WhisperKOOL Slimline 2500 Wine Cellar Cooling Unit

I was dissuaded by the 1 star review, but after some more internet research and getting a quote from a HVAC contractor who specializes in wine cellars, I decided to give this a try. I recently bought a house with an existing wine closet and above-the-door cooling unit that was way too noisy. I got a quote to install a split-system and fully-ducted system (with Whisperkool products) that would have been very effective, cleaner looking and quiet, but very pricey at $9,500 and $10,500. This was a much better solution for me at $1,500 plus a few hundred to have someone install it. My closet is 201 cubic feet, and this manages to keep a constant temperature in the mid-50’s in Texas in July. It is running about 80% of the time, by my estimation. It is about as quiet as advertised. (I measured the outside compressor-side at 59db – a little louder than a built-in refrigerator – vs. 76db for the old unit. Because decibels are on a logarithmic scale, this is a huge improvement). The unit is about 12 feet from my primary television and it doesn't interfere with the sound. It does have a drain hose, although I’m not sure why – after a few weeks it produced no water into an empty wine bottle. I have since replaced it with a longer hose so it can drain into the crawlspace through a small hole in the floor. It does produce some heat into the hallway into which it is vented, but that is how these type of systems work. The 1-star reviewer does have a valid point about the photos on Amazon’s website being misleading and, incidentally, different from the photos on Whisperkool’s website. The controls and thermostat are on the inside (evaporator) side of the unit.

Does the job. Packed well and works well.

We changed a closet/under stair area in our vacation home into a wine cellar. This small unit fit perfectly and works great.

I really like this wine cellar cooler. It is located over the entrance door. That locatation is the best. #1 the cooler is out of the way dose not take away from your wine storage. #2 The cooling effect is great. When you open the door to enter your cellar and get a wine bottle. #3 After closing the door. The cooling is started where the cool air has left the cellar. Works great and super quiet.

Description and online video are both misleading. Based on the instruction that came with the package, not only are you required to hook up an unsightly draining pipe to the condensation to a bucket ( or your warranty will be voided), the machine itself will also generate significant amount of heat into the interior room. The thermostat on their official video is shown on the exterior side while in fact it is on the cellar side. In other words, if you want to know the cellar temperature, you need to go inside the cellar to find out. Why do I need to spend extra money for this unit when it's acting like any cheaper through-the-wall unit? The worst part is if you want to return, you need to pay for shipping AND a 20% restocking fee. Felt cheated!