We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
The best wine coolers to keep your bottles at the perfect temperature, tested
Enjoy a cold glass at the end of the day with these expert-tested wine fridges
Tested by Blossom BoothroydHomes Testing Manager
If you're renovating or upgrading your kitchen, you may be toying with the idea of adding a wine cooler to your set-up, for storing all your favourite white wines, best rosé wine and best champagne. In fact, the best wine coolers are only one step down from having your own wine cellar.
Built-in wine fridges will fit neatly among your cupboards and kitchen appliances, keeping all your favourite drinks at a controlled temperature to preserve their quality and ensure they're ready to serve — so you can enjoy a chilled glass at the end of a long day, whatever the occasion.
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 to shop now.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Are wine coolers worth it?
It depends on how much you like you're wine! If you enjoy the occasional glass and don't tend to keep bottles, then one of our experts' best fridge/freezers with a wine rack included is probably ample.
However, if you're spending a bit more on your wine and intend to store it, then a wine cooler is a good idea. This is because it will keep bottles at the optimum temperature. As we all know, a standard household fridge gets a lot of use, so the door is constantly being opened and closed, making it harder to maintain consistent temperatures.
Unlike your fridge, a wine cooler is also designed to protect your bottles. Many feature tinted or UV treated doors to avoid damage from sunlight, and they offer dedicated storage to avoid any knocks. Plus, of course, there's the style factor – if you can fit a cooler in your kitchen and you have the budget, they can be a chic addition.
How to choose the best wine cooler
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.
Capacity
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.
Built-in or freestanding
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.
Single or dual temperature
Some wine coolers come with two separate compartments that can be set to different temperatures, so you can store your red wine 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.
How we test wine coolers
Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts use 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.
They also measure 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 each model's ease of use, instructions and design elements to determine the best buys.
Bosch Series 6 KUW21AHG0G Built In Wine Cooler
Bosch Series 6 KUW21AHG0G Built In Wine Cooler
Pros
- Impressive temperature stability
- Intuitive controls
- Stable shelves
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Pricey compared to similar sized models
Score: 93/100
This built-in fridge may be more expensive than similar-sized appliances on our 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 |
Haier Freestanding Single-Zone Wine Cooler HWS49GA
Haier Freestanding Single-Zone Wine Cooler HWS49GA
Pros
- You can control it from your phone
- Suggests wine pairings
- Top-notch temperature stability
Cons
- The temperature is raised quite a bit when you open the door
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 accompanying 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.
Key specifications
| Cooler type | Freestanding |
|---|---|
| Bottle capacity | 49 |
| Temperature zones | 1 |
| Temperature range (°C) | 5 to 20 |
| Dimensions (cm) | H82 x W49.7 x D58 |
| Smart cooler | Yes |
| Child-proof | Yes |
| Energy rating | F |
Neff N70 Integrated Wine Cooler KU9202HF0G
Neff N70 Integrated Wine Cooler KU9202HF0G
Pros
- Compact
- Good temperature stability
- Easy to control and clean
Cons
- The shelves can't be adjusted
- Have to stack to get 21 bottles in
Score: 86/100
This built-in wine cooler is 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.
Key specifications
| Cooler type | Built-in |
|---|---|
| Bottle capacity | 21 |
| Temperature zones | 1 |
| Temperature range (°C) | 5 to 20 |
| Dimensions (cm) | H81.8 x W29.8 x D56.7 |
| Smart cooler | No |
| Child-proof | Yes |
| Energy rating | F |
Candy Wine Cooler CCVB60DUK
Candy Wine Cooler CCVB60DUK
Pros
- Compact but stores 46 bottles
- Good temperature recovery
- Simple, sleek design
Cons
- Temperature isn't the most stable
- Shelves are tricky to remove
Score: 85/100
A reasonably priced dual-zone wine cooler that actually performs well – what's not to love? Though it wasn't the most temperature-stable over a 24-hour period, it made up for this in its recovery time after being left open for a couple of minutes, only taking an average of three minutes and 15 seconds to get back to its settings. The upper zone took a lot longer than the lower one, but not long enough to affect wine quality.
This compact model is easy to use, with a simple, sleek design, a fairly large bottle capacity, a reversible door and well built, stable shelves. The latter is a little tricky to remove, and the controls are inside the fridge, but other than that you really can't go wrong.
Key specifications
| Cooler type | Built-in |
|---|---|
| Bottle capacity | 46 |
| Temperature zones | 2 |
| Temperature range (°C) | 5 to 18 |
| Dimensions (cm) | H86.5 x W59.5 x D56.2 |
| Smart cooler | No |
| Child-proof | Yes |
| Energy rating | G |
Hoover HWCB45UKBM/1 Built In Wine Cooler
Hoover HWCB45UKBM/1 Built In Wine Cooler
Pros
- Compact size is good for smaller spaces
- Excellent temperature stability
- Useful app
Cons
- Shelves are slightly tricky to remove
Score: 83/100
We were thoroughly impressed with this fridge's temperature stability over 24 hours and its quick recovery after being opened for a couple of minutes, although it did rise by an average of 2.6 degrees during that test. Still, this fluctuation wouldn't last long enough to damage your wines.
Like the Haier model, this appliance can be controlled via the hOn app, which allows you to keep track of your stock, helps you find wine pairings, and lets you adjust the temperature from a distance. It also recommends a temperature based on your wine inventory. Its dinky size makes it perfect for any kitchen, too.
Key specifications
| Cooler type | Built-in |
|---|---|
| Bottle capacity | 24 |
| Temperature zones | Single |
| Temperature range (°C) | 5 - 18 |
| Dimensions | H45.5 x W59 x D60.7 |
| Smart cooler | Yes |
| Child proof | No |
| Energy rating | F |
Cookology 20-Bottle Freestanding Wine Cooler, 30cm
Cookology 20-Bottle Freestanding Wine Cooler, 30cm
Pros
- Excellent temperature stability
- Compact size
- Good value
Cons
- Small capacity
- Door seal is slightly too strong
Score: 81/100
Similar to the Neff model further up this list, this compact wine cooler is just 30cm wide. That means it’s half the width of a standard kitchen countertop unit and can store up to 20 bottles of wine, making it ideal for those with a smaller collection (or high turnover!).
The temperature inside stayed impressively stable during testing, fluctuating by just 0.17°C on average across a 24-hour period. The seal is a little firm, which sometimes caused the unit to tilt slightly when we opened the door, though it’s not enough to endanger a bottle of wine. Despite this, it’s easy to use – the temperature controls are clear, it’s straightforward to clean, and the beech wood shelves are simple to remove and adjust.
It lacks a few premium features, such as multiple temperature zones and adjustable humidity, but overall, this is a good buy for smaller spaces.
Key specifications
| Cooler type | Freestanding |
|---|---|
| Bottle capacity | 20 |
| Temperature zones | 1 |
| Temperature range (°C) | 5-20 |
| Dimensions (cm) | H82.5 x W29.5 x D57 |
| Smart cooler | No |
| Child-proof | Yes |
| Energy rating | G |
Why should you trust the Good Housekeeping Institute?
The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing home appliances against their claims for over a century and we’ve seen a lot of innovation in that time. Our experts regularly put large appliances through their paces, from the best fridge freezers to the best washing machines, so they know what to look for in a reliable buy – and we also taste test a lot of wine, so we know how important it is to keep it at the optimum temperature!
We reviewed these wine fridges against rigorous protocols, which were designed by our homes testing manager Blossom Boothroyd. She used each wine fridge exactly as you would at home, assessing how quickly the fridges returned to temperature after the door had been left open and considering how effectively the space was used inside.
All the data and feedback was then turned into bite-sized reviews by the GHI’s head of content Alison Lynch and homes writer Jasmine Vorley, highlighting the performance, features and drawbacks shoppers need to know before buying.
Final verdict: What’s the best wine cooler?
The best wine cooler we’ve tested is the Bosch Series 6 KUW21AHG0G Built In Wine Cooler, which can hold 44 bottles in a compact, under-counter design. It has dual zones and stood out for its impressive temperature stability, as well as ease of use.
If you’re looking to spend less, the Candy Wine Cooler CCVB60DUK is also an integrated, dual-zone, under-counter model but costs less than half the price of the Bosch. The temperature wasn’t as stable, but in real terms, we don’t expect that to affect your evening tipple too much.
Alison is head of content for the Good Housekeeping Institute, responsible for product reviews across homes, beauty, wellness, family and food & drink. She lives by the William Morris quote that you should “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Alison has over 15 years' experience as a lifestyle editor and has written features on everything from misophonia to how to dress like Claudia on The Traitors. She has also interviewed everyone from Dame Joanna Lumley to the Kardashians.
In her spare time, you'll find her hanging out with Monty the cocker spaniel and refreshing the Sezane website every five seconds.
Jasmine is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s homes writer. With a background in design, she is committed to sorting the good products from the great –and helping Good Housekeeping readers do the same.
Throughout her career, Jasmine has written extensively about product quality, craftsmanship and sustainability, and is passionate about consumer rights. She previously worked as a writer and researcher at the product longevity platform Buy Me Once.
If she isn’t reviewing the latest gadgets for your home, you can probably find Jasmine cooking elaborate meals or crafting something weird and wonderful!
Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. Blossom’s most notable accomplishment in the lab has been toasting 528 slices of bread in her quest to find the best toasters money can buy. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.
Add one of M&S’s festive door swags to your decor
Dunelm’s £50 throw looks like a £129 designer buy
The best weighted blankets, tried and tested
The best vacuum cleaners, tested by experts
