Are Wine Fridges Noisy?

Vinotemp Stainless Steel Wine and Beverage Cooler

A wine refrigerator will operate at around 35 to 45 dB (decibels). For comparison, a kitchen refrigerator can be as loud as 47 dB, and a dishwasher will operate between 46 to 60 decibels. How loud your wine refrigerator is dependent mainly on a few different factors: ambient temperature, proper installation, and whether or not it has a thermoelectric or compressor cooling system.

Thermoelectric wine refrigerators have fewer moving parts and are less noisy than compressor wine fridges. An electrolyzed metal rod is used to remove heat from the inside of the wine cooler, with its cold end facing the inside of the cooler and hot end facing the exterior. A small fan is used to circulate cold air. While thermoelectric wine refrigerators produce less noise, they are sensitive to their ambient environment and will not be able to cool efficiently when a room is too warm.

Compressor wine coolers work similarly to a standard refrigerator. A vapor compression cycle reduces the temperature inside the refrigerator. A small fan works to circulate cold air throughout the interior. Hot air is expelled at the back of the unit. It is important to follow all clearance guidelines to ensure the unit runs efficiently. This will prevent overheating and reduce any excess noise from the unit turning on and off to maintain the temperature. Select Vinotemp compressor wine coolers have the added feature of Dynamic Cooling/Silent Mode. You can read more about switching between these two modes by clicking here.

Installing your wine cooler per the manufacturer's guidelines can greatly affect how much noise it makes. Here's what to look for if your wine refrigerator is noisy:

• Is the unit steady and level? You may need to adjust the leveling legs of the wine cooler.
• Does the unit have proper clearance? If the unit does not have enough space to exhaust, it may begin to work harder to maintain a steady temperature.
• Proper clearance will also prevent your wine refrigerator from vibrating against another surface.
• Pay attention to the ambient temperature where your wine refrigerator is located. Most wine refrigerators are designed to operate in a room between 41-100 degrees Fahrenheit. If your wine refrigerator is attempting to operate inside a warm room, the cooling system will kick on more often, causing more noise.

Wine refrigerators operate at a noise level similar to a kitchen refrigerator but quieter than a dishwasher. The amount of noise a wine refrigerator will make depends on the type of cooling system, how it is installed, and the room's ambient temperature. Is your wine fridge too noisy? Vinotemp can help you troubleshoot. Contact us today with our Contact Form.