The Antarctic Star 16 Bottle / 68 Can Wine and Beverage Cooler is a compressor-cooled, single-zone freestanding unit that holds either 16 standard Bordeaux bottles or 68 twelve-ounce cans on two removable shelves. It sits between the brand’s 12-bottle and 24-bottle models, suits apartments, home bars and households that want one fridge for both wine and drinks, and sits in the budget price tier. The trade-offs are a single temperature zone, manual defrost and a two-shelf layout that limits organisation.
Antarctic Star 16 Bottle / 68 Can Wine and Beverage Cooler Review
The 16 Bottle / 68 Can is the Antarctic Star I would point most people toward if they want wine storage on weekdays and a drinks fridge on weekends, as long as they can live with one temperature zone.
How I reviewed this: I have not had this model in my home. This review is built from the maker’s manual and spec sheet, the owner ratings on Amazon, and the problems owners report most often, weighed against the coolers I have tested myself.
Is the Antarctic Star 16 Bottle / 68 Can Wine and Beverage Cooler Worth It for You?
Recommended for: Collectors who have outgrown a 12-bottle unit but do not have room for a 24-bottle cabinet, and anyone who wants a single compact fridge that switches between 16 bottles of wine and 68 cans of beer, soda or water for entertaining.
Look elsewhere if: You need reds and whites held at different serving temperatures at the same time, you want a built-in installation, or your collection is already past 20 bottles and still growing.
What Works
- Two-way capacity: 16 Bordeaux bottles or 68 standard 12-oz cans, using the same two removable shelves
- Compressor cooling with a manufacturer-rated 40-61 F range, so it holds temperature in a warm kitchen where thermoelectric units struggle
- Compact 16.93-inch width and 22.24-inch height fits under a bar counter or beside a kitchen cabinet
- Double-pane tempered glass door with a UV-protective coating and a tight gasket
- Soft LED interior light that does not add heat
- About 30% more interior volume (1.7 cu ft) than the 12-bottle model
What Doesn’t
- Single zone only, so reds and whites share one temperature
- Manual defrost, which means periodic frost removal to keep cooling efficient
- Two shelves give little room to organise by varietal or bottle shape
- Freestanding only; it needs clearance on all sides and cannot be built in
- Seven-position knob control rather than a digital readout, so you will want a separate thermometer
- Standard shelves fit Bordeaux bottles; wide Burgundy and Champagne bottles eat into the count
On This Page
How the Antarctic Star 16 Bottle / 68 Can Wine and Beverage Cooler Compares
| Factor | Antarctic Star 16 Bottle / 68 Can | NewAir 18 Bottle |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 16 bottles or 68 cans | 18 bottles |
| Cooling | Compressor | Compressor |
| Temperature range | 40-61 F (manufacturer rating) | Similar compressor range |
| Zones | Single | Single |
The NewAir 18 Bottle is the natural comparison: same cooling type, same single zone, two extra bottles. What NewAir lacks is the can configuration. If wine is the only thing going into the fridge, the NewAir’s extra shelving is worth considering. If you host and want the fridge full of cans in July, the Antarctic Star is the more useful box. The Ivation 18 Bottle is a third option worth a look if dual zones matter more than compressor cooling; it is thermoelectric and dual-zone.
Who Should Buy the Antarctic Star 16 Bottle Cooler?
Apartments, condos and home bars
Good fit
- At 16.93 inches wide, 16.34 inches deep and 22.24 inches tall, it sits on a counter, under a bar top or in a gap beside cabinetry without dominating the room.
- Compressor cooling keeps the interior in range even when a small kitchen runs warm in summer, which is where thermoelectric units in this size lose ground.
- The glass door and LED light make it presentable in a living or dining space rather than something to hide in a utility room.
Growing collections and mixed use
Worth knowing
- Sixteen bottles is comfortable for someone buying two to four bottles a month. At six or more a month you will be looking at the 24-bottle model within a year.
- Owners report the most practical pattern is seasonal: wine through autumn and winter, cans through the summer entertaining months. Mixing both at once works but cuts into each count because the shelves are set up differently for bottles and cans.
- With one zone, set the knob for a compromise of roughly 55 F. Whites come out ready to pour; reds want twenty or thirty minutes on the counter first.
- The seven-position knob does not display a temperature. A cheap fridge thermometer inside lets you confirm where each setting actually lands.
Where it struggles
Think twice
- Anyone who wants to serve red and white at their own ideal temperatures from the same unit needs a dual-zone cooler, not this one.
- It is freestanding only. The manufacturer calls for at least two inches of clearance on every side, so it cannot be slotted into a cabinet cut-out. See built-in options if that is the plan.
- Manual defrost is routine rather than difficult, but if you forget it, frost build-up will make the compressor work harder and the interior run warmer than the dial suggests.
A Closer Alternative Worth Considering
Antarctic Star 24 Bottle
If the honest count of your collection is already near 16, step up to the brand’s 24-bottle model. It uses the same compressor approach, adds five shelves instead of two so bottles can be grouped sensibly, and lists a 92-can configuration for entertaining. It is wider at 18.9 inches, so it takes more floor space, but it delays the day you need a second fridge. The Antarctic Star brand guide lays out the full range, including the smaller 12-bottle unit for anyone who needs to go the other way.
Antarctic Star 16 Bottle Cooler Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 16 standard Bordeaux bottles or 68 twelve-ounce cans |
| Interior volume | 1.7 cubic feet (manufacturer figure) |
| Dimensions | 16.93 in W x 16.34 in D x 22.24 in H |
| Cooling type | Compressor |
| Zones | Single |
| Temperature range | 40-61 F, seven-position knob control (manufacturer rating) |
| Shelves | Two removable, adjustable shelves |
| Door | Double-pane tempered glass, UV-protective coating, stainless steel handle |
| Lighting | Interior LED |
| Defrost | Manual |
| Installation | Freestanding only; two-inch clearance on all sides |
| Noise level | Not published by the manufacturer; owners describe normal compressor cycling suitable for a kitchen or bar |
| Warranty | Check the current listing for the manufacturer’s warranty term |
Questions Readers Ask
Is 16 bottles enough for a wine cooler?
For most people who drink wine regularly and buy a few bottles a month, yes. Sixteen bottles covers a rotation of everyday reds and whites plus a handful set aside for dinners. It stops being enough once you start buying by the case or holding bottles for several years, at which point a 24-bottle unit or two 16-bottle units side by side make more sense. The space calculator can help you work out how quickly you will fill it.
Can the Antarctic Star 16 Bottle cooler hold wine and beer at the same time?
It can, using one shelf for bottles and the other for cans, but you will not get 16 bottles and 68 cans together. Those are either/or figures that assume the whole interior is set up for one or the other. Owners report the cleanest approach is to switch the fridge over by season rather than trying to split it permanently.
What is the difference between the 12-bottle and 16-bottle Antarctic Star?
The 16-bottle model adds about 1.5 inches of width (16.93 inches versus 15.4 inches), roughly 30% more interior volume (1.7 versus 1.3 cubic feet), four more bottles and 20 more cans (68 versus 48). If you have the extra inch and a half of space, the 16-bottle is the better choice. The 12-bottle guide covers the smaller class in detail.
How many cans fit in the Antarctic Star 16 Bottle cooler?
The manufacturer lists 68 standard 12-ounce cans with both shelves set for cans and no bottles inside. Taller 16-ounce cans and bottles of beer reduce that count. For a party fridge that number is generous for the footprint, which is the main reason this unit earns a place in the mixed beverage cooler category.
What temperature should a single-zone 16-bottle wine fridge be set at?
Around 55 F is the sensible compromise for a mixed collection: cool enough for whites to be pleasant straight from the fridge, and close enough to red serving temperature that a short rest on the counter finishes the job. For long-term storage of any wine, 55 F is also the figure most storage guidance points to. The Antarctic Star’s 40-61 F rated range covers this, but the seven-position knob means confirming the actual interior temperature with a thermometer. The temperature zone matcher will tell you whether your collection needs two zones instead.
How much does the Antarctic Star 16 Bottle / 68 Can cooler cost?
It sits in the budget tier. Check the current price on the listing before buying, since this class of cooler moves around with seasonal promotions.
Final Verdict
Antarctic Star 16 Bottle / 68 Can Wine and Beverage Cooler is a smart buy for small-space collectors who also entertain, because it delivers compressor cooling and a real dual-use capacity in a budget-tier package. The caveat is that it is a single-zone, manual-defrost fridge with two shelves, so it rewards simple habits rather than careful cellar organisation.
- Best for: Apartments, home bars, collections of 10-16 bottles, households that want a party fridge in summer
- Not ideal for: Built-in installs, dual-zone serving, collections already past 20 bottles
Related Guides
→ Medium Wine Coolers
→ Compressor Wine Coolers
→ Ca'Lefort WBD275L-US 24 Inch Wine and Beverage Fridge
→ Antarctic Star 26 Bottle Wine Cooler
→ Antarctic Star SINAS46 17 Bottle Wine Cooler
→ Antarctic Star 12 Bottle 48 Can Wine Cooler
References & Sources
- UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology – Research on storage temperature and the effect of heat and light on wine, supporting the 55 F single-zone recommendation and the value of a UV-coated door.
- U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Saver – Guidance on refrigerator placement, clearance and frost build-up, which underpins the advice on ventilation and manual defrost.
- WSET – Serving temperature guidance for red and white wines used in the single-zone setting advice.
This assessment is based on manufacturer specifications, published owner feedback, and direct comparison against other units in this class. It is updated when the product or its pricing changes.
About Ms. DuPont
I have spent over ten years testing and reviewing wine coolers, wine cellar equipment, and wine-related gear, and tracking how it actually holds up over time.
