Our Rating: 
Based on: 15 reviews/ratings
Approximate price: $180 ($155 online)
Capacity: 12 bottles
Features:
- 12 standard bottles / 33L capacity
- Digital controls with LED temperature display
- Environment friendly (refrigerant free)
- Quiet operation (30dBA)
- No vibration (bottle sediment is not disturbed)
- Temperature display in °F or °C
- 3 slide-out shelves
- Tinted double pane insulated glass door
- Platinum trim and cabinet
- Soft interior light
- Front leveling leg
- Adjustable temperature range: 50 ~ 66°F
- Freestanding application
Pros:
- Adjustable shelves
- Attractive design
- Quiet operation
- Digital controls
Cons:
- Customer support could use improvement
Sampling of owner comments about the Sunpentown 12 bottle wine cooler:
- just wish it were larger
- excellent value
- planning to purchase one for my parent's anniversary
- very quiet and efficient
- looks great in our kitchen
- doesn't cool below 62 degrees
- Manufacturer customer support was awful
- quiet machine that keeps the temperature that we set, accurately
- Nice ‘fridge. We will keep it
- really a fantastic product
Our review:
The Sunpentown 12-Bottle ThermoElectric Wine Cooler (WC-12) seems to be very well received by most people who have purchased it. Although a few reviewers complained about this fridge, most really like it, will keep it, and one plans to buy another as a gift. Of the two who disliked it, one complained of cheap materials, and a defective unit, that wouldn't cool well. That may have been due to the fact that it is a thermoelectric cooler, which can't cool any more than about 20 to 25 degrees F below the ambient temperature of the room. No other reviewers have reported any problems with this fridge. Specifically, there were no complaints of the cooler dying prematurely, which is something we can't say for all other wine coolers in this price range.
Although the door is apparently made of plastic, several reviewers commented on the attractiveness of the cooler, so this wasn't seen as an issue. This unit can be used as a free-standing wine cooler, or as a built-in chiller, sliding into the slot designed for a trash compactor. The shelves are adjustable, and removable, to accept larger bottles (than Bordeaux , the “standard” by which coolers seem to measure bottle capacity). This will, however, reduce the bottle capacity.
This wine cooler is thermoelectric, so its range of cooling is restricted, which can be a problem if it's kept in a very warm place, such as a kitchen. However, because it is thermoelectric, it is very quiet, which many of its owners raved about.
Although a 12-bottle wine cooler may be plenty large for the infrequent wine drinker, it will fill up surprisingly fast if you drink wine fairly regularly. A recommendation we hear over and over, even from owners of wine coolers (even much larger chillers than this), is that they wish they had more room. So, if you purchase wine more often than once a month, you may want to look into an even larger capacity wine cooler – if your budget can handle it. For a 12-bottle wine cellar, though, the Sunpentown 12-Bottle ThermoElectric Wine Cooler (WC-12) would be a very good choice.
Bottom line recommendation:
The Sunpentown 12-Bottle ThermoElectric Wine Cooler (WC-12) is RECOMMENDED.
Check out our other recommendations for 12-bottle wine cooler/chillers, or a slightly larger 30-bottle wine cooler/fridge and our wine cooler buyer's guide.