We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Why trust us?

For beginners to sommeliers and everyone in between.

Whether you’ve already amassed a serious wine collection or you’re just beginning to keep more than a couple of bottles around your home, storing your wine properly — and therefore aging it properly — can make all the difference in how it tastes. “A general rule of thumb would be storing your bottles at 55°F, or cellar temperature,” says Catherine Lo, Senior Food Editor for the Hearst Lifestyle Group. “But what’s really more important is that you avoid constant temperature fluctuations, which can cause the air inside your bottles to swell and contract and allow excess air and bacteria to get to your wine.” The easiest way to prevent these fluctuations is by keeping your bottles in a wine fridge.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab evaluates all types of kitchen appliances yearly, including best refrigerators and coolers. For every fridge model, we score for uniformity of temperatures and moisture levels from shelf to shelf, as well as for temperature variations in single areas over time. To find the best wine fridges, we researched models from trusted and proven brands, vetted user reviews and compared features across multiple price points. Finding the right wine fridge for you will depend on the size of your collection, the kind of wine you like to drink and whether or not you want to keep some bottles at serving temperature, as well as other factors we discuss below. Here are the best wine fridges to buy in 2021:

Wine Enthusiast makes a wide variety of high-performance, reliable wine fridges that are popular with professionals and hobbyists alike — and this mid-range option is no exception. With dual-zone cooling, 32-bottle capacity and a stylish black-and-tinted-glass design, this freestanding wine cooler is perfect for small-to-medium collections and provides consistent temperature control for just around $500.

Reviewers love this fridge’s elegant design, digital control panel, bottom display shelf and quiet performance. Some note that this model’s wire racks and overall depth aren’t accommodating of large or odd-shaped bottles — and keep in mind that this fridge can’t be installed into shelving or a countertop. But if you have a collection of Bordeaux-type bottles and want to age some while keeping others ready for serving at a moment’s notice, this fridge has your back.

This 28-bottle capacity wine fridge from Ivation is incredibly popular with shoppers on Amazon, thanks to its dark tinted glass design, removable shelves and generous interior sizing for odd-shaped bottles. At just under $300, this is also one of the most affordable wine fridges of its size on the market. 

This Ivation is only single-zone, meaning you can’t keep different wines at different temperatures, and some reviewers complain of the fridge’s loud compressor and fan (and the empty space needed on either side to make sure the fridge is venting properly.) While this model can’t handle a large collection, it’s ideal for beginner collectors with under 30 bottles who want to keep all their wine at one safe temperature and humidity without breaking the bank.

This unique wine fridge from EdgeStar is incredibly slim and requires no extra ventilation space, meaning it can be tucked under the counter or built right into cabinetry. With a 7-bottle capacity and single temperature zone, this fridge is best suited to those who want to keep a handful of bottles at serving temperature at all times, rather than those looking to age large collections.

Reviewers love this model’s slim design, quiet compressor and reversible door. It’s pricey for its capacity, but makes up for it in convenience and design.

If you have an ultra-modern kitchen or bar design with the most high-tech appliances, this 51-bottle capacity Samsung wine fridge will fit right in. It has five coated stainless steel wine racks across two different temperature zones, allowing you to age and serve many different types of wine. These racks are also designed to glide in and out, making it easy to pick a bottle from your collection.

Reviewers love this Samsung’s stainless, smudge-proof design and large capacity, and they note that the temperature zones are exceptionally accurate. This unit can be built into cabinetry or left on its own and has a reversible door. Samsung also provides a 5-year warranty on the fridge’s compressor, one of the best warranties we’ve seen for medium-capacity wine fridges. But all these bonus features will cost you — the fridge goes for about $1,000.

This popular 46-bottle capacity wine fridge from Kalamera is loaded with special features, from dual-zone cooling and sliding wooden racks to a reversible door. This model can also be built into cabinets or tucked under countertops. It’s ideal for those with medium collections who want to show off their bottles and keep some at serving temperature for whenever company arrives.

Many reviewers praise the fridge’s design and quiet performance, while some note they’ve had trouble with the customer service from Kalamera. Keep in mind that, while this model comes in both black and stainless finishes, the fridge’s interior lights are exceptionally blue — great for some kitchens, but they won’t match every design.

Another Wine Enthusiast offering, the Vinothèque Café is an elegant 48-bottle wine fridge designed for discreet undercounter installation. With four beechwood and stainless steel shelves, dual temperature zones and a reversible glass door, this is a premium option for medium collections of all wine types — the shelves can accommodate various bottle shapes. Reviewers note that it’s an elegant, quiet, and efficient fridge, even though it’s pricey for its size.

If you’re looking for a wine fridge that can also accommodate beer, soda, water and other beverages, the N’Finity Pro HDX (also from Wine Enthusiast) is a gorgeous and efficient option. This fridge has two French-style doors, one in coated glass for showing off your wine collection, another finished in stainless steel that hides the additional shelving for cans and other bottles.

The wine section has 7 pull-out shelves that can accommodate 35 standard bottles, while the beer section has three fixed shelves that can fit up to 90 cans. Each section has independent temperature controls, making this a unique dual-zone option.

Looking for a quiet, compact, and vibration-free thermoelectric wine fridge to reduce sediment disturbances in your wine and keep your energy bill low? This standard 20-bottle wine fridge from Koolatron has excellent reviews and is one of the most affordable models we’ve found at just $200. With five metal wire racks and a single temperature zone, the Koolatron WC20 is a no-nonsense standalone cooler ideal for aging small wine collections. While this model doesn’t have a compressor, some reviewers do complain about noise from the interior fan. 

With completely adjustable beechwood racks, magnetic labels, smart home compatibility, dual-zone cooling and a special central shelf for decanting and tasting, this built-in 80-bottle unit from Miele has all the bells and whistles to impress even the most particular home sommelier. This wine fridge also has a sleek, handle-free design to suit modern kitchens, plus enough space to accommodate serious collectors. Keep in mind that because of all these special features, you’ll need to pay more for this wine fridge than some others with twice the capacity.

Some people aren’t just looking for any wine fridge — they’re looking for the very best, very largest wine cellar. If you have a substantial bottle collection that you want to protect, age and display in style, a luxury wine cellar from EuroCave is incredibly difficult to beat. The 178-bottle EuroCave Premiere L can handle large and extra-large collections of all bottle types, with special features like detachable cellar lights, individually adjustable shelves, locking doors and a digital control panel with alarm notifications.

Although it’s difficult to find fault with this wine fridge, take note that it doesn’t have dual-zone cooling — it’s designed for long-term storage at a single temperature.

Capacity: The most important thing to consider when shopping for a wine fridge is how many bottles you’re hoping to store. Some models can fit just a handful of bottles, while others can fit several hundreds. Lo says, “Human nature likes to fill a void: Assess the number of wines that you’d like to have on hand, and then double that amount to estimate the fridge capacity you might need.” Consider a capacity between 25 and 50 bottles if you’re fairly new to collecting and want to age your wine properly. If you’re just hoping to keep bottles at serving temperature, you can go under 20. If you have a growing collection with many different types of bottles, look for a capacity over 50.

Placement in your home: The kind of wine fridge you’ll want to buy also depends on where you’re putting it in your home. If you have a basement, butler’s pantry or out-of-sight location where style isn’t as much of a concern, you may opt for a freestanding wine fridge. But if you want your fridge to seamlessly integrate with your kitchen or bar, you’ll want to invest in a built-in option. (Or maybe you want to devote an entire portion of your home to displaying your wine in a large cabinet or cellar). If you don’t have much extra space, make sure to get a compact option that can fit under a countertop or be placed in a corner. Consider how much open space around the fridge is required for ventilation before you make your purchase.

Dual-zone or single-zone: Dual-zone fridges, as the name implies, have two different temperature zones. This is advantageous for storing reds and whites separately, as the serving temperature for white wine is cooler than that of red. “For serving, shoot for 40°F to 55°F for white wines (sparkling wines on the lower end) and 55°F to 65°F for reds,” says Lo. But the built-in divider in these fridges will reduce their overall capacity. Ironically, you’ll find that the very smallest and the very largest fridges are typically single-zone — very small ones don’t have space for the divider and very large ones are typically used to store wine over a long time, not to serve. “Dual zone fridges can be helpful if you have a larger quantity of particularly delicate wines, but they’re not essential,” says Lo. Choose the kind of fridge that’s right for you and the kind of wine you hope to store and drink.

Compressor or thermoelectric: While most wine fridges on the market use standard compressor refrigeration (the same technology you’ll find in your kitchen refrigerator and window AC units), some instead use thermoelectric energy. These models are generally quieter, more energy-efficient and less expensive than their standard counterparts. No compressor also means less vibration that may disturb the sediment in your wine, and fewer parts that may break. But thermoelectric energy can only keep a fairly small space cool efficiently. If you have a small collection and you’re concerned with energy use, you may want to consider getting a small countertop or freestanding wine fridge. But if you have a larger collection, you’re interested in dual-zone cooling and design is important to you, you’re better off with a standard compressor model.

Design and finish: Wine fridges come in a range of styles and finishes, from simple and traditional to ultra-modern and elegant. Choose a fridge that suits your kitchen or bar style. Make sure the interior lighting, rack style and material, handle and glass door don’t clash with your existing appliances. Look for coated or smoked glass doors that protect your wine from UV rays that can be damaging to the wine.

Extra features: Many wine fridges come loaded with extra features like reversible doors, multiple rack types and temperature zones, adjustable lights, sliding shelves, locks, alarms and more. Prioritize the features that will maximize your use of the fridge and help you get the most out of your purchase.

Warranty: Check the warranty on your fridge before you make your purchase, specifically on the compressor. Although wine fridges are generally smaller appliances, their price tags and complex parts mean you should approach buying them as you would any large appliance. Avoid brands with nonexistent custom service or poor warranty policies.