This guide helps to break down the basics of refrigerators, beverage coolers, and wine coolers so you can shop smart and save on refrigeration appliances for your home.

What is the difference between a refrigerator, a beverage cooler, and a wine cooler?
A wine cooler is set to a higher temperature range than a refrigerator or beverage cooler because wine should not be stored as cold as other products. A beverage cooler and refrigerator are similar, but beverage coolers often do not have the adjustable shelves or door storage that a refrigerator will, and they often have glass fronts to display the contents. A wine and beverage cooler has a wide temperature range so it can be used for either, but keep in mind if you want to store both at the same time you will either have too-cold wine or too-warm drinks.

What is the difference between a freestanding and an undercounter unit?
A freestanding unit is meant to stand alone while an undercounter (also called a zero clearance or built-in) unit can be built into existing counters and cabinetry because it is vented in the front. The undercounter units are usually more expensive because of this.

Can I build in a freestanding unit?
You can put a freestanding unit into cabinetry, but you will need to leave 2-3 inches of space around the sides and top of the unit and 3-4 inches of space in the back so that it can vent properly. If you do not leave this venting space, your unit will overheat and the inside will not be cold. Keep the extra space needed in mind when building your cabinetry or shopping for a new unit to go into existing cabinetry.

Can I use my refrigerator outside?
Using a regular refrigerator in an environment that is not insulated or climate-controlled is not a good idea. The compressor will burn itself out running constantly, and the unit will never get cold. There are, however, units specifically designed to be used outdoors. They can be more expensive, but they will perform much better than a regular unit could. Look for "outdoor" in the product title.

Can I store red and white wine in the same wine cooler?
Dual zone wine coolers are specifically designed for this: they have separate sections with independently controlled thermostats to accommodate the two different types of wine, since whites should be stored at a lower temperature than reds. Some wine coolers even have three zones, so you can keep your ready-to-serve whites and reds at their appropriate temperatures (40-45° F for white and 60-65° F for red), and in the middle zone keep wines that are still aging at their correct temperature (50-60° F). You can keep both white and reds in a single zone cooler with the reds on top, since the top will naturally be warmer than the bottom. However, this temperature difference is only going to be 5-10 degrees, so you will end up with either white wine that is too warm or red wine that is too cool.

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