A 12 bottle wine cooler is the obvious choice for those looking to store their favourite reds and whites in a small kitchen. These compact fridges take up little space and require minimal energy, but still provide ideal temperature conditions for your storing your wine. The compact nature of these coolers also makes a good option for studies, dining rooms and other small spaces. You also do not need to compromise when it comes to first-rate features with these smaller wine storage solutions. Need a little help finding the ideal wine fridge for your space? We have put together some essential guidance on what to look out for when browsing the market, along with our pick of some of the best 12 bottle wine coolers currently available.
Compact Convenience
A 12 bottle wine cooler is often seen as the ideal gateway to wine fridge appliances. Although small and compact, a 12-bottle capacity gives you more than enough flexibility when it comes to building up a respectable collection. These small-scale wine fridges are ideal for those with tiny kitchens and less free surface area, while the best wine cooler models on the market offer a range of installation options.
The vast majority of 12 bottle wine coolers are intended for use atop counters and other surfaces. They are usually small enough that they can be tucked underneath overhead cabinets with ease. Their discreet size also means they can be placed in any desired location, making them a good option for use in studies and placing atop sideboards in dining rooms.
Flexible Capacity
As the name suggests, a 12 bottle wine cooler is designed to store a dozen standard Bordeaux bottles. However, you are not strictly limited by this capacity. Removable shelving makes reorganising the interior of your fridge very easy. Although you should not aim to increase storage capacity, you can remove shelves to optimise storage capacity. If you are looking to chill larger wine bottles, taking out a shelf or two will allow you to do so.
Vibration & Noise
Always opt for an energy-efficient choice when shopping for wine fridges. Not only will this ensure optimal performance and minimal energy consumption, it will mean you have less unwanted noise to contend with. Minimal vibration is also desirable as this will cause even more unwanted noise and disturb the tannins in your stored wine.
Temperature Range
You will most certainly be limited to a single cooling zone with a 12 bottle wine cooler. Generally, the most compact wine fridges on the market offer a thermostat range of between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with a little give in either direction. With this kind of thermostat range, you have ideal conditions for storing a good selection of red wines and white wines. Sparkling wine is best kept at cooler temperatures, however, so avoid the temptation of wasting valuable storage space on sparkling varieties.
Essential Features
A user-friendly thermostat is a must for any wine cooler. A simple control panel with a clear LCD display is all you need to maintain desirable conditions for storing your wine. Auto-lock and memory functionality is something to look out for as this will ensure your preferred temperatures are consistently maintained in any eventuality. Look for models with the controls located on the outside of the fridge door itself. This will ensure you disturb the internal conditions of your cooler as little as possible.
A manual lock might be an idea for busy households with young children, preventing them from gaining access to cooler contents. Many 12 bottle wine coolers include a convention lock and key feature as standard.
The most basic wine coolers on the market will not always include integrated lighting as a staple feature, but try and opt for a model that includes it if your budget allows. LED lighting is less important in a practical sense with 12 bottle coolers, but the stylish flair it brings to your appliance will definitely make an impression.
Product Reviews
Read on for our pick of some of the best 12-bottle wine coolers currently available on the market.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B07ZQHCPNX” locale=”US” tag=”12×75-20″]12 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator – White Red Wine Fridge Chiller Countertop Wine Cooler – Freestanding Compact Mini Wine Fridge 12 Bottle w/Digital Control, Stainless Steel Door – NutriChef PKCWC12[/easyazon_link]
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This NutriChef wine cooler will most definitely appeal to those with smaller kitchens. This compact fridge can easily be placed atop a kitchen surface, while it can also be tucked away underneath a counter. The freestanding design also makes it suitable for placement in any room of the home, such as dining rooms and studies. This tall and narrow fridge offers enough storage space for a dozen bottles of your favourite wine. There are five contoured chrome racks that will accommodate two bottles apiece, while a standing rack at the bottom allows you to display another two bottles with their labels showcased.
This functional fridge also delivers when it comes to technical specs and is a good choice for those looking to store wines in the short term or for longer. The thermostat offers a wide temperature range of between 41 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing for optimal storage of almost any type of red or white wine. Adjustments can be made quickly via the touchscreen panel at the top of the fridge door. An integrated LED light is also on hand for when you wish to illuminate your wine collection. This fridge is equipped with advanced cooling technology that not only keeps your wines at an ideal temperature, but also ensures quiet operation and minimal vibration.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0864S2FPR” locale=”US” tag=”12×75-20″]Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator w/Lock | Large Freestanding Wine Cellar For Red, White, Champagne or Sparkling Wine | 41f-64f Digital Temperature Control Fridge Glass Door Black[/easyazon_link]
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If you are looking for a more compact choice of wine cooler, this narrow fridge from Ivation is worth looking into. This innovative wine cooler utilises advanced compressor technology to ensure that internal temperatures are maintained throughout the entire interior, while also ensuring that external heat sources have no impact on what is going on inside. This cooler offers enough space for 12 individual bottles of wine, allowing you to build up a good starter collection of reds and whites. This fridge includes five removable wire shelves, each housing two bottles of wine. These racks are contoured to ensure bottles stay firmly in place, while they can also be removed if you wish to reorganise the interior to provide additional space for larger bottles.
This fridge also offers an impressive temperature range. The thermostat can be adjusted from a maximum low of 41 degrees Fahrenheit to a maximum setting of 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This should provide you with more than freedom when it comes to chilling delicious whites or maintaining mature reds. You can also expect a first-rate build and finish here. The slick black housing makes this an ideal addition to any kitchen interior, while the UV-resistant glass door keeps harmful sunlight from penetrating into the interior and damaging delicate tannins within your wine. User-friendly controls make thermostat adjustments incredibly simple, with a clear LCD display letting you know precise temperatures at any given time. An interior LED light also lets you illuminate your collection. A built-in lock also comes as standard, letting you keep your wine safely secured at all times.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B08CHNZVHN” locale=”US” tag=”12×75-20″]Wine Enthusiast 12-Bottle Compact Wine Cooler[/easyazon_link]
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This Wine Enthusiast cooler is an ideal solution for those with much smaller kitchens and less counter space to work with. Despite being relatively small, this fridge will comfortably house a dozen standard Bordeaux bottles. Three wire racks can be found inside, with their contoured design providing secure storage for your bottles. This is particularly useful if you intend to store your wines for a longer period, with the contours keeping bottles still so sediments are not disturbed and preventing too much interaction with the cork. Solid-state cooling technology keeps your stored wines at an ideal temperature at all times, with a user-friendly touchscreen on hand so you can make make quick thermostat adjustments.
This energy-efficient cooler features four sturdy legs, allowing it to be placed just about anywhere. This is a good option for those looking for maximum flexibility and portability. One drawback of this wine fridge is that it does not include a glass pane in the door. This means you will not be able to glance over your collection without opening the fridge. This might deter wine lovers who do not wish to disturb their collection too much. That being said, the solid door means you do not have to worry about UV rays damaging more delicate wines. If a glass door is not a deal breaker, this Wine Enthusiast cooler will definitely appeal with its practical features, compact design and inexpensive price.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B0861YLWXB” locale=”US” tag=”12×75-20″]Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator w/Lock | Large Freestanding Wine Cellar For Red, White, Champagne or Sparkling Wine | 41f-64f Digital Temperature Control Fridge Glass Door Black[/easyazon_link]
[easyazon_image align=”none” height=”500″ identifier=”B0861YLWXB” locale=”US” src=”https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41MbudCoEWL.jpg” tag=”12×75-20″ width=”500″]
This 12-bottle wine fridge from Ivation is the way to go if you have next to no free space in your kitchen. Its compact shape and discreet design means it takes up little more space than a conventional microwave or similar appliance. Despite its stripped-back design, this compact wine cooler still delivers in terms of functionality. First-rate compressor technology ensures consistently low temperatures, while also ensuring that external heat sources do not interfere with your stored wines. This cooler offers a respectable temperature range of 41 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This is broad enough that you can store a variety of whites, reds and sparkling wines with ease. An integrated fan also maintains a consistent temperature throughout the fridge interior, meaning all your bottles are preserved equally.
A user-friendly control panel can be found on the outside of the door, giving you instant access to the thermostat should you wish to make changes to temperature. A bright LCD display gives you precise readings on temperature levels at all times. This quality fridge also boasts interior lighting as standard, allowing to you inspect your collection in the dark. You can expect a quality build here. The robust housing ensures this cooler will hold up well for years to come, while the double-paned glass door will help maintain internal temperatures, while also blocking out harmful sunlight. If you are looking to hang on to premium vintages for longer so that they mature and enhance in flavour, this is one feature that will definitely appeal.
[easyazon_link identifier=”B000MFIKNW” locale=”US” tag=”12×75-20″]Koolatron WC12 Thermoelectric 12-bottle Slim Countertop Wine Cellar, Double-tempered Glass Door, Adjustable Temperature Control, Thermoelectric Cooling, Removable Shelves, Black[/easyazon_link]
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If you are searching for a compact and reliable wine chiller, the Koolatron WC12 ticks all the right boxes. This freestanding wine fridge will sit comfortably on a kitchen surface, with its discreet dimensions meaning you do not need that much counter space. This chiller will easily accommodate a dozen standard bottles, although you have the option of removing the interior shelves should you wish to make more room for larger bottles. This quality fridge also provides you with a good temperature range. The thermostat can be adjusted from 46 degrees Fahrenheit to 66 degrees Fahrenheit. This range is ideal for all types of red wine and the majority of white wines, although those looking to store sparkling varieties may find this Koolatron model somewhat limiting.
Thermoelectric cooling technology makes this a particularly reliable option, with temperatures remaining stable and consistent at all times. The thermostat is easily adjusted via the user-friendly control panel, with the highly-visible LCD display letting you know precise readings at any given time. Internal soft lighting is also included as standard, with simple on/off operation allowing you to display your collection with a little finesse.
Magic Chef MCWC12B 12-Bottle Single-Zone Wine Cooler
This compact wine cooler from Magic Chef is the ideal choice for those with smaller kitchens. Its pared-back design also makes it very suitable for use in dining rooms, studies and other small spaces. This small wine cooler offers enough space for a dozen bottles of your favourite wine, with three contoured wire racks and space at the bottom for a further three bottles. The racks can be easily removed if you wish to store larger bottles inside the fridge. Efficient cooling is provided by thermoelectric technology. Not only does this ensure optimal environmental conditions are maintained, it also makes this 12-bottle fridge an energy-efficient option, while also keeping sound and vibration to a minimum.
This single zone wine fridge offers a decent enough temperature range of between 54 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit. This may prove too limited for some wine lovers, however. While this range is suitable for red wines and some whites, it will not prove ideal for storing sparkling wines. If you regularly consume white vintages, you should consider adding your bottles to the refrigerator prior to serving to chill them down to sufficient levels. Adjustments are easily made via the touch-button control panel, while the blue LED display lets you continuously monitor the internal temperatures. This 12-bottle fridge is a particularly stylish choice. The black finish and chrome shelving ensures an ideal complement to any contemporary kitchen.