Wine Cooler vs Mini Fridge: What's The Difference?

Drinks fridges are the perfect way to add a touch of luxury to your space while chilling your drinks to the ideal serving temperature.

There are many different types of drinks fridges on the market, from built-in to freestanding, wine, beer and dual temperature. This can make it difficult to decide which drinks fridge is best for you.

In today's blog, we will look into the difference between wine coolers and mini-fridges and help you identify which one you need.

 

What's The Difference?

Whilst you may think that all fridges do the same thing, this isn't always the case when it comes to the preservation of wine. Wine has to be chilled at specific temperatures to get the best taste possible, therefore you must have a fridge which can accommodate this.

If your wine isn't stored correctly it can affect the way that it ages and ultimately impact the quality and taste.

The main difference between wine coolers and mini-fridges is the temperature and humidity levels. But why do these matter? Let's take a look.

 

Temperature

If you are planning on storing wine, it is important to note that different wines require different temperatures, for example:

Red wine – between 12°C to 18°C White wine – between 8°C to 12°C Sparkling wine – between 3°C to 7°C

The ideal temperature inside a wine cooler ranges between 7°C and 18°C. These are the optimal temperatures for preserving both red and white wines.

You can adjust the temperature inside of your wine cooler, and they can maintain the perfect temperature conditions for your wine collection year after year.

The ideal temperature inside a mini fridge is between 1°C and 5°C. This is the perfect temperature for preserving the freshness of food, but it may not be ideal for most wines.

While this is close to the ideal temperature for sparking wine and works well for beer and soft drinks, it is not suitable for preserving your white and red wines.

 

 

Humidity

Another factor that makes wine coolers and mini-fridges different is the humidity levels. When storing wine you must be mindful of the humidity levels in the area you are storing it, especially if your wine is corked.

If the humidity levels are too high or low it can dry the cork out leading to shrinking. When the cork has shrunk it can allow air inside of your wine affecting the way it ages. Ultimately spoiling your wine, or leading to your wine leaking out of the bottle.

The ideal humidity levels for wine is between 50% and 70%. Wine fridges are designed to set and maintain specific humidity levels and most can cater to a humidity range of 55% to 85%.

Whereas mini-fridges are designed to keep perishables dry and therefore most mini-fridges have a standard humidity level setting of 65%.

 

Which Do I Need?

If you are looking for a storage solution for your wine, we recommend that you invest in a wine cooler. Although it is possible to store your wine in a mini fridge, wine coolers are specially designed for the storage of wine whereas mini-fridges are designed for the storage of food and soft drinks.

Wine coolers use specialised technology that allows for your wine to be stored in the most desirable temperature and humidity levels. Wine coolers also allow for the option of a dual temperature zone. This is perfect if you are storing different types of wine that require different temperatures.

Dual temperature zones work by having two separate compartments inside that allow for two separate temperatures. With this technology, you can store your white wine at its optimal serving temperature of 9°C and your red wines at 12°C.

 

Beverage Storage at Elite Wine Refrigeration

Here at Elite Wine Refrigeration, we specialise in luxury wine and beverage storage solutions. So, if you need a wine cooler or beer fridge you are in the right place!

We stock top leading brands and sell some of the best models worldwide. Elevate your wine storage game today with one of our coolers.

If you have any questions regarding our products please feel free to reach out to a member of our team who will be happy to help you.

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