Experience with a new Vintec

[DBO]

Hi Folks

I just wanted to gather some feedback on other people's experience with buying a Vintec. I was already heavily leaning towards the purchase of a large new Vintec for a while and some of the comments I read here finally tipped me over the edge last week.

To make a long story short, I received delivery of a new V155SG2ESS (dual zone) last night. As you can expect I was eager to fill the new unit up with my stock of bottles. It wasn't long though that I ran into trouble trying to fit my collection. The fridge is equipped with 14 sliding shelves yet the spacing is so tight that I cannot fit the majority of my Pinot Noir or Shiraz bottles into the racks using the default configuration.

For over half of my collection, the diameter of the bottles was too great to squeeze into the sliding shelves. After scraping several labels and much frustration, I ended up taking out about four shelves and double-stacking the wines into the resulting cavity. This has been really disappointing since I took it for granted that Vintec would be able to cater for most bottle sizes. I specifically bought the 155 because of the sliding racks. They are not only too tightly spaced, the runners also restrict the width with many bottles being forced inwards as you slide a shelf closed.

Apart from that, the QA seemed pretty average as well. There were two screws rolling around in the bottom of the fridge (I managed to find where one of these fell out) and the rubber feet were also missing after delivery.

To see a wine fridge in this price category fail in such a spectacular manner left me feeling rather deflated with my purchase I must say. Sure I understand the disparity in wine bottle sizing, but I never expected that the majority of Pinot style bottles would not fit into this type of fridge. I could understand these issues if I bought a cheapo China copy off eBay, but this is a $3000 purchase! Is this the norm for Vintec or am I looking at it too harshly? I'd love to hear some other owner experiences with buying the V155 series fridges.

[Dave Dewhurst]

I get the feeling this is the norm for a fair few of the expensive wine fridges in that the quoted bottle numbers are for Bordeaux-type bottles. I have a large fridge with similar issues in that some shiraz and pinot get labels scraped but as I plan to drink them, I'm not too worried. I get 159 of the advertised 168 bottle capacity with shelves in.

Just to add insult to injury, I do have an el-cheapo bought off the web a few years back and mine does fit pinot and shiraz bottles just fine Bugger eh?

Cheers

Dave

[dave vino]

A lot of people take the shelves out and leave it so they can double/triple stack each remaining shelf. You fit heaps more in that way.

[DBO]

A lot of people take the shelves out and leave it so they can double/triple stack each remaining shelf. You fit heaps more in that way

Unfortunately it looks like a problem you have to resort to. Not very well thought out by Vintec! I just hope my 3 grand went on quality components rather than the "quality design"

BTW...thanks for the pic. Boy it's nice to see a healthy collection of cork tops in one spot .

[TiggerK]

Yep, my vintec interior looks much like Dave's, ok maybe not so flash! Took a few shelves out, and by stacking some facing backward and sideways across the front etc, managed to way exceed the bottle count as stated. Mine's a small model though, but be creative. At least yours doesn't smell chemically! 3 years on and it's fading a little... (Normally a bit more full than this, had a few recently!)



Cheers
Tim

[rens]

Yep, my vintec interior looks much like Dave's, ok maybe not so flash! Took a few shelves out, and by stacking some facing backward and sideways across the front etc, managed to way exceed the bottle count as stated. Mine's a small model though, but be creative. At least yours doesn't smell chemically! 3 years on and it's fading a little...

Cheers
Tim

I'm the same. I have a 50 bottle version-although my record is 57 1/2 bottles. I've removed some shelves and have the bottles stacked forwards, backwards and sideways. I've had mine for 6 1/2 years and the chemical smell is gone(ish).

[Kessler]

I have a Vintec and while I'm generally very happy with it, I can't help but feel the design, well, sucks.

there is, what seems, acres of wasted space and I end up chucking bottles in willy nilly.. Not ideal but it does the trick I suppose

[xsorxpire]

My vintec broke in the first three months.
Now it makes my labels moldy.

My Kitchener can best be described as a piece of shit.
The door doesn't seal, the temp varies from 13 at the bottom to 22 at the top.
The follow up service was to knock $100's off the price to not have to fly it back and tell me they were ALL THE SAME AND IT WOULD NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE TEMP.
It does however keep my excess cigars at their 16-18 degrees when placed on the middle shelves.

I keep getting emails from this mob to like them on bookface.
Like hell!

Sticking fans in the bottom hasn't even helped.

So.
I bought a bunch of 100mm coolroom panels and am going to build a cool room.

[housepour]

Looks like Vintec aren't making too many friends with the forum. Am surprised about the comment on Kitchener too, they had seemed to be a pretty dependable product.
I've had 2, 177 bottle Liebherr Grand Cru single zone fridges for about 10 years and the only maintenance so far has been a faulty lock. I opted for solid doors and 1 zone because I wasn't sold on the idea of display or the need to tax the fridge mechanic's any more than was needed with differant Temp zones. Besides at 16 degree's besides Rieslings I can partake straight from the fridge. The filters are $$$$ at $40 dollars each but I've replaced them once in all that time. I live in central Queensland so they were a must . There used to be a supplier in Brisbane if anyone wants to search one out!

[Cody]

I haven't had any luck with Vintec before, so if anyone is planning on getting one...don't

Jane
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