What is a wine cooler? The name explained

Wine cooler as an appliance

In UK appliance shops and on amazon.co.uk, wine cooler is the most common name for an electric cabinet that stores wine. Caple, CDA, Hisense, Haier, Liebherr and many others list their models as wine coolers. They hold bottles on their side, usually at settings between about 5 and 18 °C, and many have two zones for whites and reds.

Wine fridge means the same thing. Some people use wine fridge for cheaper freestanding models and wine cooler for built-in ones, but there is no fixed rule. Wine cabinet or wine climate cabinet usually means a larger, often premium, storage unit built for long ageing. Our wine fridge vs wine cabinet article covers that difference.

Wine cooler as a serving accessory

Before electric wine fridges were common, a wine cooler meant a container that kept a bottle cool at the table: a silver or steel ice bucket, a double-walled acrylic sleeve, a terracotta pot soaked in water, or a gel sleeve from the freezer. These are still sold under the same name.

Electric single-bottle chillers sit between the two: small plug-in units that hold one bottle at a chosen temperature. See wine fridge vs wine chiller for how they compare.

Wine cooler as a drink

In the US especially, a wine cooler is also a drink: wine mixed with fruit juice or soda and sugar, sold in bottles or cans, with lower alcohol than wine. Many searches for wine cooler recipes or wine cooler alcohol content are about this drink, not appliances.

In the UK the drink is less common, and similar products are usually sold as wine spritzers or flavoured wine drinks. This site covers the appliance.

The terms side by side

This table sums up what each term usually means in UK shops, so you can tell from a listing title whether you are looking at a cabinet for dozens of bottles or an accessory for one.

How a wine cooler differs from a normal fridge

A wine cooler runs warmer than a food fridge. Common storage guidance is around 10 to 14 °C, while a kitchen fridge is normally set to 3 to 5 °C. Wine coolers also keep vibration low, use tinted glass, hold bottles on their side and often add a little humidity control. Our wine fridge vs normal fridge article goes into detail.

They also differ from drinks fridges, which are built to chill cans and beer colder. See wine fridge vs drinks fridge.

Which one do you need?

If you keep several bottles at home and want them ready to drink, you want an electric wine cooler, in other words a wine fridge. Under-counter models fit kitchen gaps, freestanding ones go anywhere with space to breathe, and dual-zone models keep reds and whites apart. Start with our best wine fridges guide.

If you only want to keep a bottle cold at the table or in the garden, a bucket, sleeve or electric chiller is enough.

Compare wine coolers for UK homes →

Frequently asked questions

Is a wine cooler the same as a wine fridge? In UK shops, yes. Both terms are used for electric cabinets that store wine.

What is the difference between a wine cooler and a wine refrigerator? Usually none. Wine refrigerator is the American term for the same appliance.

Do they still make wine coolers? Yes, both the appliance and the US-style drink are still sold.

Can a wine cooler be used as a normal fridge? Not well, as it runs warmer than food needs. See can you use a wine fridge for food.