Reviewing the Ca’Lefort Dual Zone Wine and Beer Fridge with French Door

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Having a reliable wine refrigerator is very useful to those of us who enjoy wine frequently, either at home or taken to a party or event. Having wine at your fingertips at the right temperature is wonderful. A refrigerated wine storage unit also helps to keep wine safe and in optimum condition for longer periods than sitting in a wine rack at room temperature.

This Ca’Lefort Dual Zone Wine and Beer Fridge with French Door was delivered on a day with rain predictions, so the unit in its packaging was quickly moved indoors. The packaging was undamaged and certainly looked sturdy enough to protect the unit. No damage was observed as the unit was unpacked and moved into position. An instructional user manual was included as well as a “thank you” note from the Ca’Lefort team that added a nice personal touch.

One important note is that the unit is relatively heavy, over 100 pounds, and will require at least two healthy folks for moving and installation. It is good to have a quality roller dolly and/or a furniture dolly on hand. Once positioned in the desired location, the fridge is easy to install and prepare for operation. It is important to follow instructions to allow the unit to sit upright for a period of 24-36 hours to allow the refrigerant to settle thus avoiding any damage to the compressor upon startup. Also, it is important to level the unit using the adjustable legs at the bottom front. This will help the unit run quieter and more efficiently. During the standing period, the handles can be easily attached to the doors and the internal packing materials removed.

This particular unit has an additional advantage for one who in addition to wine enjoys having cold beverages like sodas and beer available at all times. This Ca’Lefort Dual Zone Wine and Beer Fridge holds up to 21 bottles of wine and up to 60 – 12-ounce beverage cans. The unit is particularly designed to hold slender Bordeaux style bottles, three per shelf. It seems best to load the bottles one in the back facing out, and two more bottles in the front facing inward (see photos below). Experiments have shown that many larger diameter Burgundy style bottles can also fit onto the shelves, but of course there are some especially “fat” bottles that are just too large to squeeze into the unit.

The cooler is designed to maintain two different temperatures for the beverages stored inside. The range is 36-72°F (or can be set to the Celsius scale if so inclined) and each side can be set to a different temperature using the touch digital display located just inside the doors at the top of each side of the unit. Temperatures were preset at 36°F for the canned beverage side and 54°F for the wine storage side – pretty much ideal settings.

The instruction manual indicates an advanced cooling and air circulation system that provides a (near) constant temperature on each side with rapid cooling (<40 mins) to the set temperature. Also noted is the overall quiet operation (41db) that allows the unit to be subtly forgotten until a beverage is needed. Although my current use for the cooler will be as a freestanding fridge in the dining area, it can be integrated into a kitchen or dining room cabinet arrangement as a built-in unit. The overall dimensions for both free-standing and built in usage are covered in the operation manual and on the Ca’Lefort website. The warranty includes 1 year on the fridge, 2 years on parts, and 3 years on the compressor.

The fridge features dual temperature zones, as noted above, and the two well-sealing double tempered glass doors help to maintain the proper temperature on both sides. The attractive, almost full-length brushed chrome handles make for easy opening of the fridge. The internal LED lights can be adjusted between white, blue, and amber colors. I have found the blue color to be most pleasing.

Specifications:

Capacity – 21 750 mL bottles of wine and 60 12-ounce cans
Height – 34 inches, Width – 23.4 inches, Depth – 22.4 inches
Weight – 119 lbs
Retail cost – $899.99