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When you buy your favorite bottle of bubbly, you want to be sure you’re also buying the best storage to ensure its integrity is maintained. Finding the best wine refrigerator should be at the top of your priority list as an enthusiast or even as a casual drinker of this bubbly wine.
What is the best wine refrigerator for champagne? There are a few key factors you want to look for in the best wine fridge like temperature control, stillness and security, and proper seals. Here is a list of our top 5 fridges for Champagne that won’t break the bank.
1. Wine Enthusiast – Silent 18 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator
2. Avanti – 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Single Zone
3. NutriChef – 18 Bottle Dual Zone Thermoelectric
4. EdgeStar – Dual Zone 38 Bottle Wine Cooler
5. NewAir – Premium Single Zone
Storing, chilling, and preserving the quality of your finest vintages and your newest finds means buying the right fridge and understanding the important elements of champagne. Champagne tends to be slightly more sensitive to temperature and light changes, so ensuring safekeeping can be paramount.
1. Wine Enthusiast – Silent 18 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator
This slim, freestanding wine fridge is another option if you are seeking something dual-zone. The top zone is ideal for reds in the 54-66 degrees F range, while the bottom section is where you will be keeping your champagne at 46-66 degrees F.
It is thermoelectric, maintaining a virtually silent cooling experience, and as a bonus, it is also energy efficient. It is completely CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) free, which means your carbon footprint will get a bit smaller with this fridge.
The silent system will help keep your champagne still and in pristine condition, while the dual cooling zone will provide a great atmosphere for any wine. The shelves are also removable and easy to rearrange if you need to store larger or oddly shaped rare bottles.
The Silent 18 is also a great fridge for anyone who will be putting it somewhere that sunlight may reach it. Many wine fridges have a clear glass door, whereas this fridge offers a door made of reflective smoked glass and a stainless-steel rim. The reflective door will help keep out any UV rays that try to penetrate the door and harm your champagne.
This elegant fridge will perfectly balance your needs for all types of champagne and other wines, and it has an impressive list of features to help keep damage and harm away from your precious bottles of bubbly.
Click here to check it out on Amazon and read customer reviews.
2. Avanti – 12 Bottle Thermoelectric Single Zone
If you are looking for a smaller option that you can use for proper storage, but also to show off some of your favorite bottles of bubbly, this Avanti counter-top unit that houses 12 bottles is an ideal option.
It is thermoelectric, which makes it virtually noiseless and most importantly, vibration-free. Have you ever felt mini-fridges or other wine fridges that have that constant vibrating sensation? It may seem minor to the touch, but it can make a huge difference over time to the integrity of your champagne.
The curved glass door helps keep UV rays out, which is an excellent feature to have for any counter-top model, as they will typically have higher odds of being exposed to direct sunlight from a window.
If you have larger bottles of champagne, this unit may pose some issues as it is built for 750ml bottles. You can adjust the top two shelves, while the bottom three are all one unit that is attached to the aesthetically pleasing rack area for bottles to stand up.
Being able to adjust the shelves is a great option for casual champagne drinkers looking to keep their champagne chilled while displaying it on the counter for their guests to enjoy.
3. NutriChef – 18 Bottle Dual Zone Thermoelectric
If you’re thinking, “too big” or “too small,” this next one may be just right for you. This 18-bottle thermoelectric fridge also offers the capability of dual zones. If you’re a diehard for your favorite bubbly but you also like buying the occasional red or white, a dual-zone fridge will be perfect for you.
A dual-zone is a great option for someone who enjoys collecting older vintages but still likes to have a new bottle readily available. The dual-zone will help you regulate the temperatures between a fine vintage that has been aging for decades vs. a newer bottle you just picked up at the store for dinner tonight.
Unless you want multiple fridges or you have a full cellar set up with different areas for different styles and vintages, this is a perfect, compact way to store both.
You will have a hard time beating the price on this NutriChef fridge, considering it offers the dual-zone feature. Many of those fridges end up being far more expensive and found in larger units as well.
The NutriChef is a unique fridge that offers high-quality storage for multiple temperatures, along with a price tag that won’t scare off the casual champagne fan. The sleek design, touchscreen controls, and digital display also make it look more expensive than it is.
The thermoelectric design will keep the fridge quiet and vibration-free as well. This fridge is perfect for anyone who enjoys a wide range of champagne and wine but doesn’t need to have multiple fridges or one massive one.
Under the same brand, you will also find a very similar option if you are looking for something a little smaller, or you don’t need the dual-zone. The NutriChef – 12 Bottle Thermoelectric is equally as well-made but is only a single-zone and is a great space saver with its tall, narrow design.
Click here to check it out on Amazon and read customer reviews.
4. EdgeStar – Dual Zone 38 Bottle Wine Cooler
This 38-bottle fridge can also be adapted to accommodate fewer but larger bottles with its easy-to-rearrange storage options inside and smart design for efficiency.
With the upper portion offering temperatures between 54 to 64 degrees F and the lower portion staying between 40- and 54 degrees F. The fridge runs off a compressor-based cooling system, which means this dual system is going to have an easy time staying on the cooler end of each of their ranges.
Aesthetically, this fridge has a beautiful design of a clear glass door exposing the shelves that are accented with wooden panels at the end of each shelf. It offers room for creativity in how you organize your bottles at the very bottom, as well as study shelves that will make for easy viewing and selection of all your champagne.
The LED touchscreen display in between each zone makes for easy temperature control and a sleek design. The glass door is also slightly tinted, so while you will be able to see these nice accents inside the fridge, this tint will help keep out those harmful UV rays.
With larger champagne bottles, you will need to plan for less than the 38-bottle maximum. With some rearranging, you will be able to fit larger ones safely and securely.
Click here to check it out on Amazon and read customer reviews.
5. NewAir – Premium Single Zone
This compression unit from NewAir is a carefully designed wine fridge that offers excellent abilities to keep your champagne perfectly chilled in warmer rooms. If your kitchen or the room you are keeping this fridge in is typically warmer, we recommend a compression fridge.
They possess a better ability to keep temperatures consistent inside the fridge. If you plan to keep your fridge near the stove, out in a garage, or on a back patio that may get hot, this will be a solid option for you.
This model holds 33 bottles inside its stainless-steel outer shell. It is equipped with a digital temperature display at the top for quick and easy reading to track proper temperatures, along with touchpad controls.
It is a single-zone storage fridge that includes six sliding racks for easy viewing of your wines and limits the amount of shaking with a smooth sliding track.
This is a superb model for enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike. The interior lighting helps for viewing and offers a pretty, glowing aesthetic while keeping it safe for champagne with soft tones and proper bulbs that will not cause any damage.
Pro Tip: Compression units tend to use up a little more electricity, so be prepared for a slightly higher energy bill if you go for this option.
Click here to check it out on Amazon and read customer reviews.
Ideal Conditions for Champagne
You want to consider the types of champagne you are purchasing and their vintages. If you are a casual drinker, a typical fridge will help keep the quality of your champagne if it stays in it for a couple of months.
Most standard bottles of bubbly that you buy in the store are meant to be drunk within a few years of the date on the label. So, for those bottles, a wine refrigerator is not a necessity although it serves as a good place to store them if your refrigerator gets full
But if you are a serious enthusiast looking to secure some old vintages and expensive, fine selections of champagne that will age and require ideal conditions, then a wine fridge becomes imperative.
There are multiple conditions you need to consider when storing and cooling your champagne in a fridge.
TIP: To learn if wine refrigerators are needed for proper wine storage, read this helpful article. Do you know if you can store your wine bottles upside down? Find out here!
Temperature
The ideal temperature for champagne storage will be between 48-55 degrees Fahrenheit. Experts disagree on the exact temperature, with some suggesting that slightly cooler is better for storage. Champagne kept within that range will taste better. It is cold enough for storage, while it allows a richer and more in-depth taste.
More full-bodied Champagne wines such as rosé, maderized wines, or older vintages can be stored at slightly higher temperatures, as they will help bring out their bouquet.
Different champagnes will require different conditions. But when it comes to temperature, the best train of thought is to avoid extremes. If you can keep it within 45-55 °F, you should be safe with most wines.
Humidity also needs to be considered when thinking about the temperature. It is a balancing act to make sure you have both in proper ranges. Keep the humidity around 70-75%. Anything lower can cause dry corks, and anything higher encourages mold. Either one of those will affect the taste of your bubbly.
TIP: For a complete breakdown of what heat can and will do to Champagne during storage, check out this article. To learn the dos and don’ts of wine storage, read this helpful article.
For specific temperature guidelines for rare finds or expensive bottles, it never hurts to double-check recommended temperatures either online or through a local wine shop/sommelier.
Exposure to Light
You never want any wine exposed to light for an extended period. Such exposure is especially true when it comes to champagne.
It is a more sensitive wine, and the extended light can have long-lasting effects on the champagne’s taste. Champagne in clear or lighter-colored bottles receives even more UV rays.
The good news is that light damage to champagne is caused mainly by UV rays, so you don’t need to worry as much about indoor lighting as long as it is not fluorescent or any other light that creates an artificial UV ray.
While not as important to the taste and quality of the wine, constant exposure to light can also affect the labeling. So, if you have any rare vintages or unique antique bottles, this is another reason to be careful about exposure to UV rays.
One final tip about a wine refrigerator and light—try to keep it away from any direct sunlight coming in from windows. For a complete breakdown of why you should never store wine indirect light, check out this article I wrote.
Exposure to Movement
Movement and vibrations provide a key reason why wine fridges are crucial for long-lasting quality champagne. Constant movement and vibrations can cause an imbalance in your champagne.
Think about where you tend to keep your champagne when it’s in your normal fridge. Typically, it will be on the bottom shelf on its side, sliding around from the vibration of the door opening and closing. Or even worse, on the door itself, where it is dealing with constant movement and disruptions.
For the standard bottle of champagne from the grocery store that you intend to drink soon, that is fine. But for higher quality bottles that you intend to age, they shouldn’t be subject to that much movement.
A good wine fridge will not only mean proper temperatures, humidity, and limited lighting – it will also mean security. You want a fridge that is solid, weighted, and will hold the bottles in place.
TIP: To learn how to store wine long-term, read this article. To learn if wine coolers are only good for storing white wine, check out this article.
How Does Champagne Cooling Differ from Other Wines?
White wines will need to be chilled just as champagne does. While reds should also be kept in cooler temperatures even if you don’t have them in fridges or coolers, hence wine cellars. But the main difference is in the fermentation process.
White wines and champagne have fewer tannins present, which causes quicker oxidation in warmer temperatures. The more consistent you can be in the temperature, humidity, and security of champagnes will allow for longer-lasting and better-tasting champagne.
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.”
– Mark Twain
Source: Town & Country
A Buying Guide for the Best Wine Fridges for Champagne
You will be looking at a few different factors when considering which fridge will be the best for you. Let’s start with some of the basic questions to ask yourself.
Do you want a standalone unit for the floor or a countertop fridge?
The size and type of the fridge will be based on the space you are working with. You will be able to find excellent options for either type of fridge, but it will be up to you to decide which is best for your space.
What is your budget vs. needs?
If you have your cellar or you are a sommelier/enthusiast/collector looking to go all-in on a fridge, you will find there are wine fridges that go well into the thousands of dollars. But don’t be scared off by those price tags if you want to store a small collection of your favorites.
Recommendation box: Everything you need to enjoy your wine as much as possible. All recommended products are personally tested and regularly used by experts from this website (Amazon links):
> Ivation Wine Cooler – Energy-efficient wine cooler for 18 bottles with Wi-fi smart app control cooling system.
> Wine Rack – Beautiful, elegant wood rack for up to 7 bottles and the choice of vertical or horizontal storage.
> Durand Wine Opener – Classic vintage wine opener (we like all these classic staff).
> YouYah Iceberg Wine Decanter – The most beautiful and handy wine decanter we personally use.
> Bormioli Rocco Wine Glasses – A set of eight elegant and traditional wine glasses made in Italy.
> Vintorio Wine Aerator – Simple but really useful wine aerator for a reasonable price.
> The Original Vacu Vin Wine Saver – The best wine saver on the market in a package with two vacuum stoppers and two wine servers.
And if you want to become a true connoisseur of wine, we recommend reading the book Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine (Amazon link), where you will find all the information you need about winemaking, wine varieties, flavors, and much more.
What types of wines and champagnes will you be storing?
If you are looking for a standard fridge to keep standard champagnes safe for storage, you don’t have to be as cautious about the type of fridge. But if you are looking at rare finds or putting together a collection, you will want to research the best storage techniques for them to be sure your fridge will match.
Here’s the good news–there are plenty of extremely affordable options. All the fridges we are recommending in this article are under $500 and more than capable of storing your champagne.
“Always keep a bottle of Champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes, the special occasion is that you’ve got a bottle of Champagne in the fridge.” – Hester Browne
Source: GoodReads
Chilling the Perfect Bottle of Champagne
Many wine fridges are designed for the typical 750ml bottle, so finding the fridges that will allow for shelves to be moved and rearranged will be a huge benefit to any champagne lover looking to keep their bottles safe and at the perfect temperature.
Consider all the factors that are most important to you and your collection of champagne, and you will be able to narrow down your list of options. Any one of these five fridges will be great for different types of champagne drinkers based on those specifics, that will be up to you.
TIP: To learn which are the best wine refrigerators for storing and aging cheese, check out this helpful article. To learn if wine coolers are expensive to run, check out this helpful article.
TIP: Check out this page for a complete list of wine products and accessories I love. You’ll find my recommendations for wine refrigerators, decanters, and aerators and the best place to buy wine online. Click here to see the complete listing.