NewAir Freestanding 33 Bottle Compressor Wine Fridge Review

For years we talked about getting a wine fridge for our wine club selections from Central Texas wineries. We were using inexpensive wine racks on the floor of our pantry but knew that wouldn’t work for any kind of long-term storage, especially in the summer. So, I was excited to review the NewAir Freestanding 33 Bottle Compressor Wine Fridge, model NWC033SS0. Now I’ll be the first to tell you that since I have never owned a wine fridge, I had quite the learning curve, not to mention we were in possession of less than the number of bottles the fridge holds. But that only adds to the anticipation!

The unit arrived on my doorstep, very well packaged and heavy–be sure you have another person or a hand truck to help you bring it inside–it was well over 66 pounds and must stay upright. After unpacking it, I wiped down the interior according to the user manual and let it sit overnight. Since this unit is only designed for freestanding use, we found the perfect spot in our den with a dedicated grounded plug nearby, perfect because NewAir does not recommend you use an extension cord with this unit. It sits at 33” high, 19” wide, and 17” deep, and I also made sure to have at least 5 inches all around the unit for good airflow. Originally, I thought I would set it up in the garage, but in summer, our garage gets too hot for the unit to be able to work efficiently. Its simple design of black sides and stainless trim with a double-paned glass door looks great in the room.

The next morning, I read the instructions carefully before leveling the unit with the adjustable front feet and plugging the unit in. You shouldn’t notice the fridge vibrating unless it isn’t level; a little bit of noise from the flow of the coolant circulating is normal. Setting it up was easily done, but the most important thing to know about the LED touch control display panel is that you must press the up and down temperature buttons together to unlock the display panel. (There is a small lock symbol directly above them as a big hint!) This allows you to set the temperature and operate the interior light. After 20 seconds, the display panel automatically locks. Since we are red wine lovers, I set the temperature to 55°F (the range for this unit is 41°F–64°F) and it reached that within an hour or two.

Adding a few bottles here and there did not seem to cause the unit to warm any appreciable amount, and I verified that with a manual fridge thermometer. But if you are loading it for the first time with close to the total number of bottles it holds, it may take a bit longer to get to your desired temperature. Also, opening and closing the door often will cause it to take longer to get back to the target temperature. A very low humming sound coming from the fan in the unit is barely noticeable.

This is a straightforward unit–there is no humidity control or dual zones, no filter, and very little maintenance besides wiping it down if you need to. The number of bottles you can fit inside will depend on the actual size and shape of the bottles. The uppermost shelf will hold smaller 500 ml bottles fairly easily without defeating the use of the interior LED light, but they have the potential to roll if placed crosswise. The five metal shelves in the middle of the unit can hold a total of twenty-five 750 ml bottles and aren’t adjustable, sliding out easily only when they are empty. The bottom shelf can comfortably hold three 750 ml wine bottles. The unit is not designed for food storage, but you could probably store canned drinks along the bottom.

I’m happy with this NewAir wine fridge so far–it’s quiet, efficient, and very easy to use. I’m ready for fall wine club pick-ups knowing my wines will be stored safely and taste great!

Buy the NewAir Freestanding 33 Bottle Compressor Wine Fridge on the NewAir website. Just for you from Texas Wine Lover, remember to use the Discount Code of TEXAS10OFF for 10% off!