ᐅ KALLAX as a Mini Bar – Issues with Bottle Height!

Hello everyone,

I am planning to convert my KALLAX shelf into a minibar but have an issue with the bottle height in the compartments. The standard cubes are about 33cm x 33cm (13 inches x 13 inches), which is not enough for many bottles, especially larger wine or spirits bottles.

Has anyone had experience with adjusting the bottle height? Are there any tricks to modify individual compartments, or perhaps alternative solutions to store taller bottles securely? I also want to avoid compromising the stability of the shelf.

Looking forward to your tips and experiences!

The KALLAX structure is based on cubes of approximately 33 cm (13 inches) per side, which is the main limitation when bottles are taller.

There are two common solutions: either you use a double-height compartment (i.e., an area with 2 cubes stacked vertically) by removing the shelf. This gives you about 66 cm (26 inches) in height, which is usually sufficient for wine bottles or larger spirit bottles.

Alternatively, the compartments can be opened sideways and customized with a larger shelf – however, this requires strong reinforcements to distribute the load. Stability can be compromised if the modifications are not done carefully.

Tarmau schrieb:
Either you use a 2-compartment section (meaning an area with 2 cubes stacked vertically) by removing the shelf.

I did the same! At first, I was doubtful if the shelf would still be stable, but as long as you keep the back panel in place and securely fix the sides, it actually works very well.

Another idea is to store bottles horizontally, but personally, I don’t like that because I find the labels less visible and it doesn’t look as good visually.

Also, you should consider whether you might be using bottles with cork closures or screw caps, as these often vary more in height.

I’m wondering why the shelf has to be removed completely. Aren’t there bottles that fit within the 33 cm (13 inches) height? Or is the issue mainly that standard wine bottles or even champagne bottles need to be stored?

Are there reliable measurements available for these bottles? Has anyone ever systematically recorded the maximum bottle heights for typical spirits or wines to make more informed decisions?

It might also be worth considering inserts to divide the space horizontally, which could be visually appealing and make better use of the height.

enrique7 schrieb:
Are there reliable measurements for these bottles?

Good question, I measured some: standard wine bottles are usually about 30–32 cm (12–13 inches) tall, but some magnum bottles or tall liquor bottles, like large gin bottles, can be close to 38–40 cm (15–16 inches).

FLONE41 schrieb:
Storing bottles lying down doesn’t look ideal to me

I agree – I prefer the bottles to be stored upright so they are clearly visible and the shelf feels more like a proper bar.

Tarmau schrieb:
Stability can suffer if it’s not done properly.

Can someone specify how much weight a KALLAX shelf can support if you remove a shelf panel and place heavier bottles on it instead? Are there any user experiences?

The load capacity of each compartment is approximately 13-15 kg (29-33 lbs) according to the manufacturer, provided everything remains original. Removing a shelf does weaken the structure somewhat, but if the back panel stays intact and you have supports under the unit, it should not be a problem as long as you don’t significantly increase the load.

My advice: consider reinforcing the back panel with an additional board and use non-slip pads under the bottles to prevent them from sliding.

Also, it’s worth only opening the middle compartments for taller bottles and keeping the outer ones as stabilizing elements.