I've haven't had very good luck with other makes and models of wine coolers. I've owned this model a little over a year and have been impressed with it's quality. I prefer the compressor models rather than the thermoelectric coolers. It has a better than most temperature range and keeps the inside at a consistent temperature. I love the outside temperature gauge and adjustment buttons... better than a " turn and guess" knob located inside other models. This way there is no need to open the door to adjust the temperature or turn on the inside light.
Not a high end cooler and not energy efficient, however for the money it's a good buy. Others have complained about the compressor noise that I haven't notice with my cooler. The only annoyance is the occasional condensation on the outside of the glass... however I live in Florida. This condensation only happens when the A/C isn't on and the outside humidity is over 80%.
My unit came perfectly fine. No issues. I am only using this to protect the wine, rather than to keep the wine at drinking temperature. If I need to chill a bottle of white wine or champagne I just take it out from the cooler and put it in freezer or fridge when I need to.
I have 12 bottles of Champagne and I need to remove a rack. It is a tight fit. One rack bends down on one end so I can fit the champagne bottles. It doesn't seem like th racks are designed for anything other than skinny wine bottles. The champagne labels will scratch off because of the tight fit. It does hold the temp pretty well. For what it cost It seems to do what I want it to and that is to preserve the wine, rather than keeping the wine at drinking temperature. So I am not taxing the cooler by any means.
I will write another update after a year to see how it does over the summer.
Overall this product fits our needs and works great so far. It keeps my wife's wine chilled and holds a lot of bottles.
The one drawback is the noise of the compressor. It may be because we keep the temp pretty low, but it seems to run a lot and is a very noticeable hum when it is running. Over the course of a day, you don't notice much, but once the ambient noise of the day calms, you can definitely hear it.
This is a perfect wine cooler after having disappointing results with two earlier "Thermoelectrics" This is a real fridge with a compressor (Nearly silent). The model I bought arrived in good packaging. (Remember to never turn one of these things upside down when you unpack - you might break the top hinge.) The dimensions given were accurate, including the hinge which protrudes above the top. It cools to where you set it. Two minor points - the holes drilled in the door for the handle were in the wrong place, so I bought a couple of inexpensive cabinet knobs which worked fine. Also none of these things will hold the advertised number of bottles if you have oversized burgundy/pinot noir bottles. You should never fill a wine cooler chock a block full anyway. This one has a lower shelf which will hold even champagne bottles. if you need extra room, just take out a shelf.
Note: Sites, including Amazon, claim the "Insulated glass doors protect against UV rays," but I checked directly with NewAir and they confirmed that the glass provides no UV protection. I'll be buying some UV protective film to stick to the front of this, easy fix.
----- Update: 4 years later -----
June 4, 2018
As of about 4 years in I'm pretty happy with this fridge! It's still kicking and the thermostat/hygrometer I added to monitor things indicates the fridge is still going strong! The only thing is it's way louder now. I can kind of hear that weird gritty coolant sound when I open the fridge, but it doesn't seem to affect the cooling yet. The sound is maybe similar to when you open the freezer and there are crinkly ice sounds.
I did end up adding a square plastic panel to cover the controls as my roommates kept bumping into it and changing the temp. They've also unplugged it accidentally a bunch of times (before I labeled the cord as DO NOT UNPLUG). So it's experienced some abuse. I'm pretty happy. The humidification beads are a must as I found the corks would really dry up after long-term storage. I've opened a few bottles that I've had in here since I got the thing and they're in good condition! Fingers crossed for some more years out of this thing.
----- Original Review -----
Owned as of July 31, 2014 - review at 5 months
Compressor vs Thermoelectric
It's a decent wine fridge at this price. It took me much deliberation to decide on a unit in this price range. I saw a lot of thermoelectric wine coolers toting themselves as better than compressor wine fridges because they don't vibrate, I almost bought into the marketing gimmick when a friend with a much more sophisticated wine storage solution pointed out that thermoelectric coolers can only cool a few degrees below ambient temperatures, so in the event of a heatwave your wine would be toast, unless the place you're storing the fridge is fairly cool (but then why buy a wine fridge?). He also dispelled my thought that reducing vibrations were so important, because the reality is the things that will really change your wine are: light, temperature and humidity. If you're shopping for pricier fridges to protect pricier wines, then you may want to start thinking about it, but at $300...
Humidity
Compressor type cooling systems are not without their own issues. Compressor type cooling systems pull moisture, so my corks have been getting dry. Bottles I put in come out with drier corks after just a day or so. I just purchased some 70% humidification beads from a Heartfelt Industries. Their main market is cigar smokers, but will work for this too. (It's debated what the "ideal" humidity is, but I mostly read between 70-75%. Too high of a humidity and you'll encourage mold growth, and too low will dry corks out.) I went ahead and bought a pound of their 70% beads and one of their large mesh bags for storage. The pound of beads should cover 5 cubic feet, which is close to perfect for this wine fridge. (The outside dimensions of this wine fridge are only a little larger than 5 cubic feet, so the inside is probably close to 5.)
Hygrometer
I added a hygrometer I had lying around from an empty cigar humidor, just to verify the temperature reading and also to check the humidity. I always buy Quality Importers HygroSet II Round Digital Hygrometer for Humidors from Amazon, out of laziness, really. The hygrometer read kind of high at a 78%, but the corks are always dry, so hopefully I don't start growing mold. We'll see what happens!
SquareTrade
I rarely buy extended warranties, but it seems like about 30% of the time people will report issues with this tier of wine cooler, so I figured the $33 spent would be worth it. (I know, I'm buying right into their plan!) I would hesitate to put this fridge in a location you don't pass by with some frequency. I'd hate to think my wine is being stored correctly only to realize the temp reading has been wrong for a week.
Summary of Alterations made for my own peace of mind:
UV Protective Film
Humidity beads - bought from heartfelt industries
Hygrometer - to verify the temp reading, also adds humidity reading
SquareTrade Warranty - seems all wine fridges, compressor or otherwise, break easily
Feature Product
- 27 Bottle Capacity: Compact, 27 bottle storage, perfect for red or white wines.
- Cooling System: The single zone compressor cooler allows you to set the temperature as low as 39 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 64 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Digital Display: Quickly monitor and set temperatures with ease using the push button controls mounted on the door frame.Frequency: 60 Hz.Noise Level: 35 dB
- Interior LED Lighting: Cool blue LED lighting is included to better illuminate your collection.
- Adjustable Shelves: 6 chrome plated wire shelves pull out to make for easy bottle loading when needed and convenient accessibility.
Description
The NewAir AWC-270E 27 bottle wine cooler is a compressor-based system that can cool down to 39 degrees Fahrenheit. It features an easy to use digital control panel and precise temperature control. It is a great way to preserve your new wine collection or as an addition to your existing wine cellar. Perfect for all your beverage needs.
I received the item on Monday. It was packed ok but there was not enough packing material to keep the item stable. You could here it moving in the box as we lifted the package. The was a dent on the rear side. Because no one would see the dent I did not return. I plugged the unit in and set the temp. It went to temp quickly and is holding. The unit is located in my kitchen but I do hear a slight hum from the compressor when I am in the living room. It's not loud it's a very low hum that becomes just background noise. So far the unit is performing well.
So far so good. We purchased this to replace a smaller thermoelectric unit. Totally pleased so far. Unit keeps consistent temps and also accommodates my larger (taller) bottles of wine, both of which were issues we had with the thermoelectric unit. Haven't noticed any difference in noise level between the units. Happy we made the switch to a compressor type unit.
Great size and ability to hold our reds and whites...somewhat noisy when cooling, however...
This wine cooler arrived well packaged and in perfect condition. This is a great wine cooler after I made a couple of minor modifications. First, I removed the NewAir logo, which came off with ease. Then second, I applied a 20% window tint to the inside of the glass door. Not only will this further protect the contents from UV rays, but the tinted glass looks great against the stainless steel frame (see picture).
My only small complaint would be it is slightly louder, but that is to be expected with a compressor. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase.
Had this wine cooler for a couple years now. No issues at all. I like that it has a lock. I keep my good bourbon in the bottom and I don’t have to worry about someone getting into it, when I have a get-together.
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