When comparing EdgeStar CWF340DZ vs Avanti EWC1201, the Slant community recommends Avanti EWC1201 for most people. In the question“What are the best wine coolers?” Avanti EWC1201 is ranked 3rd while EdgeStar CWF340DZ is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose Avanti EWC1201 is:
This cooler can hold a total of 12 bottles of wine, certainly enough for casual wine drinkers or for those who are just starting their wine collection. Eight of the bottles are stored horizontally while 4 can be placed vertically. This allows unfinished bottles to be placed back in the fridge for storage - convenient if you don’t want to finish the bottle in one evening.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Well lit on the inside
This cooler has an interior blue LED light that makes it easy to see what’s inside the fridge.
Pro Bottles can be kept away from children
The doors can be locked with an included key, keeping the bottles away from children.
Pro Reversible doors
The doors can be reversed to accommodate the space around the unit.
Pro Can handle large bottles
Because of its large dimensions, this wine cooler can store bottles that are longer than the standard 750ml ones.
Pro Wide temperature range
The unit can maintain temperatures between 41 °F up to 64 °F, meaning it’s suitable for storage of a wide range of wines with different needs.
Pro Bottles are easy to organize due to sliding racks
This cooler’s racks can be slid out to make the bottles easier to reach. Their wooden, further completing the high-end look of this device.
Pro Easy to use
The display and controls are easy to use and read, even in bright environments.
Pro Reliable and versatile cooling technology
While most modern wine coolers use thermoelectric cooling that are more efficient, this one uses a more traditional compressor type cooling. This technology has proven to be more reliable in the long term and compressors can work in a wider temperature range compared to thermoelectric ones.
Pro Elegant appearance
This wine cooler definitely looks more expensive than it is. The polished metal finish with the wooden trim slide out shelves looks and feels great. The blue LED lightning and control panel further complements the sleek appearance.
Pro Good for storing both red and white wine simultaneously
The unit has two independently controlled zones so you can store both red and white wines together. The upper zone can hold 12 standard 750ml wine bottles and its temperature range is best suited for white wines. The bottom can hold 22 bottles and is best used for red wines. The temperatures can be controlled precisely and slight fluctuations will not be a concern.
Pro Lets you store opened bottles
This cooler can hold a total of 12 bottles of wine, certainly enough for casual wine drinkers or for those who are just starting their wine collection. Eight of the bottles are stored horizontally while 4 can be placed vertically. This allows unfinished bottles to be placed back in the fridge for storage - convenient if you don’t want to finish the bottle in one evening.
Pro The design is attractive and practical
This wine chiller will easily fit in the under-counter space because it's so narrow, even despite being quite spacious (12-bottle capacity). It also looks great: the black finish with the tinted curved door not only protects the wine from UV rays but also gives it a stylish, modern look.
Pro Efficient cooling
Instead of using a traditional compressor for cooling, this wine cooler uses a thermoelectric cooling system which vibrates less, runs more efficiently, and is quieter.
Pro You can set the temperature with high precision
This wine chiller has digital controls, so you can set a specific temperature inside. This is very useful for storing delicate wines, such as rose wines that are advised to be stored in a narrow 51 – 53º F range.
Pro It doesn't disturb the wine sediment
Some wines have harmless, yet often unpleasant sediment at the bottom of the bottle. Vibration-less thermoelectric cooler like this one makes sure that the bottle stays still and the dreg doesn't surface and get into your glass.
Cons
Con One year warranty
The unit only comes with a standard one year warranty with no extended warranties for the compressor or other parts.
Con The key isn’t safe enough
While the key will do an excellent job of keeping children away from the bottles, it won’t be totally safe from committed attempts. That’s because the key is a standard hexagon shape and can be easily mimicked.
Con No UV protection
The glass on the door is not tinted, so it won’t protect your wine from UV radiation. This isn’t much of a worry indoors, unless the unit is directly exposed to sunlight.
Con Noisy
Since the unit uses a compressor instead of thermoelectric cooling, it can be quite noisy. The noise is about the same as a small fridge.
Con Not very good at preventing temperature fluctuations
The temperatures can fluctuate a bit on the upper zone. Although it only deviates by a couple of degrees, it’s still something to consider if you need your temperatures to be precise.
Con Needs some free space around it
The unit needs a couple of inches of free space around, for ventilation, it so you can’t build it in counters.
Con Not easy to move
The unit is heavy for its size. At 100 pounds, it’s not easy to move around.
Con There's not enough space for large bottles
If you need to store particularly wide bottles, you may run into trouble. One solution could be to remove some of the shelves.
Con Interior light has a weird behaviour
The interior light works awkwardly as it automatically shuts off 10 minutes after closing the door, but if you want to activate it without opening the door, you need to hold the temperature control switch and then press the light switch.
Con Not great for different types of wine
Since this a one-zone cooler, it’s best used to store either just red or white wine because they require different temperature ranges.
Con It's sensitive to the room temperature
Unfortunately, thermoelectric systems are room temperature-sensitive, so this cooler will only be able to cool down the wine approximately 20-25 degrees below the ambient temperature.