WhisperKOOL builds seven cellar cooling lines, and they split on one question: does the unit vent into a room next door, or does the heat have to travel somewhere else. Answer that and the rest of the choice narrows fast. Prices below are current catalog prices.
The decision that comes first
A self-contained unit puts the whole refrigeration circuit in one housing. It mounts in a framed opening and dumps heat into the space behind it. One penetration, no refrigerant work, and you or a handyman can install it.
A split system separates the evaporator from the condenser and runs refrigerant lines between them. It goes in when there is no adjacent room to heat, when the cellar sits in the middle of a finished floor, or when the room next door cannot take the heat. A licensed HVAC-R technician has to install it, and WhisperKOOL ties the warranty to a signed startup checklist. Budget for that labor before you compare sticker prices.
Roughly two thirds of residential cellars take a self-contained unit.
Self-contained lines
SC PRO, through the wall
The line most cellars end on. Mounts between studs, vents into the adjacent space, ships fully charged.
- SC PRO 2000, to 300 cu ft, $3,165
- SC PRO 3000, to 650 cu ft, $3,425
- SC PRO 4000, to 1,000 cu ft, $3,665
- SC PRO 8000, to 2,000 cu ft, $5,165
Slimline LS, through the wall
A shallower housing for walls that cannot take the SC PRO depth. Rated to 650 cu ft at $3,415.
Extreme Ti and TiR
Built for exhaust spaces that get hot or cold beyond what the standard lines tolerate: garages, attics, unconditioned utility rooms. Ti mounts through the wall. TiR adds a remote configuration, and the TiR models are also sold fully ducted.
- Extreme 3500, to 800 cu ft. Through the wall $5,439 (Ti) or $5,959 (TiR). Fully ducted $6,725.
- Extreme 5000, to 1,250 cu ft. Through the wall $6,089 (Ti) or $6,555 (TiR). Fully ducted $7,305.
- Extreme 8000, to 2,000 cu ft. Through the wall $6,559 (Ti) or $6,999 (TiR). Fully ducted $7,905.
Published sound level: 51 dBA on the 3500 and 5000, 57 dBA on the 8000.
Phantom, fully ducted
Self-contained refrigeration with supply and return ducted to the cellar, so the cabinet sits in a mechanical room and nothing mechanical lives in the cellar. No refrigerant work at install, which keeps it out of licensed-tech territory.
- Phantom 3500, to 800 cu ft, $6,265
- Phantom 5000, to 1,250 cu ft, $7,185
- Phantom 8000, to 2,000 cu ft, $8,275
Split lines, licensed installer required
Platinum Split
Evaporator in the cellar, condenser remote, in wall mounted or ducted configurations. The wall mounted units put the evaporator on the cellar wall. The ducted units hide it entirely.
- Platinum Mini Split, wall mounted, to 500 cu ft, $6,119. 46 dBA.
- Platinum Split 4000, to 1,000 cu ft. Ducted $7,605 at 42 dBA, wall mounted $7,805 at 48 dBA.
- Platinum Split 8000, to 1,750 cu ft. Ducted or wall mounted $7,995. 42 dBA ducted, 56 dBA wall mounted.
- Platinum Split Twin 9000, to 3,000 cu ft. Wall mounted $12,609, ducted $12,639.
Ceiling Mount
For cellars with no adjacent room to sacrifice and no wall to give up. The unit sits in the ceiling cavity.
- Mini Ceiling Mount, to 500 cu ft, $7,299. 51 dBA.
- Ceiling Mount 4000, to 1,000 cu ft, $8,295. 48 dBA.
- Ceiling Mount 8000, to 2,000 cu ft, $8,655. 48 dBA.
- Twin Ceiling Mount 9000, to 3,000 cu ft, $11,849.
- Twin Ceiling Mount 12000, to 3,500 cu ft, $13,135.
Quantum
Split ducted systems for large and light-commercial cellars.
- Quantum ss9000, to 3,000 cu ft, $10,605. 52 dBA.
- Quantum 12000, to 4,000 cu ft, $11,255. 52 dBA.
- Quantum Twin 18000, to 5,000 cu ft, $14,669. 58 dBA.
Picking by cellar size
| Cellar volume | Self-contained | Split, if no room to vent into |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 300 cu ft | SC PRO 2000, $3,165 | Platinum Mini Split, $6,119 |
| 300 to 650 cu ft | SC PRO 3000, $3,425 | Platinum Mini Split, $6,119 |
| 650 to 1,000 cu ft | SC PRO 4000, $3,665 | Platinum Split 4000, from $7,605 |
| 1,000 to 2,000 cu ft | SC PRO 8000, $5,165 | Platinum Split 8000, $7,995 |
| 2,000 to 3,500 cu ft | None. Splits only. | Platinum Split Twin 9000 or Twin Ceiling Mount |
| Above 3,500 cu ft | None. Splits only. | Quantum 12000 or Quantum Twin 18000 |
These assume R-19 walls venting into a room that peaks near 75°F. Thinner insulation, a hotter exhaust space, glass walls, or an above-grade room all push you a size up. The cellar cooling calculator applies those adjustments and names the model.
Picking by noise
Published sound levels, where WhisperKOOL states them: Platinum Split ducted 42 dBA, Platinum Mini Split 46 dBA, Ceiling Mount 48 dBA, Extreme 3500 and 5000 51 dBA, Platinum Split 8000 wall mounted 56 dBA, Extreme 8000 57 dBA, Quantum Twin 58 dBA.
WhisperKOOL publishes no sound rating for the SC PRO, Phantom, or Slimline lines. Ask us and we will put the question to the manufacturer in writing rather than guess at a number.
If the cellar shares a wall with a bedroom or a dining room, a ducted split moves the compressor out of earshot. If it sits in a basement or off a utility room, a self-contained unit is fine.
Install requirements
Electrical
A dedicated 115V circuit for the self-contained lines. Sharing it with other loads trips breakers on compressor startup. Several split and ceiling units run a 220V condenser on its own 15 amp circuit, so confirm the variant before the electrician quotes.
Framed opening
Frame with structural lumber, not drywall alone. These units weigh 130 lbs and up. Cutout dimensions differ by model, and we send the manufacturer sheet with every quote.
Exhaust-side ventilation
The hot side needs somewhere to put its heat. Vent a self-contained unit into a closet or a sealed garage and the heat raises its own intake temperature, which makes it work harder, which raises it further. WhisperKOOL does not recommend venting into closets or garages.
Drain line
Condensate drains by gravity at a quarter inch per foot minimum. An uphill run backs water up and ices the evaporator. Where gravity is not available, add a condensate pump.
Warranty
Every WhisperKOOL unit we sell carries 2 years parts and 2 years labor. On split and ceiling systems the warranty depends on a licensed HVAC-R technician completing and returning the startup checklist. Skipping that step, or buying from an unauthorized seller, voids it.
Wine Cooler Collection has been an authorized WhisperKOOL dealer since 2018, so every unit ships with the manufacturer warranty intact. Why that matters.
How we would pick
For a closet or basement cellar with a room next door that can take the heat, an SC PRO covers 300 to 2,000 cubic feet for $3,165 to $5,165, and you avoid the installer bill. That is the right answer for most people reading this.
Step up to Phantom when you want nothing mechanical in the cellar but still want to skip the licensed installer. Step up to Platinum Split or Ceiling Mount when the room has nowhere to vent. Go to Extreme when the exhaust space is a garage or attic that swings hot.
Send us the room dimensions, the insulation, and what the space behind the cellar hits in August, and we will size it and send the quote with the manufacturer spec sheet attached. Reach us at (866) 430-2877 or through the calculator, which captures the same information and routes the harder jobs to us.
Browse the full WhisperKOOL collection, or compare against Breezaire if you want a through-the-wall unit under $3,000.