Our Rating:
Based on: 39 reviews/ratings
Approximate price: $215 (around $140 online)
Capacity: 16 bottles
Features:
- Quiet and Vibration Free Cooling (thermoelectric)
- Energy efficiency
- Even Temperature Distribution
- Fan forced circulation ensures even temperature distribution, eliminating hot spot
- Slide out chrome shelves
- Thermopane reversible glass door
- Adjustable thermostat for storing different wine varietals
Pros:
- Nice, compact unit for countertop use.
- Great price.
- No reliability issues reported
Cons:
- Does not have a temperature gauge – only adjustable via a control like a kitchen refrigerator.
- (As is true for many wine coolers) cannot store 16 bottles of non-standard size.
- shelves are not adjustable
- doesn't lock
Sampling of owner comments about the EdgeStar TWR160S:
- nice unit, great price
- doesn't have a thermometer(or a hygrometer)
- The light doesn't really illuminate anything and because of the light, you can only fit 15 bottles
- wine kept at correct temperature
- The temperature control and light switch prevent a full height bottle from fitting in one of the spaces.
- my previous wine cooler from EdgeStar failed after hardly two years (the fan inlet got clogged with dust and the motor burned out)
- does not have a digital control to keep the wine at a set temperature – only has a manual control where you set a LEVEL of cooling (not a temperature)
- had to buy a thermometer to figure out the temperature and it still can change if the temp level in the house changes drastically
- On maximum, ours reached 44 degrees. we keep it at 55 and it doesn't waver
Our review:
All of the reviews we found for the EdgeStar 16 Bottle Wine Cooler (TWR160S) were favorable. In fact, there wasn't a single complaint about the unit failing prematurely (which is all too common in less expensive wine cooler/chillers). Most owners considered this wine cooler an excellent value, and recommended it for others, as a gift, or for their own use.
We did come across one comment that concerned us, but it isn't really specific to this unit – one owner was relieved that their wines will be safe when they leave their Florida home for vacation, and turn off the air conditioning. As is the case with all thermoelectric wine coolers, this would actually be disastrous for wine. Thermoelectric wine coolers can only attain a temperature at most around 25 degrees below the temperature of the room they're in. If the temperature in your home exceeds 100 degrees, then your wine temperatures will exceed 75 degrees, which is considerably higher than the mid-50 range that is best for wines. If left for months at this temperature, your wines will definitely age prematurely, and quite possibly be ruined outright.
Our only real caution about the EdgeStar TWR160S is that it doesn't have a built-in thermometer or digital temperature setting – the temperature control is a min/max dial, like the one in your kitchen refrigerator. So, it will be challenging to set a specific temperature for your wine. It's also not clear whether the temperature inside the wine cooler will fluctuate as the room temperature does.
All in all, the EdgeStar TWR160S Wine Cooler seems to be a solid choice for storing a case or so of wine on your countertop.
Bottom line recommendation:
The EdgeStar TWR160SWine Cooler is RECOMMENDED.
Check out our other recommendations for 12-bottle wine cooler/chillers, and our wine cooler buyer's guide.