Sunpentown WC-20TL ThermoElectric 20-Bottle Wine Cooler Review

Sunpentown WC-20TL Wine Cooler

If you want to keep your wines cool and ready for those grand occasions, but you’re limited for storage space then the Sunpentown WC-20TL ThermoElectric Wine Cooler could be the right wine chiller for your needs. This compact, free-standing model has a unique boxy design and a 20 bottle storage capacity.

Supentown are a manufacture which have a proven track record of producing reliable, energy efficient wine coolers so we usually endorse their products. It’s pretty rare to find a wine refrigerator with such positive consumer feedback as this one, particularly at the low-end of the market.

Read Consumer Reviews on the Sunpentown WC-20TL

Features of the Sunpentown WC-20TL ThermoElectric Wine Cooler

• Capacity: 20 bottles
• Temperature range: 54°F - 66°F
• Slide-out interior shelves
• Adjustable thermostat with LED temperature display
• Reflective glass door featuring touch sensitive controls
• Soft interior light

Compact, Sleek Design

The Sunpentown WC-20TL features a contemporary, sleek, low-key design with its black cabinet and smart looking, reflective glass door. At the top of the door, a touch sensitive thermostat is present with an LED display which shows the chillers temperature level, giving you convenient access to change the temperature setting without needing to open the door.

Quietly Operates and uses Low Energy

This appliance uses thermoelectric cooling so it operates very quietly, emitting a noise level of just 30 dBA. The temperature range is pretty limited with a range of 54 to 66°F, so it doesn’t get cool enough to store certain bottles well that require low temperatures such as white wine or Champaign.

As a wine cooler is on 24/7 its level of power consumption is important. This unit draws only 1.0 kWH of power per day which makes it very energy efficient.

Interior

Inside the cooler are five slide-out shelves which can store 20 Bordeaux style wine bottles. We’re a bit disappointed that the shelves can’t fit Burgundy style bottles, but you can fit a couple in on each shelf by storing them at an angle. The interior light is controllable by a button on the door opposed to the usual way of the door opening.

Pros and Cons of the Sunpentown WC-20TL

Pros

Compact, stylish, very quiet, consumes low energy and maintains temperature consistently.

Cons

It can only fit Bordeaux style wine bottles or similarly sized bottles if you want to make full use of its 20 bottle capacity.

The machine doesn’t remember the settings in the event of a power outage, so the temperature resets to its default setting of 52 °F. Keep this in mind if you live in an area with regular power failures.

Final Thoughts

For a compact wine chiller, the Sunpentown WC-20TL is an admired choice. It’s quiet, nice looking, compact and renowned for its reliability. Its main drawback is its limitation on which sized bottles it can store, so if you intend to mainly store wines larger than regular Bordeaux bottles then we’d advise you to look elsewhere.

Whynter WC-211DZ 21 Bottle Dual Temperature Zone Wine Cooler Review

Whynter WC-211DZ

The Whynter WC-211DZ is next up to be reviewed. Combining premium features such as thermoelectric cooling with strikingly elegant looks, this model has proven to be one of the most popular mid-size wine coolers available. Its 21 bottle capacity and dual temperature zones allow you separate your different types of wine to keep them at their optimum temperature level.

Consumer response on Amazon to this wine chiller is about as mixed as it comes despite its popularity, so our review will shed light on what Whynter got right and what they didn’t.

Read Consumer Reviews on the Whynter WC-211DZ Wine Cooler

Features of the Whynter WC-211DZ Wine Cooler

• Capacity: 21 bottles
• Vibration-free thermoelectric cooling
• Stainless steel trimmed glass door with sleek black cabinet
• 6 removable stainless steel trimmed chrome shelves
• Dual temperature zones with adjustable thermostats and LCD temperature display
• Interior LED lighting
• Warranty: 1-year limited

Sophisticated Styling

As wine is such a sophisticated drink, ideally you want somewhere equally as sophisticated to store your bottles. The Whynter has the sleek look of a commercial appliance with its stainless steel attractive door trim which has an eye catching long ergonomic bar handle. The interior match’s up to the same high standard as the exterior with six stainless steel shelves, which are adequately spaced out. The unit has a small footprint with dimensions of 32.5" x 13.4" x 20.8" (H x W x D) so it will fit in fairly compact areas such as on kitchen worktops.

Silent Cooling

This wine chiller uses a thermoelectric cooling system which is vibration-free due to the fact it has no moving parts, unlike wine coolers which use compressors. This provides multiple advantages. Firstly, it means the operating noise of the cooling system is silent so you can keep the chiller in areas where you don’t want any disturbance such as a bedroom. Secondly, it means that your wines sediments are not affected by vibrations so the taste is as fine as the manufacture intended it to be.

Dual Zones

If your wine collection is pretty diverse then you’ll love the dual temperature zone functionality which is separated into both a top and lower zone in the unit. The upper zone is the smallest area with a capacity of six bottles and a temperature which ranges from 44F - 66F. The lower zone stores up to fifteen bottles with a temperature ranging from 50F - 66F. Each zone has its own adjustable thermostat and has the temperature displayed on a fancy LCD display so keeping check on the temperature of each zone is just a glance away.

Pros and Cons of the Whynter WC-211DZ

Pros

The Whynter WC-211DZ 21 is very quiet, compact and has great styling. The dual zones are a big advantage especially if you like both red and white wines, you can attain the perfect temperature for each bottle. Internal fans help maintain good temperature circulation to keep each bottle equally chilled.

Whynter are renowned for their good customer service, which is always important in case you need assistance.

Cons

This wine chiller can only accommodate traditionally sized wine bottles unless you remove one of the shelves, so it’s not suitable for storing certain bottles such as Champaign or long thin bottles.

The removable shelves are a bit awkward to slide out and require the door to be fully opened to do so.

Final Thoughts

The Whynter WC-211DZ 21 Wine Cooler is a good looking entry-level wine chiller that brings a lot to the table for its price. However, for wine connoisseurs who have a taste for a broad range of wines that need cooler temperatures (below 44F) and have irregular sized bottles, this wine cooler won’t be for them.

Bottom line, if you only need to store standard sized wines and you want a stylish, near silent cooler which is light on your wallet then this is an excellent choice.

Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler Review

Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler

If you’re partial to a bottle of wine on more than just the odd occasion then owning a high capacity wine cooler is a great way to allow you to grab a cool refreshing bottle of wine at your convenience as well as show off your ever growing collection of wines to friends and family. Wine Cooler Reviews looks at the Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler, which is an entry-level model with a large 75 bottle capacity and a stylish design.

Did Danby get it right with this wine cooler or should you opt for another model to house your precious collection? The answer awaits you in this review.

Read Consumer Reviews on the Danby DWC612BLP

Features of the Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler

• Capacity: 75 bottles
• Size: 11 cu ft
• 8 full-width wooden interior shelves
• Interior display light
• LED digital thermostat
• Black cabinet; Platinum trimmed door
• Tempered tinted glass door
• Reversible door swing

Contemporary Styling

With its stylish design, the Danby DWC612BLP won’t look out of place even in the most lavish of rooms in your home. The sleek platinum door trim accentuates the tinted door glass nicely, while the black cabinet gives the appliance a strong bold appearance. Inside the cooler, the eight beach wood shelves standout from regular plain shelving to add a true sense of warmth.

Durable yet Practical

Danby have gone all out to ensure this appliance is durable enough to withstand regular use and keep your wine safe. The tempered glass door is double-pained and UV protected, keeping your wine bottles protected from UV rays. The beach wood shelving is solid so you can rest assured the shelves won't warp or bend over time. The reversible door swing allows for easy changing of which side the door is opened, this is a good convenience aspect we like. The use of wheel casters under the unit is nice, allowing you to move it easily without having to lift it.

Noise Level

A key factor we always consider when reviewing a wine cooler is the noise level. The Danby DWC612BLP only uses a small compressor, but it still emits quite a loud noise in operation so we wouldn’t recommend this to be used in a bedroom or anywhere in your home where you need some peace and quiet.

Energy Efficient

This is one of the most energy efficient entry-level wine coolers in the market. The appliance consumes only about 468 kWh/y on the highest temperature setting so the yearly operating costs are below $50.

Digital Thermostat

In the unit, easy-to-use digital thermostat controls gives you convenient control of the temperature level, shown on a nice blue LED display. The temperature can be set from 6°C - 14°C (43°F - 57°F) to accommodate the desired level of cooling for your wines.

Pros and Cons of the Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler

Pros

The Danby DWC612BLP is solidly constructed, styled elegantly and has a large storage capacity. Its energy efficiency is good so running costs are pretty low.

Cons

There is no internal fan in the unit so temperature variance isn’t as good as on higher end models. The compressor is nosier than most, but not too bad for a machine at this end of the market.

No door lock is included so if you have children then you’ll need to make sure you keep the unit somewhere out of their reach.

Storage isn’t too versatile as only two of the shelves can slide-out.

Final Thoughts

For an entry-level wine cooler, the Danby DWC612BLP 75 Bottle Wine Cooler has a lot going for it. Its excellent capacity, low energy use and exquisite styling makes it a good choice for those on a budget who need plenty of space to store their wines, but still want to keep up appearances.