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The placement of wine coolers in your home is essential in order for them to operate to their full working capabilities. We are going to discuss the topic of where to place your wine cooler, as it is a commonly asked question.
Read on if you wish to understand more about the storage of wine coolers and whether they can be placed under cabinets, as well as our guide on installing them in your home and things to consider before you do so.
Can You Put a Wine Cooler Under a Cabinet?
Can you put a wine cooler under a cabinet? Yes, wine coolers can be installed into cabinets - and you can install a freestanding wine cooler under cabinet space too.
If you have a built-in model then you are good to go, built-in otherwise known as integrated wine coolers are specifically designed to be fitted into your kitchen cabinets for a seamless finish.
Freestanding wine coolers are designed to stand freely and are not suitable for fitting into a cabinet, building them into a closed space will result in blocked ventilation to your unit - correct ventilation is essential for the optimum storage of your wine collection.
The only acceptance to integrating a freestanding cooler into a cabinet is if you have one that doubles up as both, functioning as both a freestanding and built-in model if you need. Do be sure to check your models' specifications thoroughly if you want to integrate your cooler into your cabinet, to be sure you can do so with your particular model.
Do I Need a Cabinet For My Cooler?
Built-in wine coolers otherwise known as integrated wine coolers can fit into your kitchen cabinets or under your kitchen counter worktops. Unless stated that your cooler can be both freestanding or integrated, then your built-in cooler will have to be built into a unit of some kind.
This style of wine cooler is the most discreet and gives a sleek and sophisticated finish to any kitchen. Depending on which model you choose, you can completely hide your cooler away within your cupboard space behind a cupboard door, or as many choose to, have it integrated yet still on show as many like to show off their wine cooler and also their wine.
Why Fit a Wine Cooler Under a Cabinet?
Wine coolers are usually found in kitchens - freestanding units can be placed freely and can move around your space as needed. But some units can be bulky and therefore stick out inconveniently in a small space. If you have little free floor space in your kitchen then a built-in kitchen wine fridge is the answer for you.
They are much more seamless than a freestanding model and can really add to the finish of your kitchen. What’s more, is that they are just as exceptional as freestanding units, there is no difference in the quality - they just use a different ventilation system designed to function within an enclosed space. If you're looking for a smaller wine cooler, opt for a single-zone wine cooler - multi-zone wine coolers tend to be larger.
How to Install Into a Cabinet
There are some things to take note of when installing a wine cooler under a kitchen cabinet so follow our tips to install it correctly.
Ventilation
The most obvious requirement and as mentioned above is ventilation. Assuring that there is correct ventilation in your cooler is key. Most under counter wine coolers come with front ventilation systems which make them a lot easier to install.
If this is not the case for your model, however, you need to make sure that there is enough ventilation room between the back of your wine cooler and the surface it is going to be standing next to, this could be a cupboard door or wall - if nothing is blocking your ventilation system then you should be ok.
Measurements
This might seem an obvious one but make sure you have the correct size cooler for your free cabinet space where you are going to be installing your wine cooler. Before buying, assess the space and purchase a wine cooler accordingly. Even if you have only a narrow space available, a slim cooler would be best and still look the part. This will ensure the most streamlined finish to your kitchen and cabinet space and showcase your wine in your wine cooler in the perfect way.
Make sure you have enough room when installing under cabinets that you have access to your wine cooler door or cabinet door and make sure it opens fully. Sometimes the doors can be a bit of a struggle to get to with a wine cooler inside a cabinet so if you want a seamless functioning cooler, as well as a seamless-looking one then make sure you take this into consideration when installing.
Power
Wine coolers are not hard-wired into your kitchen so, of course, your wine cooler needs to have a power source - so make sure you are fitting yours with an appropriate power outlet nearby.
Location
The location of your cooler is also an important factor, you should avoid fitting your cooler in a space that is exposed to direct sunlight, as this could negatively impact your wine. If possible, store it in a dark, black space.
UV rays can affect the taste and quality of your wine, whether it be red or white. Although most coolers come with treated UV tinted glass doors to prevent light from affecting your wine, it is best practice to still keep your cooler away from any harsh sunlight exposure if you can. Your cooler will have to work twice as hard if the sun is constantly shining upon it and heating it up. If this happens it will cause it to become less efficient over time.
It is crucial that you do not place your wine cooler next to appliances that vibrate and move, by this we mean dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, stereo systems or anything that causes vibrational movements. Again this will speed up the chemical reactions in your wine causing it to age prematurely.
It is also best to place your wine cooler on a flat surface as opposed to a carpeted surface. If there is ever a leak from your wine cooler carpeted floor will soak up the leak and so it could be harder to spot and also gather mildew. To avoid this it is best practice to keep a wine cooler on the hard floor in order to detect any leaks way more easily.
