Between £12,000 and £18,000 ex VAT — add 20% VAT on top — a 10ft one-trip reefer is the most expensive way to buy the least cold storage, and for some buyers that is exactly right. It is the smallest refrigerated container made, delivered cosmetically pristine after a single factory voyage. The premium buys appearance and a full service life on a box that will often sit where customers can see it.
Why pay new-build money on this format
A one-trip 10ft costs roughly two to four times a used Grade A of the same size, which runs £4,500 to £7,000 ex VAT. The cold it produces is no colder. What you gain is a spotless finish — unmarked panels, a clean floor, fresh door gaskets — and a unit with its whole life ahead rather than the 10 to 15 years left in a used one. That matters for a florist, a caterer, a small food producer, a pharmacy overflow store or an events cold room: places where the container is on show and a dented, faded box would not do. The refrigeration is the same Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin or Star Cool group as any grade, holding the standard -25°C to +25°C range. Just remember that any guarantee is the supplier’s to give, not something the “new” label confers — see how grades and prices line up on our prices page.
The space you actually get
Do not read the 2.99-metre outside length as usable room. On a reefer this small the fridge unit claims one whole end and the insulation takes its thickness off every wall, the ceiling and the floor — so a 10ft reefer holds far less than a 10ft dry box, and much less than its footprint implies. Plan around 15 m³ and four to five pallet spaces, no more — the smallest entry in the catalogue. At +2°C the unit draws roughly 50 to 70 kWh a day; apply your own electricity tariff to that, because on a small box run continuously the running cost is a real line in the budget, not an afterthought.
When a 10ft one-trip is the wrong buy
Two things argue against it. If capacity might grow, a 20ft one-trip can cost much the same for nearly double the volume — the 10ft earns its place only where floor space is genuinely the binding constraint. And if the box will never be seen — a yard buffer, a back-of-house store — a used Grade A or Grade B does the identical cold job for a fraction of the outlay; our used buying guide covers that inspection. Under 18 to 24 months of continuous use, hiring still beats buying at any grade.
Specifications
| Size | 10ft |
|---|---|
| Usable volume | ~15 m³ |
| Capacity | 4-5 |
| Internal dimensions | ≈ 2,99 m hors tout |
| Temperature range | -25 °C / +25 °C |
| Condition | New |
| Power supply | Three-phase 380/400 V, 32 A CEE plug (5-pin) |
| Common refrigeration units | Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin, Star Cool |
| Typical use | retail, food truck, hunting, private buyers |
What "New" means
A container that has made only one sea voyage before being put up for sale. Recent refrigeration unit, very few running hours, intact body.
A standard reefer covers both modes: it's a setpoint to adjust, not a different product. It also heats, up to +25°C (frost-free storage).
What drives the price
- The refrigeration unit's running hours — the top factor on the used market, body condition being equal.
- The make of the unit — parts availability matters more than the name itself.
- The condition of the body — corrosion, door seals, flooring marked by forklifts.
- The region and site access — delivery by crane lorry costs £700 to £1,700.
EuroReefer does not sell containers. We hold no stock and run no depot: the ranges above are ballpark figures observed on the European market, not an offer of sale. We pass your enquiry on to specialist suppliers, who contact you directly if they can meet it.
Similar references
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20ft One-Trip Reefer (New)
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40ft High Cube reefer, new one-trip
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10ft Refrigerated Container — Used, Grade A
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10ft Grade B Reefer (Used)
Frequently asked questions
What does 'one-trip' mean for a reefer this size?
One-trip means the container left the factory once, carried cargo on a single sailing, then was sold. It arrives cosmetically pristine — clean panels, an unmarked floor, fresh door gaskets — and structurally as-new. On a 10ft, that finish is the main reason to buy new rather than a used Grade A. Any guarantee comes from the supplier, not from the 'new' label, so confirm what each seller actually offers.
How much usable space does a 10ft reefer really have?
Less than the 2.99-metre outside length suggests. On the smallest reefer format the refrigeration unit claims one whole end and the insulation takes its thickness off every wall, the ceiling and the floor. Plan around 15 m³ and four to five pallet spaces, not the exterior dimensions. A reefer interior is always tighter than a dry box of the same nominal size.
Would a 20ft one-trip be better value?
Often, yes. A new 10ft runs £12,000 to £18,000 ex VAT, and a 20ft one-trip can start at much the same figure for nearly double the volume — about 28 m³ against 15 m³. If there is any chance your cold storage need will grow, the larger box costs little more per cubic metre. The 10ft earns its keep only where floor space is the binding constraint.