Top Wine Chillers and Buckets Recommended by Sommeliers and Expert Hosts

Where we ask stylish individuals with particular, exacting, or simply exceptional taste to tell us about the things they’re actually buying. Read more here.

Wine buckets and chillers are helpful to have, especially when you’re hosting during warm-weather months. The best wine chillers and buckets function both outside and indoors and keep your wine at the right temperature for hours. Before using a wine bucket or chiller, plan ahead: It can take whites and Champagnes up to 30 minutes to chill.

When shopping for a wine chiller or bucket, look for materials and features that can cool your wine effectively. Stainless steel is durable, has the best insulation, and is easy to clean but retains fingerprints. Ceramic can look stylish but may be heavy and fragile, while plastic is lightweight and inexpensive but varies in quality. Marble is naturally cool to the touch and retains cold temperatures easily.

I spoke with event planners, restaurant workers, sommeliers, and avid hosts about the wine bags, sleeves, chillers, and buckets they recommend. If you’re looking for other paraphernalia to chill your wine, we also have a guide to the best wine coolers and refrigerators.

This stylish bag comes recommended by Chloe Grigri, owner of the Good King Tavern in Philadelphia, who uses it for BYOB outings. It fits on small tables and is easily transportable. “You see these everywhere in France because they aren’t too cumbersome and they don’t sweat too badly,” she says. Grigri advises adding ice to the bag to keep the wine extra cold, but warns, “The wine should be gone before the ice is.”

Matt Whitney, wine director at Sunny’s in Miami, has a specific method when it comes to using this wine bag. “Put the bottle in first, then a bunch of ice and a bit of water,” he says. “Otherwise, you get stuck with a bottle sitting on top of hard ice that gets unstable and won’t stay cold.” He likes this cooling system for informal events: “We have beautiful wine buckets for the dining room at Sunny’s, but when I’m hanging out with friends, this option is simple, portable, and easy to clean.”

These plastic wine bags are not only economical, they’re lightweight, space-saving, and transport-friendly (they flatten easily), and their gel-lined caddy keeps bottles chilled. William Eccleston, wine director at Panorama Wine Bar, says he saw these fun and casual chiller bags on tables in cafés and luxury resorts filled with ice and bottles of premium dry rosé while vacationing in St. Martin. Eccleston loved them so much he re-created a Panorama-branded ice wine bag that saves space on guests’ tables. He keeps these gel-lined caddies in the freezer, then puts a bottle of red in to bring it down gently from room temperature to cellar temperature (in about 20 minutes) for service.

If you find yourself an impromptu host and need wine chilled quickly, this Vacu Vin sleeve chills a bottle in 15 minutes, no messy ice bath needed. Just keep the sleeve in the freezer ahead of time for at least six hours, then take it out and put the wine bottle in it. CEO of The Hue Society and frequent traveling sommelier Tahiirah Habibi says the wine chiller sleeve has revolutionized her on-the-go wine experience: “Its portability, freezing speed, and elegant bottle look changed the game.” Habibi was originally drawn to its minimalist design and appreciates how well it adapted to her work style.

This CB2 Levanto marble wine chiller is a dramatic display piece. Nicole Cole, CEO and principal designer at Vestige Home, constantly seeks out unique accessories and natural materials and recommends this one because “the footed base on this particular chiller is a real standout feature. I love that it adds height to your tablescape and a more casual, earthy element through the perfectly imperfect stone,” Cole says.

D’Onna Stubblefield also loves this chiller, which fits in just as well at Bloomsday in Philadelphia, where she is a beverage director, as in her home. “I’ve used my chiller for other items like fresh-cut flowers or to store kitchen utensils,” she says. “Even when I’m not chilling my wine, it still makes for a very beautiful addition to my kitchen.”

This Crate & Barrel wine chiller has a classic look and feel that can work with any kitchen style. Like Stubblefield, Wine Convo Generator author Chasity Cooper also uses her marble wine chiller as a vase and even a utensil holder. Cooper likes wine chillers that are functional and ornamental and won’t break the bank. This one doesn’t take up a lot of space and prevents pesky bottle rings that chilled bottles can leave behind on a table, and “it blends in well with other appliances and décor.”

Tablecraft’s heavy-duty marble wine chiller does not require ice, chills quickly, and retains its cold temperature for an extended period. General manager Lawrence Gardner implements this chiller at The Prime Rib in Philadelphia to deliver an upscale dining experience. Gardner stresses the importance of marble for luxury ambiance, utilized in the restaurant’s various surfaces and the wine cooler.

Jordanne Pascual-Cancel, associated with the New York-based restaurant Principe, favors the Wine Enthusiast bucket for its robustness and ease of maintenance. This bucket features a table attachment ensuring stability and space efficiency while avoiding condensation spills. Pascual-Cancel advocates for immersing the wine bottle in a mixture of ice and water upon opening to achieve uniform cooling and stability.

Cookbook author and consultant Nicole A. Taylor recommends a plastic and vinyl yellow bucket for casual meetings to avoid frequent trips to the fridge. It retains coldness, boasts a secure lid, metal handle, double-wall insulation, and sweat-resistant surface which keeps three quarts of ice cold for hours. Taylor adds that its colorful and playful design aligns well with her vacation home in Athens, Georgia, and her apartment in Bed-Stuy.

A sophisticated option is made from a high-quality resin designed to mimic alabaster, featuring integral handles and capacity for up to eight bottles. Mural City Cellars co-owner Francesca Galarus opts for this tub to deliver wine to many guests nightly, requiring minimal ice changes. Galarus praises its elegant white appearance with subtle marbling, ideal for use during private events and farmers’ markets.

This Yeti wine chiller isn’t just practical for outdoor enthusiasts; wine experts also appreciate its extra-durable features. The stainless-steel double-wall insulation maintains a consistent wine temperature, the sides are nearly indestructible, and the non-slip silicone base allows placement on various surfaces like rocks, sand, dirt, and grass without the risk of tipping over. “It holds temperature better than any other on the market that I have seen,” comments Terence Lewis, beverage director at Safran Turney Hospitality. “This will hold a slightly chilled red as opposed to a cooler with ice that will actively chill the red further.”

Yeti products are celebrated for their durability, attracting dedicated fans like Liz Einhorn, founder and CEO of Experience Threee, who has been a loyal Yeti user for more than ten years. This wine chiller is her favorite for BYOB dining in Philadelphia — even influencing her choice of wines based on their fit in the chiller. Compact and sturdy, the chiller stands on its own and is leak-proof. “I also love to give it as a gift. You can customize the exterior, and it’s something people will actually use and appreciate,” Einhorn reveals.

Event producer Tini Cochran from Tini Inc. highly recommends the Togosa, a dual-purpose wine chiller and pitcher that not only keeps wine and cocktails cold but also enhances table settings and improves service by providing guests with easy access to their wine. Frequently used in the extreme climates of Texas and New Orleans, it remains effective despite severe heat waves and inevitable condensation, keeping drinks cold and items dry. The Togosa’s triple insulation works like a thermos retaining temperatures for up to 48 hours (if pre-chilled), includes a screw-lock lid to secure a wine bottle during pouring, and features a leakproof strainer attachment for up to 49 ounces of liquid. “Its vibrant color options blend well with different décor styles, becoming my secret weapon for keeping wine ice cold at gatherings in parks or beaches instead of using a bulky cooler,” Cochran explains.

This stainless-steel Society6 wine chiller is the preferred choice of Alex Cahanap, founder and creative director of Citrine Tablescapes, not only serving as a practical wine chiller but also as a decorative element at her BYOB dinner parties and events. She admires the unique wraparound designs by independent artists and the chiller’s ability to maintain wine coolness for extended periods (she suggests pre-freezing the chiller for about 30 minutes before use). “They epitomize the merger of practicality with a splash of artistic flair,” she states.

This Champagne cooler from Couzon offers a more elegant tableside option for frequent entertainers and is an excellent choice for special-occasion gifts. It accommodates your broadest Champagne bottles, white wine bottles, and ice. Rebecca Hopkins, a wine marketer and founder of A Balanced Glass, noticed this cooler at a house party where magnums of wine were being served. Hopkins points out the 18/10 stainless steel make and double-wall insulation as signs of its top-notch quality, ensuring great temperature control and reduced condensation on your dining surface. To handle any remaining moisture, she suggests, “Place a service napkin or a felt coaster under the bucket to collect drips and shield the table.”

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About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!