So, you’re looking for somewhere to store your favourite vino or bottle of beer? Wine connoisseurs and beer lovers will tell you it’s easy for your good time juice to take up valuable real estate in your fridge, leaving you little space for groceries. Of course, there’s also the issue of finding the perfect temperature for your drinks while also preserving your food. If you’d rather not deal with this struggle on the daily, it’s time to invest in a bar fridge for your entertainment area. Of course, not all bar fridges are created equal so, here are some things to consider when choosing the best bar fridge for your needs. The drink of your choice will be crisp, cool and ready to guzzle down whenever the mood strikes.
What drinks are you storing?
The first, and perhaps most important thing to consider is which drinks you will be storing in your bar fridge. Will you be primarily cooling beer, wine, other drinks or a bit of everything? If you’re primarily storing and cool white wine, a speciality wine cooler is probably your best choice. For those who love a good brewski and dream of having their own beer fridge, a bar fridge is most likely a better choice.
Size matters
First off, you will need to think about size. If you’re looking to store wine bottles in your fridge, you will need a bit more space than a small mini bar fridge. Wine coolers are specifically made with wine bottle storage in mind whereas a mini bar fridge is the ideal size for storing beers.
A beverage cooler is a better option for storing and cooling beers. These types of beer fridges often have glass doors in order to display the drinks inside and while this type of cooler frequently usually doesn’t offer the adjustable shelves or door storage that a refrigerator does, they are the perfect size for storing your beer bottles and cans in an efficient, stylish way.
Keeping it cool
Temperature is also an important factor to consider. Check the temperature range of the fridge you’re considering to ensure it can reach the optimum for your beverage of choice. For example, 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 beverages. On average a wine cooler will not offer temperatures below 8 degrees. If you’re looking to store your wine at the optimum temperature, invest in a single zone fridge and set it to 15 degrees. Good for both your reds and your whites.
A beverage cooler has a wide temperature range so it may be used for wine, beers, and other drinks, but keep in mind if you want to store different types of drinks at the same time you will either have too-cold wine or too-warm drinks depending on how you choose to set the internal thermostat.
A good beer fridge can make the difference between a proper temperature and taste and something you have to settle for. The temperature at which beer is stored is very important and can affect the texture and taste of the beer. Different types of beers need to be stored at the different temperatures so if you’re looking for the best beer fridge make sure you opt for something that has a digital temperature controller so you can adjust the temperature according to the type of beer you are storing.
Find the right price
If you’ve always thought that a dedicated wine or beer fridge is something you would only find in the homes of the rich and famous, think again. There’s a wine cooler or bar fridge at every price point, so you can get the right combination of storage capacity, features and looks to build the home entertainment centre you’ve always wanted.
Snomaster SC70Under Counter Beverage Cooler
| This 70-litre fridge is ideal for storing beers and other drinks. With a temperature range of 0⁰C to 10⁰C, adjustable shelves, internal light, and tempered glass, this stylish fridge is the perfect addition to any home bar. | Available from: Loot , Makro, and Takealot Price: from R3,699.  |
Kelvinator 150 Litre Wine Cooler
| This 70-litre fridge is ideal for storing beers and other drinks. With a temperature range of 0⁰C to 10⁰C, adjustable shelves, internal light, and tempered glass, this stylish fridge is the perfect addition to any home bar. | Available from: Takealot Price: from R4,798. |
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