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Sleek and stylish, built-in wine fridges give you easy access to perfectly chilled wine
Built-in wine refrigerators are designed to seamlessly blend into cabinets. Whether you want easy access to wine or have a smaller collection you want to age, a built-in wine fridge is the perfect solution.
Many people incorporate a small built-in wine refrigerator in the kitchen or bar. Glass-front built-in wine coolers put your prized bottles on display and keep perfectly chilled wine at your fingertips and ready to serve.
When searching for wine refrigerators, you’ll see “built-in” and “freestanding” units. You’ll need to decide which one is best for your situation.
Technically, any wine fridge can be used as a freestanding unit. However, wine fridges that are marked as freestanding should not be used for built-in applications.
Here are some things to consider when choosing a built-in wine fridge:
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Start A Design NowDepending on the size, the capacity of a built-in wine cooler can vary significantly—between 20 and 300 bottles.
Most built-in wine refrigerators come in one of a few general sizes: small (15”-18”); medium to large (24”); and extra-large (25”-60”). There are many different types of built-in wine fridges, from small undercounter wine fridges to extra-large or side-by-side models that are approximately the size of a Sub-Zero-style kitchen refrigerator.
The main difference between a freestanding and built-in wine fridge is the way each unit exhausts heat. Freestanding fridges exhaust from the back or the side, which means they need plenty of clearance for ventilation. Built-in wine fridges exhaust from the front, which keeps heat away from the compressor.
Both freestanding and built-in units are sleek and stylish; however, some freestanding units have a more streamlined door pull, since they are not embedded within cabinets. Built-in units may have larger door handles to accommodate their built-in design.
Built-in wine coolers are ideal for kitchens, residential or commercial bars, wine rooms, and pantries. They’re designed to fit between or under cabinets, but many built-in wine fridges can also be used as freestanding units.
If you plan to use your wine fridge as a standalone unit but want the option of installing it between cabinets in the future, choosing a built-in model will give you more flexibility.
If all you need to do is keep chilled wines within easy reach, a small built-in wine fridge may be enough. If you have a larger collection or a collection you plan to grow over time, a full-size built-in wine fridge is a smart choice.
Regardless of which size wine fridge you choose, if your collection consists of a variety of red, white, and sparkling wines, you’ll want to choose a built-in wine cooler with multiple temperature zones. This makes it possible to store different varietals inside the same fridge at their optimal temperatures.
With a multi-zone wine fridge, you can keep wines you plan to drink soon at their perfect serving temperature while aging other bottles for as long as you need.
Yes, you can store bottles in a wine fridge for years as long as the unit is well maintained, and you adjust the temperature and humidity conditions to accommodate changing weather conditions throughout the year.
Many wine fridges today are designed with glass fronts that have a special UV coating to protect your wine. Still, you’ll want to ensure your wine is not exposed to direct sunlight, which can affect the aging process.
If you’re concerned about light exposure, look for a wine fridge with a solid door, or consider an integrated wine fridge that matches your cabinets (work with your contractor or carpenter on design).
