If space is really at a premium you can do a lot worse than considering the Koolatron Thermoelectric 6 Bottle wine cooler.  It takes up a paltry amount of space being just 11.75 inches high and 14.5 inches wide so any home should be able to find room for it.  It has settings for red and white wines and is perfect for any would be connoisseur running out of space and budget.

In the midsize market of 12 bottle countertop wine coolers we're split between the Haire Thermal Electric 12 and the Vinotemp 12 TEDS.  If your on a tight budget go for the Haire model but if you can afford the extra the Vinotemp will not disappoint.

If you lack width but have height then the Koolatron Slim 12 Bottle cooler has got to be your best pick. At 26 inches high but only 11.7 inches wide this compressor free chiller will find a place in any home.

My personal favorite countertop wine fridge is the Kalorik 18 bottle wine cooler. It maybe a bit large for some but at only 26 inches high and 19.3 inches wide this little beauty holds 18 bottles of wine.  Not only that but is has 4 settings suitable for red, rose, white and champagne and perhaps most importantly, 2 individual temperature zones so you can store wine at 2 different temperatures at the same time.

The Karlorik unit retails at a great value $350 but you can often pick it up for less.

Well lets say you've identified your countertop wine cooler or other type of chiller and now you'd like to learn more about wine.  Whats the best and most cost effective way to go about this.  Without doubt joining a monthly or quarterly wine club.  When I first developed a liking for wine I used to buy a couple of bottles a week from the local store.  This worked for a while as I didn't know any better.  Then as a thank you for completing a success project the CEO sent me a case of wine from his monthly wine club.  Wow.  The difference was simply unbelievable and I've never looked back since.

Many clubs will send you a mixed case at a frequency of your choosing which gives you a fabulous opportunity to experience wines from all over the world.  Often you can set your own budget and of course there are always great promotions to pick up some faboulous wines far cheaper than you could get them from the store.

The biggest advantage to a monthly wine club is that all the wines are chosen for you (initially) by experts.  I've got to be honest I can count the number of wines I didn't like on 1 hand a far higher success ratio than when I was choosing them myself.  Many of these clubs will even take wine back or refund you if you don't enjoy what they send so you really cannot lose.

Hopefully this doesn't sound like a sales push for wine clubs and you'll forgive any links to such that you might find on this site.  The truth is my enjoyment of wine reached a whole new level when I joined and I have never looked back.  Please turn your nose up at mass produced consumer wines and for little to no more money start enjoying some quality reds, whites, rose and sparkling numbers from the wine club of your choosing.

A countertop wine cooler is exactly what it sounds like a wine cooler that sits, usually, on a kitchen counter but you will find them located in any spare nook or cranny in many households across America. When space is at a premium and you've just got to chill your wine to the optimum temperature to maximize your enjoyment the countertop wine chiller comes to the rescue of many.

However, as with everything in life, there is a lot of choice and obtaining the right unit requires some thought and a little research. So what are the factors you should take into account when trying to choose the perfect unit for your home?

The first consideration has to be how much space is available?  We are not just talking height and width here but depth.  And don't overlook the fact that many countertop wine coolers will need adequate ventilation.  Box some in and it could be more than just the cooler going up in smoke!
If I had a dime for every time someone had bought a wine cooler only to get it home and find they had overlooked the fact they had no socket to connect to I'd be a rich man.  Also don't you just hate visible cable?  If you're going to splash out on a chiller then splash out on ensuring there is a convenient socket nearby.  There is nothing worse than unsightly extension leads, especially in the kitchen.

On the whole these units are relatively compact and you will want to clean them from time to time to make sure they look their best.  Make sure that shelves are removable rather than fixed and that you can gain easy access to all areas that would benefit from a wash and brush up.  There is nothing worse than being unable to gain access to remove dirt and grime because of poor design.

Think about how many bottles of wine you want to store in the cooler.  If you're an occasional drinker then a small unit will be cheaper to run.  If on the other hand your prone to hosting social events you may need something with a larger capacity.  Countertop coolers typically  take from 6 to 12 bottles  but you will find units offered by Kalorik that will hold as many as 18 bottles.

One of the most overlooked and forgotten features of countertop wine coolers is the number of  temperature zones available.  Temperature zones enable wine to be stored at different tempertures typically in the range of 44.6 F to 68 F however it will only be the larger units that are likely to incorporate this feature.

Often the most important criteria to a would be buyer is aesthetics.  How good does the unit look?  Whilst important the criteria mentioned above should take priority over looks.  There really is no point having a great looking unit that sticks out too far stands out in proportion to the rest of the kitchen for example.  The maxim you get what you pay for still holds true on the majority of occasions but not always.

Finally the issue of cost arises, however, the reality is you will want one of these coolers because you like fine wine chilled to the optimum temperature.  I honestly believe that, for purchases of this type price is of relatively minor importance.

So know your requirements and do your research.  The pointers above will help to ensure that any countertop cooler you purchase will be the right one for your home and most importantly the enjoyment of your wine.