Allavino FlexCount 56 Bottle Wine Cooler Review

Review of Allavino FlexCount 56 Bottle Wine Cooler

We are always excited to review high-end wine coolers because they are always mind-blowing. From looks too basic features like cooling and capacity to extras, they almost always deliver. As a wine enthusiast, you naturally want the best out of your wine, so you give the best for your wine!

The reasoning is simple, but the wine appliance shopping is hard. That includes shopping for the best wine cooler. Let us take a look at the Allavino wine cooler right now and see if it is the one for your wine collection.

 

Review Summary:

Verdict

Everything about the Allavino FlexCount wine cooler looks and sounds good, but the temperature fluctuations are problematic. Swings do happen to dual-zone wine coolers, but we expected better from a wine cooler in this price range.

We think that is a reasonable request because we see a lot of cheaper dual-zone models that do not have that bad of a temperature problem.

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For Whom It Is The Allavino FlexCount VSWR56-2SSRN?

The short answer is nobody. We can say that this product is for wine collectors who want to spend for a dual-zone and receive a single-zone in the mail, but there is no such person.

Please do not get us wrong. We love everything else about the FlexCount. It is just that, when you spend this much over a wine cooler, you do not want it to fail at one of the main things it is supposed to do.

 

Specifications and Benefits of the FlexCount VSWR56-2SSRN

Stainless steel body

The black body and the glass door look classy, and the stainless steel frame adds an industrial touch to it. Together, they produce a unique look.

 

56-bottle capacity

Looking at the exterior of the FlexCount, you would not think it could fit as many as 56 bottles. It has 5 shelves that can fit 9 bottles each. There is a bottom shelf that can accommodate up to 11 bottles.

That 56-bottle storage is possible with the basic 750 mL ones. If you are going to add champagnes and pinots, you will not be able to fit up to 56.

Still, this storage capacity is impressive. There are many models in the same price range that do not accommodate big bottles. We are glad that this unit is not one of them.

 

Front venting

Have you ever experienced finding a fantastic-looking wine cooler that fits that recess in your cabinetry or that space left by your old trash compactor, and then you find out you can’t have it because there is not enough clearance for the vent?

This wine cooler does not have that issue. The vent is at the front (bottom), so you do not need a lot of clearance around the back and the sides.

 

Dual-zone digital temperature control

People buy dual-zone wine coolers when they want to store their reds, whites, and sparklings together without compromising their quality due to temperature. That is what Allavino promised with this product of theirs.

However, the temperature swings are frustrating. If you measure the actual temperature while it is running, it often does not match what the indicator lights are saying.

This can be terrible because first, the product is expensive. Second, there are cheaper models that do not fail at keeping temperature. Finally, wines are sensitive. Keeping them in such an environment as the Allavino FlexCount wine cooler will surely and quickly compromise their taste.

 

FlexCount shelves

The shelves are one thing Allavino did correctly here. Called FlexCount, these shelves are thinner than the standard wine cooler shelves but are noticeably stronger.

They are tough metal racks that do not sag from the weight of heavy bottles. They also glide in and out effortlessly on their ball-bearing tracks. Also, they have wood slats that protect your bottles from vibration.

 

Door swing options

This is partly a miss. We know of some units that have reversible doors. They are great because they allow for versatility and flexibility regarding placement.

For a wine cooler this expensive, we could not help but expect the same thing. Sadly, the door is not reversible on the Allavino FlexCount wine cooler.

However, the manufacturer does provide two design options: one with a right side-hinged door and one with a left side-hinged door. Fair enough.

 

Powerful cooling

Allavino uses fan-forced cooling technology, which, according to them, is 25% more efficient. This mechanism circulates air throughout the chamber, thereby speeding up the cooling process.

According to Allavino, this fan-forced cooling system is also expected to prevent drastic temperature fluctuations, but that is obviously not happening.

 

Other Things to Know

• Place the unit in an area with an ambient temperature of 32 to 100F for optimal performance.
• According to Allavino, this product comes with a limited one-year warranty on labor and a limited second-through-fifth-year warranty on parts.
• The warranty does not cover the usual exclusions:
  • Content spoilage
  • Incidental or consequential damages
  • Product failure if used for other than intended purpose
  • Parts and labor for:
    • Door springs
    • Frames
    • Inner door panels, rails, supports
    • Light bulbs
    • Plastic housing
    • Plastic cabinet liners
    • Punctured evaporator (voids the warranty)
    • Repairs by unauthorized servicers
    • Shipping and handling of replacement
    • Service calls unrelated to product defect
    • Surcharges (service calls after hours or on weekends and holidays, tolls, ferry trip charges, mileage expense for remote areas including AK, etc.)
    • Service calls about external problems like abuse, misuse, inadequate power, accidents, fire, floods, or acts of God

 

Final Verdict

Let us talk about the hits first. This Allavino wine cooler delivers in terms of aesthetics. The FlexCount shelves are also great because they can maximize balance while maximizing strength too.

Also, we love that there are areas dedicated for larger bottles, including champagnes. The digital variable temperature control is nice, but it would be nicer if it worked… That brings us to the misses.

First, the door is not reversible. For a wine cooler this expensive, we hoped to have a reversible door. Second and last, the temperature fluctuations are intolerable.

This product is marketed to be capable of maintaining appropriate temperatures for reds, whites, and sparklings, but it functions like a single-zone wine cooler regarding keeping temperature.

Therefore, our final verdict is: Buy something else. We found this great wine cooler from Danby. It is a little cheaper than this wine fridge from Allavino but functions way better.