Best wine coolers 2023 UK

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Keep your go-to wines at the perfect temperature with these dedicated fridges

If you're renovating your kitchen, you may be toying with the idea of adding a wine cooler to your set-up. They're the next best thing to a wine cellar, after all.

Built-in models will fit neatly among your cupboards and appliances, storing all your favourite drinks at a controlled temperature to preserve their quality and keep them ready to serve — perfect for a chilled glass of white on a summer evening.

However, you don't need to completely rejig your space to enjoy the benefits of a wine fridge: freestanding models can be placed wherever you have the space.

Whichever type you're after, the Good Housekeeping Institute has put a range of leading models to the test to find the most reliable for your collection. The scores are in and these are our best wine coolers for 2023:

Every kitchen and wine collection is unique, so it's important to find a wine cooler that works for you. Here's what to consider before you buy:

When deciding which wine cooler is right for you, bottle capacity should be at the top of your list. The smallest cooler on our list can fit 21 bottles, making it most suitable for those who crack open the occasional vintage, while the largest can fit an impressive 190, making it a better pick if you regularly host dinner parties or collect wine.

You'll need to ask yourself whether you want an integrated cooler — i.e. built into your existing kitchen set-up, in between cupboards or other appliances — or if you would prefer to plug in and be ready to go with a freestanding model.

Neither of the two is better, so it simply comes down to what works for your space.

Some wine coolers come with two separate compartments that can be set to different temperatures, so you can store your reds at room temperature along with your chilled whites and rosés in the same fridge.

If you only like one colour of grape, or you're simply looking to have plenty of cold wine ready for those balmy summer nights, then a single-zone model should suffice.

Our GHI expert used a data logger — an electronic device designed to automatically monitor and record environmental conditions — to check that each wine cooler stayed at the right temperature over two hours, 24 hours and 48 hours. If the fridge had multiple temperature zones, they checked the temperature stability for each compartment.

Our tester measured how quickly each machine returned to the optimal temperature after its door was left open for two minutes, as well as its energy consumption over 48 hours. Finally, they considered its ease of use, instructions and design elements to determine the best buys.

Score: 93/100

This may be more expensive than similar-sized appliances on this list, but our testers thought it was worth every penny. Its performance in terms of temperature stability — arguably one of the most important qualities in a wine cooler — was impressive. Although the upper zone's temperature rose by 1.3 degrees over 24 hours, the lower zone rose only by 0.2 degrees.

As a whole, it was able to recover to the right temperature incredibly quickly after being opened for two minutes, and it used up very little energy on test, too.

The controls were intuitive, though you do have to open the door to access them. That said, the stable shelves made it easy to secure bottles, and the cooler was a breeze to clean. Top marks.

Key specifications Cooler type: Built in Bottle capacity: 44 Temperature zones: Dual Temperature range (°C): 5 - 20 Dimensions (cm): H81.8 x W59.8 x D58.1 Smart cooler: No Child-proof: Yes Energy rating: G

Score: 91/100

Designed for the discerning collector, this wine fridge (only available to buy in showrooms) is a luxury investment. With a 190-bottle capacity, it's perfect for collectors who want to ensure their wines' quality in the long term. It features three temperature zones and showed an average temperature fluctuation of just 0.2 degrees over 24 hours across all three. It didn't warm significantly when left open for two minutes, and recovered to the correct temperature with ease.

Beyond bottle storage, there’s a storage drawer for accessories, a brick you can fill with water to adjust humidity levels, and a serving shelf with colour-changing LED lights. Detailed instructions and an app from which you can control the temperature make it easy to use. Of course, this is a large piece of kit, but if you have the space to accommodate it, you won't regret the purchase.

Score: 88/100

If you love how much you can do straight from your phone these days, this is the wine cooler for you. The app allows you to change the temperature remotely, and has pre-set temperature modes for red, sparkling and white wine, so you don't have to do your own research. Add your bottles to the inventory on the app so you can consult it from the dinner table; it’ll even help you with wine pairings.

Performance-wise, this single-zone wine cooler's temperature stability was top-notch. Though it heated significantly when left open, it recovered quickly, so it won't affect your wine's integrity. This sleek appliance felt intuitive to use on test, and clever features like an easily reversible door and end-stops on the shelves to avoid any bottles falling make it a great buy.

Score: 86/100

When tested over 24 hours, this wine cooler's temperature only fluctuated by an average of 0.1 degrees – the best result from any product on this list. But results fluctuated slightly when we left the door open.

It's easy to use and clean, has a foolproof reversible door, and features soft-closing mechanisms on its shelves to minimise vibrations and protect your bottles. Although it felt a little basic – there's no option to alter the humidity and its shelves are awkward to move – it's a good option if you're not too concerned about professional-level wine storage.

Plus, it has an impressive capacity despite its compact design, which means it will fit perfectly under your kitchen counter.

Score: 86/100

This wine cooler was designed for those with limited space. It can hold up to 21 bottles if the shelves are removed, but the stacking required would make it difficult to store different types of wine, since you'd have to fish them out from under one another.

The temperature stability was great, but the fridge heated significantly when left open, especially the upper zone. Thanks to a quick recovery time, though, this fluctuation wouldn't affect your wine's quality.

It's a basic fridge, with simple shelves that can't be adjusted to different positions and a lack of lighting options. But it didn't use too much energy to run, secured our bottles well and was easy to control and clean.

Score: 83/100

The second largest on our list, this wine cooler accommodates a respectable 117 bottles. It's perfect for wine enthusiasts and regular party hosts who want to store lots of wine, but don't want to spend on the likes of an ASKO.

Although a more affordable model relative to its size, its temperature fluctuated by an average 1.5 degrees over 24 hours, with the lower temperature zone staying the most stable throughout. The size of this wine fridge makes it awkward to clean from the outside too, but we found it quite energy efficient, making it a solid buy for households who often have guests around.

Score: 78/100

If you love the idea of a wine cooler but don't want to invest, this Russell Hobbs pick is a sure winner. And as far as budget buys go, this appliance was a pleasant surprise; its temperature was stable and it took less than 10 minutes to get back to the set temperature after being left open. This means it should do a great job preserving your wines' quality, as long as you don't have a huge collection to store.

In other ways though, you get what you pay for; its energy consumption was relatively high, the wine racks didn't feel too secure and there was no indication of the current temperature in the fridge. However, all things considered, it's a nifty and easy to use addition to your kitchen.

Senior Homes Tester

Blossom is our Senior Homes Tester. Passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for our readers, she has tested everything from blenders to pizza ovens. Blossom enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols for hundreds of items. Innovative items like robot vacuum cleaners and wine coolers are among her favourite tests to date, and her most notable accomplishment is toasting 360 slices of bread in a determined bid to find the best toaster. In her free time, Blossom openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.

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