Types of Wine Cooler Storage
Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented fruit, mainly grapes. For wine to be enjoyed at its finest it must be chilled to the proper temperature; normally between 45 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature range you will enjoy all of the subtle taste and aroma variations your wine has to offer. Fortunately, a myriad of chilling options are available to keep your wine at its peak temperature. Does this Spark an idea?
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Single Bottle Chillers
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One method of chilling wine is to use a single bottle chiller. This can be done without any fancy appliances, using a bucket of ice -- but this method can make your wine too cold and can be a messy way to tackle the task. Electric single bottle chillers exist where you place your wine in the device, turn it on, and wait 20-30 minutes; you will have wine chilled to your desired temperature. This method is best used when you do not need a lot of wine at one time, as it can be time consuming to chill multiple bottles. They are, however, the most cost-effective solution as they range from around $30-$60 depending on their features.
Countertop Coolers
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A countertop cooler can be used to cool anywhere from six to 20 bottles of wine, which will work well for you if you have a small wine collection. These appliances are portable, weighing around 30-40 pounds, which makes them ideal if you plan to travel with your wine collection. While these countertop chillers take up a small amount of space, they do not tend to last more than five years, so keep that in mind when purchasing a wine cooler. These units tend to cost upwards of $100, depending on features and size.
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Built-In Coolers
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A built-in wine cooler is a kitchen appliance that is built into your home like any other major kitchen appliance and is about the size of a dishwasher. The smallest built-in wine cooler can hold around 18-28 bottles, while larger ones can hold 100 or more. You can get these coolers where the whole refrigerator maintains one temperature or choose a more expensive model that has different temperature zones. These appliances can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the model you choose and often require professional installation as well.
Wine Cellars
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Your most expensive and elaborate wine storage option is to build a wine cellar or storage room in your home; most oftentimes this will include the use of a basement. Wine rooms can be as simple as some shelves on a wall in a temperature-controlled space to a vault with a barcode scanner and touchscreen that catalogs your wine collection; with this option you are only limited by your budget and space. This option will easily cost over $20,000 to install in your home, the good news is that it can often be disassembled and brought with you when you move.
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References
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