Ideal Wine Coolers receives many questions concerning our products and policies.  I wanted to share some of this Frequently Asked Questions with all by blog readers.  Remember, there are no stupid questions.  I only hope that my answers do not approach the stupid zone. 

1.  I am remodeling my kitchen.  What products are appropriate for under counter use?

Built-in wine coolers  are specifically designed to sit flush with the rest of your kitchen cabinetry.  These specific units are front-vented and are designed to allow the unit to be pushed flat against the wall and the surrounding cabinets without over heating.  Built-in wine coolers are slightly more expensive, but do have the advantage of saving floor space.  Built-in units can also be used in freestanding applications.  Freestanding wine coolers should never be used for an under counter application as the units will over heat and eventually fail.

2.  I live in an apartment and have limited space for a wine cooler.  What would you suggest?

Our counter-top wine coolers are designed to deal with limited space applications.  Measure the specific space dimensions that are available for a wine cooler.  Each of our counter-top models will have their respective dimensions clearly displayed.  Select a wine cooler that will fit your needs and space limitations.

3.  I just got my compressor-designed wine cooler; can I plug it in right away?

No, the new wine cooler should stand a minimum 2 hour period before plugging it in.  There is oil in the compressor that may have

moved up into the sealed system while being shipped.  Letting the unit stand allows the oil time to settle.  Plugging it in immediately could result in damage to the unit.  Consult your products factory supplied information package for more information.  If you purchased a thermoelectric type wine cooler, it can be used immediately.

4.  Can I run a small appliance on top of my wine cooler?

No, you should not operate any appliance from on top of your wine cooler, unless it has a designed in work top, or run any appliance from the same circuit as the cooler. 

 5.  Are there wine coolers that can accommodate cans and other beverages?

We have several products that store wine as well as canned beverages.  These products are in the Beverage Cooler category.  We alsocarry several products that will keep mini, pony and full-sized kegs of beer.

6.  Do you have any wine coolers that have locks?

Yes, we have several models that have locks.  Look at the specifications for each product under the “Features” text.  The Freestanding, Built-in and Beverage Cooler categories all show products with locks.  We have also set up a product category exclusively showing Locking Wine Coolers.

7.  What does “dual-zone” mean in some product descriptions?

Some wine coolers are designed with two separate compartments, each with their own temperature controls.  This dual-zone storage feature allows storage of your wine collection at different temperatures; for example, red as opposed to white wine.

 8.  What are the power requirements for my new wine cooler or beverage center?All of the products we sell require a standard 110 Volt, 15-amp outlet just like a standard refrigerator.  Some single bottle server and chillers may have AC adapters that allow them to run on a 12-volt current like in your car or recreational vehicle.

9.  I have a single zone wine cooler.  What is the best temperature for keeping red and white wines?

If one had to choose just one temperature to store both red and white wines, the temperature setting should be at 55 degrees F.  This temperature is slightly colder than the best one for reds and slightly warmer than the best one for whites.  You can compensate somewhat for this by storing your reds on the top shelves of your wine cooler and the whites on the bottom shelves.  Warmer air will rise to the top and colder air will settle to the bottom.

10. My thermoelectric wine cooler fan seems to run all of the time.  Is something wrong with it?The fan must run continuously to move the air within your wine cooler.  This enables the thermoelectric wine refrigerator to cool your stored wines  equally.   A compressor based wine cooler, which is designed similar to your basic refrigerator, will cycle on and off based on the inside temperature as it relates to your desired temperature setting.  Both of these operating conditions are considered normal.

11. My wine cooler is making weird noises.  What is wrong?

Expansion and contraction of the interior walls of your wine cooler may make a popping or cracking noise.  This is normal behavior.

 13. I bought a portable icemaker but I cannot find where to hook up a drain.  Can you help?

The portable icemakers we carry at Ideal Wine Coolers do not need a drain hook up.  Any ice you do not use melted and recycled into

more fresh ice.  It is important to keep the interior strainer clean because a clogged strainer will affect the efficient operation of the icemaker.

14. I know wine should be stored with relative humidity near 70 percent.  What can I get to monitor  humidity levels in my wine cooler?

Several portable devices are available that can monitor humidity and/or temperature in your wine cooler.  Ideal Wine Coolers has a temperature/humidity gauge available in our Wine Accessory Collection.

15. After I submit my order, how long does it take to get it delivered?

We ship products from warehouses in California, Arizona and Texas.  Order processing usually takes 1 to 2 days before the order is

shipped.  Products purchased that are more than 150 pounds must be shipped via freight carrier.  Depending on where you live, delivery time may approach a week.  Normally items will be shipped using standard UPS ground shipping that may take 3 to 5 days after your order is processed.  For wine accessory items, allow 5 to 7 days before shipping.  We normally notify everyone as soon as an item ships by e-mail with all pertinent delivery information.  See our website section on “Policies” for customer responsibilies.

 Author: Ronald Senn, Vice-president, Ideal Wine Coolers

Ideal Wine Cooler’s EdgeStar 30 Bottle Built-in Wine Cooler is designed for either free-standing or undercounter applications. The wine refrigerator comes with a classic black cabinet and stainless steel trimmed glass door and venting grate. You can store either red or white wines, because this wine refrigerator has a temperature range of between 40 degrees F. to 65 degrees F. This premium wine cabinet offers 6 slide-out shelves holding a total of 30 bottles in “reversed rack” style. The digital temperature controls, auto defrost, security lock, blue interior lighting and stainless steel towel bar handle will make owning this wine cooler a real pleasure. The powerful compressor based cooling will keep all your wines stored at just the right temperature. Look no further for superior wine storage.

FEATURES:
* Use in Free-standing or Built-in Applications
* Black Cabinet with Stainless Trimmed Door
* Digital Temperature Controls
* Stainless Steel Trimmed Wood Shelves
* Slide-out Shelf Configuration
* Stainless Towel Bar Style Door Handle
* Door Locks
* Auto Defrost
* Single Temperature Zone
* Blue LED Interior Lighting

CAPACITY:
* 30 Wine Bottles

DIMENSIONS:
* Width 15.0 Inches x Depth 23.25 Inches x Height 32.0 Inches
* Depth Included Door Handle 24.5 Inches

SHIPPING:
* $0.00

WARRANTY:
* 90 Days Labor/1 Year Parts

Check out our selection of free-standing and undercounter wine coolers

All EdgeStar Wine Coolers are shipped free within continental United States.  See our EdgeStar Product Line Today.

Other Edgestar Wine Coolers are pictured below:

16 Bottle Capacity

21 Bottle Capacity

Environmental discussions of late have focused a lot of time on the “global warming” dilemma that we all face.  Of course, local and worldwide politics seems to be taking an ever-increasing role in defining and resolving the impact of global warming on our future.  I do not believe this issue will be resolved in the political arena any time soon, but I do believe we all can do our part in contributing to a preferred result.  My mother always told me “little things always seem to add up to big things”.  One little thing we can do with regard to wine and beverage cooling is the use of thermoelectric technology.

In the 1800’s, a French Scientist named Peltier discovered that when electric current goes through two different metals, (semi-conductors), a temperature difference occurs.  The semi-conductors, working like heat pumps, drive heat from one surface to another.  By adding a circulating fan to the “heat pump” process discovered by Peltier, you could design and build a “thermoelectric wine cooler”.

Thermoelectric cooling technology does not use chlorofluorocarbons like CFCs and HCFCs.  These chemicals are known to be partly responsible for the thinning in the stratosphere of the protective ozone layer.  There are laws now that control the use of these chemicals, but leaks in a cooling system using these chemicals could be a problem.  Additionally, these eco-friendly wine coolers generally are more energy efficient than compressor designed models.

Another advantage of using this cooling technology is these wine refrigerators operate with no noise and are vibration free.  If you have an older refrigerator, you can hear the distinctive hum of a compressor based cooling system.  When compressors kick on and off when needed, there is a vibration naturally attached to that process.  However, some compressor wine cooler models do come with a “damping system” that virtually eliminates the vibration issue.

When storing wines for more than 2 years with the intent of aging them properly, keeping vibration of the wine sediments to a minimum can be critical to success.  For short-term storage (less than 2 years), there is little noticeable difference between compressor and thermoelectric cooling systems.  A good case can be made that a dual zone thermoelectric wine cooler for simultaneously aging red and white wines would be an excellent choice for aging your wine collection.

Thermoelectric wine coolers are not without a major disadvantage that you must be aware of that affects their cooling efficiency.  When the ambient temperature of the room where your wine cooler will be operated exceeds approximately 77 degrees F., the cooling effectiveness of a thermoelectric wine cooler declines.  Additionally, the difference between the ambient room temperature and the “set” cooling temperature should not be higher than about 13 degrees F.  Some people like their homes cool and some like them warmer, but it is a consideration if you opt for a thermoelectric wine refrigerator.  Generally they will operate more efficiently in a home when ambient temperatures are relatively stable and on the cool side of the spectrum.

In the right situation, going eco-friendly with your wine cooler purchase is a good choice for the environment.  At a minimum, this one small choice, when added to other people’s choices, will be a step in the right direction.

For more information on thermoelectric product choices go to:  http://idealwinecoolers.com/page/thermoelectric_wine_coolers.html

Author: Ronald Senn, VP Ideal Wine Coolers, Dec. 2009