Small wine cooler is a great way to store wine for a few months before consumption. Here’s a look at a few of the best of them to help make a choice. If you love wine, having the small wine fridge possible ensures that you have a wine storage option right on your countertop. No need for you to mess with wine cellars or large wine fridges when you can store several bottles on the top of your counter.
A small wine refrigerator allows you to always have a ready wine bottle for your meal, but it can be hard to pick the right one for your needs with the many choices out there. This article takes a look at some of the best options for best wine fridges and gives you a few tips on making your pick.
You do not have time for a detailed review of which small wine fridge is the best? Here are our picks:
| Image | Title | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 TopTopTopTop | Wine Enthusiast 12-Bottle Compact Wine Cooler | Prime | Check Price Here |
Top TopTopTopTop | Schmecke 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler | Large Freestanding Wine Cooler | Digital Temperature Control | Wine Fridge For Red, White, Champagne or Sparkling Wine | PrimeEligible | Check Price Here |
 TopTopTopTop | Koolatron Dual Temperature Zone 12-Bottle Wine Cooler for Red and White Wine in Home Bar, Kitchen, Apartment, Condo, Cottage | PrimeEligible | Check Price Here |
 TopTopTopTop | NutriChef PKTEWC120 Nutrichef 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler | Red, White, Champagne Chiller | Counter Top Wine Fridge | Quiet Operation Fridge | Touch Temperature Control | Prime | Check Price Here |
 TopTopTopTop | Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Refrigerator | Large Freestanding Wine Cooler For Red, White, Champagne or Sparkling Wine | Digital Temperature Control Fridge Glass Door | PrimeEligible | Check Price Here |
7 Best Small Wine Coolers
When you’re looking for the best small wine cooler, the market has some very interesting options.
1. Nutrichef 12 Bottle Wine Cooler
If you wish to purchase an elegant, compact and sleek wine refrigerator from a top brand like Nutrichef, this model is the perfect buy. It can be set on top of your kitchen countertop else you can leave it standing vertically on the floor. This thermoelectric wine cooler is easy to install and maintain.
Nutrichefs wine cooler has a thermoelectric cooling system that emits minimal vibrations. The fan located inside the cooler is silent and you will not even realize there is a wine refrigerator near you.
It can hold up to 12 bottles- eight bottles can be positioned horizontally on the wine racks and the rest vertically. You can place three bottles per rack. This kind of settings allows you to store any shape of bottles. You can also store opened bottles.
Weighing 25.6 pounds, this wine fridge has an elegant and sleek finish to it. It has a tempered smoked glass door which gives it a classy look. This glass keeps out harmful UV rays from tampering with your wine preservation in the cooler. The door has a seal attached to it, which is tight and compact. It keeps out moisture, humidity and protects the temperature inside the cooler.
The stainless steel racks have a chrome finish to it. They can be easily removed and cleaned. Nutrichefs wine fridge has a blue LED lighting for its interiors. This blue light adds an elegant finish and gives this cooler a designers touch. You can adjust the lighting as per your convenience. With regards to the temperature controls of this wine refrigerator, it is user-friendly, and it displays Celsius and Fahrenheit. The temperature is displayed on an LCD screen giving it a modernized touch. You can control the temperature of the cooler from the outside and set the temperature as per what beverage lies within the cooler. This cooler is budget-friendly and is an ideal gift to a wine lover.
Pros
- 1-year warranty
- Tampered smoky glass door, keeps out UV light
- Steel racks with chrome finish
- Single zone wine cooler
- Thermoelectric cooling system
- Storage space to keep opened bottles vertically
- Sleek, elegant, budget-friendly
- Easy to maintain and install.
- Does not make any noise
Cons
- Can hold only 12 bottles
2. Magic Chef MCWC6B 6-Bottle Wine Cooler
Magic Chef has been in the household appliance scene for years. Their main aim and priority is customer satisfaction and promoting truth and honesty through their products.
Magic Chef’s 6 bottle capacity wine cooler has a sleek design and budget-friendly. Its chrome shelves are sculpted in such a way that it holds all your standard size bottles perfectly. Magic Chef wine refrigerator cools down all your bottles fast.
Many users are unhappy that it just holds six bottles, but most customers have found this small refrigerator to be the perfect choice with regards to its innovative design and cooling functionality. This cooler is so compact that it can even fit on top of your kitchen top.
As it is lightweight, you can even carry it in your vehicle like an RV if you are traveling for a road trip.
Its thermostat is very simple to use, and you can accordingly change the temperature setting for your white and red wine bottles. The LED lighting inside the cooler gives out mild heat and doesn’t mess with the wine temperature. You can store not only wine but also other beverages like beer, champagne, etc.
The interior light is mellow and bright enough for you to read the labels of the bottle within the cabinet. The wine racks are removable. This makes it easy for cleaning and maintenance.
Its temperature control knob is small. Unlike the traditional compressor with a lot of vibration, this thermoelectric wine fridge gives out minimal vibrations and does not release any kind of harmful chemicals in the environment. Magic Chefs cooler is sturdy and durable. If you are looking for a simple and small wine refrigerator, this is the best product to go for. Magic Chef is known to have the best customer service. So if you have any issues with your product, they will help you till the resolution is given and you are satisfied.
Pros
- Sleek black design
- Thermoelectric cooling technology
- Single zone wine fridge
- Minimal vibrations
- Sturdy, durable, lightweight
- LED lighting
Cons
- Can only accommodate six bottles
3. Ivation 8 Bottle Wine Cooler
Ivations wine fridge is classy and sturdy. It maintains and preserves the wine bottles taste and their quality. This chiller can be used for professional and private use.
This is an ideal give away gift to your friend, colleague, or family member who is a wine lover.
This 8 bottle thermoelectric wine chiller stores your white or red wine bottles in a consistent temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit (single zone). Any wine lover will know that wine is very sensitive when it comes to moisture, humidity, temperature change.
Being preserved under the correct temperature zone helps it to age perfectly. Keeping a steady temperature maintains the flavors and quality of the wine.
The thermopane doors of Ivations wine cooler are smoky and tempered. It is heavily insulated with thick foam which preserves the cooling within the chiller. The tempered door keeps out harmful ultraviolet rays which can hamper the flavors of the wine.
Ivations black metal wine cooler is very easy to maintain. The steel racks inside the chiller can be removed and clean. Also, this chiller is easy to install and is lightweight. The steel racks have a chrome finish giving it a classy look.
As mentioned above, the seal of the door is insulated with solid polyurethane, which is CFC free. The cooler is not only budget-friendly but also energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Unlike the traditional compressors, this wine refrigerator from Ivation is thermoelectric. The inbuilt fan for maintaining temperature makes no sound. With its excellent insulation system, there is no odor in the cooler. The best part about the cooler is the temperature display. It is situated on the outside, so you do not have to keep opening the chiller door and adjust the temperature like a regular refrigerator. The temperature readings are displayed on an LCD screen and are very easy to function. The wine fridge comes with an adjustable temperature of 46 degrees to 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pros
- Heavily insulated seal for the door keeps out UV light
- Smoky tempered thermopane door
- Chrome finish metal wine racks
- The steady temperature in the refrigerator helps the preservation
- Sturdy built
- Elegant and classy look
- Energy-efficient and budget-friendly
- Single zone wine cooler
- User-friendly and easy to install
Cons
- None to mention
4. Westinghouse WWT100MB 10 Bottle Wine Cellar
An interesting beginner option, the WWT100MB allows for 10 bottles to be stored. However, it can be a tight fit.
Another problem is it has no digital temperature display which can make keeping your wine chilled difficult. The decent price though makes up for it.
Weighing in at around 26 pounds, the WWT100MB is a 10 bottle wine refrigerator that you can easily move around on your kitchen counter. Place it beside your microwave or near your dish rack to present your wine collection in easy reach.
Using its thermoelectric cooling technology, this product can provide you with temperatures ranging from 54 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit. That is good enough to store red and white wine.
With its mechanical adjustable thermostat, all you need to do is turn it to the right temperature setting and wait for some time. In a few hours, this wine cooler’s single zone will be ready to accept the wine of your choice.
Coming in at a foot wide and nearly two feet tall, this can fit well into any space on your counter. The space-saving design is complemented by the recessed door handle in its tempered glass door, ensuring no space is wasted.
The interior is also pretty interesting. With its chrome shelving, you can load in bottles easily, no matter their shape or size.
You will want to open the cooler rarely to keep the temperature stable. It helps that the interior lighting allows you to pick out the bottle you want from the outside
Running quietly at around 38 decibels, this is an easy addition to your counter-top. It helps that it has an average price tag among its competitors.
Pros
- 1-year warranty
- Perfect for beginners, it only has a ten-bottle storage capacity.
- Single zone wine cooler
- Runs quietly to ensure no disturbance.
- Decent temperature range allows you to store various types of wine.
Cons
- Difficult to gauge the temperature with no display.
- You can’t turn off the interior light.
- Limited to a single zone so you can only get one type of wine.
5. Wine Enthusiast Small Wine Cooler (272 02 13W)
Sized and shaped like a microwave, this wine cooler can dominate your kitchen counter. The higher bottle count is very welcome though.
The cooler works pretty well and is a good purchase if you’ve got a bit of extra in your budget. It is well-worth it considering the features that come with the cooler.
Looking like a microwave, the Wine Enthusiast 272 is a 12-bottle wine fridge that has a great temperature range. Starting from 50 degrees to 66 degrees Fahrenheit, it should be able to hold all types of wine for your entertaining purposes.
Standing 15 inches tall and 15 inches wide, this thermoelectric wine cooler has three shelves that you can pull out to store your best wine on. Though it is supposed to fit 12 bottles, some larger bottles like Bordeaux and Burgundy may end up being a tight fit for this model.
Using only a single zone, you’ll be limited to only a single type of wine with this cooler. Adapt your purchasing habits to that fact.
The great thing about this cooler is its functionality. The temperature gauge is digital and you can change temperature settings with just a push of an up and a down button.
The Thermopane glass keeps the temperature inside steady. The glass also allows you to see the bottles inside.
The interior also lights up with another button push. The internal shelves themselves are wood-front wire racks so that they can easily slide in and out for easy access.
Thanks to the thermoelectric cooling technology, this cooler runs pretty quietly. With minor vibrations, it will not disturb any other occupants of your counter.
Its main problem though is its price. It is a bit above-average in price and may make you hesitate if you have a tight budget.
Pros
- Thermoelectric cooling ensures that this cooler runs pretty quietly.
- Single zone wine cooler
- Easy interface thanks to the digital display and the simple buttons on top of the door.
- The small size makes it the perfect size for your counter top.
Cons
- The bottles you might buy can be a tight fit for this wine fridge.
- A bit more expensive than some of the other options out there.
- The temperature is not as stable as you might want it to be.
6. Igloo Small Wine Cooler (model FRW1201)
This particular cooler is what I would classify as a budget model. One of the cheaper options out there, it still manages to deliver on all the necessary requirements of a cooler.
However, it has a thinner temperature range, which can be a problem. It doesn’t help that it looks pretty large.
The Igloo FRW1201 is a nice wine cooler that has a decent temperature range for its price point. Ranging from 52 degrees to 64 degrees Fahrenheit, it does allow you to store red and white wines at a decent temperature.
However, you’ll only be able to store one type with this cooler. It is a single zone thermoelectric wine cooler so whatever temperature you set will apply for the entire cooler.
It also happens to be a bit bigger than the normal counter-top design. The 18-inch width and the 17-inch height take up a lot of space on your counter and you may need to do some rearranging to fit it in.
The cooler’s design is pretty good though, with a solid black casing. The two-pane glass and the white interior light lets you see what bottles you have available while also ensuring that the temperature is maintained properly.
The temperature display is prominent at the top of the door. The control buttons are right beside it and allow you to set the temperature at the touch of a button.
It runs pretty quietly thanks to thermoelectric cooling technology. Minimal vibrations ensure that your wine won’t end up getting shaken a lot.
Overall, you are getting good value for its price, which is noticeably below-average. You’ll be getting a good bargain with this one.
Pros
- Affordable price allows you to get a functional wine fridge with your budget.
- Good temperature range ensures that you will be able to serve chilled wine when you want to.
- Single zone wine cooler
- Easy to operate thanks to one-button temperature controls and prominent temperature display.
Cons
- It advertises as a 12 bottle cooler, but larger bottles can cut that down to ten.
- It takes the time to fully cool down. I recommend waiting 30 hours to be sure that it has properly chilled your wine.
- The size can be awkward for your counter-top.
7. Sunpentown WC-1271 Small Wine Refrigerator
The Sunpentown wine cooler is thin and svelte making it a great addition to any counter. The great design makes us favor it a bit.
Besides the external design, this wine cooler is available at an affordable price point. This should make it popular among many buyers.
Only 10.5 inches wide, the Sunpentown WC-1271 can fit in those tight spaces on your counter-top. This makes it an excellent wine cooling solution.
With a temperature range from 52 degrees to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, this cooler will be able to accept all major wine types. The only drawback is that it is a single temperature unit, limiting you to only one type for the cooler.
The size of this cooler is a good draw. The thin width is made up for by the more than two feet in height.
This allows for 12 bottles to be placed inside, stacked on wire racks. With two a level, the interior set up manages to still be roomy.
The two-paned door allows you to see the condition of your wine, with the help of an interior light. The digital display and button interface on top makes it easier to keep track of the internal temperature of the cooler.
Using thermoelectric cooling, the wine cooler runs very quietly. However, you’re going to need five inches of clearance to ensure the thermoelectric cooling system has good ventilation.
An additional big draw is its affordability. This model is one of the cheapest on the market right now.
Combined with its features, you are going to be getting a good bargain with this one.
Pros
- Great spacing allows for a wide variety of bottles to fit inside the cooler.
- It has low power consumption thanks to the thermoelectric cooler.
- Single zone wine cooler
- Affordable price point that can fit in anyone’s budget.
Cons
- The cooling unit has a tendency to break down easily.
- Temperature control panel can stop working at times or stop at certain temperatures.
- Temperature range can limit wine choices since it does not go low enough for some wines.
Why Get a Small Wine Cooler?
A countertop wine cooler presents you with a very interesting option for wine storage. It used to be that when you bought a bottle of wine, you had only two choices.
One choice was that you put it in a wine cooler and the other option was that you placed it in your kitchen fridge.
With the rise of wine culture, not every wine buyer nowadays has access to a wine cooler. More often than not, you will find yourself settling for your kitchen fridge.
There’s a problem with just using your fridge though.
Wine is very sensitive to temperatures and humidity. Go above or below their required settings and you will end up with your wine not tasting as good as it could be.
Since refrigerators aim for maximum preservation, they try to reduce the humidity and temperature as much as possible. This can be disastrous for your wine.
This is where a wine cooler comes in.
Wine coolers are essentially refrigerators dedicated to storing wine. What this means is that they have an adjustable temperature control to set for your wine and have additional tweaks to further protect your wine’s quality.
Instead of a wine cooler, all you need to do to ensure your wine tastes nice when you drink it is to buy a cooler. A counter-top wine cooler is a further evolution of this concept of giving people an accessible and easy way to store wine.
Even the smallest apartments can have a touch of culture when you can store wine right beside your microwave.
How To Choose Your Small Wine Fridge
There are several factors to consider when making your pick of a countertop wine cooler. Here’s a brief look at the most important of them.
- Temperature: The most important factor is how hot or cold it can be. Different wines have different optimal temperatures so a cooler with a good range is useful.
- Temperature Zones: Temperature zones of cooling allow for different wine types to be stored. Most wine fridges are either single zone or dual zone.
- Size: A small wine cooler should fit well on that counter and be big enough for several bottles of wine.
- Functionality: Additional features and internal ones can make a difference when making a purchase. This can range from security locks to tempered glass.
- Noise: Most small wine fridges use thermoelectric cooling so they can run pretty quiet. However, there are other factors that can make your cooler noisy.
- Price: Finally, you’ll want to consider whether you’ve got enough money to get a particular wine cooler.
A Final Pick
We presented you with some of the best choices on the market today. We also gave you a look at some of the criteria that you should keep in mind when making your pick.
Remember that while bottle capacity is a very important metric, it is not the be-all of your selection. Factor in the other elements to make sure that you are getting the best possible choice.
With the small wine refrigerator on your counter-top, you should be able to end every special meal with the best wine ready bottle ready for you to pop open. You can then enjoy your vintage in the assurance that it is at its best.