I am planning to get 2 Wine Enthusiast 300-bottle fridges from Costco, and use one of them for long-time storage. Looking for advice on how to maximize storage (mostly pinots and cali reds). Remove all shelves, and use cardboard tubes to stack the wines? Store in U-line boxes? Greatly appreciate suggestions.
I don’t have an answer to your question but I think you would have to be careful to maintain airflow and not over pack them. I used to have 2 of the 180 bottle WE fridges and all the shelves had wholes in them to (I assume) allow airflow and increase the consistency of the temperature in the fridge.
I have 4 of these units; price are unbeatable. Now, I have purchased a thermometer and put inside it and all the 4 have the same issue: temperature set to 55 will go to 55 in the bottom shelve and increase up to 64 in the top one. Humidity holds around 55-60%… keep that in mind for you storage needs (long term…) I have been using the shelves as they come - to allow for the air flow - and I would guess it holds actually around 230/240 bottles (I would have to count it)
I have 4 of these units; price are unbeatable. Now, I have purchased a thermometer and put inside it and all the 4 have the same issue: temperature set to 55 will go to 55 in the bottom shelve and increase up to 64 in the top one. Humidity holds around 55-60%… keep that in mind for you storage needs (long term…) I have been using the shelves as they come - to allow for the air flow - and I would guess it holds actually around 230/240 bottles (I would have to count it)
temps in the upper section go up to 64? That sounds like a crappy product.
Heat rises, regardless of unit manufacturer.
Sure, but a 9 degree differential is pretty significant. That said, you get what you pay for - so keep the good shit on the bottom ![[rofl.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/a/a7452fcd8e675af869f8da01174474a545b03944.gif "rofl"){kind=small}
I don’t think having the top bottles at 64 and the bottom bottles at 55 is a particularly big issue as long as the temps stay relatively constant. I remember an article a few years ago that said Mouton’s cellar was typically in the 65/66 range.
I agree… I keep my weekday wines on top; good stuff with plans for later consumption on lower racks. It is constant temperature (I live in Florida, AC always runs at 75-77 for the house where units are located)
one would expect the insulation on the unit and the air flow to be sufficient to maintain a very low variance as between the top and bottom. I’m well aware of heat rising, but thanks for the reminder.
My fridges do not have a 10 degree temp variation comparing top to bottom, in either my “freezer on top” version or the side by side version.
Nor does my offsite wine locker!
+1 Or at least a variance of far less than 9F.
Do you have space free for future purchases? It’s counter intuitive but the more full the frig is with items like water bottles etc, the colder it remains as a whole. I also leave space near the cooler for the fan to be able to circulate air. The first month of the elect bill Is high but after that it’s pretty low.
I had one of these. Sold it when we moved, but here are three things:
At 57 degrees, my bottom bottles were in the high 40’s and the top ones were about 60. So the 9 degrees top to bottom seems about right.
There is a plastic washer on the bottom spindle of the door. Mine broke and it caused me to have to slightly lift the door every time I wanted to close it. Annoying.
Unexpectedly the unit would reset to Celsius and turn on the inside light. Never could explain that, but it would happen every couple of months.
I never packed mine full, keeping the shelves intact so I could reach bottles.
I have had one of these for 9 years now without issue. At $450, I would buy a bunch and stack them. They will hold close to 60 each if you pack them right. The temp top to bottom is far more consistent. They are quiet and trouble free https://www.homedepot.com/p/Magic-Chef-23-4-in-W-50-Bottle-Wine-Cooler-in-Stainless-Steel-HMWC50ST/300509607
If you do go with the Costco one, get the white glove delivery. Those things are a beast to move around.
I thought most people frowned upon just wine “fridge” and actually recommended not only temperature but also humidity control. Especially if the OP is saying he’s going to use one as LT Storage.
I bought a BestBuy 29bt Cooler & It acts like a fridge. The unit turns on and sucks moisture out when the temp is too high causing the humidity & temperature to be all over the place. Normally its 50% - 60% but it gets as high as 90+% esp near the bottom and then 20% when the compressor goes. As a result, some of my labels gets warped etc. Temperature fluctuates from 50 to 65 when the cooler is set to 55.
I dont know if the same thing happens in the unit in question, but i would assume so to one degree or another as wine coolers are just specialized fridges … thus people affinity towards LeCache/EuroCav and/or Offsite…
I actually have always thought the opposite is true for fridges and freezers. the more mass in the fridge, the more temperature inertia it has. aka, once you get the stacked bottles to the proper temp, it takes a lot more heat variance to change the temp in the fridge with significantly more mass packed into it than with less. the air flow might help decrease bottle temps faster, but once they’re at temp it also promotes temp fluctuation
I think your assuming perfect insulation. But if the cooling fans or coils are at the top (typical because cool air falls) and you obstruct the airflow, lower bottles will warm up gradually. That’s borne out by the 9F variations people report here.
Yes, thermal mass is helpful, but you still have to maintain the temp throughout the space, and in small fridges there’s a lot of exterior surface for the volume.
Only buy 375ml bottles. You can get twice as many bottles in each unit.
You can stack 60 bottles in this (meant for 50 bottles) ? Usually they always accommodate less than advertised. Did you stack the units on top of each other?
Also Margaux has storage (cellar might be a misleading term) with variable temperature
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wlp_archive/wineadvisor/tswa030519.html
I think if you would fill it up totally the range wouldn’t be 9 degrees? I have one cheaply purchased Unit and it’s been great for 20 years. I learned it’s limitation quick, fill it up and leave it filled up. Holds temps great but don’t overwork the thing by asking it to cool lots of air constantly!
My sub zero will keep my top shelf cooler than the bottom if I want. It’s nice but if it lives 20+ years like my (underworked) generic one I’ll be Impressed.