Cookology CWC301BK Review: a slim wine cooler that does the job without taking over your kitchen

I’ve had the Cookology CWC301BK under my counter for a bit now, and I’ve been using it pretty much every day for drinks, not just wine. I didn’t buy it to build a fancy wine cellar, I just wanted cold bottles without filling my main fridge. My kitchen is small, so the 30cm width was the main reason I went for this model. A lot of other wine coolers are 40cm+ and just don’t fit the gap I had.

From day one, setup was straightforward. I unpacked it, screwed on the handle, levelled the feet a bit and plugged it in. It took maybe 30–40 minutes to get down to the temperature I set. The controls are simple: up, down, power, and light. No app, no Wi-Fi, nothing fancy, and honestly that’s fine by me. I just wanted something that cools bottles and looks half decent.

In day-to-day use, it’s been pretty solid. It holds the temperature I set, doesn’t make a racket, and the shelves slide out smoothly enough. It’s not totally silent, but in a normal kitchen with other appliances on, I don’t notice it much. I’d say the 42 dB noise level they quote seems about right – you can hear it if the room is silent, but it’s not annoying.

Overall, my first impression is that it’s a practical, no-nonsense cooler. It’s not perfect – the 20-bottle capacity is realistic only if you mostly use standard wine bottles, and the interior space is a bit tight for mixed drinks. But for a narrow under-counter slot and a mix of wine and beer, it gets the job done without costing a fortune.

Price-wise, this Cookology CWC301BK sits in that mid-budget zone for a wine cooler. You can definitely find cheaper units, but most of the really cheap ones are either wider (so they don’t fit a 30cm gap) or feel a lot more basic in terms of build. You can also spend a lot more for dual-zone cooling, fancier materials, or brand names, but for a simple under-counter drinks fridge, I didn’t really see the point.

What you’re paying for here is mainly the slim 30cm form factor, the decent build, and the fact it actually cools properly down to 5°C. For me, that combination makes the price feel fair. I’ve had cheaper coolers in the past that struggled to get properly cold or were noisy and flimsy. This one sits in a better spot: not premium, but more reliable than the bargain-basement options. The 4.4/5 average rating from a lot of buyers lines up with my experience: mostly positive with a few quirks.

There are a few compromises. The capacity is limited by the narrow width, so if you want to store loads of mixed drinks, you might outgrow it quickly. Also, there’s only one temperature zone, so if you’re fussy about storing reds and whites at different temperatures, you’ll have to compromise. And the materials and finish, while decent, are not on the same level as pricier brands. So you’re not getting luxury; you’re getting something that’s practical and reasonably priced.

Overall, I’d say the value is good if you specifically need a narrow under-counter wine cooler that just quietly does its job. If you have space for a wider 40–60cm unit, you might find other models with more capacity for similar money. But for tight spaces and regular home use, this Cookology cooler offers a sensible balance between price, performance, and footprint.

Design-wise, I’d describe this as clean and practical rather than high-end. The black finish blends in nicely with typical black or dark appliances. The front is mostly glass with a black frame, and the digital temperature display sits at the top inside. The handle is straightforward to attach – two screws and you’re done. It doesn’t feel fancy, but it’s sturdy enough and matches the rest of the unit.

The 30cm width is the key design point. If you’ve got a narrow gap next to a dishwasher or standard fridge, this thing actually fits, which is harder to find than you’d think. I slotted it between a cupboard and my main fridge, and the door still opens properly thanks to how the hinges are designed. You can put it next to another appliance and it doesn’t catch or hit anything when you open the door fully, which is handy in a tight kitchen.

Inside, the look is decent. The beech wood shelves give it a bit of warmth, and the LED lighting makes the bottles stand out when it’s on. The red temperature display contrasts with the cool interior light, which looks quite nice in the evening. That said, this isn’t going to pass as some high-end designer piece. The materials and finish are clearly mid-range, which is fair for the price. The door glass does attract fingerprints, so be ready to wipe it down now and then if you like it looking clean.

In practice, I like the design because it’s discreet and functional. It doesn’t scream for attention, it just sits under the counter and does its job. If you’re after something flashy or ultra-premium, you might find it a bit plain. But if you want a narrow, black wine cooler that looks tidy and doesn’t clash with most kitchens, it delivers. I’d call the design solid and sensible rather than impressive.

For the price point, the build quality is pretty solid. The cabinet itself feels sturdy when you push or move it. It weighs around 29 kg, so it’s not flimsy or hollow. Once it’s in place and levelled with the adjustable feet, it doesn’t wobble or rattle. The exterior black finish is standard painted metal – nothing fancy, but it holds up fine to everyday knocks and cleaning with a damp cloth.

The glass door is double glazed and UV-resistant according to the specs. I obviously haven’t measured UV levels, but it does feel thicker than cheap single-glazed doors you get on some budget coolers. The door shuts with a decent seal; you can feel a bit of resistance from the rubber gasket, which is what you want. There’s also a door lock, which is useful if you don’t want kids or guests messing around with it. The lock mechanism itself feels a bit basic, but it works.

The shelves are a mix of materials in the spec list (glass, toughened glass, wood), but in use, the main part you notice is the beech wood shelves. They slide in and out reasonably smoothly, though they’re not on ball-bearing runners or anything fancy. Loaded with bottles, they hold up fine and don’t bow. They’re also spaced in a way that works best for standard 750ml wine bottles. If you try to cram in lots of chunky champagne bottles or weird-shaped craft beer bottles, the spacing gets awkward and you may have to remove a shelf.

Overall, materials are what I’d call “good enough for daily use”. It doesn’t feel cheap to the point of worrying about it, but it also doesn’t feel premium. If you’re expecting thick, heavy doors and silky-smooth runners, you’ll be a bit underwhelmed. If you want something that feels robust enough to last several years of normal home use, this seems fine. So far I haven’t had any issues with creaking shelves, loose handles, or dodgy seals.

In terms of durability, I’ve been using this cooler regularly for a while now – opening it several times a day, loading and unloading bottles, and occasionally overstuffing it before having people over. So far, nothing has broken or felt like it’s on the way out. The door still closes firmly, the handle is tight, and the shelves haven’t warped or bent under the weight of full bottles.

The sliding shelves are usually the weak point on cheaper units, but here they’re holding up okay. They don’t glide like premium runners, but they’re not grinding or catching either. You do need to be a bit sensible and not yank them out fully when loaded with heavy bottles, or you’ll stress the supports, but that’s standard for this type of cooler. The wooden slats haven’t absorbed moisture or started looking rough, which is a good sign.

The exterior finish has survived the usual knocks from shoes, hoovers, and bumping it with shopping bags. No major dents or chips so far. The glass door hasn’t fogged up or developed any weird condensation issues either. The seal around the door still looks fresh and hasn’t started peeling or cracking. I also like that the door is reversible, so if I ever move it to the other side of the kitchen, I can flip it without buying a new unit.

It comes with a 12-month guarantee, which is pretty standard. Based on how it feels and behaves so far, I’d expect it to last several years in a normal home setting. Of course, there are always the odd units with faults (as with any appliance), but mine has been stable. I’d say the durability is decent for the price: not built like a tank, but not flimsy either. If you want something to survive a bar or restaurant environment, I’d look at a more heavy-duty model, but for home use this feels up to the job.

On performance, the main thing: yes, it cools properly. I’ve mostly run it between 6°C and 8°C, which is a nice range for white wine and beer. From room temperature, bottles get properly chilled in a few hours. It’s not as fast as throwing something into the coldest part of a main fridge, but for storage and having a constant supply of cold drinks, it works well. Once it hits the set temperature, it holds it fairly steadily. I’ve checked with a cheap fridge thermometer and it was within about 1°C of the display, which is fine for home use.

Noise-wise, it’s rated at 42 dB. In practice, that means you can hear the compressor kick in if the room is quiet, but it’s a low hum, not a high-pitched whine. In my kitchen, with a normal amount of background noise from other appliances and people, it fades into the background. I wouldn’t put it in a bedroom or a silent office, but for a kitchen or open-plan living area, I think it’s acceptable. I’ve had louder standard fridges.

The 20-bottle capacity is realistic only if you’re mostly using standard wine bottles and stacking them the way they show in the manual. If you mix in beer bottles, soft drink cans, or chunky prosecco bottles, you’ll hit the limit sooner. For my usage (mix of wine, beer, and soft drinks), I’d say it comfortably holds around 12–16 items without playing Tetris. So if you’re expecting a spacious drinks fridge, bear in mind it’s quite narrow.

Energy-wise, it’s rated at about 138.5 kWh per year, which is reasonable for a small wine cooler that’s on 24/7. I haven’t noticed any big jump in my electricity bill since adding it. The automatic defrost works fine – I haven’t seen any major ice build-up or frost issues. Overall, performance is reliable and consistent rather than impressive. It cools to the set temperature, stays there, and doesn’t cause any drama, which is pretty much what I wanted.

On paper, this Cookology CWC301BK is a 30cm wide, freestanding under-counter wine cooler with space for up to 20 bottles and around 58–60 litres of capacity. The dimensions are about 57 cm deep, 29.5 cm wide, and 82 cm high, so it’s basically the height of a standard under-counter appliance, just much slimmer. It’s designed to be either freestanding or tucked under a worktop, which is how I’m using it.

Inside, you get 5 sliding shelves made from beech wood, plus space at the bottom. The door is glass and double glazed, with UV protection, and it’s reversible so you can switch the hinge side if you need to. The temperature range is between 5°C and 20°C, which covers typical white, rosé and red wine storage. There’s a small digital display at the top and a red LED readout for temperature. It also has an internal LED light you can switch on and off.

One small thing that’s not obvious until you read the manual or hit the problem: there’s a control lock. If the buttons suddenly stop working, it’s probably locked. You unlock it by pressing the light and power button together for three seconds. I actually ran into this and thought it was faulty for a minute, so that’s worth knowing. The defrost system is automatic, so you don’t have to mess around with that.

Overall, the feature set is basic but sensible: adjustable temperature, internal light, reversible door, sliding wooden shelves, and a key lock on the door. No separate zones, no fancy wine classifications, just a simple single-zone cooler. For my use – chilling wine, beer, and soft drinks – the spec is fine. If you’re a serious collector who wants different temperatures for reds and whites, this isn’t that type of unit, but for a regular household it covers the basics.