The Phiestina PH-29BD is a sleek looking refrigerator that has been designed to hold up to 29 bottles of wine. With one of the largest capacities we reviewed for our round up of the best wine coolers, the Phiestina PH-29BD is also up there with some of the most expensive too.
Available in either a 15-inch design or a 24-inch version, the Phiestina is fronted with stainless steel and a double-paned glass door. In this review, we’re going to focus on the 15-inch model, but if you need something larger, the 24-inch will set you back around $200 more. If you’re looking for something to cool drinks such as cans and juices, you may find a specialist cooler a bit restrictive, so we’d suggest taking a look at our guide to the best mini fridges.
Phiestina PH-29BD: Size and installation
- Width: 14.9 inches
- Height: 35 inches
- Depth: 22.4 inches
The Phiestina PH-29BD is suitable for storing 29 bottles of wine, making it slightly smaller than the Kalamera KRC30SZB, which can hold 30 bottles at one time. Inside the Phiestina PH-29BD, there are five shelves that are removable, and stoppers are fitted on either side to keep the shelves securely in place. Made of wire, the shelves are finished with stainless steel bars at the end, giving the overall frontage a high-end look.
You’ll be able to install the Phiestina PH-29BD fridge yourself. Since this unit can be positioned either under a counter and built-in or freestanding, you’ll need to measure where you’re going to store it. It’s important to leave a few inches of space around the unit to allow it to ‘breathe’.
The door on the Phiestina PH-29BD is reversible, however, it’s strongly advised that you don’t change the door swing on your own. This is because if the door is accidentally dropped, the glass will shatter. The vents are positioned at the front of this cooler so it’s important to make sure nothing is placed in front of these or your warranty could be void.
As with most fridges, you’ll need to allow this model to stand for two hours before you plug it into a power outlet. After then, it’s advised that you don’t begin using the cooler for another 24-hours.
Phiestina PH-29BD: Features
What’s great about the Phiestina PH-29BD is that it can be positioned as a built-in unit or a freestanding one. This is good if you’ve got somewhere in mind that this fridge will fit with ease, but it’s also important to ensure the flooring is firm and solid enough to keep this cooler level (carpets won’t be suffice).
This cooler uses a compressor that works quietly and is relatively energy efficient. Depending on the energy rate where you live, you can expect to pay around $25 a year to power this unit.
The controls on the Phiestina PH-29BD are neat little buttons and two digital displays will indicate the temperature in each of the cooling zones. Because this model is a dual-zone cooler, you’ll be able to select a different temperature for your white wine and another for red wine. The temperature range is between 40 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit - one of the largest ranges we’ve seen on this type of appliance.
For added ease, this cooler has a frost-free design, so should it ever get too cold, you won’t have to manually defrost it yourself. What’s more, because the shelves are removable, you can arrange your bottles as you see fit - with space for up to 29 standard bottles in this appliance.
The Phiestina PH-29BD is more expensive than the others we reviewed, available for around $600. However, it does offer one of the largest capacities, looks fantastic, and has a dual-cooling system which many of the cheaper models don’t have. So it’s good value, even if it isn’t exactly cheap.
Phiestina PH-29BD: Design & performance
The Phiestina PH-29BD cooler has blue lighting, which you can choose to switch on and off with a simple button press. The front of the unit is finished in stainless steel, has a long handle, and front vent at the bottom. The handle is also coated in a non-slip finish so you’ll be able to grab it with ease.
The sides of this cooler are black rather than coated in stainless steel. This is pretty common for this type of appliance but it is worth keeping in mind if you’re going to be using this unit as a freestanding fridge, as you’ll be able to see the sides.
To adjust the temperature on the Phiestina PH-29BD, you can simply use the buttons on the panel. The cooler is split into two compartments, each of which you can control and set the temperature to suit your wine varieties.
The Phiestina PH-29BD comes with a one-year warranty, which is pretty standard across this type of appliance.
Phiestina PH-29BD: User reviews
The Phiestina PH-29BD has an average rating of 4.4 out of five stars on Amazon. Top-rated reviews mention how easy this unit was to install, how accurate the temperature is, and how much users liked the stainless steel shelving finishes. Lots of users also mention how this cooler has replaced a trash compactor, and how well it fits that kind of space. Users over at Home Depot claim this wine fridge operates quietly and that the temperature controls are very easy to adjust.
There were some negative reviews though and these users found the temperature unreliable. Others had issues with the unit cooling down enough. Some users also struggled to fit 29 bottles in it.
Should you buy the Phiestina PH-29BD?
The Phiestina PH-29BD looks great and offers ample storage for up to 29 bottles of wine, however, it is expensive. Finished in stainless steel with wire rack shelving, this model is sleek and stylish, and it offers dual-zone cooling so you can keep both red and white wine in it. If you’re just looking to store one type of wine, you could save yourself money with a single zone cooler such as the Antarctic Star INAS90 Wine Cooler.
