Between £6,500 and £10,000 ex VAT (add 20% VAT on top), a Grade A 20ft reefer set for negative cold is bought for one job: keeping frozen stock frozen. Its roughly 28 m³ and 10 to 11 pallet spaces sit in a 6.06 by 2.44 metre footprint, with about 5.44 by 2.29 metres inside once the insulation takes its thickness off the walls, floor and ceiling. What sets this configuration apart is not the box — it is the setpoint.
Why the setpoint decides what you buy
The colder you run, the more the unit’s condition shows. A reefer holds the full -25°C to +25°C range, so on paper any grade freezes. In practice a compressor near the end of its life can hold +2°C chill yet labour to pull down to -25°C on a hot afternoon. That is why a freezer leans on Grade A: bodywork typically under twelve years old, sound insulation, ten to fifteen years of remaining service, and a PTI under three months. The brand — Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin, Star Cool — differs mainly in parts networks and resale, not in whether it freezes. Buy the cold and the paperwork, and compare grades on our prices page.
Running a freezer, not a fridge
Freezing is the heavier electrical duty. At -18°C a 20ft draws around 4 to 4.5 kWh an hour, 95 to 110 kWh a day, against 85 to 95 kWh as a chiller at +2°C — apply your own tariff. It needs a three-phase 380/400 V supply on a CEE 32 A five-pin plug, so confirm the connection before delivery. Door discipline earns its keep: every opening lets warm, damp air in, forcing a longer pull-down and more frost for the defrost cycle to clear. For frozen seafood, ice cream, ready meals or bakery dough, a static 20ft on its own supply makes a straightforward deep-freeze store. ATP certification governs refrigerated transport, not a container that sits put — a stationary store does not need it.
When a freezer 20ft is the wrong pick
If your product only ever needs +2°C chill, you are paying at the top of the used range, and the heavier tariff, for headroom you will not use — a chilled unit suits you better. If you move more than 10 or 11 pallets, step up to a 40ft HC rather than crowd two boxes. Under 18 to 24 months of continuous use, hiring stays more logical than buying. And if you need no active cold at all, an insulated non-operational unit costs far less. Weigh those against the full catalogue; for the checks that separate a sound Grade A from a tired one, our used buying guide walks each step.
Specifications
| Size | 20ft |
|---|---|
| Usable volume | ~28 m³ |
| Capacity | 10-11 |
| Internal dimensions | ≈ 5,44 × 2,29 × 2,27 m |
| Temperature range | -18 °C / -25 °C |
| Condition | Class A |
| Power supply | Three-phase 380/400 V, 32 A CEE plug (5-pin) |
| Common refrigeration units | Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin, Star Cool |
| Typical use | restaurant, butcher, caterer, brasserie |
What "Class A" means
A recent unit — often under 12 years old — with a refrigeration unit in good condition and a lightly marked body. The choice for intensive year-round use.
Same machine, set to sub-zero cooling. Power consumption is higher than in chilled mode.
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 Used Grade A Reefer
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20ft Refrigerated Container — Used, Grade B
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20ft Used Reefer — Grade C (Sold as Seen)
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20ft One-Trip Reefer (New)
Frequently asked questions
Does a used 20ft reefer really reach -25°C, or only chill?
A standard reefer runs the full -25°C to +25°C range, so a healthy 20ft holds -18 to -25°C without trouble. The catch is condition: the colder the setpoint, the harder the unit works, so a tired compressor that copes at +2°C may labour to pull down to -25°C on a warm day. That is why a freezer application leans towards Grade A, with a PTI dated under three months.
How much more electricity does freezing use than chilling?
At -18°C a 20ft draws roughly 4 to 4.5 kWh an hour, or 95 to 110 kWh a day — against 85 to 95 kWh run as a chiller at +2°C. Freezing is the heavier duty, and door discipline matters: every opening lets warm, damp air in and forces a longer pull-down with more frost. Apply your own electricity tariff to the daily figure to size the running cost.
Is a Grade A worth the premium over a Grade B for freezing?
For freezing, more often than for chilling. Grade A means bodywork typically under twelve years old, sound insulation and a documented unit — the margin a freezer needs to hold -25°C in summer. A Grade B saves on the purchase but risks a box that holds chill yet struggles at deep freeze. Judge the refrigeration and the PTI, not the paintwork, and insist on a recent cold test.