A working used reefer container typically costs £4,500 to £7,500 ex VAT in the UK — enough money that an hour of methodical checking pays for itself many times over. Most of that value sits in the refrigeration unit rather than the steel box around it, so the checks that matter are mechanical ones: test reports, running hours and, above all, a cold run before you pay. This guide sets out what to ask for before you travel, what to inspect on site, and how to weigh a marketplace listing against a specialist dealer. For grades, price context and where used units come from, start with our overview of used refrigerated containers for sale.
Before you travel: the paperwork
Three things can be requested before you leave your desk, and together they tell you most of what matters:
- A PTI report less than three months old, naming the unit tested.
- The running hours from the unit’s controller.
- The service history — who has maintained the machine, and when.
Confirm the make and model of the refrigeration unit at the same time. Four makes account for most ex-marine machines — Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin and Star Cool — and all four are proven at sea. What differs for a buyer is spare-parts availability and how easily you can find a local engineer familiar with the unit. A well-documented machine of any make beats a poorly documented one of any other.
Ask the grade too. Grade A units are generally under 12 years old and in the best condition; Grade B is older or more marked but in working order; Grade C is sold as seen. Grading describes condition — it is not a certification, so treat the letter as a starting point rather than a verdict.
The reefer container PTI test
PTI stands for Pre-Trip Inspection, the standard function test used across the container industry. It runs the refrigeration unit through its operating cycle and confirms that the machine reaches and holds its set point. Two caveats apply. Freshness first: a report older than three months tells you little about the unit’s behaviour today, which is why a recent one is worth insisting on. Scope second: a PTI proves function on the day of the test, not long-term reliability — it reads alongside the service history, not instead of it.
The cold run: never pay without one
A PTI report is someone else’s paperwork; a cold run is your own evidence. Ask the seller to run the container down to the temperature you actually intend to use — standard reefers operate from -25 °C to +25 °C, so your working set point is within reach — and to hold it there long enough to show stable behaviour. Watch the pull-down, listen to the unit cycle, and have the result witnessed or documented before dispatch. A seller who declines a cold run on a machine described as working order is telling you something worth hearing.
The physical inspection
None of these checks needs special tools — just time, a torch and a willingness to open both doors.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Door seals and hinges | Gaskets supple and unbroken all round; doors close tight without force. Worn seals leak cold air and load the machine. |
| Floor | T-bar floor free of deep dents, cracked sections and makeshift repairs; drains clear. |
| Interior panels and ceiling | Lining intact and hygienic; dents or patched holes can compromise airtightness and insulation. |
| Refrigeration unit exterior | Coils undamaged, no heavy corrosion, no oil staining that suggests a leak. |
| CSC plate | Present and legible. If the container will be transported or stacked, check the examination date shown on it. |
| Power cable and plug | Standard units take three-phase 380/400 V through a 5-pin 32 A CEE plug; some small formats run on single-phase 230 V. Cable and plug undamaged. |
Power deserves planning of its own: confirm what your site can actually supply before the container arrives. Our power supply guide covers the practicalities.
Marketplace or specialist: a factual comparison
Both routes are legitimate. General marketplaces list plenty of used reefers, often at keen prices, and a buyer armed with this checklist can do well there. What a specialist dealer adds is process rather than magic: pre-sale testing with a documented PTI, the option of a witnessed cold run, graded and described stock, sometimes a warranty on the refrigeration unit, arranged delivery, and a counterpart to go back to if something is wrong. How much that process is worth depends on how confident you are assessing a refrigeration unit yourself — the checklist above is precisely the work a dealer’s margin pays for.
Budget past the sticker price
The advertised figure is rarely the final one:
- VAT at 20% applies on top of ex-VAT prices.
- Delivery is quoted separately, according to distance and site access.
- Electricity: expect roughly 70 to 170 kWh per day depending on size and set temperature — holding -18 °C costs more than +2 °C. Our running costs guide breaks this down.
- An annual service of the refrigeration unit protects the 10 to 15 years of service a good used reefer can still give.
When buying is the wrong answer
One check belongs before all the others: whether to buy at all. Below roughly 18 to 24 months of continuous use, hiring a refrigerated container usually works out better than owning one. Long-term hire starts from around £12 a day in the UK, though many hire companies apply a 90-day minimum term — shorter arrangements exist, but expect a higher daily rate. Past that threshold, ownership generally wins, and this checklist earns its keep.
Compare offers before you commit
EuroReefer is an editorial comparison site: we hold no stock and sell nothing ourselves. Describe what you need — size, grade, target temperature, postcode — through our quote form and we pass your request to specialist suppliers, who contact you directly if they can meet your requirement. On a purchase of this size, a second and third offer is the cheapest insurance you can buy.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check when buying a used reefer container?
Ask for a PTI report less than three months old, the unit's running hours and its service history before you travel. On site, inspect the door seals, floor, interior panels, refrigeration unit and CSC plate, and confirm the make of the fridge unit. Finish with a cold run at your intended temperature before any money changes hands — it is the single most telling check of all.
What is a reefer container PTI test?
PTI stands for Pre-Trip Inspection, the container industry's standard function test. It runs the refrigeration unit through its operating cycle and confirms the machine reaches and holds its set temperature. Ask for a report less than three months old, naming the specific unit: an older report says little about how the machine behaves today, and a missing one is a serious gap on anything sold as working order.
How many running hours are too many for a used reefer?
There is no universal threshold, and hours alone can mislead: a high-hours unit with a full service history is often a better buy than a low-hours machine with none. Read the hours alongside the maintenance record and a recent PTI report, and give most weight to the cold-run result — it shows how the machine performs now, not how much it has worked.
Is it better to buy a used reefer from a marketplace or a specialist?
Both routes are legitimate, and plenty of used reefers change hands through general marketplaces, often keenly priced. The difference is that you carry the assessment yourself. A specialist dealer typically adds a documented PTI test, the option of a witnessed cold run, graded stock, arranged delivery and a counterpart to return to if something is wrong. Whichever route you choose, apply the same checklist.
How much should I pay for a used reefer container in the UK?
A working used refrigerated container typically sells for £4,500 to £7,500 ex VAT in the UK, with VAT at 20% added on top and delivery quoted separately. Where a unit sits in that range follows size, grade, the age and make of the refrigeration unit, and the test paperwork supplied. By comparison, a new one-trip reefer typically costs £18,995 to £22,500 ex VAT.