How To Make A Wine Cooler Colder

Your wine should be stored in the best possible way - and simply keeping it in the back of your kitchen cupboard isn’t enough. Your wine should be kept cool, and protected from factors such as sunlight and humidity.

This is why wine coolers are so useful. Also known as wine fridges, wine coolers provide the ultimate storage conditions for your wine collection, whether your collection consists of red wine or white wine.

If you’ve recently purchased a wine cooler or you simply want your wine cooler to operate at a cooler temperature, we can help. Read on to learn more about wine coolers, and how you can make your wine cooler colder.

What Is A Wine Cooler Used For?

Wine coolers are designed to store your wine in the best possible way. Although wine coolers focus on keeping your wine cool, most modern wine coolers have additional features that provide the ultimate storage space for your wine.

For example, wine coolers can regulate humidity levels. Wine fridges should have some humidity to keep the cork in place - if there isn’t enough humidity, the cork could dry out and slip out of place. This will expose your wine to oxygen, impacting the flavours and freshness of your wine.

Wine coolers can also protect your wine from sunlight - whether it features a glass door or a solid door. Glass doors on wine coolers are almost always UV-treated - which means you can display your wine effectively without worrying about UV damage.

Ultimately, wine coolers maintain a steady temperature for your wine, keeping it cool and fresh for a long time.

Be sure to check what temperature your wines should be stored at, as white wine, red wine, and sparkling wines have different optimal temperatures. White wines are best served at cooler temperatures, so you should store your whites at 7–12 °C.

Red wine, however, is often best served at room temperature. Full-bodied red wines should be stored at a slightly warmer temperature - around 15 °C may be the best option.

If you’re unsure where to place your freestanding wine cooler - whether it be in your kitchen, dining room, or even outdoors, check out this helpful blog post.

Can I Adjust The Temperature On My Wine Cooler?

The majority of all modern wine refrigerators come equipped with temperature control - whether it be a control panel on the side or interior of the unit, a remote control, or even an app on your phone.

Most wine coolers have a digital control panel or a digital thermostat, allowing you to adjust the temperature with ease. These allow you to adjust the temperature in one-degree increments.

However, if you’re unable to adjust the temperature on the control panel, reach out to the manufacturer. At Elite Wine Refrigeration, our wine fridges come with a warranty that varies in length depending on the brand.

How To Make My Wine Cooler Colder

The first step to making your wine cooler colder is switching it to a lower setting. However, if this still isn’t cool enough for your liking, you could always place an ice tray at the top of your wine fridge.

This will draw out extra heat from the inside of the unit. However, be careful to avoid overflowing the ice tray - as leakage can destroy wine labels.

Most wine coolers aren’t built to freeze wine, as wine isn’t meant to be frozen. Freezing wine can destroy the natural flavours, leaving it tasting bland and generally unpleasant. If you do wish to freeze your wine, place it in your freezer in a different container.

Avoid placing glass in your freezer as it may smash and leak. If you wish to freeze your wine to use in cooking, why not place it in an ice cube tray? This is a safe and effective method of freezing your leftover wine.

Why Isn’t My Wine Cooler Cold Enough?

There are several possible reasons why the interior of your wine cooler isn’t cold enough - but first of all, you must eliminate the possibility that the temperature on your wine cooler isn’t set at a higher temperature.

If your wine cooler is set at a higher temperature, then your wine won’t be as cool as it should. Check the control panel or digital thermometer and ensure that your wine is set at the right temperature.

Several factors can impact how cold your wine fridge can get. If your wine cooler isn’t cold enough, then assess the environment around it. Direct sunlight may heat the wine cooler and increase the internal temperature.

To ensure your wine cooler operates at the right temperature, ensure that your wine fridge isn’t placed in direct sunlight - install your wine cooler in a dark space that the sun doesn’t reach.

Another reason why your wine fridge may be too warm is that there are other appliances nearby that generate heat.

Be sure to place your wine fridge away from appliances that generate heat - for example, dishwashers, ovens, microwaves, washing machines, and even toasters or air fryers. This can impact your wine, even if only heated for a small duration.

Your wine cooler should be placed at a fair distance from your oven, as the heat can impact the internal temperature of the wine fridge. It can also cause the cooling system to overwork, which can increase electricity consumption and disrupt airflow.

Turn off the appliance and check the cooling fan - if the fan is dirty or dusty, then give it a clean. This could be affecting the cooler’s ability to maintain a steady temperature. Ensure that all debris and dirt are removed from the fan to ensure it’s working as well as it should.

If the ambient temperature gets too high or too low, why not insulate your wine fridge? This can stop the internal temperature from changing too much.