This wine fridge holds 12 bottles, and even though it’s bigger than other units that hold the same amount of wine, the Avanti EWC1201 is still compact enough to fit on a counter. It has a curved glass door that gives it a unique look, and the glass is tempered to keep UV rays out, which keeps the inside temperature consistent. The metal shelves hold standard-size wine bottles, and there’s a section where you can place bottles upright. This is good for both taller wine bottles and opened bottles.
The digital controls of this single-zone fridge make it easy to set the temperature to chill either red or white wines, including sweet and sparkling wines. You can set the temperature between 48 and 64 degrees, which is impressive since it uses a thermoelectric cooling system. Wine coolers with this type of system typically don’t chill that low, so this is a definite plus of the Avanti EWC1201. The only downside is you can only chill one type of wine since it’s a single-zone unit.
You can choose to display the temperature in either Fahrenheit or Celsius, and the controls also lock and unlock the unit. It isn’t easy for young children to figure out the digital combination to unlock the Avanti EWC1201, but teens will likely figure it out.
Because the Avanti EWC1201 is a freestanding model, it shouldn’t be placed in a cabinet because it needs enough space around it to vent properly. It also isn’t designed to handle outside temperatures that fluctuate, so don’t place it in a garage or basement or on a porch. If you do, it could invalidate the one-year warranty that comes with it.