I am writing this review because of my extreme dissatisfaction with the Edgestar wine refrigeration product line and Compact Appliances. Two years ago my husband purchased the Edgestar 28-bottle fridge for me as a Christmas gift. We were so excited with the product that we raved to everyone about it. The following Christmas it was all my parents wanted. We purchased the smaller 16-bottle Edgestar for them. Not two weeks later ours died (right after the one-year warranty). My husband is quite handy and called to purchase various parts to repair the unit--over $100 worth--to no avail. We were devastated to throw away a brand new unit just one year after our purchase. I spoke with my parents last night and found to their utter disappointment now theirs has died too--just one year after we purchased it for them. This is TWO units that died immediately after a one-year period! These products are not inexpensive and were a costly investment to preserve our favorite wines. We are disappointed in the quality of the items and have vowed to never purchase again from Compact Appliances. We are also planning to warn all of our wine-loving friends in the wine classes we attend to not purchase the products as well. What a disappointing Christmas!

I finally decided to purchase a wine cooler for my stash of red wine. My hesitance in buying one was that it would have to go in my dining/living room area. I certainly didn't want something that looked and sounded like a 'fridge. This was perfect. It's very quiet--I've had it for a little over a month now with nary a peep out of it. I like the muted light inside that I can turn on or off for ambient lighting. It filters through the tinted glass. I did not install the door pull so the cooler looks more sleek and less like a fridge. Keeps the wine safe from sunlight and warm temps.

I purchased two of these wine coolers (one for reds and one for whites) for less than the price of one of the others. It seems that this particular EdgeStar looks identical to the Avanti 28 bottle cooler... hmmm. After a lot of comparison shopping this unit seemed to be the best bang for the buck. The thermoelectric system seems to be energy efficient and provides for total space utilization within the cooler itself. I was also able to cash in on a manufacturers no shipping special and an additional 5% discount. My only objection is that you cannot store any large bottles like champagne or sparkling wines (unless you remove a shelf) and some larger 750ml bottles seem tight. But, you just have to be careful not to damage your labels on the racks especially for the bottles you may be aging or giving as gifts.
If they continue to provide satisfactory service, I will probably consider buying another one. I would definitely recommend purchasing this unit.

I bought this cooler for several reasons, including:

1.) truly square internal dimensions (i.e. no 'hump' at the bottom for a compressor)
2.) thermoelectric (i.e. no moving parts)
3.) lightweight (i.e. no compressor)
4.) tinted glass
5.) inexpensive

At room temperature (77F), the cooler is able to lower the internal ambient temperature to 55F and the temperature of the wine to 58F. A ~20F differential isn't bad for a 50 watt thermoelectric cooler.

My only complaints/wishes are:

1.) A true thermostat with a digital readout (I currently use an analog thermometer and adjust the rotary temp knob)
2.) Better welds on the rear of the unit (two of the supports broke loose at the welds while moving it around)