Comparison Dunavox DX-7.20BK vs Liebherr WKt 4551

The maximum number of standard wine bottles (straight, Bordeaux type) that the cooler is designed to store.

The increase in capacity affects the dimensions and price of the entire device. So for private home use, a compact wine coolers of small capacity (up to 20 bottles) can be the best choice — especially since the height of such devices is usually small. However, low wine coolers can store more contents — 24 – 25 bottles or more. Models with a capacity of 50 – 80 bottles are already designed mainly for bars and restaurants, but they can also be useful for enthusiastic wine collectors; and the most voluminous of modern wine coolers can hold noticeably more than 80 bottles — in some units up to two or three hundred.

It is also worth noting that it is not recommended to fill wine coolers to their full capacity. The actual occupancy should be at least 30 percent lower than the maximum. So, when choosing, it is worth making an appropriate margin.

It is models that could be built into furniture, wall niches, etc. Some built-in wine coolers, relatively small in size, can even be installed under the countertop — quite a convenient option for use in the kitchen. Anyway, built-in appliances installation is somewhat more complicated than free-standing, but such devices can easily fit into almost any interior without much difficulty.

Note that some models in this category could be only built-in; others are universal and allow separate installation.

The total volume of the wine cooler working chamber (chambers).

Although the main spec of such units is the number of bottles (see above), volume data can also be useful when evaluating and comparing different models. The fact is that with the same capacity, a larger volume means better air circulation and more efficient temperature distribution. On the other hand, an increase in volume also increases the price and dimensions — and there may simply not be free space for a wide or high wine cooler.

The highest temperature in the working chamber that this model can provide.

Note that the optimal temperature for storing different wines is the same — about 10..12 °C; any wine cooler can work in this mode. And higher values may be required mainly for preparing red wines for serving — such wines, depending on the type and taste characteristics, should be served at a temperature of 13 to 18 °C. One can be found more detailed recommendations on this matter in special sources. However, the higher the maximum temperature of the wine cooler, the more opportunities it offers for adjusting the microclimate.

Note that an increase in temperature can be useful during storage, and not only for red wines: under such conditions, the ripening process is also accelerated.

The material from which the shelves of the wine cooler are made.

— Wooden. Wooden shelves are considered the most suitable option for storing wine. It is because the wood smooths out vibrations additionally, which helps protect the bottles from unwanted shocks. In addition, this material looks good and provides a certain style to the wine cooler. Therefore, more or less advanced models that allow long-term storage of wine are equipped mainly with wooden shelves.

— Metal. Shelves of this type are made of thick wire and are grids with bars of a special curved shape: the bends of such bars play the role of "seats" for bottles. Such grids are somewhat cheaper than a wooden ones. Moreover, they almost do not block the air movement in the working chamber and contribute to the evenest temperature distribution inside. On the other hand, metal, unlike wood, almost does not absorb vibrations and therefore is considered suitable mainly for relatively short-term storage of wines.

The ability to change the height of the shelves inside the cooler.

Shelf height adjustment in wine coolers is usually carried out in the same way as in refrigerators: removable shelves are installed on rails. And to change the placement height, it is enough to rearrange the shelf to another pair of rails. It allows you to change not only the level of location of individual shelves but also their total number, adjusting the cooler to the specific situation.

— Interior lighting. Lighting installed in the working chamber. It allows you to see the contents of the cooler better. Lighting is useful since the working chamber is often in the shade, even in bright ambient light.



— Chamber heating. The ability of the cooler to work in heating mode. In temperature models, heating is used to prepare red wines for serving: we recall that such wines are stored at standard 11..12 °C, but the optimal serving temperature can be up to 18 °C, depending on the wine type. In climatic coolers, this function is designed mainly for cases where the ambient temperature drops below the optimum temperature of the working chamber. For example, in case of problems with room heating. In addition, increasing the temperature during storage speeds up the process of wine maturation, which can also be useful.

— Fast cooling. A special intensive cooling mode designed for situations where a large number of non-chilled bottles must be additionally placed in an already loaded wine cooler. If you do this in normal cooling mode, the temperature inside will rise noticeably, and it may adversely affect the wines already stored in the cabinet. During the fast cooling, excess heat is intensively removed from the working chamber. It helps to avoid microclimate disturbances. It is worth noting that this mode usually needs to be turned on in adv...ance, a few hours before loading a new batch of wine bottles, and turned off after a certain time to avoid overloads. These details must be given in the manufacturer's documentation.

— Chamber ventilation. The presence of a ventilation system in the working chamber of the cooler. Such a system prevents the accumulation of unpleasant odours that can adversely affect the taste of wine, penetrating through corks. Note that in models without a fan, air circulation also occurs, but it is much less intense.

— Humidity control. It is the ability to adjust the air humidity inside the wine chamber. Some wines are very demanding on storage conditions and require not only a certain temperature but also a certain humidity. The humidity control function allows you to set its optimal value. In addition, the humidity should not be lower than 70%. Otherwise, the cork dries out, and an excessive amount of air gets into the bottle, which accelerates the oxidation of the wine and worsens its taste.

— Charcoal filter. A special filter that removes foreign odours from the air in the wine cooler. Wine bottles are not completely sealed — some air constantly enters through the cork, which has a porous structure, and strong odours can thus enter the bottle and adversely affect the taste and aroma of the wine. The charcoal filter helps to avoid this. Note that it must be replaced from time to time.

— Anti-vibration system. System for smoothing various vibrations and shocks affecting the wine cooler. Such influences are extremely undesirable for storage — they disrupt the course of biochemical processes and can even spoil the product. The presence of an anti-vibration system is relevant mainly for coolers with compressors (see "Cooling type"). It is the compressor circuits that are most susceptible to vibrations. If such a unit does not have such a function, it is a low-cost model not designed for long-term and thorough storage of expensive wines. Or it is a device with a high-quality compressor, which initially has a low vibration level and can be used without special protection against them. As for thermoelectric cabinets, the fans used in them are also potential sources of vibration but not as intense as compressors. Therefore, in such units, an anti-vibration system rarely occurs.

— Reversible door. It is an ability at your discretion to choose the direction in which the door of the wine cabinet will open. This function allows you to adjust the design to the location; it can be useful in cramped conditions, where the door can normally open only in one direction.

— Door alarm. It is a system that monitors the closing of the wine cooler door. If the door is not closed for a long time or is not closed tightly enough, an audible or light (depending on the model) signal is given. It avoids a critical change in temperature and humidity in the wine chamber and preserves the quality of the wine.

— Failure indicator. It is a system that monitors the state of the wine cooler units and gives a signal in case of failure. It allows you to avoid unpleasant consequences, ranging from a critical change in storage conditions and damage to wine ending to serious breakdowns and even accidents.

— Child lock. A special lock designed mainly to prevent a curious little child from getting to the contents of the wine cooler. The child lock is turned on and off in a special way that does not create problems for an adult but is not available for a child. And in some models, such a lock is closed with a traditional key. It can also be used for general protection against unauthorized access to the contents of the wine cooler.

The type of control for wine coolers is indicated primarily by the type of control panel, and its location is also taken into account. According to these criteria, in our time, the following options are distinguished: internal rotary knobs, external rotary knobs, internal push-buttons, external push-buttons, internal touch controls and external touch controls. In details:

- Rotary knobs. The simplest type of control. It is quite rare due to poor comfort and tuning accuracy. And for wine coolers, which are not budget devices, this solution looks very doubtful.

- Push-buttons. A fairly convenient, practical and at the same time inexpensive way, suitable for both models with basic capabilities and advanced units; at the same time, buttons are simpler and more compact than rotary knobs and cheaper than touch controls. Therefore, this option is very popular in modern wine coolers.

- Touch controls. Such touch panels are somewhat more expensive than push-button controls, but this is almost imperceptible against the price of the entire cooler. Touch controls are made only electronic, so it is accurate and as functional as possible. At the same time, the touch controls give the device a technological appearance and do not accumulate dirt due to the...absence of unnecessary slots and protruding parts. Note that this type of control is very convenient for coolers with thermoelectric cooling and is used in most of these models, although it is often found in compressor units.

It is worth noting that all types of controls can be both hidden and placed behind the door (internal) and available for settings without opening the door (external). The first option is more pleasing in terms of aesthetics. The second option makes it easier to configure the device.

The energy efficiency class characterizes how economically the wine cabinet consumes electricity. The highest class among modern units is A ++, then A +, A, B, C and further alphabetically.

Note that in this case, it is not energy consumption that is taken into account but consumption in comparison with units having similar specs (and the same type of cooling, see above). Therefore, a professional 80-bottle A++ wine cooler will consume more energy than a 15-bottle C-class unit. We also note that more economical devices have a higher price. However, they have a lower cost of maintenance during their life span.