Wine chillers are sold by bottle count, which is a marketing number rather than a dimension. Two chillers with almost the same bottle count can have quite different footprints, because shelf design and rack spacing vary.
If you are fitting one into a specific gap, work from the millimetres.
The actual footprints
Real figures from the wine coolers and chillers we carry, smallest to largest:
- Mayer MMWC20BCS, 20 bottles: 430 x 633 x 488 mm
- MMWC34BCS, 34 bottles: 478 x 828 x 480 mm
- MMWC46GM, 46 bottles: 595 x 820 x 578 mm, 145 litres
- MMWC48MAG, 48 bottles: 540 x 830 x 540 mm
- MMWC94GM, 94 bottles: 595 x 1602 x 550 mm, 275 litres
- MMWC165GM, 165 bottles: 595 x 1802 x 699 mm, 425 litres
Look at the 46 and the 48. Two bottles apart on the label, 55 mm apart in width and 38 mm in depth. The MMWC46GM is a 595 mm unit built to sit in a 600 mm cabinet gap; the MMWC48MAG is 540 mm and slots into something narrower.
That is the whole point. Choose by the gap you have, then see how many bottles that gets you.
Litres per bottle tells you about the shelving
Compare the MMWC46GM at 145 litres for 46 bottles with the MMWC99MAG at 230 litres for 99 bottles. That is 3.2 litres per bottle against 2.3.
The higher figure usually means wider shelf spacing, room for larger Burgundy or Champagne bottles, and easier access. The tighter figure means more bottles crammed into the same volume, which is fine for standard Bordeaux shapes and awkward for anything fatter.
If your collection includes Champagne, check the shelf spacing rather than trusting the count. Manufacturer bottle counts are quoted using a standard bottle profile, and real cellars are not standard.
Under-counter or freestanding
The 820 to 830 mm tall models are the ones aimed at under-counter positions: the MMWC46GM at 820 mm, the MMWC34BCS at 828 mm and the MMWC48MAG at 830 mm.
Measure your own worktop underside before assuming any of them clears it. A typical kitchen worktop sits around 850 mm off the floor, so an 830 mm unit leaves very little for the adjustable feet and none for a slightly uneven floor. That is a tighter margin than most people plan for, and it is worth checking with a tape measure rather than a rule of thumb.
The tall models are freestanding by nature. The MMWC94GM at 1602 mm and the MMWC165GM at 1802 mm are furniture rather than fitted appliances.
Depth is the sneaky one
The MMWC165GM is 699 mm deep. A standard base cabinet run is around 600 mm to the front of the door. So that chiller will stand proud of your kitchen line by roughly 100 mm no matter where you put it.
The MMWC94GM at 550 mm and the MMWC48MAG at 540 mm sit within a standard run comfortably. Depth is the dimension people check last and regret first.
Getting it into the flat
The tall units have the same delivery problem as a full-height fridge. The MMWC165GM ships in a 650 x 775 x 1970 mm carton, which is taller than many lift car interiors and needs to be angled. The MMWC94GM ships in 650 x 620 x 1810 mm.
Check the main door clear width, the corridor, any turn, and the lift height and internal depth before you order. If a measurement is marginal, say so when you place the order rather than on delivery morning.
Single zone or dual
Dual-zone units hold two temperatures, typically one for red and one for white. Whether that matters depends on how you drink. If you mostly store one style, a single zone is simpler and gives you the full cabinet at one setting. If you keep both and serve regularly, dual zone earns its place.
Glass door treatment matters too. The MMWC20BCS and MMWC34BCS are triple-glazed with anti-UV, which protects the wine from light in a bright kitchen. In a dark corner it is less critical.
The comparison worth making
Before committing to a 165 bottle cabinet, be honest about how many bottles you actually keep. Wine chillers get bought for the collection someone intends to have. A half-empty 425 litre cabinet costs the same to run as a full one, and it takes 699 mm of depth out of your kitchen either way.
If you also need cold storage for food, the refrigerators range is the other half of that decision, and a smaller chiller plus a bigger fridge is often the better use of the same floor space.
What you would actually pour
For the argument in favour of keeping something cold and off-dry in the house, chilli crab and what to drink with it covers the pairing and uses two of the chillers listed above.
Common questions
Will a wine chiller fit under my kitchen worktop?
The under-counter models in our range are 820 to 830 mm tall. A typical worktop underside sits a little above that, so the clearance is real but small. Measure from your finished floor to the underside of the worktop before ordering, and allow for the adjustable feet.
Are bottle counts accurate?
They are accurate for a standard Bordeaux bottle profile laid flat as the manufacturer intends. Champagne and Burgundy bottles are wider, so a real mixed collection fits fewer bottles than the label suggests. Plan for around 10 to 20 per cent fewer if your cellar is varied.
Do I need dual zone?
Only if you store reds and whites together and serve both regularly. A single zone set to a middle temperature is a compromise for both; a single zone set correctly for one style is better than a dual zone you never use properly.
How deep are wine chillers?
In our range, 480 to 699 mm. The larger the cabinet the deeper it tends to be. A standard kitchen base run is around 600 mm, so the deepest models will stand proud of the cabinet line.
Can a wine chiller be built in?
Some are designed for it and some are freestanding units that simply happen to be under-counter height. Freestanding models need ventilation clearance around them, so check what the manufacturer specifies before enclosing one in cabinetry.