- Front exhaust allows for built-in installation
- Dispenses from 4 bottles. Keeps open wine fresh for several weeks through the use of argon or nitrogen gas
- 14 coated metal shelves, recessed handle and blue LED interior light
- Two-zone wine cooler stores 34 bottles in the top compartment and 54 in the bottom compartment
- Safe to use in bottle - stopper and dispenser parts are FDA approved
I was really excited about getting this wine cooler and dispenser when I first came across it. Given the price I anticipated that it would exude quality. Additionally I expected that somehow that quality would help to justify the price.
Boy was I wrong.
The item is cheaply built and believe it or not... made in China. When I say cheaply built, let me explain... the top of the cooler where the digital readout is located is a flimsy piece of plastic and it doesn't sit horizontally parallel to the door. Rather it is skewed at an angle due to the hinge pin of the door which forces the plastic piece of the faceplate upwards on the right hand size as you face the cooler.
Additionally the interior walls of the cooler are comprised of thin plastic and if you place any pressure on them they will move under the force.
The dispensing element that is built into the cooler is a bit of a joke in that the components that provide this capability could be purchased at any hardware store for about $25. It's just a bunch of tubing that leads to a nitrogen tank that provides pressure via a momentary switch. I was expecting some cool electronics or hi-tech sophistication given the expense of this item.
The sliding shelves are a joke in that they barely pull out and they are all metal like the top of a barbecue grill where they just don't feel particularly sturdy or classy. Unlike other fine quality coolers there is no ball bearing sliders, no wood that fronts the shelves... they are very plain typically like those you would find on a $100 wine fridge from a local home depot or lowes.
The LED lighting is poorly integrated and does not bath the cooler shelves with evenly distributed light.
The doors do not smoothly open and close but rather the top door in particular has to be closed with some force due to it being misaligned by the nature of its construction.
The locking mechanism is a joke in that the lock is not a lock but more of a latch. Although a pentagon shaped key is provided it is not 'keyed' uniquely to the cooler. Rather any device can be used to undo the latch (or lock as they refer to it) that can fit into the keyed area. A butter knife as example, or flat object, can be placed between the door and cabinet and without any force, simply push the latch to an unlocked position. So if you want to feel some level of security with your fine wine... forget about it.
If you look at the purchase price and consider that you could purchase the VinoTemp 4 bottle dispenser (which includes the cooling feature)for under $1000 and additionally a VinoTemp 160 bottle dual temperature cooler that has a much fancier appearance for $1000... Well you do the math... your paying $3000 because they integrated the technologies into a single package... There is no uptick to the quality compared to their other products. Perhaps just the opposite.
Simply put,... I do not consider this wine cooler/dispenser to be any great achievement.
Overall I consider the cooler dispenser to be very cheaply made. I cannot tell you how disappointed and cheated I feel given the selling price for this item.
My best advice to give you is to stay away from this product if your expectation is a quality product.
Buy Vinotemp 88-Bottle Dual-Zone Wine Dispenser and Cooler Now
Way cool unit. All my friends love it too. Great conversation piece. I honestly have found that I am drinking less than I have in the past because the Argon preserves the wine so well I don't feel like I am going to waste wine. Great purchase. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.....
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