If there is anything I have learned from my pandemic life, it is the value of fine wine. While many people were warming up their sourdough starters, my family and I were looking forward to tasting (and chugging) the fermented grapes. So when planning our DIY smart home renovation, we decided that the project would not be complete without a wine refrigerator.

While I omitted the smart appliances, the wine fridge offers special benefits to any wine lover, from the casual wine drinker to the wine enthusiast. While not "smart" in the sense of having Alexa built in, a wine fridge with features such as customizable temperature zones, LED lights, child locks, and vibration control is a smart investment. When used in conjunction with the best Alexa skills like [Wine Enthusiast] and [Wine Pairing], you can have a pretty intelligent setup for enjoying wine. At least that's what I'm going for.

When I saw an open-box undercounter Marvel Beverage Center on clearance at P.C. Richard & Son for $1,000, I didn't hesitate to take it home. It fit the 15-inch cabinet size required for flush installation, and the three shelves could hold all the wine my family needed.

However, there are a number of excellent wine refrigerators to suit your budget and size preferences, including stand-alone models that do not require home renovations. Here's why you should buy a wine fridge and some of the best wine fridge options available today.

Unlike any of the best refrigerators, which should be below 50 degrees for safe food storage, wine refrigerators create the most ideal aging conditions; according to Decanter's Wine Storage Guide, wine ages best between 50 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit, with a constant temperature of 55.4 degrees ideal

General.

Typical refrigerators are opened and closed throughout the day, so temperature changes are sporadic. Wine refrigerators are kept closed most of the time, preserving the potential for full flavor development. And since wine refrigerators have different compressors than regular refrigerators, bottle sediment is not so disturbing in our new 30-inch, French-door Whirlpool unit.

You can also store specific foods in the wine fridge - think items you'd like to see on a charcuterie board, such as cheese and fruit. Since we have our fancy schmancy wine fridge we have thrown in a yellowed, 12 year old top freezer fridge that helps keep our snacks handy while the majority of our kitchen is demolished. After a long day of breaking drywall, an aged cheddar and cabernet sauvignon are perfect.

Like any appliance, the best wine fridges come in all shapes, sizes, and prices. I purchased a clearance model that was half off in-store, but did a lot of research online beforehand to find the right option for my DIY smart home and wine drinking needs. Here are some of the top choices I found under $500:

For more recommendations, check out our guides to the best smart home devices and best budget smart home devices. Stay tuned next week for another DIY smart home update. Don't miss our next article as we are in the midst of a major renovation project.

Do you have a smart home (or wine fridge) question, write us at [email protected] or in the comments section below with anything you'd like to see covered in the Connected Space.