Vinotemp VT-58 58-Bottle Front-Venting Wine Chiller, Stainless Steel Review

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(More customer reviews)I did NOT purchase this cooler from Amazon and have been very happy with everything I have purchased from Amazon.
However, I did buy this item and it was a real lemon. Google this item before you buy! Be aware that this same item is sometimes sold as a 60-bottle cooler. I wish I had googled it! I found a number of reports from people who had the same problems I did. The item I purchased failed within 2 weeks of installation. The LED display started displaying a code that I could find no mention of in the pitiful instruction pamphlet that came with the cooler. When I googled the code, I found out that it means "low temperature". Sure enough, when I checked, my wine was near freezing! I called Vinotemp and it took them 2 weeks to send a replacement board (yes, they seemed to know all about this problem) and another week to schedule someone from Sears to install the board. When the repairman got to the house, he could not install the board and had to jury-rig something to fix it. That fix lasted another week before it once again, started to freeze my wine. Another call to Vinotemp and another month of waiting. I then got a call from Vinotemp asking if I was happy with the repair they had done! When I explained the situation, the manager apologized and it then took another 2 weeks before another part showed up. At this point, we called Costco, explained the situation, and got a refund. I called Vinotemp to tell them not to schedule a repairman. Two weeks later, Sears called to schedule the repair. Vinotemp hasn't got a clue. I will never buy anything from this company.

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Accommodating up to 58 bottles, this front-venting wine chiller can be freestanding or built-in under a counter. Multi-zones inside the unit create separate areas without losing valuable bottle space. Whites go towards the bottom (colder) and reds go toward the top (warmer). An interior light helps when perusing the selection. In addition, the wine chiller's thermal double-paned glass door can be locked to secure inside contents, and its normal temperature fluctuation of 5 degrees F prevents excessive cycling. The appliance makes for a nice addition to the kitchen, bar, or living area, though it should not be placed in the garage due to volatile external temperature ranges. Attractively housed in stainless steel with brushed aluminum trim, the wine chiller measures 23 by 24 by 34-1/2 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

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Haier HVF024BBG 24-Bottle Single-Zone Wine Cellar, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Purchase date: Purchased the product from amazon.com in December 2008.
Price: Several web sites were selling the unit for three hundred dollars including amazon. When amazon reduced the price by thirty-six dollars I made my purchase.
Shipping: With the free Super Saver Shipping, the cellar was delivered by UPS in 3 days.
Packaging: The packaging is minimal. There is thin Styrofoam packaging covering each of the four corners and a square piece covering the top. Plus a piece of Styrofoam is inside the door to protect the glass door from the wire shelves. Cardboard covers the four sides and the top. There is no packaging at all covering the bottom of the cellar and there is no Styrofoam covering the sides.
Delivery: I was most concerned about damage to the glass door and the compressor - which were not damaged. UPS delivered the cellar by using a dolly with a very long blade that was wider than the cellar. I believe this helped avoid any damage to the bottom of the cellar. (Remember there is no packaging for the bottom.) But, unfortunately, there was damage to one of the sides. I did not notice it until UPS was gone but there was a small tear to one of the sides of the cardboard - small enough that it looked like normal wear and tear of shipping and not significant enough to be a concern. But there was a small dent in the side of the cellar. If there were even a thin piece of Styrofoam covering the sides, the damage would have been prevented. I took the easy way out and decided to just keep the cellar.
Cooling: The cellar lets you set your own temperature or you can use the white wine button (which uses a temp of 47 degrees) or the red wine button (which uses a temp of 57 degrees). The compressor turns on when the temperature is 3 degrees more than your setting. It turns off when the temperature is 2 degrees less than your setting but the cellar does continue to get colder. I keep the cellar in a room where the temperature is in the mid 60s and the cellar continues to get another 3 to 4 degrees cooler. So, all together, there is an 8 or 9 degree temperature variation.
Noise: Some of the reviews of various cellars I read complained about the continuous running and noise of their cellar. But this cellar is extremely quiet. I do not notice when the compressor is on. And when cooling, it's on for only a couple of minutes.
Vibration: Since this cellar uses a compressor for cooling I was concerned about the amount of vibration that it created since it can disturb the sediment in the wine bottles. But the compressor in this cellar is bolted to a bracket on the bottom of the unit and there are rubber bushings in between the compressor and the bracket. I did, however, feel a very, very small amount of vibration when the compressor is on. To measure the vibration, I put a glass of water on the cellar and found, to my relief, the water was completely undisturbed. I also watched for vibration when the compressor turns on and when it turns off. The water in the glass does show some vibration - more so when it turns off than when it turns on. But this is probably less vibration than when you open or close the cellar.
Warranty: The manual states the warranty for parts and labor is 12 months from the date of purchase. The compressor, condenser and evaporator have a warranty of 5 years from the date of purchase.


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Elegantly store and display up to 24 bottles of wine at the proper temperature with this attractive single-zone wine cellar. The unit supplies three chrome storage racks and two half-depth racks for keeping the bottles organized, plus soft interior lighting to help showcase the collection. Electronic controls allow for easily setting the temperature from 45- to 65-degrees F, while the dual-function LED display shows the selected temperature and the current internal temperature. In addition to the adjustable electronic thermostat, the unit provides an automatic setting and indicator lights for red and white wine. The wine cellar's flat see-through glass door comes with a blue-gray tint, graphite trim, and a heavy-duty brushed metal handle. Other highlights include a lock and key to keep items secure, a graphite matte work top, rear venting, and leveling legs that can be made longer or shorter to balance the unit if it sits on uneven ground. The wine cellar measures 23-1/2 (21-3/4 without the handle) by 20 by 30-1/2 inches and carries a one-year parts-and-labor warranty with a five-year warranty on the compressor.

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