first and foremost, room preparation is critical. none will perform
efficiently absent proper construction. a good source for room prep can be
found on http://www.winecellarcatalog.com/ref_const.htm - this a generic
site and while it does represent a specific mfg, there is no contact
information or pricing . the product line is irrelevant, the elements of
construction is what's important.

this basic information should be of some help to you in your planning.

coolspace (and any of the other names under which it's marketed) systems
have the most limited warranties in the industry - 12 months versus 5 - 6
years. the chillr has just come on the market (august). based on past
models' performance, "good luck".

they introduce "new" models about every 2 years. the predecessors have had
less than superior service histories or factory support. the machine must
exhaust into an air conditioned, climate controlled space as opposed as to
the more established lines such as whisperkool and breezaire, the 2 industry
standards. (every national cabinet producer that doesn't tout it's own
"house brand" chooses to use breezaire - it has the most comprehensive
warranties - it has a 19 year service history that is immaculate and it
happens to cost less than whisperkool.

there are also knock-offs that claim to be "replacements" for breezaire, but
dimensions alone don't equate to performance history, warranties, loaner
programs and overall value per dollar.

sound level, humidity (which is only a by product of the ambient
environment - the machine doesn't "do" anything specifically, it can only
with what mother nature provides), vibration non-issues created by the
marketing folks. al things being equal with regard to capacity and when
each is operating properly, there is no distinction - none vibrate, all will
maintain 50% - 70% humidity relative to 55 degrees and they all sound the
same.

air conditioners won't pull down to the mid 50's ... they will dehydrate the
interior which will jeopardize the integrity of the cork (leading to
oxidation/evaporation) ... they are designed to cool quickly, subjecting the
wines to more severe fluctuations than appropriate to wine storage..



"ThomasPrinzie" > wrote in message
du...
> Hello all,
>
> I'm building a small wine cellar room in our finished basement,
> essentially a plywood box 5 x 4 ft.
> I'm debating whether to put in a regular small room AC, or one of the
> cooling units advertised in wine mags (eg Koolspace Chillr). We're
> talking $80 vs $500 here, and I can't seem to find any info on
> significant advantages for the latter. Noise, vibration, humidity
> maintenance??
>
> Any input or prior experiences much appreciated!
>
> Thomas in St Louis