep your drink cool as long as you need it to. Most wine chillers work effectively for about two hours if a bottle is prechilled. If you need the wine cold for longer than that, you should use the fridge.
• Cleaning wine chillers is simple. Regardless of style, you can wash them in the sink using dish soap and water. Just be sure to let them air-dry completely before putting them away. If you are using a vessel-style wine chiller for another purpose, be sure to wash it before you use it for wine.
• Some wine chillers are sold alone, while others come as part of sets that include wine bottle openers or other tools. These handy sets can be cost-effective and great for gift-giving.