What is the Capacity of a Wine Fridge?

How do you know how many bottles a wine cooler will hold? Will a wine cooler be able to accommodate your collection? Here are a few tips to ensure you are buying a wine cooler that will be functional and stylish.

The bottle capacity of a wine refrigerator is an estimate of how many wine bottles will fit inside the fridge. Unless otherwise stated, the wine racking inside a wine cooler is designed for standard Bordeaux-sized wine bottles (see image below). For example, if a wine cooler has a bottle capacity of 155, 155 Bordeaux bottles will fit perfectly. Still, if you must adjust the shelving to accommodate other bottle sizes, the actual bottle capacity may differ. Check out Vinotemp’s downloadable bottle capacity chart for more details on bottle capacity (PDF).

The bottle configuration of a wine refrigerator is the order in which bottles sit on the wine racking. Some wine fridges will have the bottles lying on their sides with the neck facing out. Others will have the necks of the bottle facing the front of the cooler. When you first load your new wine fridge with wine, look inside the owner’s manual for instructions on properly configuring your wine bottles to ensure you maximize the bottle capacity.

Can you store larger or oddly shaped bottles inside a wine cooler? You can. Select a fridge with adjustable shelves and a bulk storage section when shopping for a wine cooler. You may even remove one shelf to store larger bottles safely.

When determining how much storage space you’ll need for your wine collection, you should factor in how many bottles you currently own, your purchasing habits, and your drinking habits. If you have the space and budget, select a larger wine cooler that gives you ample room for future wine purchases and your current collection. It is much better to have too much space than too little.

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