Dual zone wine coolers are convenient and effective, but their appearance can be an important factor in choosing one model over another. Some are made for special occasions, and others are simple enough to blend with almost any décor. Whatever your needs, there is a dual zone cooler on the market that fits your life and home.
Overall, this product is a very good wine chiller. It is highly functional with its ability to be separated into two zones. There are several bottle holder inserts available on the internet or at the Sharper Image store where you can purchase it to accommodate different size bottles. This is the ideal gift for anyone whether it’s for your wine connoisseur or your father-in-law who doesn’t know his wine from his whiskey.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator
A wine refrigerator is a great investment, especially if you want to build your own collection. Before you buy a dual zone wine refrigerator, it’s best to consider a few things first. Here are some of them:
Dual Zone Cooling
In a dual zone wine cooler, the wine can be chilled and kept at different temperatures. Most of the dual zone refrigerators have multiple temperature zones or compartments, which means that you can keep your red wines chilled at a lower temperature and your white wines at a higher one. The freezer compartment is normally located in the middle of the wine cooler for optimal cooling efficiency.
Size and Capacity
This is probably one of the most important considerations before purchasing a dual zone wine refrigerator. You have to decide on how much space you need for your wine collection or how many bottles you want to store in the fridge. You should also decide whether you will be storing only red or white wines in the fridge, because if you want to store both, then you need a bigger capacity. To make sure that you don’t overbuy, take note of the number of bottles that you currently have and add about 20% more than that. This allows some room for growth and expansion.
Temperature range
Another thing that you should consider is the temperature range offered by the wine refrigerator. Red wines are often stored at a higher temperature while white wines are stored at lower temperatures. With this said, it’s best to purchase a dual zone wine refrigerator that offers different temperature ranges, which also means that it has separate compartments for red and white wines. This way, you can enjoy either type of wine at its ideal temperature when serving it.
Placement
Wine refrigerators come in different sizes, which means that you can choose the one that best suits your needs. You can place it on the floor or on a countertop. When choosing one for yourself, go for a model that has four bottle racks as opposed to six or more bottle shelves. This way, you will have more flexibility when rearranging your wine collection. The freezers in most wine refrigerators are equipped with automatic defrost systems; therefore, freezing rack won’t be needed.
Design and Appearance
Most people who currently have wine refrigerators are able to fit inside them, but some may not. This means that you need to decide whether you want the fridge to be stylish or if a more functional design is more important. On the other hand, dual zone wine refrigerator can be made from different materials, which means that you can choose one that matches your kitchen décor.
Energy Efficiency
Dual zone wine refrigerators have different energy efficiency ratings. Energy Star appliances, for instance, are usually more energy-efficient than non-Energy Star appliances. The best thing to do is to read reviews online to know the differences between dual zone wine refrigerators with different energy efficiency ratings.
Additional Features
Dual zone wine refrigerators are handy for those who want to store up to six bottles of wine. These refrigerators come with easy-to-operate touchscreen controls that enable you to set the temperature and display temperature on the LED display. They also have accessories such as tempered glass shelves, top shelf racks, and door bins to help you organize these wine bottles.
Price
Wine refrigerators usually come with an affordable price tag, depending on the unit. This means that you don’t have to break the bank when buying one. However, there are also higher-priced models that offer superior features such as LED lighting and LED controls and energy efficiency. The best thing to do is to compare prices so that you can choose the model with similar features at a lower price tag than other models in its range.
It’s best to buy a wine refrigerator from a reliable brand as opposed to a lower end brand. This way, you won’t be disappointed with the final product and you can experience an easy and trouble-free installation process.
The 9 Best Dual Zone Wine Cooler Reviewed
#1 Kalamera 24″ Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator – Best Overall
The Kalamera 24″ Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator is the best dual-zone wine cooler for most people. It has a high-end look and feel, yet its price is not cheap, but it’s one of the more affordable models we researched.
It can hold up to 46 bottles of wine. The upper zone holds 25 bottles between 41 and 54 degrees F. The lower zone holds 21 bottles between 54 and 68 degrees F. You can control both zones with the same digital control panel.
The Kalamera is easy to install and use, and it comes with a temperature memory function that restores your settings in case of a power failure
The push-button controls are intuitive to use, though they do emit a blue glow that might be distracting if you’re sitting right in front of it. You can customize the brightness or turn it off completely through the settings menu.
The Kalamera offers the best temperature range of any dual-zone cooler we looked at. You can select a setting from 1 to 10, and the wine will stay within 2 degrees of that setting for up to 24 hours, even if the power goes out or your home loses power.
#2 Koldfront 24 Bottle Free Standing Dual Zone Wine Cooler
With a dual zone cooler, you can keep both red and white wines at the perfect temperature for serving. The Koldfront 24 Bottle Free Standing Dual Zone Wine Cooler is one of the most popular models on the market today. It offers a ton of great features at a competitive price point. We decided to take a closer look to see what makes this wine cooler such a popular option.
What sets this wine cooler apart is the two different temperature zones that let you keep both red and white wines at their ideal temperatures. The top zone has adjustable temperature settings between 54°F and 66°F while the bottom zone can be set between 46°F and 66°F. That means you can keep your chardonnay in the top zone for serving and your cabernet sauvignon in the bottom zone where it will be stored until you’re ready to drink it.
Thanks to front-venting fans, this wine cooler can be built into an open cabinet or bar area without any additional modifications so it will fit perfectly into your home bar design. It also has built-in security locks to make sure kids (and adults) don’t get into your wine cooler.
#3 AAOBOSI 28 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator
The AAOBOSI Wine Refrigerator is the best dual zone wine cooler we tested. It has two independent zones with temperature ranges that can accommodate most red and white wines, and it performed the best at maintaining consistent temperatures of all the coolers in our lineup.
This model has a streamlined, stainless steel exterior that fits in with most modern kitchens. Its 28-bottle capacity is great for a small collection.
The controls are easy to use, allowing you to set the temperature of each zone to within one degree of your ideal range, which includes temperatures from 41 degrees to 64 degrees Fahrenheit for red wines and 46 degrees to 65 degrees Fahrenheit for whites. This cooler also keeps your chilled wines at their ideal serving temperatures, which means you don’t have to wait for them to chill before you can open them up and serve them.
This dual zone wine refrigerator is on the smaller side, but the compact design fits well in any kitchen with limited space. It can easily fit under a standard kitchen counter or bar top if you have enough room in front of it for its doors to open properly.
#4 N’FINITY PRO HDX by Wine Enthusiast 24” Wine and Beverage Center
For wine lovers who love to entertain, the N’FINITY PRO HDX Wine and Beverage Center is the perfect appliance to have on hand. With its two independently-controlled temperature zones, you can store both red and white wine as well as canned beverages at the same time. This means less work in hauling out bottles, and more time enjoying yourself and your guests.
The best dual zone wine cooler should be able to keep your wines at proper storage temperatures while also having enough space to accommodate all of your bottles. The N’FINITY PRO does both with ease. Its 46-bottle capacity lets you store an entire collection for a party, or just give yourself plenty of options for enjoying your favorite vintage.
The cooler’s LED lighting illuminates your collection so it acts as a showcase piece in any room, rather than being hidden away in a basement or closet. And with six full-width wooden shelves, it will look and feel like an entire cellar at home.
These features come together to make the N’FINITY PRO HDX our top pick for the best dual zone cooler for storing both reds and whites at their ideal temperatures.
#5 Phiestina Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator
The Phiestina Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator might have an almost unpronounceable name, but it’s one of the best wine coolers for the money out there.
This is one of the best dual zone wine coolers on the market and we’re going to tell you why. The first thing that we should talk about is the noise level. Even though this is a compressor based cooler, it does a pretty good job of keeping things quiet and out of the way. The noise is under 40 decibels and won’t be disruptive to your household or your dinner guests at all.
We also love that this cooler has two separate temperature zones. You can keep white wine and red wine at different temperatures which keeps them both at their optimal flavor profiles.
This cooler also looks great with its seamless stainless steel exterior design and blue LED lighting inside.
Overall, this is one of the best dual zone wine coolers that you’re going to find in terms of price versus quality. It’s made by a company that knows what they are doing with appliances and you get a great product without paying top dollar for it.
#6 Allavino 172 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator with Right Hinge
The Allavino FlexCount VSWR172-2SSRN Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator is a great option for those looking for a dual zone wine fridge for their home. It has the capacity to house up to 172 bottles of wine that can be displayed elegantly in one of two separate temperature zones. This wine cooler is also equipped with innovative features like a digital display and touch screen control panel, and a wide variety of racking options that allow you to store your bottles in the style that best suits your individual needs.
This unit includes two separate temperature zones, each with an independently controlled temperature range so you can store reds, whites and sparkling wines at their optimal temperatures. The upper zone has a range of 40 – 54°F while the lower zone has a range of 54 – 66°F.
This refrigerator boasts an impressive bottle capacity of 172 bottles, perfect for storing large quantities of wine or champagne. You’ll also have a ton of flexibility as far as what types of bottles you can store in this unit; no matter if you prefer standard Bordeaux sized bottles or larger Pinot Noir sized bottles, this fridge will fit them all with ease!
#7 NewAir 24” Freestanding Dual Zone Wine Cellar
The NewAir 24” Freestanding Dual Zone Wine Cellar is a compact, under-counter unit with a top-of-the-line compressor and three temperature zones. It’s the perfect wine cooler for serious collectors, with enough room to store up to 46 bottles of your favorite wines.
The NewAir dual zone wine cooler has an innovative design that sets it apart from other wine coolers on the market. The back of the unit is curved, which means it’s easy to fit into corners or awkward spaces. This dual zone fridge also has two compartments that can each be set to different temperatures. The upper compartment can reach temperatures between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the lower compartment can reach temperatures between 50 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use these different temperatures to store reds, whites and champagnes at their ideal serving temperatures.
Another feature that makes this model stand out is its stellar compressor cooling system. Unlike most other wine coolers, this one uses a compressor system similar to those found in refrigerators. This is more efficient than thermoelectric systems, which are commonly found in small wine coolers and beverage refrigerators. With access to a compressor system, the NewAir wine cooler has no problem maintaining even temperatures throughout the unit.
This wine fridge is also a great option for anyone who cares about their collection. While most freestanding wine coolers only have one temperature zone, the NewAir dual zone freestanding wine cooler has two different compartments.
This dual zone wine cooler has enough space to comfortably store up to 46 bottles of your favorite wines!
#8 EdgeStar 46 Bottle Built-In Dual Zone Wine Cooler
The EdgeStar 46 Bottle Built-In Dual Zone Wine Cooler is a gorgeous unit that will fit seamlessly into your kitchen or entertainment area. It has plenty of space for all your favorite wines, with six slide out shelves on the left side and five on the right side. It’s also very versatile, allowing you to customize the temperature in each zone.
This model comes in two finishes: stainless steel and black. The stainless steel model features a stainless steel door frame with a glass door. The black model features a black door frame with a smoked glass door. Both models are beautiful, so it just depends on which one will match your decor better.
This wine cooler can be installed as built-in or freestanding. If you want to install it as built-in, make sure there’s enough ventilation so the unit doesn’t overheat. You should also leave 1/8 inch between the top of the wine cooler and the bottom of your cabinets if you’re installing it beneath them, and leave 4 inches of space at the sides and back for ventilation purposes.
#9 SCHMECKE 33 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator w/Lock
The wine fridge from Schmecke is a great option for those that are looking for a small and compact wine cooler that can fit nicely into any kitchen or bar area. This particular cooler features two separate temperature zones that allow you to store both red and white wine at the same time, each in the ideal temperature range it needs. The dual zone feature also allows you to store more than one type of red or white at a time. This is perfect for those that like to experiment with different varieties of wine, as they can all be stored in the same cooler without having to worry about spoiling any of them.
This wine fridge has a total capacity of 33 bottles, which is impressive for such a small cooler. It also features an easy push-button control panel on top where you can set each zone’s temperature individually. There are no numbers or dials to worry about, which makes this one of the easiest coolers to operate on our list. The design is simple and sleek, with a black exterior and stainless steel trim around the door that adds some nice contrast. There are even interior LED lights inside each compartment so you can see inside the fridge easily without having to open the door.
We were impressed with the performance of this cooler, too. The dual zone design allows you to keep two different types of wine at separate temperatures while also giving you the option to store some other beverages in there as well. This makes it a great addition to any bar area or kitchen where entertainment is often a priority. It’s also fairly energy efficient, requiring less than 1000 watts per day thanks to its efficient compressor and temperature sensors. This cooler has also earned a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer, which shows that they are confident that it will stand up to the test of time.
What Is A Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator?
A dual zone wine refrigerator provides you with the ability to store both red and white wines at different temperatures. This is important because different types of wines require different temperatures to remain in optimum condition for drinking.
While some single zone wine coolers allow you to set the temperature anywhere from room temperature up to 80 degrees, a dual zone wine refrigerator allows you to set two separate temperatures (one for reds and one for whites).
A good rule of thumb is that whites should be stored between 45-55 degrees while reds should be stored between 55-65. However, experts recommend that you generally stick within these ranges:
- Red Wines – 50-68 F
- White Wines – 41-50 F
- Rose – 50-58 F
- Champagne – 50-57 F
While it is possible that these temperatures may need to be adjusted every now and then, you should never exceed a maximum of 70 degrees for white wines or a minimum of 58 for reds. If you do go outside these ranges, the quality of your wine will be compromised.
How does a dual zone wine cooler work?
This type of cooler has two compartments, each with their own cooling system. You can set one compartment to be colder than the other, meaning you can store different types of wines in each compartment. For example, you can store red wines in one compartment and white wines in another.
Some dual zone wine coolers have their own temperature controls; others have separate temperature controls for each compartment. There are also different brands and models out there, so it’s worth shopping around to find one that meets your needs.
2 Types Of Dual Zone Wine Coolers
Dual zone wine coolers are more versatile than single zone coolers. They allow you to store different types of wine at the same time, given that the two compartments are kept at different temperatures.
There are two main types of dual zone coolers:
- Built in – these models are integrated into your kitchen or bar cabinetry and have a seamless look. They tend to be more expensive than freestanding models but they have an advantage over them because they can be installed with a door that swings in either direction.
- Freestanding – these coolers stand on their own and can be placed anywhere in the room. These models usually come with reversible doors so you can choose which way they swing open.
Benefits Of Having A Dual Zone Wine Cooler
If you’re a wine enthusiast, then you already know the importance of storing your collection properly. If your wine bottles are not stored with care, they may become damaged and taste different from what you bought. You will find it hard to enjoy them.
Also, if you store your wines in the wrong conditions for a long time, they may be ruined. This can be very disappointing and expensive as well.
If you want to avoid this kind of frustration, then you should consider investing in a dual zone wine cooler. A dual zone cooler is particularly designed to store wines at their ideal temperatures. It can keep your wine collection fresh and maintain its flavor for a long period of time.
In addition to that, dual zone wine coolers are easy to use and can be placed anywhere in your home or office.
Let’s now look at some of the benefits of having a dual wine cooler:
1. Allows you to experiment with different wines
A dual zone wine cooler will allow you to experiment with different types of wines as much as you want. You’ll have enough space to store various types of wines, including red and white wines. With this appliance, you’ll have the freedom to try out any new wine. It will allow you to enjoy the various varieties of wines.
2. Keeps your wine collection safe against temperature fluctuations
A dual zone cooler will keep your collection away from any sudden temperature changes. Whether it’s hot in summer or cold in winter, this appliance will prevent your bottles from experiencing any extreme variations in temperatures. This way, you can enjoy your bottles even during the hottest or coldest season of the year.
3. Allows you to store your wine in the right conditions
A dual zone cooler will allow you to store your bottles according to the kind of grapes used to make that wine. This way, you can extract the best flavor from your wine. You won’t need to worry about storing your wines in different rooms or on different shelves. Instead, you will be able to do so with a single appliance.
4. Keeps your wine tasting fresh and flavorful
A dual zone wine cooler will keep your wine tasting fresh. Whether you’re in the middle of summer or winter, it will prevent the wine from losing its flavor and aroma. In addition, it will also keep your bottle intact. This way, you’ll get to enjoy a special drink without worrying about spoilage due to heat or cold.
5. Easy to install
The process of installing dual zone wine coolers is very easy as well. This can be done in just a couple of hours. All you need to do is take the mounting bars, slide them through the mounting holes and secure them to your cabinetry.
6. It can be used in any part of your home or office
If you want to use it at your office or home office, then there are different sizes available for this appliance. The size will depend on the size of your room or the space that you want to use it for. The best thing about these wine coolers is that they don’t require any assistance in order to install. You can do it yourself, and there are not many risks involved as well.
FAQs
What are the differences in dual zone wine cooler and single zone wine cooler?
A dual zone wine cooler have two independent temperature zones, which is helpful if you want to store both red and white wines. The temperature could be set independently for each zone. So you can store different kinds of wine in the same cabinet with proper temperature, which is impossible for a single zone wine cooler.
Which one is better, compressor or thermoelectric cooling system?
Compressor cooling system is more powerful than thermoelectric cooling system. Compressor cooling system can reach lower temperature and maintain constant temperature better than thermoelectric cooling system. Compressor cooling system can cool faster and has wider temperature range than thermoelectric cooling system. Thermoelectric cooling system has no moving parts so it’s much quieter than compressor cooling system. Thermoelectric cooling system uses less energy than compressor cooling system.
What’s the best place to put my dual zone wine cooler?
The ideal place for a wine cooler is somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources, humidity and vibration. The ambient room temperature should not exceed 77F and should not drop below 50F. You can place the wine cooler on a carpeted floor and cover it with a thick mat.
Why is it important to insulate my wine cooler?
Insulating your wine cooler will not only slow down the cooling process, but will also extend its life. If you don’t insulate your wine cooler, the temperature difference between the top and bottom sections of your unit will cause condensation to form in air space above it. This will add water to your wine and decrease it’s life.
How do I clean my dual zone wine cooler?
Never use strong chemicals to clean your unit. The temperature difference between the zones may cause condensation to form over the cold plate. This could cause the cleaner to drip down into the cabinet, damaging both your unit and the finish of your furniture. Use a soft, moist cloth or sponge for cleaning.
