Improving A Kitchen With A Wine Fridge
More and more people are purchasing wine fridges and making them the focal point of their kitchen. There are countless kinds of wine fridges on the market in 2021, in all designs, shapes, and sizes - so it’s not too difficult to find the perfect wine fridge to enhance your kitchen.
But what exactly does a wine fridge do? And how can a wine fridge improve your kitchen? Keep reading to learn more about wine fridges and the different types, as well as how you can improve your kitchen with a wine fridge.
What Is A Wine Fridge?
A wine fridge is a unit that stores wine. Wine is best kept at temperatures between 11°C and 14°C - and wine kept at higher temperatures may begin to oxidise, leaving it tasting unpleasant, acidic, and sour.
Keeping your wine in a wine fridge is certain to increase the lifespan of your wine, keeping it drinkable for much longer. It’s one of the best wine storage options out there, and you can easily integrate a wine fridge into the interior of your home. Humidity can also affect how long a wine remains fresh, which is why most wine fridges will protect your wine, keeping it at the recommended humidity level under 70%.
Wine fridges also protect your wine from sunlight. Sunlight can be harmful to wine, affecting its taste, aromas, and appearance. Sunlight can cause unwanted chemical reactions, speeding up the ageing process and producing a bitter taste.
Some wine fridges have dual or multiple temperature zones, meaning you can store your red wines, white wines, and sparkling wines at different temperatures. It also means that you can have some wines in one section ready to be served, and the rest left in another section uninterrupted storing in the long term.
Different Types of Wine Fridges
There are three different types of wine coolers you’re likely to find on the market - freestanding, built-in, and fully integrated. Freestanding wine coolers stand alone, and you can place them pretty much anywhere. However, it’s important to leave around 3 inches of space around the unit for ventilation.
Failing to leave the recommended amount of space can cause overheating, and also affect the warranty. Freestanding wine fridges can vary in size - you can find some that store fewer than 20 bottles and some that can accommodate over 200.
Built-in wine coolers look great in your home - they are designed to fit under kitchen counters, which means they fit seamlessly into your home. However, you can also place some built-in wine coolers on their own, functioning as freestanding wine coolers. It’s always best to double-check with the manufacturer - as this isn’t the case for all designs.
Like freestanding wine fridges, it’s important to leave some space around the unit to prevent overheating. However, you’ll only need to leave a couple of centimetres around the rear and sides of the fridge.
Fully integrated wine coolers are similar to built-in wine coolers - they are designed to fit into your kitchen interior - whether it be beneath counter spaces or inside cabinet space. However, the key difference between fully integrated and built-in fridges is that integrated fridges are completely enclosed by a cupboard or cabinet. Fully integrated wine fridges don’t generally require space around the unit for ventilation, as they are designed to be snugly enclosed.
How Can A Wine Fridge Improve My Kitchen?
Wine fridges are functional appliances that can also display your wine - but how else can a wine fridge improve your kitchen? Keep reading to find out some benefits of owning a wine fridge.
Wine Fridges Look Great
Wine fridges can quickly become the focal point of your kitchen - any wine connoisseur is sure to notice a quality wine fridge, and it can become the talking point of dinner parties.
Fully integrated wine fridges are designed to match the aesthetic of your home, offering a sleek and seamless look. They blend in with your other kitchen appliances and cabinets, which is perfect for modern kitchens. However, if you want your wine fridge to stand out, you can choose a freestanding wine fridge. Freestanding wine fridges stand freely on their own, so they can be placed pretty much anywhere.
Whether you want your fridge to be near your dining room table, on top of a counter in your kitchen, or standing freely next to your kitchen island, a freestanding wine fridge is sure to enhance the look of your kitchen. Built-in wine and freestanding wine fridges come in all shapes and sizes, and can act as a display for your wine as well as storing them in the best possible way. This means that you can proudly show off your wine collection in a way that matches your style.
Wine Fridges Keep Your Wine At The Optimal Temperature
The main function of a wine fridge is to store your wine at the right temperature, ensuring it remains fresh for longer. If you choose a wine fridge with dual or multiple temperature zones, your wine will always be ready to serve.
Simply place the bottles that you plan on opening soon in the section for serving wines, and wait until you’re ready for a drink. Whenever you have guests over, dinner parties, or simply want to open a bottle of wine after work, all you have to do is open your wine fridge and grab a bottle.
This feature is also good for non-alcoholic drinks - if your regular fridge runs out of space, you can put your Coke zero’s and other mixers in your wine fridge to keep them cool, and ready to be served.
You Can Use A Wine Fridge For Other Things
Although wine fridges are for storing wine, you can use your wine fridge to store other products if you have the space. You can use your wine fridge as a backup fridge to store fruit, vegetables, other drinks, and even cheeses in a wine fridge.
You might find that regular fridges dry out cheeses due to the humidity levels, but wine fridges have the perfect humidity for storing cheese. After all, cheese and wine is a perfect combination!
