Customer Reviews

Haier HVT12ABS 12-Bottle-Capacity Table-Top Wine Cellar, Black with Silver Trim

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(23)

 

 

First, let me start by addressing the other reviews that have been critical of the quality of the Haier Tabletop Wine Cellar. I've used mine for over a month with no issues, and I believe I may have an explanation for others' perceived problems. The unit works by cycling a cooling fan on and off as needed, so it doesn't continuously run like most refrigerators do. Also, its thermostat is extremely particular, i.e. if it senses that it's cold enough, you can't turn it down low enough to force the fan to kick on. Finally, remember that this is a wine cooler, not a mini-fridge, and that wine isn't meant to be kept as cold as other beverages. We have our unit stored in a pantry on the coldest corner of our house and it keeps the wine right while barely running the fan. These circumstances could lead to a misperception that the unit has completely stopped working when in fact, it's just accurately having an "off" cycle. If my Wine Cellar ever does truly stop working, I'll certainly update this review.

Potential dependability issues aside, there are still critical problems with the Tabletop Wine Cellar that keep it from being a realistic solution for most people. The most immediate one is size - when you pull it out of the box, you'll scratch your head wondering whether or not you really picked up the model for "Tabletop" use. Somewhere in the world, counters must be much deeper than where I live! I can't verify the dimensions that are quoted above, but the depth seems suspiciously small. Plus, the instructions for the unit specify that it needs several inches of clearance on the back and sides for ventilation. Taking this additional space into consideration, the Cellar is about the size of a microwave oven but much deeper. Our solution was to put it sideways on a microwave cart in a separate room; however, having to do so is a pretty big deviation from the way that it's advertised. In case you're planning on building it into a cabinet or bar as a workaround, the instructions prohibit that as well (again for ventilation concerns).

The second issue is that even as big as the Wine Cellar is on the outside, it's ironically cramped on the inside. Any bottle bigger than 750 mL will not fit unless you remove one of the wire racks, thus reducing it to an eight-bottle capacity (four 750 and four larger ones). Even if you stick with the standard bottle volume, some unusually-shaped bottles will still not fit. For instance, we found that the extra tall, skinny bottles of Chateau Ste. Michel have to be put in diagonally so that basically only one bottle fits per shelf and then you've got to be careful that it doesn't roll out when you open the door.

On the positive side, the unit is very quiet - even when the fan is running, it's no louder than the fan on a new PC. It's also attractively styled in black with the appearance of a brushed pewter frame for the glass door. The door seal and hinge both feel solid and sturdy. The thermostat actually does result in a range of temperatures, but this of course precludes storing white and red together.

To sum up, the Haier Wine Cellar attempts to do the impossible - providing a chiller spacious enough for a case of wine yet compact enough to fit neatly on a kitchen countertop - but ultimately can't quite do it. I haven't experienced any of the motor failure problems that others have described (yet); mine has been a reliable performer. Unfortunately, the additional workaround of where to keep the unit and what to do about the bottles that won't fit in it reduce the Wine Cellar to much less than a hassle-free solution.

PROS
* Cooling fan is very quiet when running
* Accurate thermostat provides a range of temperatures for whites vs. reds

CONS
* Way too large to realistically sit on any countertop
* Can't accommodate large or unusually-shaped wine bottles

I received this as a gift in September filled with my favorite wines. The were all chilled the next day, enjoyed one bottle, and then the thing DIED. It doesn't turn on, run, nothing. Now I'm in the middle of trying to get ahold of a Baier "service center" ... :(

My wife and I received this Haier as a wedding gift. At first we loved it. After 6 months, it completely died. I spoke to Haier and they were willing to replace it, but with a purchase receipt, even after having told them it was a wedding gift. LUCKILY, we found out, around the way it was purchased through Costco; and Costco has the ULTIMATE customer service. So we returned it with no questions and received credit towards it's value; $96.00.
Don't buy this, it will set you up with a big disappointment.

We received this unit as a wedding gift last November and have had no problems with it at all. We live in an apartment, and have very little storage space and not the largest kitchen you've ever seen, however, the fridge fits on the counter, and is amazingly quiet. Overall, the size of it is basically as we expected. It's a small refrigerator, and the idea that it would be as small as a microwave, or toaster oven is just unrealistic.

I was really worried about plugging the thing in and having it not work, but found the entire "installation" process simple, and when I heard the unit come to life after I plugged it in, I loaded it up with wine and haven't looked back. No problems, no worries, and wine at the perfect temp--every time we pop open a bottle.

Just to prove how much faith we have in this little guy--we recently took a weekend trip out to Sonoma, and bought some really decent wines, and wines that we have no intention on drinking for at least a year--and we trust this item with them.

I understand there are more expensive units out there, and that there are probably better units available with more bells and whistles--however, for $89 you just can't go wrong. Plus, it looks cool. It's a great option for people like us, who have an apartment, or small house, with no options for a wine cellar, or an installed unit.

Here are a few suggestions I've stumbled upon along the way, that could help you out....

Make sure the fridge is kept in it's upright position and that it's not turned onto it's side or upside down.
Allow it the luxury of having a designated outlet.
Afford it plenty of room to "breath".
Make sure you keep the fan, and underneath the unit clean and free from dust buildup.

So, get the wine out of the closet, and onto the counter.

Mine worked fine for 3 months, then died a sudden death. It stopped cooling, but the fan still ran. It is not a deceptive on/off cycling as has been alluded to by one happy customer. It just plain croaked, suddenly. Ventilation was adequate. There was no recourse but to trash it.

Unit lasted 6 months. Will send another for $14.95. MUST have sales receipt!

Please do not buy this item. If you want it for free, it is next to my garbage can in the alley.

This product lasted the 3 months that the warranty covered then promptly died. Smelt like an electrical connection burned out, then nothing. Save your money, buy better wine & use the refrigerator.

I'd like to amend my previous review, which gave this unit one star for dying so quickly. Well, I just bought Cuisinart 16 bottle wine cellar to replace Haier (which I've had for 3 years, and it has actually stopped going below 65 degrees 2 years ago)) and when I took the unit to throw it out I noticed the back vent was completely plugged up with your standard kitchen dust bunny/oil gunk. I cleaned it off and plugged it into the outlet 12 hours after the Cuisinart. It has chilled the wine to 55 degrees for the first time in 2 years, and it did it in about 3 hours! It won't go any lower, and the ambient temperature is 67 degrees... but I thought it was completely dead and it isn't! Now I'm wondering if my Cuisinart will live up to it's promise as it's been 20 hours and the inside temperature is 62 degrees (I have it set on 55).

Update. Turns out that my digital temp/hygrometer is ALSO off by about 8-9 degrees. So the inside of the Haier was probably 48 at its lowest setting! So basically... it still works after 3 years and I didn't have to buy the Cuisinart!

I got this as a present. It worked just fine for about 2 years, then it stopped cooling the wine. I called the people at Haier and they basically told me tough. They gave me no remedy or service center, they told me it was out of warranty. I finally talked to someone at the corporate office who told me that they would replace it for a "convenience fee" of $64.99, they would throw in the shipping and handling. I would have to send them the cord and serial tag with a check.