For a unit that is otherwise so well-designed, well thought-out, and well-executed, it is inconceivable to me that the team of executives bringing it to market would allow it to be done with such an OUTRAGEOUSLY NOISY single 80mm fan cooling the heatsink in the back of the unit.It is as loud as one of those handheld vacuum units most of us buy to clean up small messes in our homes and I'm not exaggerating.Any time I enter the kitchen or the living room adjacent, or when I first come home and open the door, I am FLOORED by how loud this thing is.This unfortunate and ridiculous construction flaw makes it unacceptable for use in most people's homes, unless they are deaf or hosting parties with loud music to drown it out.Or perhaps, as the 2nd reviewer stated below, have it in a side room.
What I am about to write cannot be condoned by either Amazon or the manufacturer, and we must of course agree to hold them harmless (and me too, for that matter):if, like me, you want to have the functions that this unit provides but find a workaround for the tornado blower fan ----AND PROVIDED YOU'RE WILLING TO KISS YOUR WARRANTY GOOD-BYE ----then do what I did today:unplug it, remove the rear case panel, remove the fan, cut its wires, and attach your own purchased, third-party, aftermarket 80mm fan that is much quieter.I personally installed a Noctua NF-R8, which is nearly silent bliss.Of course, it moves less air, and it takes a long time for the Skybar now to cool a bottle down to the ordered temperature, and I'm sure what I did will shorten the unit's useful life ----but now I can live with it without wanting to yell and knock it off the counter.
Otherwise, just don't buy it.Wait until they make one with three 120mm silent fans instead, or something like that.
()I was trying to explain this product to my 77 year old mother over the phone.I told her that if someone opened some wine and didn't finish it this thing would keep it cold and ready to drink for days.She responded by saying 'Why don't they just put the box back in the fridge?"Obviously, the Skybar is not for her (plus, I'm pretty sure that she was pulling my leg.)If you don't get why someone would spend this much on what is basically a one-bottle refrigerator, then you probably don't need this either.However, if you take wine so seriously that your favorite vintage costs more per bottle than your first car did, then I don't need to explain it to you.
You don't have to be rich to be an oenophile (though it helps.)I had a wine cellar in the past and I had it filled with relativity modestly prices wines.No '45 Chateau Mouton Rothschild or '78 Montrachet in my cellar.Instead I had mostly domestic wines that I had either collected on my travels or had purchased based on recommendations from my favorite local wine merchant.Most of them were in the 30-100 dollar price range when I purchased them and almost all of my bottles needed to be aged for quite a few years before they reached their prime.At that point they were usually worth quite a bit more on the open market than I had spent on them, but to me they were priceless.I had invested not only money but time, patience, and my ever growing expectations.When the time finally came to enjoy a bottle the real question was, how do I do this?Drink it by myself, invite a couple of fellow wine enthusiasts over, break it out at a dinner party?I tried all of there strategies with mixed results.Now with the Skybar One, I have the answer.
First, how well does it work?This is subjective but I wanted to get more than just my opinion on the Skybar so I invited over two friends with similar tastes as mine to check it out.One friend was kind enough to donate a bottle of 2007 Opus One.We opened it and each had a small (3oz.) glass of this wonderful wine.Although we all agreed that it could benefit from a little more aging, it was incredible.Putting a bottle into the Skybar ONE for the first time was more than a little comical.Once we got it figured out, we set the correct temperature, closed it up and just looked at it.For a long time.No one wanted to leave.One week later we gathered again to sample the wine.I was really impressed, to me it tasted the same as when it was first opened, maybe even a little better.One friend said that he noticed just a little oxidation but the general consensus was that the Sky ONE did what it claimed to do.If I had this ten years or fifteen years ago, well... at least I am very glad to have it now.The noise was not a problem for me and it really looks cool. I thought that I would like the bigger, 3 bottle model, but this one takes up enough space as it is.All-in-all, this is a great product.
Buy Skybar WP0550 ONE 1-Chamber Wine Preservation System Now
I received the Skybar One single bottle wine dispenser for Christmas, and after six weeks of use I am extremely happy with it.First, I have not had any issues with the unit being too noisy.I have it sitting on a sidebar, just off the kitchen.People see it and pass it often in the house (usually to stop and refresh their glass!) and nobody has complained about the unit being noisy.It does have some fan noise, because it's a refrigerator after all, but unless I had it next to my bed (unlikely my wife would allow this) the noise is completely acceptable.
The operation is very straightforward.You select your wine type, or you can manually set the temperature.The dispenser attaches to the neck of the bottle.Not all bottle sizes will fit, but I have found that 95% do.It doesn't take long to figure out which oversized bottles are too tall for the machine.Once the bottle is inserted into the machine you close the door and the air is pumped out, preserving the wine.Dispensing is very quick, and people enjoy the experience.In my testing I have found that most wines will last 5-7 days before showing any signs of turning sour.White wines will do better on average.
When changing bottles I run the dispenser under the tap and also allow a bottle of clean, warm water to run through the system.I have not noticed any "cross contamination" or unusual taste in the wine.Definitely no "plastic" taste some have talked about.
The LED lights do a nice job of showing off the label, and all my guests have been impressed with the unit.Hopefully it will continue to operate for many years to come with no issues.
Read Best Reviews of Skybar WP0550 ONE 1-Chamber Wine Preservation System Here
This is a great machine for home use.Chilling a bottle of wine does not take long at all.One should be prepared for the semi-loud noise it makes when it breaks the vacuum seal and when resealing. The noise is tolerable and short lived.Overall I am very pleased with mine.It is also quiet impressive to guests.
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()I was VERY excited about this item. We enjoy wine at my house, but with just the 2 of us usually drinking it, we never finish a bottle. Then we try to jam the cork back in and shove it in the fridge...usually noticing a big degradation in flavor when we get to it in a few days. :(
This item keeps your wine fresh for days and days. It says 10, but I have never gone that long. To use it, you open your bottle, slide the tube down the bottle, and there is a cap that fits in the neck. (they include different adapters to fit different bottles...the "default" one has worked for me every time so far.) After you insert the cap, you flip down a lever and there is a ridge that protrudes inside the rubber cap to seal it to the inside of the bottle neck. Very clever. Then the bottle and the cartridge slip into the machine. The air is drawn out and you can dispense the wine by pushing a button on top.
It also cools to correct temperature. There is a screen that displays wine types and temp, so you can choose which is right for your wine (or just pick a temperature you like...not all wines are on the screen....and maybe you just prefer a slightly different temperature than the recommended one.) I have gotten the "clean filter" message...if this happens to you, after you rinse the the filter (at the bottom of the tube for blocking of sediment), press the control knob for 1 second to cancel the "clean filter" message. (hope that helps!)
It is a beautiful high-end looking appliance. Everyone that visits LOVES that it dispenses. However, it IS noisy. When I first plugeed it in, I heard a fan...similar to a cooler-type mini fridge or a computer fan noise. I thought once the temperature got down, it would kick on and off (like a regular refrigerator), but it doesn't. It just runs and runs. I have mine in a corner near the refrigerator, so the noise is absorbed somewhat, but if you have tightly placed around all hard surfaces, you are gonna hear it. Also, it is just a little too tall to fit under cabinetry AND the buttons are on top, so even if you have enough clearance to slide it in, you can't reach the buttons. It would be nice if the buttons were on the front (but that may have added even more height.) The on/off button is on the back as well, so if you slide in it, you must pull it out (or pull the plug) to turn it off completely. The noise and the difficulty with placement (not under most cabinets) was what made me take a star away.
It is a very nice gadget for a wine lover. Expensive...yes. Worth it? To me, yes -because I have poured so much wine down the drain, by not being able to re-close it, that it probably will pay for itself in about a year.It was VERY nice for the holidays...I kept a bottle of wine in there at all times so it was perfectly ready whenever anyone dropped by. And if someone only had one glass, I didn't have to worry about having a nearly full bottle to be pressured to finish in a day or two. And I have always been reluctant to open wine when I know I only will have a little (didn't want to waste a bottle) so maybe now I will be more apt to have a glass more often! nothing wrong with that! :D
If you however, are the type of person who always finishes your bottles at one sitting, then this might be a little costly for just a dispenser. It is very nice though. A great gift for someone who loves wine...even if that person is you!
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