Uniformity of temperature is a wine-storing essential—wine can degrade when stored in a spot with wide temperature swings.

Ideal storage temperatures depend on the density of wine; sparkling wines, whites, and reds are best stored from 45º to 60º F. Single-compartment cellars let cool air sink within the container to create different zones, but more manufacturers are opting for separate compartments within the units, which allow you to store your wine at different temperatures. Most of the 20 models excelled at maintaining uniform temperatures, according to the thermometers we installed within the units. The Marvel 6SWCD601, $1,800, led a pack of 10 undercounter models that did a strong job maintaining a uniform range of temperatures. But its ability to compensate for changes in room temperature and its overall energy efficiency set it apart.

Take a close look at shelving

We like the way the coated-wire racks on the GE Profile PCR06WAT, $1,200, lift out quickly and easily out of the wooden-faced shelves when fully extended. As with many other top scorers, the entire shelf units remove easily to create storage compartments for larger bottles. The shelves on the Marvel are not removable and do not extend fully but boast oval openings and an additional plastic insert to hold wider bottles snugly and protect their labels.

The Danby DWC283BLS, $350, Whirlpool WWC287BLS $400, and Kenmore 9913, $500, have shelves with narrowly spaced slats that limit capacity and allow bottles to slide about, bump one another other, and angle upwards to block the drawer opening.

Factor in the noise

A noisy wine chiller can be a concern if it will be placed near living areas. The GE Monogram ZDWR240PABS, $1,400, Avanti WECR510DZB[SS], $800, Kenmore 9913, and GE Profile PWR04FAN[BS], $450, were the quietest.

The level of vibration was almost too low for our tests to measure, but we did find that louder models showed greater vibration. Whether that level is bad is open to debate; wine is a liquid, and every molecule is moving much faster than any motion imparted by vibration from a cellar. Don't disregard energy use

Wine chillers are not particularly efficient and are not part of the federal government's Energy Star program. While the temperatures setting that you choose will increase or decrease your energy use, at the U.S. average cost of 10.8 cents per kilowatt hour, the most efficient model we tested, the Electrolux EI24WC65GS0, $1,400, will cost approximately $9.61 to run per year. The least efficient model, the freestanding Haier HVTB40ABH, $400, used more than twice as much as some other models-almost as much as an 18-cubic-foot refrigerator.

Consider these other features

Many models offer digital temperature controls you can access without opening the door, which helps keep temperatures even more consistent. The settings for red wine and white wine on the GE Profile also cut out some guesswork. The Kenmore, Danby, and Whirlpool have water bins to maintain a high enough humidity level so that corks and labels don't dry out.

Also look at integrated locks to prevent visitors from pilfering your prize vintages, tinted-glass doors to that protect your wine from ultraviolet light, and adjustable interior lighting and tilt-up shelves to display your prized bottles or to store partially full ones.

Some wine chillers have wooden shelf edges that you can stain to match your cabinets; others can accept a custom-cabinet frame. Others allow you to insert strips of molding that match your cabinetry around the glass door, but on the U-Line Echelon 2175WC, $1,500, the door hinges attached to the wood, making the door performance dependent on proper carpentry and the dimensional stability of the wood.

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