Phiestina Beverage Cooler PH-CBR100 Review: An Unusual Brand

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Even though it’s only been around since 2016, the Phiestina beverage cooler (PH-CBR100 model) is already quite popular.

But Phiestina as a whole is an unusual brand. There is no Phiestina website (that I have been able find). There is a Facebook page, but that’s a little strange too.

Is that important for your purchase? Let’s find out.

If you’re in a hurry and just want to check the pricing and availability of this Phiestina cooler at Amazon, you can click the link below.

Phiestina PH-CBR100 Beverage Cooler

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Who Is Phiestina?

That’s a hard question to answer right now.

The Phiestina staff is quite active in answering questions at Amazon. One answer mentions contacting them by email, but there is no email address provided there.

There is a Phiestina Products page on Facebook. On the About page, there is a Yahoo email address, so maybe that’s the one they are referring to at Amazon.

The products shown there do look much like the PH-CBR100, but none of them is an exact match.

Based on grammar and spelling in all of the above locations, it seems that English is not the first language of the manufacturer. More than that I cannot say.

The following information then is what I was able to gather mostly from the Amazon description, questions and answers, and reviews.

What Are the Features of the Phiestina Beverage Cooler?

Like most modern beverage refrigerators, the PH-CBR100 uses a compressor cooling system that makes it more efficient and quieter than older models.

It has blue LED lighting on the inside that produces virtually no heat that would otherwise warm up your beverages.

The PH-CBR100 cooler holds up to 106 cans. Users report that you can put 3 to 5 wine bottles on a shelf, depending on which of the six, wire, removable shelves you use. You could also store beer bottles in the Phiestina, but it’s not really recommended.

Its lowest temperature is supposed to be 38 degrees, though some owners have had trouble getting it to go that low. This may be because of how they are using the cooler and where they have it situated. You use an LCD screen for making temperature adjustments.

According to Phiestina…

“This model is not designed as under counter. If it is installed under a [counter], the closed space will not have enough space for heat radiation, and the cooler will not function properly. It is design as free standing.”

They suggest that you keep at least 5 inches of clearance on the top and on both sides of their beverage refrigerator.

Furthermore, the first time you use it, you may experience the following.

“The evaporator is built underneath both sides of the cooler body. When it’s running, the inside heat would be carried outside, and that’s why you can feel hot outside. It is normal. The outside will be cool when the inside temperature reaches a set point. And since it is running for the first time, it will be hot. After that, it will be hot when compressor is running, but less hot.”

I edited the quotation above for spelling and punctuation.

This stainless steel cabinet measures 33.1 inches high by 15.5 inches wide by 22.8 inches deep. On the inside it measures about 27 inches high by 11.5 inches deep by 16.5 inches wide.

The unit weighs about 73 pounds and is frost free, which nowadays should mean you really never need to defrost it.

On installing the handle, which apparently is not very clear in the instructions, one owner clarifies the problem this way.

“You need to pull back the gasket around the door, and there are pre-drilled holes where the screw will go through and tighten into the handle.”

The door is not reversible and has no lock. If either of those items is important to you, you’ll need to look elsewhere for your cooler.

What’s the Verdict on This Phiestina Fridge?

As I mentioned near the top, this is a popular cooler. I think that mostly has to do with the size and the price.

It’s a little disconcerting that it’s so hard to find out who the company really is. Perhaps that’s partly because they are so new and partly because they are apparently not an American company. Still, if you are going to have an online presence, you should be more clear about these things.

If none of that really bothers you though – and personally, I don’t have a problem with it, I think the cooler itself is a good buy. Many others already feel the same way, and it’s sometimes best to go along with the crowd.