Many wines, especially white wines, should be stored at a cool temperature or, at least, cooled before drinking. However, ordinary refrigerators are usually set below the optimal temperature range for wine because they need to keep other products, like dairy products and produce, from spoiling.

A wine fridge also differs from an ordinary beverage fridge in the way it optimizes space for as many wine bottles as possible. Other drink fridges are usually designed around fitting cans and smaller beer and soda bottles (though some include space for wine bottles as well).

If you have an at-home bar or you are a frequent wine drinker, you will certainly enjoy having a wine cooler as well as other wine accessories. Some useful wine accessories include wine racks for storage and wine stoppers that help preserve the life of your wine once it is opened. Smaller accessories, like stoppers and fancy wine openers also make great host and hostess gifts.

When you’re shopping for a wine fridge, consider how many bottles of wine you want to store at a time and where you will be putting your new wine refrigerator. The biggest decision will be whether to go with an easy-to-install freestanding wine cooler or to make a more permanent addition to your home with a built-in wine fridge.

If you are putting your new wine fridge behind an at-home bar, you might want a counter-depth wine fridge to ensure it does not stick out. That way, you can still move easily behind the bar. And wine coolers with reversible door hinges are useful if you might move the placement of your cooler in future.

Other features that can improve your experience or the appearance of your wine cooler include a see-through door, interior lights, a door lock and multiple temperature zones. If you are concerned about minimizing energy usage, choose from a great range of ENERGY STAR-certified wine coolers.