Red wine or white? Who can choose?
They both have serious appeal and dedicated followings. However, storing them at the same temperature isn’t recommended. Different types of wine are best enjoyed at different temperatures, which makes storing them together tricky.
It doesn’t have to be, though!
By using a dual-zone cooler, you can store reds and whites in the same appliance without stress. If you mostly drink one type or another, dual-zone coolers allow you to store some wine at a lower storage temperature and other bottles at the perfect serving temperature. You can even use dual-zone coolers to store wine alongside beer, liquor, or whatever drinks you want chilled.
When I was looking for a wine cooler, I did my research. I found that these six wine coolers are the best dual-zone models on the market. From reliability to size and price, it’s all included here.
Ready? Then let’s get started.
What Is a Dual-Zone Cooler?
Before we look at the actual coolers, it’s important to understand why dual-zone coolers are so special.
Like I mentioned above, experts recommend that you drink different wines at different temperatures. White wines are lighter and more acidic, so they are best enjoyed at lower temperatures. Meanwhile, reds are richer, with flavors that are best experienced at warmer temps. That means that either you need to store them in different places or you need to get the right cooler.
That’s why dual-zone coolers exist. Standard wine coolers are single-zone, which means they keep everything inside them at the same temperature. This is great if you’re storing just reds or just whites. However, if you’re storing multiple wines at the same time, one wine will be too warm or too cold.
Dual-zone coolers are different. They can maintain two different temperatures at once. This gives you the chance to store reds and whites in the same cooler at the right temperature. If you’re someone who likes variety, this is a big benefit.
The Best Dual-Zone Wine Coolers
For anyone who loves thermoelectric coolers, the Koolatron 12 bottle wine cooler is one of the best small dual-zone coolers on the market.
This narrow but powerful cooler is the perfect choice to keep a few bottles on hand for dinner parties or just an after-dinner drink.
The top section of this cooler is ideal for red wines, with an adjustable temperature range between 54 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, the bottom zone can get as cool as 42 degrees Fahrenheit, so it can handle even the lightest of whites. The temperatures can be easily monitored on the front of the door, and you can change the thermostat at a touch.
Best of all, this cooler will be nearly silent, since it doesn’t have a compressor motor running.
That also keeps the cooler from vibrating, so there’s no risk of unpleasant flavors being stirred up into the wine. As long as you only need to store a few bottles of wine, this cooler is an excellent choice.
| Pros | Cons |
| Ultra Quiet | Slightly less energy efficient than compressor coolers |
| No vibrations to disturb wine sediment | Slightly less energy efficient than compressor coolers |
| Bottom shelf can get as cool as 42 degrees Fahrenheit |
Our Verdict
This cooler is a great option for anyone who wants a quiet cooler to keep a few bottles chilled at all times.
Wine Enthusiast is a brand that knows their audience.
The Wine Enthusiast 18 bottle cooler is designed for a true collector. The angled bottom shelf gives you the chance to display labels of your favorite vintages while still keeping them cool.
The cooler as a whole is elegant and simple to use. The thermostat reacts at a touch, giving you complete control over your wine temperature. The clear glass door gives you a perfect view of your wine without anything getting in the way.
Some people do mention that this model can be a little noisy.
If you’re someone who values your quiet, it may be better to look for a thermoelectric model to keep the peace. However, if you don’t mind the compressor hum, this is an excellent choice for people who want to display their collection.
| Pros | Cons |
| Long lifespan | May vibrate because of the compressor |
| Multiple storage positions | Taller than models with similar capacity |
| Energy efficient | |
| Great display possibilities |
Our Verdict
Great for collectors who want a way to display their wines while keeping them cool.
Not everyone drinks enough wine to dedicate a cooler just to wine.
If you like beer, soda, or sparkling water, then the NewAir 22 bottle cooler might be for you.
The shelves are easily adjusted to hold just wine, or switched to hold bottles and cans in the same space. That makes this a great convertible choice.
The stainless steel finish gives the NewAir cooler a touch of professionalism that blends into home bars just as easily as it does to concession stands or dens.
The dual-zone setup lets you keep wine comfortably chilled while bringing beer or sparkling water down to refreshing temperatures. The flush-mount back means that this cooler won’t take up any more space than it needs to, either.
Like many compressor coolers, it makes a little noise when it runs.
It may also vibrate, so if you’re looking for long-term wine storage, you may want to find another option. However, for anyone who likes some variety in their choice of beverage, this is a solid option.
| Pros | Cons |
| Flush mounted back | Compressor = noise and vibration |
| Convertible shelves hold cans and bottles | Wider than alternatives |
| Professional finish | Above average price |
Our Verdict
The NewAir 22 bottle cooler is a great option for people with diverse taste in drinks, since it can hold cans just as easily as bottles.
There’s more to keeping your wine fresh than simply keeping it cool.
The Aobosi 28 bottle cooler helps keep your wine at the right humidity by including elegant beechwood shelves to help retain moisture.
Wine is best stored at about 70% humidity, and the wood in this cooler helps you maintain that without stress.
The simple touch controls can be locked to you don’t accidentally change the temperatures of either section. The lower section includes a larger area to hold your bigger bottles without having to remove any shelves. Best of all, this cooler also comes with a handy lock to help keep children from getting into your wine collection.
This cooler can easily maintain temperatures between 41 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, it’s still a compressor cooler, so it will always vibrate a little more than a thermoelectric cooler.
| Pros | Cons |
| Wood shelves help control humidity | More expensive than average |
| Lock keeps children from getting into the cooler | Compressor may vibrate |
| Lock keeps children from getting into the cooler | Thermostat controls inside door, not outside |
| Wide temperature range |
Our Verdict
The Aobosi 28 bottle wine cooler is an excellent option for anyone who ants to maintain the humidity of their wine with ease.
Anyone looking for a larger capacity fridge that still has just one door should consider the Ivation 33 bottle wine cooler. This model is sleek, easy to use, and forgiving on the budget. The clean black finish lets this cooler blend into any décor without taking too much attention.
The cooler comes with a built-in lock, so your wine will be safe from curious children. Meanwhile, the cooler can be kept as low as 41 degrees or as warm as 64 degrees in different zones, so you can easily store sparkling whites along with the richest ports. The thermostat is touch-sensitive, so you can easily set temperatures without a problem.
Like most larger coolers, this is a compressor fridge. However, the cooler is large enough that vibration is minimal.
| Pros | Cons |
| Cost-effective | Compressor may vibrate |
| Wide temperature range | Not a flush-back design |
| Comes with a lock |
Our Verdict
This is an excellent option for anyone who wants a low-profile yet larger wine cooler.
Anyone looking for a heavy-duty two-door wine cooler should look no further than the Ivation 40 bottle double-door model. This cooler is a professional model that adds professionalism and efficiency to anywhere it’s installed. The flush-back designed helps you make the most of the space you have without worrying about overheating.
Either side of this cooler can be used to hold bottles or cans. Shelves can be rearranged to meet your needs. The two sides are cooled independently, so there’s no worry about smells or flavors mingling.
| Pros | Cons |
| This is a professional-model cooler, and it’s priced appropriately. It also does not come with a lock, so it may be smart to place the cooler somewhere out of sight of children. Otherwise, this is an excellent option for the true connoisseur. | Two compressors may lead to additional vibration |
| Can be used to cool bottles and cans | Two compressors may lead to additional vibration |
| Professional-quality stainless steel | Professional price tag |
Our Verdict
This is a professional-model cooler, and it’s priced appropriately. It also does not come with a lock, so it may be smart to place the cooler somewhere out of sight of children. Otherwise, this is an excellent option for the true connoisseur.
Other Considerations When Buying a Wine Cooler
When you’re choosing a wine cooler, you should consider more than just whether it’s dual-zone or not. Other factors, like the cooling method and size, may be much more important to you than the number of zones the cooler offers. These aspects include:
Cooling Style
Different coolers use different methods to keep your wine at the right temperature. They can be chilled in two ways: either through a standard compressor system, or with an interesting electrical effect known as thermoelectric cooling. Both of these methods have their own benefits and drawbacks.
Compressors are more energy efficient and generally cheaper, but they make noise and vibrate. Compressor fridges are most common at the top and bottom of the wine cooling world. They’re a cost effective option for large restaurants and they lower electricity costs for occasional wine drinkers.
Thermoelectric coolers, on the other hand, cost a little more but they are completely vibration-free. These coolers are great for long-term storage since they don’t stir up any sediment in your wine. Many individual wine aficionados use thermoelectric coolers as a part of their wine collection strategy.
Number of Bottles
Depending on how many bottles of wine you have on hand at once, you might need one of a number of different sizes of wine cooler. It’s worthwhile to get a wine cooler that can store a few more bottle than you tend to have on hand. This gives you room to store presents, lucky purchases, and generally larger collections.
Conclusion
Adding the right wine to a meal can take your experience from good to great.
Having the right wine cooled and ready to drink makes that easy to do. A dual-zone wine cooler gives you the opportunity to have your favorite reds and whites ready to drink at the drop of a hat.
I hope this guide has helped you understand dual-zone wine coolers and choose the cooler that’s right for you.
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Thanks for reading, and have a great day!
-Craig
