Between £1,500 and £3,500 ex VAT (add 20% VAT on top), a Grade C 20ft reefer is sold as seen — you buy it in its current state, faults and all. At this price the refrigeration carries no promise: the unit may run and cool imperfectly, or it may not run at all. That single fact sets this configuration apart from every graded box above it.
What “sold as seen” really means
Grade C is the floor of the used market: a box sold with a tired or dead refrigeration unit — Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin or Star Cool — a stale or missing PTI, and often waterlogged insulation, a scored floor or heavy corrosion. Nothing is guaranteed, so the inspection carries the whole decision: see it run in cold if cold is claimed, sound the panels for soaked foam, and check the floor and bottom rails. A genuinely sound Grade C still offers the 10 to 15 years of remaining service a used reefer gives — but only where the fridge and insulation are alive. Against a private ad, remember what a professional seller adds for the higher price: a cold test, a dated PTI, delivery, sometimes a warranty and a route to recourse. Compare grades on our prices page.
The buyers who win with Grade C
The right buyer is not chasing dependable active cold. The 20ft’s roughly 28 m³, 10 to 11 pallet spaces and 6.06 by 2.44 metre footprint make it an insulated shell first: a static store where a little cooling is a bonus, a garden or workshop room, a project base for a bar or cold room you will re-fit with your own unit, or a donor for spares. Inside it runs about 5.44 by 2.29 metres — a reefer is tighter than a dry box, the insulation taking its thickness off walls, ceiling and floor. If you can service a fridge unit yourself, or never mean to plug one in, Grade C is the cheapest way into a 20ft insulated box in the catalogue.
When Grade C is a false economy
The trap is arithmetic. A £2,000 box that needs a new compressor, a gas re-charge or a waterlogged panel replaced can overtake a tested Grade B at £4,000 to £6,500 once the repair lands — our used buying guide walks the checks that catch it early. Anyone storing perishables, or needing food-safe cold they can rely on, should start at Grade B or above, where the PTI is fresh and the cold documented. If you want the insulation but never the compressor, an insulated non-operational box is the cleaner buy. And under 18 to 24 months of continuous use, hiring still beats buying at any grade.
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 C |
| 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 C" means
Sold as-is, for parts or in need of overhaul. For experienced buyers only: refurbishment costs can exceed the saving made.
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
-
20ft Used Grade A Reefer
-
20ft Refrigerated Container — Used, Grade B
-
20ft One-Trip Reefer (New)
-
Insulated 20ft Container
Frequently asked questions
Does a Grade C reefer actually cool?
Not reliably, and never on promise. Grade C is sold as seen, so the refrigeration may run and hold a rough +2°C, run poorly, or be dead. The PTI is often stale or missing. Never assume it holds temperature: see it run in cold before you pay, or budget for a rebuild. If dependable cold is the point, start at Grade B.
What does 'sold as seen' mean for my recourse?
It means you buy the unit in its current state, faults included, with little or no comeback once money changes hands. That is why a professional seller's cold test, a dated PTI, delivery and a possible warranty can be worth the higher price over a private ad. Whatever is claimed about the fridge, get it in writing before you commit.
When is a Grade C cheaper to buy but dearer in the end?
When the fridge needs work. A £1,500 to £3,500 box that then needs a compressor, a gas re-charge or a waterlogged panel replaced can pass a tested Grade B at £4,000 to £6,500 once the bill lands. If you need the refrigeration working, cost the reconditioning before you buy; the 10 to 15 years of remaining service only applies to a sound unit.