Wine fridges

[GrahamB]

This site has the 72 bottle for $350 with free freight.

http://www.onlineshoppingaustralia.com. ... -more.html

Cheers
Graham

[rednut]

This site has the 72 bottle for $350 with free freight.

http://www.onlineshoppingaustralia.com. ... -more.html

Cheers
Graham

sold out but thanks anyway....

[Rawshack]

I have a vintec, around 80 -100 bottles. It works and looks ok. around $2400 or so if I remember correctly

[dave vino]

I got mine from here, just put your email in and when they come in next you'll get a notfication. Seems to get a shipment every month.

http://www.dinosaurdeals.com.au/details ... oductid=10

[Old Salt]

Mitre 10 has one in this week's brochure, 28 bottle @ $179. Only details provided: LED display, stable humidity, reversible door with magnetic door seal, no brand name provided. Door hinge on top, not recessed. Looks like black top/sides, aluminium (likely to be plastic!) front with glass door, rather large handle, wire racking, seven levels with each holding 4 bottles.

Smaller than the Mistral (which holds about 40), was available from Kmart @ around $200 earlier this year.

[orpheus]

I posted a while ago on the Choice reviews here http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?p=55274&highlight=#55274
As mentioned in the post, the criteria for "best" was very odd, as who would have a fridge/wine cooler sitting in 40+ deg temps?
For me, the criteria for ability to hold a certain temperature, minimal fluctuations and reasonable running costs would be more important.

Agreed, I looked at the Choice article and I think they had their ratings completely back to front.

However, the info was there to allow a person to choose the ones they liked least, the thermo ones;

1.) Low vibration.
2.) Excellent temperature stability.
3.) Could cool to 13 degrees below ambient temperature.

This makes them sound a lot like a good cellar.

[GrahamB]

For those interested in the Primo 72 bottle wine fridge:

http://www.dinosaurdeals.com.au/details ... oductid=10

Now back in stock but at $399 plus freight

cheers
Graham

[NLR]

Hello. This is my first post and I am new to wine collecting but looking forward to the journey and learning. After lurking here and reviewing comments on wine fridges I decided for the Primo 72 bottle which I rec'd yesterday.

I'm a little disappointed about the fans in the back that seem to limit the space of sliding a bottle back but I can live with that for the moment.

My concern is the humidity is right down at 41%. I'm not sure how long it takes to stabilize but its been dropping since I turned the fridge on. Should I be putting a small container of water in the bottom or something?

The temp. is good and stable.

Thanks in advance
Nick

[dave vino]

My concern is the humidity is right down at 41%. I'm not sure how long it takes to stabilize but its been dropping since I turned the fridge on. Should I be putting a small container of water in the bottom or something?

The temp. is good and stable.

Thanks in advance
Nick

I have 2 of the containers you get with Vintec fridges in it. They last about 3 weeks. But I only have screwcaps in it now so don't even bother with that now.

Here are my comments from Page 2

Lucky to get above 50% humidity.

Top third of the fridge does not get to whatever temp is set. About 5C warmer.

Fans are noisy (unbalanced or something) comes and goes.

[NLR]

Thanks for that - -I should learn to read more.

I have a few bottles of Lakes Folly and Savaterre Chardonnay both of which are cork. How long does it take for lower humidity to damage the corks?

[Davo]

Thanks for that - -I should learn to read more.

I have a few bottles of Lakes Folly and Savaterre Chardonnay both of which are cork. How long does it take for lower humidity to damage the corks?

From memory, and it is getting pretty poor, there was a trial done a way back and it was at least 2 years before any noticeable difference. This was between 2 bottles, 1 standing, one lying and side by side in the same ambient conditions. Naturally you would also have to take cork variability into account as well

[rednut]

I eventually purchased a 72 bottle Primo fridge also for my brother. He loves it and I was surprised how quiet it runs. It is more than adequate for his needs.

Just on the humidity thingy, I have a Vintec 122 bottle fridge. Should I be putting water in the fridge in a little container or not?

I have never thought about it and my wines I am drinking from the fridge are not even climbing the corks and have had no leakers and some have been in there a few years and are older vintages.

[dave vino]

Get yourself a cheap hygrometer for $40 or so and put it in there to monitor it. See how it is. I suppose it depends on where you are, how dry the air is, the location of the fridges in the house, clearance around the fridges etc, etc.

[sbv]

My Prima 72 bottle wine fridge blew the transformer during a recent storm and no longer operates. Any suggestions on a cheap way to repair it.

Scott

[TiggerK]

No sorry Scott, nothing from me. You could call an electrician of course, but without the right knowledge and tools, never going to be cheap to fix. One of my fridges died recently too, think it was the compressor though, so reluctant to throw it out..... (surely something can be done?? I keep thinking, but dad-in-law who used to repair appliances says no).

I will check with him on your issue next time we call though, day or two. So no power to the unit at all??

Cheers
TiggerK

[sbv]

No power at all. Transformer completely burnt out. My D-I-L is an electrician and my wife's cousin is a fridge mechanic and between them they haven't got a conclusive answer yet.

Might try a spare 12v external transformer I have lying around to see if that can power it.

[Pat]

If a fridge mechanic and an electrician have looked at it and can get a definitive answer I don't like your chances with a correct answer on a wine forum. Might be time to start saving for another one.

[Dave Dewhurst]

I had a problem with one of mine recently in that when the transformer blew, the control board also blew. Not the same make though, although I do have a Prima.

Cheers

Dave

[odyssey]

As an aside, for anyone else thinking of this range of fridges, I have both a Prima (from Dinosaur Deals) and a Cybercool (from Deluxe Products) and despite the two looking the same from outside appearance, have visible different internal electronics. I strongly recommend the Cybercool if looking at this lower price range, due to top-to-bottom temps in summer.

The Cybercool ranges 14 at the bottom to 18 at the top, when set at 14, with ease and without draining too much power, even in summer heat, and is quiet as a mouse.

The Prima ranges from 14 at the bottom to 25 at the top when set at 14, and struggles to do so in summer, has much louder fans, and makes annoying high pitched buzzing noises.

Cheers

[sbv]

Update - don't think the component that blew was a transformer. Bypassed it and the fridge runs. Will put a fuse in place of the burnt out component and see how it goes.

[calm]

As an aside, for anyone else thinking of this range of fridges, I have both a Prima (from Dinosaur Deals) and a Cybercool (from Deluxe Products) and despite the two looking the same from outside appearance, have visible different internal electronics. I strongly recommend the Cybercool if looking at this lower price range, due to top-to-bottom temps in summer.

The Cybercool ranges 14 at the bottom to 18 at the top, when set at 14, with ease and without draining too much power, even in summer heat, and is quiet as a mouse.

The Prima ranges from 14 at the bottom to 25 at the top when set at 14, and struggles to do so in summer, has much louder fans, and makes annoying high pitched buzzing noises.

Cheers

Anybody with a Cybercool or Prima 72 got an update in regard to how happy or unhappy you are with the units. If you had your time again would you have spent more money for an upmarket unit or has it completed expectations? Thanks in advance.

[odyssey]

If I had my time again I wouldn't buy another Prima due to the massive temperature variations between top and bottom (tested it with digital thermometers - the top is just about at room temperature). I'd just have bought 2x Cybercool.

The only issue I have with the Cybercool is the same issue TiggerK had with his Vintec, which is the chemically smell.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11275&start=0#p88567

[calm]

If I had my time again I wouldn't buy another Prima due to the massive temperature variations between top and bottom (tested it with digital thermometers - the top is just about at room temperature). I'd just have bought 2x Cybercool.

The only issue I have with the Cybercool is the same issue TiggerK had with his Vintec, which is the chemically smell.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11275&start=0#p88567

Thanks - may go for the cybercool. Just too expensive for me to consider the refrigerated units with regard to the storage I need and I think the reasonably cool and stable temps under my house will suit the thermoelectrics just fine