I can only comment from experience outside the scope of your candidate list --- Perlick Signature refrigerator and also wine reserve are both quite quiet.

kas

Thanks for the recommendation. The Perlick (HP24RS) is a bit more expensive (~$500 more based on AJ Madison price), and I'm already stretching my budget. They do look nice though :)

Have them running in our showroom. They are very quiet as far as we are concerned. The commercial units are noisy because they are engineered for price. The residential models are much better insulated and designed for home use.

Thank you!

I looked at both the True and the Perlick at my local appliance dealer. They both seemed quiet.

I found the construction quality of the True to be much better than the Perlick. The Perlick had a thin, light, flimsy-feeling door. In addition, the inside of the Perlick had numerous exposed screw heads. Looked like it was built in someone's garage.

I haven't seen a True to compare, but generally with mechanisms the type of fasteners used will influence the ease of maintenence or repair.

kas

Perlick is still working on removing the "commercial-ness" of their units. In a commercial setting having an easily replaced door/hinge/control board is a benefit, despite the perceived quality difference. Exposed screws are better, because they are easier to unscrew if needed.

True does a better job of disguising those features (albeit normally at a higher price point)

All things being equal, I like the looks of the True :) And the fact that shelving is interchangeable.

Perlick shelving is interchangeable, but it is necessary to keep the sliders with the shelf (type) they go with, as otherwise they don't slide well. I bought a wine shelf for my refrigerator unit to optimize its function for me. It works as expected. I don't know if mixed shelving type can be ordered with a unit, but extra shelves can be purchased for a modest fee.

kas

Don’t buy the True. We purchased and it sounded like an old dishwasher. So loud that we had to turn off and return for a 25 pct restocking fee. Built like a tank but sounds like it!

how was the Perlick after you installed that? I am deciding on the Perlick vs the True. Thanks

Well, we did more research and did not like the noise on either perlick or true. We want to stores and had them run the units not in demo mode but with compressor on and the sound was very loud including using a decibel reader. We also talked with several parties and heard the same thing - yes they are great units and keep wine temp perfect and cost like 3,500 each. But they are noisy and have compressors much larger than others and this causes the issue.

We went with the GE Monogram stainless steel unit and love it. Yes, not dual temp but keeps temp at perfect 55 degrees and is good for both white and red. Plenty of space as we have 48 bottles in now. When it is not running, completely silent and could not say this for true or perlick. When it runs, just a slight noise from compressor but not bad at all. Best part, it was 1,800 or 1/2 price if true and perlick.

I believe it is because GE has been making residential units for along time and have the sound thing down true and perlick come from the commercial world where sound is not an issue at a bar or restaurant.

Just saw this. Thanks!

We got the ge monogram and love it. Did not like sub zero white inside

I had contacted True two years ago asking about the noise level on the beverage center. This is what they wrote then:

"Thank you for your interest in TRUE residential products. Our residential units are manufactured specifically for the home. They are much quieter than our commercial units which are manufactured for a very different application. While we do not have an official measurement, the decibels are typically between 42 and 47."

I have contracted them again. They are suggesting there may be a problem with the unit and that I call for servicing on it. It is noisier than my Subzero refrigerator.

the Dometic refrigerators are completely silent and smaller than normal refrigerators. But I have used one for my home for almost 18 years because the silence is my main concern. It just keeps going! But you have to defrost them, but it's worth it in my opinion.

Looks like I need to keep the True beverage center and get used to the sound, or just turn it off if the noise drives my crazy. The appliance store will not accept a return. True sent a repair specialist to look at it. He said the level of noise is normal for this machine. He said there is little distinction between their commercial and residential units, with regard to the compressor and fans.

He said that all beverage centers are noisier than full-size refrigerators. He noted that the noise is less noticeable if the unit is in a separate room, such as a man cave, but I have an open space layout.

Pretty crappy - my group which is Factory Builders was excellent and I did pay a 25% restocking and this was known from start as not an in store unit. I gladly paid the 25% and am very happy with the GE Monogram. Sorry to hear the news.

We have the Perlick. I am a beer guy and having something made by Perlick was very exciting. Boy was I wrong. We spent the first 6 months with the unit off because it was so loud. Several visits from service guys and we got nowhere. Unfortunately, I was not able to return it because we designed in the dimensions of this unit and it is the only one shallow enough to fit. Finally we started using it because we spent so much and just deal with the crazy noise.