bit-tech Shopping: Danby DWC283BLS Dual Zone 30-Bottle Wine Refrigerator

• Auto Defrost (Frost Free)
• Digital Display
• Interior Light
• Multi Temperature Zones
• Shatter Resistant Glass Door

Rating: 2

Time with product: 4 Days

Strengths: Dual-Zone control, wooden racks, that's about it.

Weaknesses: Does not hold 30 bottles, dual zone settings are strictly limited for white on the bottom (20 bottles in theory) and red on the top (10 bottles in theory), you can not do 20(in theory) bottles of red.

Summary: The lower two shelves are shorter than the others, this is due to the design and placement of the motor and refrigeration unit. This means that the unit will never be able to hold 30 bottles. The standard size bottle of wine holds 750ml, which means they are all displace the same space, although in different dimensions. Any bottle short enough to fit in the lower shelves will be too wide to fit 5 across, any thin enough to fit 5 across will be too long. It only has 6 shelves, which means to fit 30 you must get 5 bottles on each shelf, and that won't happen.In addition I was really disappointed that the dual zones have a programmable range of only 4 degrees (6-10c in the lower section and 10-14c in the upper section) and the zones are not interchangeable. As I own more reds than whites, I had planned to use the larger section for my reds. However, this is more an inconvenient lack of a feature, and not nearly as important as the blatant design flaw/false advertising of it's capacity, and therefore it's function.I only hope it doesn't fail after a week like so many others, and am glad I got the 3 year extended warranty from RC Willey. The only reason I am not returning it is because it would cost me $55 to have them pick it up, and I would have to take another half day off work to do that. It will do well enough until I get my annual bonus and get a better and larger unit and this one will go on Craigslist.Trust me, buy something else, unless you want a 24-26 bottle unit and pray you get at least 8 short fat bottles to put on the bottom shelves.

Rating: 2

Time with product: 3

Strengths: none

Weaknesses: Doesn't last, has been sitting waiting for a part for 1 year!

Summary: We received this as a gift for our wedding. The first one stopped working a little more than a year after we received it. It took forever and many phone calls to Danby to get them to replace it (repairman verified that it wasn't repairable). The second one stopped working about 6 months after delivery. Danby referred me to a repair service. A part needed to be ordered. That took 6 months. After the part arrived, it didn't fix it. Another part was ordered. I've been waiting ever since, more than 6 more months. This appliance has been sitting inactive, waiting for a part for over a year! I would NEVER recommend Danby to anyone.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 1 Month

Strengths: The most favorable strength is the Separate Adjustable Temperature for Red wines and White wines.

Weaknesses: The only weakness we have discovered so far is the fact that it holds only 26 to 28 wine bottles, not 30. This does not effect our purchase. It depends on the size or shape of the bottles.

Summary: We researched many different types of wine refrigerators, but came back to purchase our first choice, which was the Danby Dual-Zone 30 bottle refrigerator. We have not found any others like this style. In our household, one of us prefers red wines and the other enjoy white or blush. Our guest enjoy the look of our wine chest, and we like the convenience and comfort of sharing wine in our home. Thank you for designing this product to our needs.

Rating: 2

Time with product: 2 Days

Strengths: Compact

Weaknesses: Did not run after 2 days, does not hold 30 bottles, cannot be repaired, no place to get warranty service, cannot register product with the manufacturer

Summary: We bought this product for Christmas and installed it in the basement. We started the unit and installed as many bottles as possible about 24 not 30 and that was very tight. The unit worked 2 days and quit. We called for warranty service after trying to contact the factory and trying to register the product online per the manufacturers instructions: both efforts proved futile. We contacted the warranty service company in the area and they informed us the wiring was defective and the unit should be returned. (You can just imagine how happy we were to hear that since I cannot lift the unit without the help of neighbors. And imagine the joy Best Buy showered on us when we returned the defective unit without the original box which was thrown out.) In any case stay away from this product at all costs.