The 20ft used Grade A reefer is the box most UK operators reach for when a new unit would be overkill. Outer dimensions are 6.06 × 2.44 × 2.59 m, the interior roughly 5.44 × 2.29 × 2.27 m — around 28 m³, or 10 to 11 pallets. Grade A is the freshest end of the used market: usually under twelve years old, with 10 to 15 years of static service ahead. As a guide, expect £6,500–10,000 ex VAT, before delivery.
Who this configuration is for
Butchers buying in the carcass, caterers whose volume doubles in season, breweries holding kegs at a steady temperature, farm shops and small producers pick the 20ft: big enough for daily turnover, yet still shunted around an ordinary yard. They share one thing — a box that runs every day of the year, which is what justifies Grade A over a cheaper class and makes hire dearer past 18 to 24 months of continuous use. A new one-trip unit runs £18,995–22,500 ex VAT, two to three times a Grade A, so the used premium is easy to justify.
What to check before you pay
“Grade A” is not standardised between dealers, so buy the evidence, not the label. Insist on a cold-run test and a PTI report under three months old — without a fresh run you pay an A price for B technique, and a genuine Grade B costs roughly £2,500–3,500 less. A 20ft holds -25 °C to +25 °C, runs off a three-phase 380/400 V supply through a 32 A CEE socket, and draws around 85 to 95 kWh a day at a +2 °C setpoint. Budget for what the advert leaves out: delivery by crane truck (£800–2,000 ex VAT), an electrical connection (£0–1,500 if no three-phase is in place) and servicing at about £400 a year. Note which unit is fitted — Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin or Star Cool — the parts network behind it matters at year eight. Our used buying guide covers each checkpoint.
When another choice is better
Need the cold for only a few weeks or months? Hiring is cheaper — UK long-term hire starts around £12 a day, though a 90-day minimum is common. For volume alone, a 40ft high cube gives far more room and a 2.55 m interior height, at a higher electricity draw. If the budget is tight and cosmetic wear does not bother you, Grade B saves real money. And for passive insulation with no active cooling, a non-operational insulated unit at roughly £2,000–4,500 ex VAT is the sensible buy. The price overview sets every band side by side; the catalogue places each format in context.
Specifications
| Size | 20ft |
|---|---|
| Usable volume | ~28 m³ |
| Capacity | 10-11 |
| Internal dimensions | ≈ 5,44 × 2,29 × 2,27 m |
| Temperature range | -25 °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.
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 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)
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Insulated 20ft Container
Frequently asked questions
Why pay more for a Grade A than a Grade B 20ft?
The premium — a comparable Grade B lands around £4,000–6,500 ex VAT, roughly £2,500–3,500 less — buys a compressor with fewer running hours, a cabinet whose insulation has never been cut and re-sealed, and resale value that holds. If the box runs 365 days a year and you keep it five years or more, that gap dilutes into the running cost. For seasonal or intermittent use, Grade B is the better value.
How do I know it is genuinely Grade A?
'Grade A' is not standardised between dealers, so judge the evidence rather than the word. Ask for a cold-run test and a PTI report less than three months old, and check the year: Grade A usually means under twelve years old with 10 to 15 years of static service left. Read the compressor's running-hours meter before the photos — a lightly used older unit can beat a newer one pulled from intensive rotation.
Is the interior as big as a standard 20ft container?
No. A 20ft reefer measures about 5.44 × 2.29 × 2.27 m inside — smaller than a dry box of the same 6.06 m outer length, because the insulation takes thickness off the walls, ceiling and floor. You still get roughly 28 m³ and 10 to 11 pallets, but if you sized your bay against a standard container you will come up short. Prices are ex VAT and exclude delivery.