diff --git a/internal/cache/engine_cache.go b/internal/cache/engine_cache.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edbebdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cache/engine_cache.go
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+package cache
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"log/slog"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/metamorphosis-dev/samsa/internal/contracts"
+)
+
+// EngineCache wraps Cache with per-engine tier-aware Get/Set operations.
+type EngineCache struct {
+	cache     *Cache
+	overrides map[string]time.Duration
+}
+
+// NewEngineCache creates a new EngineCache with optional TTL overrides.
+// If overrides is nil, default tier durations are used.
+func NewEngineCache(cache *Cache, overrides map[string]time.Duration) *EngineCache {
+	return &EngineCache{
+		cache:     cache,
+		overrides: overrides,
+	}
+}
+
+// Get retrieves a cached engine response. Returns (zero value, false) if not
+// found or if cache is disabled.
+func (ec *EngineCache) Get(ctx context.Context, engine, queryHash string) (CachedEngineResponse, bool) {
+	key := engineCacheKey(engine, queryHash)
+
+	data, ok := ec.cache.GetBytes(ctx, key)
+	if !ok {
+		return CachedEngineResponse{}, false
+	}
+
+	var cached CachedEngineResponse
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &cached); err != nil {
+		ec.cache.logger.Warn("engine cache hit but unmarshal failed", "key", key, "error", err)
+		return CachedEngineResponse{}, false
+	}
+
+	ec.cache.logger.Debug("engine cache hit", "key", key, "engine", engine)
+	return cached, true
+}
+
+// Set stores an engine response in the cache with the engine's tier TTL.
+func (ec *EngineCache) Set(ctx context.Context, engine, queryHash string, resp contracts.SearchResponse) {
+	if !ec.cache.Enabled() {
+		return
+	}
+
+	data, err := json.Marshal(resp)
+	if err != nil {
+		ec.cache.logger.Warn("engine cache set: marshal failed", "engine", engine, "error", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	tier := EngineTier(engine, ec.overrides)
+	key := engineCacheKey(engine, queryHash)
+
+	cached := CachedEngineResponse{
+		Engine:   engine,
+		Response: data,
+		StoredAt: time.Now(),
+	}
+
+	cachedData, err := json.Marshal(cached)
+	if err != nil {
+		ec.cache.logger.Warn("engine cache set: wrap marshal failed", "key", key, "error", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	ec.cache.SetBytes(ctx, key, cachedData, tier.Duration)
+}
+
+// IsStale returns true if the cached response is older than the tier's TTL.
+func (ec *EngineCache) IsStale(cached CachedEngineResponse, engine string) bool {
+	tier := EngineTier(engine, ec.overrides)
+	return time.Since(cached.StoredAt) > tier.Duration
+}
+
+// Logger returns the logger for background refresh logging.
+func (ec *EngineCache) Logger() *slog.Logger {
+	return ec.cache.logger
+}
+
+// engineCacheKey builds the cache key for an engine+query combination.
+func engineCacheKey(engine, queryHash string) string {
+	return "samsa:resp:" + engine + ":" + queryHash
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/internal/cache/engine_cache_test.go b/internal/cache/engine_cache_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..721e1eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cache/engine_cache_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+package cache
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"log/slog"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/metamorphosis-dev/samsa/internal/contracts"
+)
+
+func TestEngineCacheGetSet(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create a disabled cache for unit testing (nil client)
+	c := &Cache{logger: slog.Default()}
+	ec := NewEngineCache(c, nil)
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	cached, ok := ec.Get(ctx, "wikipedia", "abc123")
+	if ok {
+		t.Errorf("Get on disabled cache: expected false, got %v", ok)
+	}
+	_ = cached // unused when ok=false
+}
+
+func TestEngineCacheKeyFormat(t *testing.T) {
+	key := engineCacheKey("wikipedia", "abc123")
+	if key != "samsa:resp:wikipedia:abc123" {
+		t.Errorf("engineCacheKey: expected samsa:resp:wikipedia:abc123, got %s", key)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEngineCacheIsStale(t *testing.T) {
+	c := &Cache{logger: slog.Default()}
+	ec := NewEngineCache(c, nil)
+
+	// Fresh response (stored 1 minute ago, wikipedia has 24h TTL)
+	fresh := CachedEngineResponse{
+		Engine:   "wikipedia",
+		Response: []byte(`{}`),
+		StoredAt: time.Now().Add(-1 * time.Minute),
+	}
+	if ec.IsStale(fresh, "wikipedia") {
+		t.Errorf("IsStale: 1-minute-old wikipedia should NOT be stale")
+	}
+
+	// Stale response (stored 25 hours ago)
+	stale := CachedEngineResponse{
+		Engine:   "wikipedia",
+		Response: []byte(`{}`),
+		StoredAt: time.Now().Add(-25 * time.Hour),
+	}
+	if !ec.IsStale(stale, "wikipedia") {
+		t.Errorf("IsStale: 25-hour-old wikipedia SHOULD be stale (24h TTL)")
+	}
+
+	// Override: 30 minute TTL for reddit
+	overrides := map[string]time.Duration{"reddit": 30 * time.Minute}
+	ec2 := NewEngineCache(c, overrides)
+
+	// 20 minutes old with 30m override should NOT be stale
+	redditFresh := CachedEngineResponse{
+		Engine:   "reddit",
+		Response: []byte(`{}`),
+		StoredAt: time.Now().Add(-20 * time.Minute),
+	}
+	if ec2.IsStale(redditFresh, "reddit") {
+		t.Errorf("IsStale: 20-min reddit with 30m override should NOT be stale")
+	}
+
+	// 45 minutes old with 30m override SHOULD be stale
+	redditStale := CachedEngineResponse{
+		Engine:   "reddit",
+		Response: []byte(`{}`),
+		StoredAt: time.Now().Add(-45 * time.Minute),
+	}
+	if !ec2.IsStale(redditStale, "reddit") {
+		t.Errorf("IsStale: 45-min reddit with 30m override SHOULD be stale")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEngineCacheSetResponseType(t *testing.T) {
+	c := &Cache{logger: slog.Default()}
+	ec := NewEngineCache(c, nil)
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	urlStr := "https://example.com"
+	resp := contracts.SearchResponse{
+		Results: []contracts.MainResult{
+			{Title: "Test", URL: &urlStr},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// Should not panic on disabled cache
+	ec.Set(ctx, "wikipedia", "abc123", resp)
+}
\ No newline at end of file