The Best Wine Chiller Reviews
Do you find yourself sticking a bottle of wine in the freezer to cool it down quickly in order to serve it? Did you know that for certain wines, this can actually impact the quality of the wine itself? If you leave wine in temperatures that are too cold for too long, it can change the flavor and aroma of the wine, sometimes even making it taste sour or spoiled. The best wine chiller reviews will help you to find a product that will let you serve wine at a perfect temperature without the risk.
The Best Chart for Today’s Wine Chillers
Wine chillers come in many different shapes and styles. Some are designed to work very quickly, while others are designed to maintain the current temperature of your wine. Here are the options that we’ve found are proven to work as advertised so you can find the perfect product the first time around.
Image | Name | Our Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Image | Name | Our Rating | Price |
BlizeTec 3-in-1 Wine Chiller | 4.7 | $$$ | |
Wine Enthusiast Double Walled Iceless Chiller | 4.4 | $$$ | |
Vacu Vin Rapid Ice Wine Cooler | 4.5 | $$ | |
RSVP Grey Marble Wine Chiller | 4.6 | $$$ | |
Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless Steel Tabletop Chiller | 4.3 | $$$ | |
Corkcicle Classic Wine Chiller | 4.4 | $$ | |
VINENCO 3-in-1 Stainless Steel Wine Chiller Set | 4.9 | $$ | |
Isosteel Wine Cooler | 4.3 | $$$ | |
Chef Caron Wine Wand | 4.9 | $$$ | |
\Winco 4 Quart Wine Bucket | 4.7 | $$ |
What Is a Wine Chiller and Why Do I Need One?
You are hopefully storing your wine in a cellar, basement, or wine cooler already. This will keep your wine at a consistent temperature that hovers right around the proper serving temperature as well. Sometimes, however, you’ll purchase a bottle of wine somewhere and want to serve it immediately. This may require chilling it when you get home so you aren’t stuck with warm wine that doesn’t taste very fine.
This is where the wine chiller steps up to help you out. Some wine chillers are pretty basic: you have a bucket, you fill it with ice, and then you stick your bottle of wine into it. Problem solved, right? Not necessarily. When you add ice or cold temperatures to a bottle of wine, condensation can begin to form within the bottle, changing how future glasses are enjoyed.
Some wine chillers are designed to wrap around the bottle instead to prevent this from happening. You would place this type of wine chiller into your freezer and then place your bottle of wine within it when you want to cool it down to a proper serving temperature. Some options can chill a bottle of wine in just 5 minutes, so this is a solid option for those on a tight budget.
There are also counter top models that will instantly chill a single bottle of wine for you. It’s like having an appliance that is one part portable ice maker, one part wine cooler, and one part wine chiller. You just place the bottle into the open receptacle and then open up the wine when it’s serving time.
What About In-the-Glass Wine Chillers?
Maybe you’ve heard about the “wine pearls” or the “stirring icicles” that are in-glass options to chill wine to a proper serving temperature. The bottom line is this: although they look incredible and do a fantastic job of cooling down your wine quickly, they also change the flavor, aroma, and consistency of the wine in the glass.
Most wine pearls are made from stainless steel. When chilled, these act like ice cubes being placed in the wine. It provides a cold glass, but one that often has a slight metallic taste to it, especially when you near the bottom of the glass. Many icicle stirrers are made from BPA-free plastic, but they still leave a slight “water bottle flavor” to the wine that many find to be unpleasant.
A better option is to find a chill stick that can be inserted into the bottle of wine. Although this option may still affect the flavor and consistency of the wine, especially older wines, there won’t be an inconsistency from glass to glass that can be very bothersome when you’re entertaining family and friends with a meal or at your home bar for a gathering.
Other Common Issues With Wine Chillers
Many wine chillers are not insulated. This means they quickly lose their cooling ability. Not only does this present a condensation risk, but it may also mean that your wine might not actually reach your preferred serving temperature. You’ll want to look for insulated wine chillers or even wine “jackets” to help solve this issue if you prefer your wines to be on the colder side.
If you’re looking for a traditional chilling method, like placing ice in a bucket, then the plating or coating of that bucket must be carefully examined. Ice can scratch inferior plating, which can cause a metal bucket to begin corroding. Although this doesn’t necessarily impact the flavor or consistency of the wine itself, it can be visually unappealing to see red streaks in your ice bucket and let’s be honest: wine has a visually pleasing component to it in addition to aroma and flavor.
Certain wine chillers may also be battery-powered. Depending on the type of batteries it takes, you may face a corrosion risk within the battery compartment due to moisture leaking and condensation from your wine chiller. Look for lithium-ion rechargeable units to minimize this risk.
What Are the Prices of the Best Wine Chillers Today?
Wine chillers come in many different shapes and sizes, so their price points are all over the map as well. A simple wrap-around wine chiller or bucket and ice combination can be found online today for as little as $10 – and sometimes for less. On the other end of the spectrum, portable counter top single bottle wine chillers may cost $100 or more.
If what you want is long-term consistency, then you’ll be able to find a good insulated wine chiller or jacket around the $20-$30 mark that will meet the needs of most households. If you consume 2-3 bottles of wine per week, you may wish to look at premium wine chillers at the $50-$75 pricing level for a higher level of durability.
What Do Our Reviews Have To Say?
BlizTech
This wine chiller is a wonderful 3-in-1 invention that you’ll wonder how you managed to live without it once you use it. As a chiller, you simply stick it into your favorite bottle of wine to cool it down or swirl the wine in your glass with it. It also acts as a pourer and an aerator when inserted into a bottle of wine, helping the natural flavors and aromas develop even in younger wines that could benefit from a little more aging. It’s a simple, yet intelligent addition to any home bar.
Click here to view prices on Amazon and get the best deal.
Wine Enthusiast
We love this wine chiller because of its unique design. You don’t need to deal with any ice, gels, or other items that you need to freeze when you’ve got this chiller for your home bar. It features a double-walled layer which acts a lot like a double-paned window. It prevents heat from getting to your wine, but also prevents the coolness of the wine from evaporating prematurely. It’s stylish, elegant, and will certainly become a conversation piece. Best of all, there is no condensation or sweating on the exterior that can damage your home bar.
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Vacu-Vin
If you’re familiar with ice pack technology, then you’ll see the value of what this wine chiller can provide. Many chillers are designed to maintain the temperature of your wine that has already been chilled. This wine chiller is a little different. It can chill a warm bottle of wine in as little as 5 minutes so you can enjoy a perfect glass. It will also maintain your wine’s temperature effectively during the entire serving process. It’s very flexible, virtually unbreakable, and will work for almost any style or size of bottle you can find.
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RSVP
There’s a reason why traditional items are still being used in homes throughout the world today. It’s because they work. This grey marble wine chiller might be rather simple and old-fashioned when it comes to the technology incorporated into it, but there’s no denying how effective this tool happens to be. As long as you keep this marble chiller in your refrigerator until it is time to use it, you can make sure your wine will always be served at the perfect temperature. Wipe it clean and you’re good to go.
Click here to view prices on Amazon and get the best deal.
Corkcicle
Many wine chillers take themselves a little too seriously. You won’t find that issue with this particular one. The Corkcicle looks like an icicle, but when you place it into your wine; you won’t have to worry about it tasting watery. Just place it into the freezer and then stick it into your favorite bottle of wine to achieve a better serving temperature. It’s made from BPA-free plastic and is easy to wash and maintain after every use. It takes about 90 minutes for it to achieve the right level of “frozenness” in the freezer. For added fun, consider having an entire set so family and friends can place a Corkcicle into their glass for added chilliness.
Click here to view prices on Amazon and get the best deal.
The best wine chiller reviews will help you to find the right style and design for your home bar to make sure your wine is served at a proper temperature. Whether you want something that works in the bottle, around the bottle, or inside a glass, these are simple and affordable tools that can make a big difference in how wine is enjoyed. Make sure you have one of these available today so your wine can always be perfect.