How Do I Choose the Best Champagne Cooler?

Purchasing the best champagne cooler will depend upon the cooler's temperature settings, appearance, features, style, size, and price. Champagne is commonly chilled in a wine cooler, a cellar, or an ice bucket. Since it tends to be considered a dry wine, champagne is best kept at a temperature between 46-50° Fahrenheit (8-10° Celsius).

It is not necessary to always purchase a separate champagne cooler. Some wine chillers allow for dual temperature settings, which means that different sections of the cooler can be designated for certain types of wine and champagne. For example, a wine enthusiast who wishes to chill both champagne and red wine could store 20 bottles of champagne at 48° F (9° C) and 20 bottles of red wine at 59° F(15° C).

In addition to temperature control, another consideration when choosing a champagne cooler is the typical amount of bottles that will be stored. Some wine chillers allow for 30 bottles, while others store up to 100. For the occasional champagne drinker, an ice bucket or chiller that stores one to two bottles may be more appropriate. In addition to ice buckets, there are a variety of single wine bottle chillers that can digitally control the champagne's temperature without taking up much space.

The amount of space that a champagne cooler will consume is an important consideration, as needs may vary depending upon the user. Small business owners may desire and have adequate space for a larger cooler, while an individual wine enthusiast may want a smaller, built-in unit. It is best to research the various options through online sellers, specialty retail chains, and companies that market wine accessories through mail-order catalogs.

Some people who wish to buy a champagne cooler may be concerned with a wine chiller's appearance and features. Color, finish, and special features such as digital temperature control and inside lighting may be important. Style and appearance can also be a consideration when choosing a single wine bottle chiller, as some feature stainless steel or silver finishes, while others feature a prominent digital display.

Price can be one of the deciding factors for quite a few purchasers and it can vary drastically between options. Ice buckets and single bottle coolers tend to be inexpensive, although more sophisticated single bottle coolers may be more moderately priced. The larger and more advanced the features a chiller has, the more expensive it is likely to be.