Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator

Curated from 61 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: April 18, 2025

Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator

Brand: Ivation
Price: $199
Snoop Score:
2.2
Sentiment
0.0
Popularity
0.0
Technical
5.1

Snoop's Take

The Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator is designed to store and preserve your wine collection in optimal conditions. With a temperature range of 41°F to 64°F, this wine cooler utilizes compressor technology to maintain stability, ensuring your wines are kept at their best. However, consumer sentiment indicates some concerns regarding the quality of similar products in this category. As one user noted, "I would personally avoid thermoelectric fridges all together. They are generally cheaply made and are prone to frequent failures." This feedback suggests that while the Ivation cooler has beneficial features, there may be concerns about durability that potential buyers should consider. In conclusion, while the Ivation wine cooler offers a range of impressive features for wine storage, the general skepticism about the reliability of thermoelectric wine coolers may affect its recommendation within this category. Therefore, prospective buyers should weigh the product's strengths against the noted quality concerns.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Freestanding Wine Cellars

Obtaining/recycling wine bottles Any ideas on where to find used wine bottles? I don’t really have big wine fans in my family/friend circle so I’d love some tips on how to get a bunch of bottles.

Insightful Chatter

I would personally avoid thermoelectric fridges all together. They are generally cheaply made and are prone to frequent failures.

Negative Feedback
Product
2.2
Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Long-Term Aging
1 / 10
Ready-to-Serve Wines
1 / 10
Compact Spaces
1 / 10
Gifts for Wine Lovers
1 / 10
See how this compares to all Freestanding Wine Cellars

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Thermoelectric fridges are generally poorly made
I would personally avoid thermoelectric fridges all together. They are generally cheaply made and are prone to frequent failures.

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
FOVOMI Wine Refrigerators, 52-bottle Wine Fridge CoolerFOVOMI Wine Refrigerators, 52-bottle Wine Fridge Cooler$599
9.6
DetailsBuy
ROVSUN 18 Bottle Wine FridgeROVSUN 18 Bottle Wine Fridge$179
7.8
DetailsBuy
Antarctic Star 2.6cu.ft Wine Cooler/Cabinet Beverage RefrigeratorAntarctic Star 2.6cu.ft Wine Cooler/Cabinet Beverage Refrigerator$189
7.0
DetailsBuy
Ivation 18 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler RefrigeratorIvation 18 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator$249
6.8
DetailsBuy
Koolatron Urban Series 12 Bottle Wine Cooler RefrigeratorKoolatron Urban Series 12 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator$229
6.6
DetailsBuy
Ivation 14 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler RefrigeratorIvation 14 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator$219
6.5
DetailsBuy
AAOBOSI 17 Inch Wine CoolerAAOBOSI 17 Inch Wine Cooler$359
5.9
DetailsBuy
Antarctic Star Wine Cooler, Beverage RefrigeratorAntarctic Star Wine Cooler, Beverage Refrigerator$154
5.1
DetailsBuy
JINJUNYE 8 Bottle Wine Cooler RefrigeratorJINJUNYE 8 Bottle Wine Cooler Refrigerator$159
5.0
DetailsBuy
Kalamera Wine Cooler Refrigerator - 6 Bottle Mini FridgeKalamera Wine Cooler Refrigerator - 6 Bottle Mini Fridge$109
4.8
DetailsBuy
Ivation 33 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler RefrigeratorIvation 33 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator$308
2.9
DetailsBuy
Ivation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler RefrigeratorIvation 12 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator$199
2.2
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Mention of various wine cooler brands and their reliability
Its actually pretty cheap to fix and/or replace the compressor when it does, you don't need a new unit.
Positive feedback on WineEnthusiast wine refrigerator
I bought a WineEnthusiast wine refrigerator a few months ago and absolutely love it.
Features of a different thermoelectric wine cooler
The temp stays rock solid and I live in Western Australia with no AC in the house and temps that regularly hit 90+deg F.

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Suggestions for obtaining used wine bottles
Obtaining/recycling wine bottles Any ideas on where to find used wine bottles? I don’t really have big wine fans in my family/friend circle so I’d love some tips on how to get a bunch of bottles.
Most of the time in my country they just throw them away after using them. Make sure you take a bag for carrying them away.
I posted on facebook for any of my facebook friends to save their wine bottles for me. I got 10 bottles in just a few days.
I'll be watching Craigslist free trying to collect enough by bottling time.
Suggested alternative to wine fridges with cellars
Have you thought about digging a cellar?

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Concerns about wine storage in rented accommodation
I am perfectly capable of chilling wine prior to serving so not looking to find something that will just get my wines to serving temperature.
Advice on getting the biggest fridge possible
Get the biggest and best you can comfortably afford.
Discussion about wine cooler price differences
I'm storing mid level stuff, price ranging from $20-$100.
If it's the former, it *might* be worth spending more (though still debatable).
There are two reasons to have a wine cooler. One is for wines that you intend to drink soon and you just want to keep them at a reasonable serving temperature.
Expressing confusion about wine cooler terminology
I was super confused at first because I thought you were talking about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_cooler
Comparison of wine fridge prices and capacities
you can get a like ~200 bottle fridge from wineenthusiast for the price of a ~50 bottle fridge from GE/electrolux/subz.

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Concerns about frost buildup in wine fridge
I assume this much frost at the back of a wine fridge isn't normal. How can I avoid this going forward?
Couple of things come to mind. You're either opening the door too often and too long so that the moisture from room temp air is condensing and freezing near the evaporator, and/or your fridge temp setting is too cold.
That’s too much frost. An air conditioner is also a dehumidifier so there shouldn’t be moisture. I’m assuming you’re not aiming for a temperature lower than 50f.
there should be NO frost in a wine fridge. something is wrong. Unplug it, defrost it, then set the thermometer up higher.
Discussion about common issues with non-compressor wine coolers
Just like they suggested, the C8 cap was bad. The replacement was literally only 47 cents.
The silent operation of these coolers is a huge bonus.
It didn't really do anything. The lights and fans all work, so I didn't suspect anything with the board.
A quick swap of the two controllers proved that the elements were good and the problem was on the controller board.
Majority of affordable wine fridges perform poorly
the vast majority of wine fridges suck. At least all of the affordable ones.

You May Also Like

Explore more Freestanding Wine Cellars
Ivation 33 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Ivation 33 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Ivation 14 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Ivation 14 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator
Antarctic Star Wine Cooler, Beverage Refrigerator
Antarctic Star Wine Cooler, Beverage Refrigerator
Explore more Categories
Top Built-In Wine Cellars for Home and Office
Top Built-In Wine Cellars for Home and Office
Top Food Processors for Your Kitchen
Top Food Processors for Your Kitchen
Top Stand Mixers for Your Kitchen
Top Stand Mixers for Your Kitchen