Best Beverage Refrigerators in the UK

Review & Comparison, Last Update January 17, 2024
If you need to keep wine or other drinks in a due condition, a beverage refrigerator is certainly an appliance you need. Look through ...Read more
PROS

Three full-size adjustable shelves make it possible to efficiently use the space and accommodate the maximum number of bottles and cans of various sizes. The lower part of the refrigerator compartment can also be used as an additional shelf.

CONS

Relatively high power consumption.

OUR VERDICT

This model combines compact dimensions with an impressive capacity: although it is intended for drinks, it definitely has the room for storing food and snacks. Ideal for hotel rooms, studio apartments and bedrooms.

detailed parameters
Warranty

1 year

Best for

Beer, soda, juice

Size (H x W x D)

845 x 470 x 472

Capacity

~80 bottles (500ml)

Shelving

4 metal shelves

Temperature range

0°C to +10°C

Features

Double-glazed glass reversible door, Adjustable thermostat, Internal LED light, height-adjustable feet, key lock

PROS

Depending on where the refrigerator will be placed, the door can be moved to the right or left side, while the process of hanging the hinges is described in detail in the instructions and will not cause difficulties. The adjustable legs are useful if the floor is not perfectly flat.

CONS

The interior LED-light is dim.

OUR VERDICT

The Subcold Super65 Fridge is the best gift for beer lovers: just put it in the living room in front of the TV or near the computer, and you will not need to rush to the kitchen for another cold can of your favourite drink. The door is locked with a key.

detailed parameters
Warranty

2 years

Best for

Beer, wine, juice, soda

Size (H x W x D)

640 x 474 x 450 mm

Capacity

~60 bottles (500ml)

Shelving

2 metal shelves, bottle shelf

Temperature range

0°C to +10°C

Features

Tempered Glass Reversible Door, Adjustable thermostat, Internal LED light, height-adjustable feet, key lock

PROS

The fridge has a special metal rack which can be used for storing wine and champagne bottles in an appropriate way.

CONS
This appliance has a low capacity.
OUR VERDICT
This small drink fridge is recommended to people seeking a small-sized cooling unit for keeping drinks in a mini-bar. Thanks to the low temperature range, this appliance is suitable for storing milk in small coffee shops.
detailed parameters
Warranty
1 year
Best for

Wine, beer, soda

Size (H x W x D)
510 x 430 x 470 mm
Capacity
12 bottles (750 ml) or 40 cans (440 ml or 330 ml)
Shelving

Bottle rack, shelf, bottle shelf

Temperature range
+5 °C to +15 °C
Features
Reversible door, Adjustable feet, Adjustable thermostat, Versatile use (suitable for kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, and offices)
PROS

A single-closing door with a glass insert provides better cool air retention in the fridge. Can accommodate up to 105 bottles. 

CONS
Despite rather compact dimensions, the fridge is reported to be quite noisy during operation.
OUR VERDICT
In general, this glass door beverage refrigerator can be recommended to owners of bars or cafes, as well as office workers and shopmen thanks to its compactness and decent capacity.
detailed parameters
Warranty
1 year
Best for

Beer, soda, juice

Size (H x W x D)
900 x 500 x 500 mm
Capacity
105 bottles (500 ml)
Shelving
2 metal shelves
Temperature range
-1 °C to +10 °C
Features
Interior lighting, Aluminium interior, Adjustable thermostat, Fully ventilated, Hydrocarbon refrigerant, Chrome wire shelving
PROS
A wide temperature range allows storing a variety of drinks.
CONS
The door is awkward to open if the fridge is niched into a furniture or placed under a counter.
OUR VERDICT
We believe that such a space-saving and practical beverage refrigerator is irreplaceable for mini-bars. It may come in handy in a dormitory or office to store drinks and some food.
detailed parameters
Warranty
1 year
Best for

Beer, wine, juice, soda

Size (H x W x D)
520 x 440 x 470 mm
Capacity
45 cans (330 ml)
Shelving
2 metal shelves
Temperature range
+5 ºC to +18 ºC
Features
Interior lighting, Aluminium interior, Adjustable thermostat, Fully ventilated, Hydrocarbon refrigerant, Chrome wire shelving

Compact Yet Capacious

When one thinks of a small refrigerator meant specifically for beverages, one doesn't think of something that has a large capacity. Having said that, many people would prefer the refrigerator to still be capacious enough to hold a good amount of beverages so they don't have to worry about refilling it frequently. For those who value both compactness and capacity, the Cookology CBC98BK Undercounter Drinks Fridge is what you need. This compact beverage refrigerator is small enough to fit under any counter yet can hold a surprising number of beverages.

Like most other beverage refrigerators, this unit contains a transparent door that allows for easy viewing of its contents, letting you see at a glance not only which beverages are offered, but also whether or not it needs to be refilled. Thanks to its overall design and capacity, though, you aren't just limited to storing drinks in it. You can also store just about any types of foods that require refrigeration in order to stay fresh, so you can use this as an extremely versatile refrigeration unit that isn't limited to just beverages.

The unit comes with 3 adjustable metal shelves that let you adjust the spacing between them in order to fit bottles, cans, and other containers of all sizes. What's more, the bottom of the refrigerator can easily serve as another shelf, so you have plenty of customisation options for fitting all kinds of food and beverages inside. Although the power consumption of this particular unit is a bit high, we believe that most people will find the combination of a compact footprint with its capacious design to be just what they're looking for.

Last updated price £259.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B07CVJVQKP

Perfect for Beer Lovers

If you're one of those people who value the ability to pop open an ice-cold can of beer after a hard day's work, then you'll love the Subcold Super65 LED Table-Top Fridge. This compact table-top refrigerator is perfect for storing both cans and bottles of beer as well as a number of other beverages, giving you the perfect place to grab a cold drink without having to resort to going to your kitchen refrigerator.

This unit, while being one of the smaller ones on our list, still has an impressive capacity of around 60 500ml bottles, so you can rest assured that you can fill it up and not have to worry about restocking it for quite a while. The small size makes it great for putting up either on top of a table or desk, or on the floor right next to your easy chair in your favourite room. The unit even includes a lock and key in case you have young children in the home and want to keep them away from your alcoholic beverages.

Another great thing that most people will love about this unit is its flexibility. Depending on where you place the unit, and in accordance with your own preferences, the door hinge can work either on the right or left side, giving you convenient access to your beverages without having to worry about other things getting in the way of the door. The adjustable legs are also great for those who are placing it on an uneven surface. All told, the flexibility and capacity of this unit will quickly make it your favourite beverage storage place.

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price £199.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B07J6Q5HWW

Store What You Wish the Way You Wish

The RHGWC1B drink fridge from Russell Hobbs is notable for its customizable shelves. Yes, the wavy metal lattice shelf can be installed in several ways, ensuring a convenient bottle storage. Below, you can arrange a straight metal shelf for beer or soda cans, next goes the rack for champagne or wine. Changing the arrangement of either shelf will let you store more or fewer bottles of beverage inside the fridge, depending on the contents. In this sense, the RHGWC1B drink fridge offers versatility of use and suits many purposes. You could have it in a dormitory room, your study or in a hotel room as a mini-bar.    

The temperature can be adjusted in the range from +5 to +15 °С, which is suitable for most types of wine as well as other drinks like beer and soda. A compact size is one of the benefits of this refrigerator, it is 510 mm high and can be easily placed under a counter or into a cabinet. What is more, you'll be able to re-hinge the fridge's door to the desirable side and adjust its feet for installation on different types of surface. In addition, the fridge consumes somewhere around 103 kW energy per year, saving your money on electricity bills.

The Russell Hobbs can be offered to those who wish to get a fridge for storing alcoholic drinks in mini-bars and dairy products in cafes.

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price £155.00
Stock In stock
ASIN B017IOKN52

Keeps Cold Inside

Being a smaller version of the two-chamber PRIMO 2 beverage fridge, the Capital Products PRIMO 1 has got its own advantages that we're going to discover together right now. As you might have noticed the fridge has a single door that reaches mere 500 mm wide. That sounds really like a small fridge. Yet, the appliance can easily hold about 105 0.5l bottles of beer or other drinks! Not as small, isn't it? There are two shelves and a bottom cavity for storage inside the unit and the LED light that passes gentle light through both compartments. 

The temperature inside the fridge can be adjusted in the range from -1 to +10 °С to store drinks and foodstuff such as butter, milk, fruit, and vegetables. The built-in fan ensures even distribution of the cold air throughout the fridge. Designed from metal, the shelves and brackets are durable and reinforced and hence, can hold quite a lot of cans and bottles. Fitted with a double glass for better heat insulation, the door is also self-closing to prevent temperature jumping. 

The Capital Products PRIMO 1 looks pretty modern with an an exquisite black exterior finish that blends easily with nearly any interior of a kitchen, restaurant or cafe.

To sum up, this fridge can efficiently serve in a bar or a small restaurant, as well as in an office or a private residence thanks to its compact size and large capacity.

Additional Info

    Manufacturer

Last updated price $0.00
Stock May be out of stock
ASIN B00R673N5E

Start With This One

Produced by a famous English distributor bar@drinkstuff, the Frostbite Beverage Compact Refrigerator is a great little thing ideally suited for home mini bars.

Measuring just 65 x 60 x 186 cm, it takes very little space yet it offers a pretty decent internal capacity, capable of holding approximately 45 cans. What's more, it can even accommodate wine bottles. Just remove a lower shelf, and you'll get yourself some extra space.

What also contributes to the strong points of this fridge is that it has an adjustable temperature range varying from 5 °С to 18 °С. Thanks to that, you can customise its temperature level depending on which beverages you store in the fridge. When it comes to the upper shelf, it can be used for storing drinkables and even snacks, letting you keep everything in order.

Speaking of nifty features, the Frostbite Beverage Compact Refrigerator has an LED lighting which doesn't go out even when the door is closed. This makes it possible to check the contents of the fridge at any time of a day without the need to open it. Furthermore, the fridge has a 5-position switch for selecting the optimal temperature. Also included is a reversible door which can be re-hinged for hassle-free installation. In short, the unit doesn't lack functionality that you'd expect from a small beverage fridge.

To conclude, if you've been dreaming about having your own mini bar, this small beverage refrigerator can be exactly what you need. Portable yet capacious and functional, it will also be of use in offices, hotel rooms, shops and everywhere else where space can be an issue.

Additional Info

User Manual     Manufacturer

Last updated price £139.99
Stock In stock
ASIN B005RFJECS

What Is a Beverage Refrigerator?

A beverage refrigerator is a small fridge the interior of which is optimised for storing cans or bottles. A beverage fridge can be placed almost anywhere, even near a swimming pool if that where you'd like to keep your drinks. Having a beverage refrigerator can give you some extra capacity even if you've got a conventional fridge at your place. Beverage refrigerators are much more energy-efficient solutions that are available in a variety of designs to fit virtually any interior and room. Proceed to read our review and pick one of the models that suits you better.

In case you don't find a suitable fridge in this review, you may want to take a look at our selections of best compact fridges and beer fridges that share similar characteristics with beverage fridges.

On the note of beverages, you may also be interested in kegerators, a different type of fridge used to hold and disperse the keg.

And if you are a true wine connoisseur, you are more than welcome to read our wine aerators review.

What Features to Compare

Purpose and Installation

First of all, you should determine the beverages you will use the fridge for and its installation conditions. These parameters will determine what fridge size you need. Generally, beverage refrigerators are divided into models for non-alcoholic drinks and those for wine. Yet, the fridges with 2 temperature-controlled compartments also exist. Beverage refrigerators are classified into built-in, integrated, and outdoor models by their installing procedure, however, some fridges may be cross-over. Built-in beverage refrigerators feature air circulating holes on their front panel, hence they are uncovered. The integrated refrigerators have front panels coverable with finishing materials to blend with furniture. Outdoor refrigerators are made of wear-resistant materials. The distinguishing feature of beverage refrigerators is that they are very energy efficient consuming power in a range from 7 to 150 W.

Capacity and Shelving

Capacity and shelving are the next points worthy of your attention. The wine fridges feature curved shelves adapted for bottles, most often 750 ml ones. The maximum capacity of a beverage refrigerator is measured in the number of 330 ml cans, and such models come with flat shelves. If shelves are re-arrangeable, the fridge's layout can be customised according to the user's needs to store different-sized bottles or cans. Slide-out shelves will provide easier access to the stored items. Beverage refrigerators commonly come with either perforated glass shelves or metal grid shelves to ensure a proper air circulation.

Control and Features

Control and features are important criteria for choosing a fridge and depend on the cooling type. A white wine storage temperature varies from 7 °C to 13 °C, while the red wine requires 14 °C - 20 °C. The stronger the wine is, the higher the storage temperature it demands. So, a heady wine is stored at 10 °C - 16 °C, while a light wine needs 2 °C - 10 °C. The fridges storing noble wine should not be prone to fluttering to prevent the wine mixing and consequential taste impairment. Therefore, fridges with thermoelectrical cooling systems are usually used for pricey wines as they don't vibrate while working. The interior temperature of a thermoelectrical fridge depends on the ambient temperature, hence it should be installed in a room of a stable microclimate, otherwise, a compressor fridge is a perfect alternative. Beverage fridges usually feature auto defrost systems that prevent the frost build-up and ice deposition. The adjustable humidity is crucial for a beverage fridge to avoid overdrying of bottle corks. A transparent glass door allows seeing the cooled items and minimises the fridge opening. In addition, wine fridges must have doors protected from UV rays. If a wine is exposed to UV rays, some undesired chemical reactions might take place in it. A lockable door will be nice for any beverage refrigerator. A carbon filter will purify the air in a fridge compartment and remove foreign odours. A reversible door, adjustable feet, and integrated handles will provide a comfortable fridge installation. Black and iron-grey refrigerators blend with most home interiors. The lighting allows monitoring the fridge contents at any time. Also, it can serve as a decorative illumination for your wine collection.

Sources:

1. Ariel Knutson How Do You Know Whether It's Time to Buy a Wine Fridge? Kitchn. March 5, 2015.

2. Jeff Flowers Utilizing Your Small Space: Freestanding vs. Built-in Beverage Refrigerators, CompactAppliance. July 29, 2013.

3. Lyndsy Adams Beverage Refrigerator Buyer’s Guide, CompactAppliance. May 5, 2014.

4. The 4 Enemies Of Wine, Wine Enthusiast Companies.

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