Looking for a large wine cooler in 2022? Here’s our review of what to look for in a large capacity wine refrigerators in the current year.
First, know that you can trust our reviews on wine refrigeration. Our founder Jolene Unland has worked with refrigeration of all types for over 20 years as an agriculture scientist. During her WSET Advanced Certification in Wine studies, she learned the proper storage and serving temperature of wines both in aging and in serving. She’s also owned several different wine refrigerators over the years and reviewed them here on the KnowWines blog.
If it turns out that a large wine cabinet is too big of an investment at this time, we have also reviewed the best wine refrigerators for wine lovers in the 50+ bottle size range as well as smaller wine cooling units for apartments, RVs, or boats.
If you do plan to read on about larger wine refrigerators, though, you should know a few things about the KnowWines Blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!
What to Consider When Purchasing a Large Wine Refrigerator
Large wine cabinets are a big investment. When shopping for a large wine refrigerator, we’ve used the following criteria, resulting the acquisition of large wine refrigerators that lasted more than 7 years. One unit is 11 years old and is still running great!
Compressor vs ThermoElectric Wine Refrigerators
We have a strong preference for large wine cabinets with compressors - for more on that debate check out our article on the best wine refrigerators for wine lovers. Thankfully, almost all large wine refrigerators utilize compressors for cooling.
Dual-Temperature or Single-Temperature Large Wine Cooler?
In general, the fewer bells and whistles an electronic item has, the less that can go wrong! Unless you are purchasing a large wine refrigerator for a restaurant where you need bottles ready to go at 45 F for whites and 55 F or so for reds, there’s no reason to go for a dual temperature large wine refrigerator. If you are storing wines for aging, then select a single temperature large wine cooler, and have an ice bucket or wine bottle chiller on hand for cooling sparkling or white wines.
What is a Large Wine Cooler?
A large wine refrigerator is a cabinet that contains more than 50 bottles of wine. A large wine cooler typically does not fit below the counter in a bar or kitchen. Large wine refrigerators are used for storing and aging wines for commercial or retail purposes, or for home use by wine collectors.
What is the Capacity of a Large Wine Cooler?
A large wine refrigerator typically holds over 50 to about 300 bottles of wine.
The capacity of large wine coolers is impacted by the following factors:
Size of bottles collected. Larger format bottles like magnums reduce bottle capacity in a large wine cooler.
Diameter of bottles collected. Most large wine coolers give capacity in standard Bordeaux bottle sizes, but Champagne and Bourgogne wine bottles may have larger diameters. For example, if a large wine cabinet indicates that one can store 12 bottles on a shelf, one may be able to store only 10 Pinot Noir bottles or as many as 13 German Riesling bottles or 15, 350mL Sauturnes bottles.
Style of shelving system inside the unit. Does the unit have racks for stacking bottles or single bottle holders?
How Much Do Large Wine Refrigerators Weigh?
Large wine refrigerators can weigh from 180 lbs up to 350 lbs, with most weighing in around 260 lbs.
Keep this weight in mind when ordering a large wine refrigerator. If you are not home when the unit arrives, the unit might be sitting on your front porch, and it will be too large for one person to move.
How Wide is a Large Wine Cabinet?
Almost all large wine refrigerators measure 24 inches, with the exception of Eurocave, which can measure 26 inches wide.
What is the Cost of a Large Wine Cooler?
The cost of a large wine refrigerator can vary widely. In general, large wine coolers can cost anywhere from $800 to $4,000 and beyond.
What Brands Make Large Wine Refrigerators?
The brands that make large wine refrigerators include Eurocave, Zephyr, EdgeStar, Lanbo, Allavino, and more.
There are also budget brands of wine coolers. These include BODGA, COLZER, Whytner, and more.
What are the Best Large Wine Refrigerators?
Eurocave
The gold standard for large wine refrigerators is the Eurocave. Currently, Wine Enthusiast is the only seller of Eurocave in the USA. We own a Eurocave and reviewed it here recently.
Zephyr Presrv Single Zone Wine Fridge
In our recent podcast with Roy Wilson, Wilson mentioned several new innovations coming up in wine storage. In the US market, Zephyr is one of the first to roll out products featuring the latest in compressor technology, glass doors, and LED lighting (especially light color choices). The Zephyr also includes some fun bells and whistles, including 3 different choices in the color of LED lights, a five-bottle display rack, a reversible door, and a charcoal filter.
If what you’re really wanting is a Eurocave, but the price is a little out of your reach, consider this: the Zephyr offers a two-year warranty on most parts and a five-year warranty on the compressor, which is a little more impressive than other large wine refrigerators sold online.
In addition to its superior warranty and compressor technology, it seems that Zephyr is also ahead of the curve in understanding the needs of collectors who collect wine bottles in various sizes. Check out this video with Liren Baker of Kitchen Confidante showing larger bottle sizes, like premium and luxury Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, fitting easily inside the unit!
The newest Zephyr single-temperature unit is the 148 bottle Zephyr Presrv:
Zephyr Presrv Single Zone Wine Refrigerator 148 Bottles
EdgeStar
EdgeStar is located in Austin, Texas. It has over 50 employees and 12 distribution centers throughout the US. This company does a good job of making its user manual available on the Amazon sales page so you can see all the details regarding operation and installation before purchase. Their units come with a one year warranty.
Both EdgeStar units featured here have stainless steel doors, reversible doors, LED lighting, metal wood-front shelves, and even cooling technology that ensures a uniform temperature inside the unit.
EdgeStar 111-Bottle Large Wine Refrigerator
This model by EdgeStar is a good solution for homeowners who’ve exceeded the capacity of an under-counter unit and are considering having a built-in wine refrigerator in their kitchen or bar.
EdgeStar 151 Bottle Large Wine Refrigerator
If EdgeStar’s 111-Bottle large wine cooler does not meet your needs, this unit holds 151 Bordeaux style bottles. Like the 111-Bottle unit, this unit can be stand-alone or built in.
Lanbo
This unit has a unique shelving system that is a fan favorite - it efficiently stores bottles on rolling wood shelves. The rolling racks are all wood and cradle each bottle, unlike many competitors with metal or a combination of wood and metal shelves. The upside of rolling shelves is that all the bottles lie in one layer - no need to unstack 14 bottles to get to the one you need!
Lanbo has an office in Walnut, California, and makes its user manuals available on its website and Amazon sales page. Their units come with a one-year warranty for most parts and labor, as well as a 36-month warranty on the compressor.
Lanbo Single Zone Large Wine Cabinet - 289 bottle capacity
Allavino
Allavino has been selling luxury large wine cabinets for over 20 years. Their sales group is located in San Diego, CA. Like EdgeStar, Allavino does an excellent job making its user manuals available on sales pages for easy reference. Allavino does have a one-year warranty on most parts, as well as a five year warranty on its compressors.
Allavino is known for its flex-count bottle shelving, which cradles each bottle. Their innovative shelving system allows for a few more bottles per unit than their competitors.
Allavino 128-bottle Large Wine Refrigerator
This large wine cooler accommodates 128 Bordeaux-style bottles. The door is not reversible, so make sure when you order a unit that you select the correct door opening configuration (left or right) for your application.
Allavino 177-bottle Large Wine Refrigerator
This large wine cabinet accommodates 177 Bordeaux-style bottles. Like its little brother, the door is not reversible, so make sure that you order the right door opening configuration.
Whytner
Whytner also has US-based customer support for their units. Their two single-temperature units feature wood front shelves and wire support for individual bottles.
This brand is a good option for those wanting a large wine cabinet in the price mid-point range with a stainless steel front. This product comes with a one-year warranty.
Whytner 100-bottle Wine Refrigerator
Whytner 166-bottle Wine Refrigerator
COLZER
To our awareness, there’s not a sales support contact for COLZER in the United States. Unlike its competitors, it was challenging to find a user manual on any sales pages. However, they have put a lot of effort into photos to describe the unit on sales pages.
COLZER is a good budget brand for large wine refrigerators if you are storing Bordeaux bottles and other narrow-diameter bottles. If your collection includes a lot of magnums, Champagne, or larger Burgundy bottles, you may want to go with one of the more premium options. In this COLZER model, larger diameter bottles can go only on the bottom shelf.
COLZER often has coupons on Amazon to help you save additional money. This unit also has more LED lights than other units, which might be a plus, depending on the style you’re looking for. COLZER also offerS a one-year warranty, which is a little less than other brands we’ve reviewed. If you want to extend the warranty, check with your credit card for coverage or purchase an appliance warranty from the retailer.
COLZER 154
A Few More Notes on Large Wine Refrigerators:
If you’re sold on the idea of purchasing one of these large wine refrigerators for your home or business, you may also be interested in the technical side of wine storage, or you may find that you’re inspired to go even bigger with your collection.
Where can I Learn More About the Technical Side of Wine Storage?
Here are a few great resources (two from our very own blog & podcast):
The KnowWines In-Depth Guide to Wine Storage and Compressor vs Thermoelectric Units
The Bordeaux Buzz Podcast with Wine Storage Expert, Roy Wilson
This great book on wine storage:
What If I Want to Store More Than 1,000 Wine Bottles?
Have more than 1000 wine bottles? Even the large wine refrigerators reviewed here will not meet your needs.
Solutions may include off-site wine storage ine a locker at Extra Space Storage, or investment in a wine cave if you plan on living in your home for several years. A compromise could be installing a Zephyr unit in your home and keeping your aging wines in off-site storage.
In Conclusion
Going forward, the innovation in the large wine refrigerator space will be LED lighting, sleek stainless design, and flexible shelving. Large wine refrigerator brands targeted to US audiences will follow these trends set by European makers like Eurocave.
For 2022, the best option for a large wine refrigerator that you can purchase online is the Zephyr Presrv wine cabinet.
We look forward to updating this list as new models from various manufacturers arrive.
Cheers!