Customer Reviews for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
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Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Built-in or Free Standing Multi-zone Cooling
Average Customer Rating:
(19 Reviews) 19
(out of 19 reviews)
Rating Snapshot (19 reviews)
5 stars
5
4 stars
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3 stars
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2 stars
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1 star
7
10 of 19(53%)customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Review 1 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
SCmermaid
Location:Charleston, SC
Date:December 1, 2011
Newest model is not as nice as previous model
Pros: quiet nice exterior
Cons: lower quality shelving, no reversible door swing for side-by-side install
Model Number: VT-188
"We bought a Vinotemp 160-bottle stainless steel from Costco several years. Although the temperature does fluctuate a bit, we've not had any of the vibration issues that other reviewers have mentioned; we've been pleased with the unit's appearance, performance and functionality.
As a result, when a recent trip to Napa resulted in more cases of wine than we could properly store, we opted to buy a 2nd Vinotemp unit, planning side-by-side storage. We contacted Vinotemp directly and were disappointed to learn that the door swings for this unit are not reversible. Although we would have greatly preferred for the two units' doors to swing open from the center (i.e., one with LH & one with RH swing), we decided we'd rather have two units that looked the same than to purchase a 2nd unit that was entirely different in appearance.
Unfortunately, this 2nd unit has been somewhat of a disappointment. For starters, the unit was shipped with a foot missing; therefore, I refused to accept delivery, as I was afraid the required repair would be "on me"...and I wouldn't be able to load the unit with wine until it was stable, anyway. Regardless, it still took weeks before Vinotemp finally shipped another foot, and the unit was re-delivered (with the necessary retrofit done on site).
What's more disappointing is the change in shelving assembly in the new unit. While there was no indication of any changes in the models (and the pictures look EXACTLY the same), the shelving is no longer all wooden (as in the 1st unit). While the fronts and bottoms of the new unit's shelving are still wooden, the sides and slide guides are now black metal, which wraps around onto the front of each shelf. (Not the quality you'd expect for a stainless unit model!) :( And you now have to push the shelves back until they click into place, instead of the smooth roll of the 1st unit's shelving. Finally, the new assembly allows storage of 5 bottles in the front, 6 in the back. Not a big deal...except that's another change from the previous model (which is opposite: 6 in the front, 5 in the back)."
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Review 2 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
BrianAF
Location:Palm Springs, CA
Date:August 31, 2010
VT188 Vinotemp Wine Cooler
Pros: inexpensive large capacity wine cooler
Cons: only one temperature setting, temperature does vary by 4 to 6 degrees
Model Number: VT188
"Before purchase, I read the reviews and then went to our Costco store and tried several of the large 750ml wine bottles (from the wine department) in the racks. I also plugged in the cooler to hear the noise. Vinotemp must have redesigned this unit because all of the 750ml bottles fit the racks and the noise is less than a small wine cooler I presently have. However, one point of confusion is there is only one temperature setting ( low setting) and two temperature (upper and lower racks) temperature readouts. The temperature does vary 4 to 6 degrees. I would not use this cooler for fine wines, but it works great to keep our every-day wine at a lower temperature than our house summer temperature setting of 85 degrees F here in the desert."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
FightingIllini
Location:San Antonio, TX
Date:May 2, 2010
Average
Pros: looks great, price
Cons: poor preformance, cannot store magnums, loud but can be fixed with minor effort
Model Number: VT-188MSW
"Using this unit four months now. Delivery was timely and the unit looks great. Quiet at first despite the other reviews complaints of loudness. Then it began. A VERY loud vibration from the motor that I could hear 4 rooms away. Darn, those reviews were right. Vinotemp was of no help, which was disppointing for a Costco sold product. So, I removed the cover and adjusted the coiling which stopped the vibration. For insurance I stablized the motor with some padding and it is as quiet as a normal fridge now. The loudness is definitely a shipping issue that is easily fixed. i.e. Wake up Vinotemp. Temp control is not the best. Large bottles do not fit, so if you are storing magnums stay way. Bottom line: Nice show piece that looks good displaying wine. Poor preformance. Would I really recommend to a friend? With hesitation"
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
RTSIV
Location:Hollywood, FL
Date:April 8, 2010
Good Value
"Cellar was delivered timely and to the location we wanted it in our home. Unlike many of the complaints we have read, the unit is not very loud at all - perhaps there is variation across units. Certainly no louder than a newer, standard refrigerator. Only complaint is the temperature does tend to vary more than we'd like; i.e. setting the bottom zone to 54 really gives you 56 on the bottom and 62 on the top with fluctuation of another 2-3 degrees between cooling cycle times. Looks good and good value for the money, however."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
SonjaJ
Location:Orange County, CA
Date:January 30, 2010
Stay away from Vinotemp!
Pros: does what it's supposed to for a reasonable price
Cons: grows mold, lousy customer service from vinotemp, loud
"We've had our unit for about three years, and for the most part it's been problem free. The temp fluctuates a bit and isn't too accurate, but as long as you're not storing a valuable collection it works just fine for the beginning/intermediate wine snob. :-) My biggest beef is that ours grows mold towards the back of the unit. I didn't even know mold could grow on glass bottles, but apparently it can. The bottles stored in one small section on the back side have had their labels ruined from these conditions, and two of the wood shelves have been permeated by mold. Lysol and scrubbing did nothing. Though the mold doesn't seem to affect the wine, it's not right and it's annoying. I called Vinotemp to ask them what I could do to prevent the growth of mold, or if they've heard of anyone else having the same problem. Their response, word for word, was "You should be able to clean that with baking soda and water or vinegar and water. I believe there are instructions on the back of the backing soda box on how you would be able to do that. If you have any further questions feel free to ask." I didn't ask how I could CLEAN it, I wanted to PREVENT it. So I asked again how I could prevent it from happening and got the run around. Vinotemp's customer service is terrible to put it lightly, and I can't back a product if the manufacturer won't back it. Had Vinotemp been more helpful and guided me along to solve the problem, I would have given higher marks."
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
MABP
Location:Florida
Date:December 20, 2009
Disappointed
"We were so excited when we received this as a gift from my brother! Once hooked up,it clatters like a cement truck! My husband cannot figure out how to regulate the temperature in each zone. I thought Vinotemp was supposed to be such a great brand! We are definitely disappointed.... but of course, will not tell my veery generous brother."
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Review 7 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Wesley7777
Location:Laguna Beach, CA
Date:December 6, 2009
Wine bottles don't fit
Pros: it is nice looking.
Model Number: Vinotemp 182
"The major surprise we had was that standard bordeaux bottles don't fit so that two can be stored side by side.
We called Vinotemp and they explained that, sorry, the bottle sholders are too high on bordeaux bottles. Well, it turned our that most bottle sizes don't fit so that an empty space is required between each bottle.
Don't even think about storing magnums."
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
CaliforniaWineGuy
Location:Valencia, California
Date:August 31, 2009
Researched Alot & This is the One I Chose
Pros: great quality, unbeatable price, wood shelving
Cons: could have larger spacing between shelves
Model Number: VT-188 MSW
"What's all the fuss? Unless my unit is different than any other, it is no more noisy than my Kenmore Elite refrigerator. In fact, I think my refrigerator is nosier.
I did alot of research before I purchased & this unit is unbeatable for the price. My wife likes the Stainless Steel & I like the Wood Shelves. I do agree though, that the spacing between shelves could be wider.
In addition, there are not alot of front venting wine cellars. We knocked a few walls out in our downstairs hall closet & converted it into our own wine cellar complete with cabinets, sink, shelves, stem racks & a small beverage refrigerator. My wife decorated it very much like an Old World Wine Cellar. This unit is perfect as it butts up against the back wall with plenty of room for venting. I would not be able to use the majority of units available, in this fashion & for my purpose.
One word of advise, if you want an extended Warranty, contact Vinotemp immediately. You only have 10 days from the date of purchase to add this from the factory.
I like this unit alot. My only problem is that it is almost full and I might need another..."
I did alot of research before I purchased & this unit is unbeatable for the price. My wife likes the Stainless Steel & I like the Wood Shelves. I do agree though, that the spacing between shelves could be wider.
In addition, there are not alot of front venting wine cellars. We knocked a few walls out in our downstairs hall closet & converted it into our own wine cellar complete with cabinets, sink, shelves, stem racks & a small beverage refrigerator. My wife decorated it very much like an Old World Wine Cellar. This unit is perfect as it butts up against the back wall with plenty of room for venting. I would not be able to use the majority of units available, in this fashion & for my purpose.
One word of advise, if you want an extended Warranty, contact Vinotemp immediately. You only have 10 days from the date of purchase to add this from the factory.
I like this unit alot. My only problem is that it is almost full and I might need another..."
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Likeadewine
Location:East Coast
Date:July 19, 2009
Avoid
Pros: delivery, installation
Cons: poor design, temp not constant
"Purchased this over 3 years ago from Costco. While shipping and deliver was excellent the product never keeps a constant temp ranging 10-15 higher than setting. Most shelves can't handle some of the new bottle shapes. About 6 of the shelves can't open do to layout spacing even with smaller bottles. It also says it's two zone. I tried putting whites in one zone and red in another but that never worked do to the temp controls."
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 10 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Winelover
Location:Long Beach, CA
Date:July 18, 2009
Noisy
Pros: price and appearance.
Cons: just too noisy.
Model Number: Vinotemp VT-188
"We bought a VT-188MBSH, which appears to be the same unit without the SS sides, last year. The unit was beautiful and seemed to work perfectly. However it was so noisy that we could hear it clattering away from everwhere in a 3000 SF house. Vinotemp said this was "normal". We returned the unit. Costco was extremely helpful in the return but it did takes weeks to accomplish."
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Winelover
Location:Long Beach, CA
Date:November 24, 2008
Too noisy.
"We bought the VT188MBSH and installed it in our downstairs den. The noise level was unbearable in the den and embarrassing all over the house. The factory told our Costco rep that this was "normal" for this unit. We could not tolerate it and returned the unit. Very unfortunate because we liked the size and looks. This is the only major appliance we have ever returned."
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 12 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Montanagrl
Location:California
Date:November 21, 2008
Love it!!
Pros: great design
Cons: shelving can be a challenge to fit certain bottles
"I have one of these units and love it. It may not hold the capacity of bottles it states, but bottles are different sizes and shapes. Take a few shelves out and it usually helps with the problem. As for temperatures, I don't like my reds too cold at all and my whites are just fine. If you overchill the whites, it kills the flavors anyhow, in my opinion. I'd recommend this to anyone looking. I keep mine in the garage and haven't had any problems. It is insulated so the temp variance isn't that great."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Craig
Location:New York
Date:November 7, 2008
Great Wine Cooler
Pros: front venting, multi zones
"I've looked at the other reviews, and I think they are incorrect. This is a new model in their line, that has only been out a few weeks. I love it! I have one in my 2nd home (older model) that had smaller racking but more bottles could fit (I think it was a vt182). This one (vt188) is in my main house, and I've been able to fit all larger bottles without issues, and the grill is smaller, and holding a few less bottles. This has been great for my tastes and choices in wine because I can put my reds on the top and whites on the bottom, and they have different temperatures for each style. Reading the manual helped me understand better. Perhaps that is the best advice I can give, since then there are no suprises if you read the manual first!"
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 14 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Priscilla
Location:Boston, MA
Date:November 6, 2008
Perfect fit for wine storage
"I have over a hundred bottles of wine and was looking for a cooler that could fit in my kitchen area. This unit is perfect because it is stainless and the handle matches the rest of my appliances. It is fairly quiet and the wood shelves accommodate all of my chardonnay and burgundy bottles. The instructions said to add the reds at the top and whites at the bottom and that seems to create the perfect storing temps."
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Review 15 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Webster
Location:DC
Date:November 5, 2008
Great value for the price, esp. for red wine
Pros: looks great esp. among stainless appliances, hundreds of dollars less from costco, great for red wine storage
Cons: delivery was rough
"Unless you're willing to spend thousands more for a Eurocave, this is the best you are going to get for this price range. Yes, it isn't perfect. But, the capacity is no different than any other large capacity wine fridge on the market-- its capacity is based on the bordeaux style bottle. If you collect pinot noir and champagne, then this isn't for you. If you're into bordeaux and cab sav wines, then you'll come pretty close to getting all 160 slots filled. Due to temperature limitations between the zones, this is really best for a red wine collector, although you'll have a 5 degree temperature variation in the red wines you store. Warning: They really mean curbside delivery; they dropped it off outside of our garage. We thought we'd be able to tip the delivery guys and have them move it into the house; however, only one guy handled the delivery. This weights over 300 pounds, so you'll need to line up some helpers in advance. Contrary to other reviews, ours arrived (thankfully) in perfect condition with no dings, etc."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
CostcoFan
Location:Arizona
Date:November 3, 2008
One Star Is Too Many
"I have tried two of these, and in the end had to return both, which was not an easy task. The first one arrived with obvious defects, shelves not attached. In addition to the poor quality, the capacity is less than advertised even if one stacks wine like cordwood with two rows of wine per shelve, and it is just not easy to use. I didn't have the units long enough to learn about long term use, but I would be wary based on my experience. I am still in the market for a high capacity unit, but am going to wait to read reviews from person's who are happy with thier choice, whatever it may be, after a year or so. I would rather pay more money and get one with an accurately stated capacity, and one with durability than pay less for a problem. I would not advise anyone to buy this product.: it will hold far fewer bottles than expected, and it will be difficult to install and remove the bottles. It is a big frustration."
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
JasonC
Location:Danville, CA
Date:October 30, 2008
You get what you pay for...
Pros: great price and good looks
Cons: noisy
"I have two of these units installed and am overall pretty happy. The reviews below are partly true, but you are going to have the same sizing issues with almost any racking system in a cabinet type wine cellar. I too took out 2 shelves to allow for odd and larger format bottles.
The units are pretty noisy, so if you must have a very quiet unit, look elsewhere. However, plan on paying MUCH more for an equivalent size unit from Sub Zero, etc.
Anyway, these units provide a lot of bang for your buck and I'd recommend them unless you are very wealthy and can afford the higher end units."
The units are pretty noisy, so if you must have a very quiet unit, look elsewhere. However, plan on paying MUCH more for an equivalent size unit from Sub Zero, etc.
Anyway, these units provide a lot of bang for your buck and I'd recommend them unless you are very wealthy and can afford the higher end units."
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Karl
Date:October 27, 2008
Many regrets
Pros: syylish looks when trimmed in
Cons: extremely loud, racks don't allow full storage
"The first unit showed up dented and scratched. Costco was very good at helping get a replacement within a couple of weeks.
As to the product itself. Yes, it does look good when installed in a closet (we used a little kitchen pantry closet, and trimmed it in with wood matching the kitchen cabinets). It's fairly convenient, but like other reviews, the upper half is good for red wines, but the lower half is only 4-5 degrees F cooler, so whites will need additional cooling. The racks are fairly spacious, but when using all of the racks, it's unlikely you'll get 160 bottles in. You place one row of bottles in the back with the necks facing forwards, and then add another row on the same shelf with the necks facing to the back. Depending on the shape of the bottles they might not fit. We removed several of the wood racks allowing us to stack many more bottles on top of each other.
Now as to the biggest problem with this cellar. It is extremely loud. The compressor is on the bottom, with the cooling exhaust coming out of the bottom grill area in front. This makes the unit convenient to install, but it also ports out all of the noise into your room. I can hear the compressor come on while I'm at the opposite end of the house. If I had heard this before purchasing it, I never would have bought it. If you google it, you'll see a lot of complaints about the noise and Vinotemps lack of response. Buyer beware."
As to the product itself. Yes, it does look good when installed in a closet (we used a little kitchen pantry closet, and trimmed it in with wood matching the kitchen cabinets). It's fairly convenient, but like other reviews, the upper half is good for red wines, but the lower half is only 4-5 degrees F cooler, so whites will need additional cooling. The racks are fairly spacious, but when using all of the racks, it's unlikely you'll get 160 bottles in. You place one row of bottles in the back with the necks facing forwards, and then add another row on the same shelf with the necks facing to the back. Depending on the shape of the bottles they might not fit. We removed several of the wood racks allowing us to stack many more bottles on top of each other.
Now as to the biggest problem with this cellar. It is extremely loud. The compressor is on the bottom, with the cooling exhaust coming out of the bottom grill area in front. This makes the unit convenient to install, but it also ports out all of the noise into your room. I can hear the compressor come on while I'm at the opposite end of the house. If I had heard this before purchasing it, I never would have bought it. If you google it, you'll see a lot of complaints about the noise and Vinotemps lack of response. Buyer beware."
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Vinotemp 160-bottle Stainless-steel Wine Cellar
Rating:
Jayson
Location:St. Louis, MO
Date:October 22, 2008
Not so great
Pros: can be built into cabinetry due to front exhaust.
Cons: small shelving means that it will be 50% full, lower zone isn't cold enough!
"I bought this about a 6 months ago and have some things that like and don't like about it. First there is NO WAY you're going to get 160 bottles in this thing! The shelves only allow putting the very smallest 750ml bottles next to each other or front to back on the shelves. I have very few bottles that would allow me to fill a whole shelf. Most of my shelves are only 50% full and i can't fit another thing on them.
Dual zone - well kinda. The cellar is great for Red, but the lower zone for White is not very effective. I can't get it cold enough for my tastes, lowest it will go is 46 degrees."
Dual zone - well kinda. The cellar is great for Red, but the lower zone for White is not very effective. I can't get it cold enough for my tastes, lowest it will go is 46 degrees."
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.
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