Refrigerated Containers for Sale

How refrigerated shipping containers work

A reefer isn't a passive insulated box. Each unit carries an integral refrigeration machine built into the front wall that actively pulls heat out and circulates cold air through T-bar floor channels, keeping product evenly chilled top to bottom. Set a temperature and the unit holds it, whether you're running a flower cooler at 38°F or a freezer at -10°F. The walls, doors and floor are insulated with foamed-in panels, so the machine isn't fighting the outside air all day.

What reefers in stock are used for

• Cold storage overflow for restaurants, butchers and grocers during peak season
• Walk-in chillers at farms, breweries and food-processing sites
• Floral and produce holding at the right humidity and temperature
• Temporary cold rooms for events, disaster response and remote job sites
• Frozen inventory backup when a walk-in goes down

Power, sizes and condition

Reefers run on three-phase power (typically 220-440V) or a diesel generator if you don't have the supply on site — a single-phase household outlet won't run the machine, so this is the first thing to sort before delivery. We carry 10ft, 20ft, 40ft and 40ft High Cube reefers in used and one-trip condition, with prices in this category running roughly $3,100 to $20,500 depending on size, age and whether the unit chills or deep-freezes. Used reefers are tested and certified working before they ship; one-trip units are near-new with full machine hour logs from a single voyage. Keep in mind the insulated walls steal a few inches each way, so a reefer's interior is a touch tighter than a dry box of the same nominal length.

Chiller versus freezer reefers

Not every job needs deep freeze. If you're holding produce, flowers, drinks or other chilled goods, a chiller-grade unit running in the 33°F to 50°F band is the cheaper, lower-draw buy. Step up to a freezer reefer when you're storing frozen meat, seafood or ice cream and need to hold below 0°F. The same physical box does both on most machines — you're paying for compressor capacity and how cold it can pull, not a different shell.

Shopping by price or size? See our reefers for sale with current pricing, or the deep-freeze -40°F freezer containers for pharma and seafood work. For exact internal cubes and door openings, check the container dimensions reference. Every reefer ships with our flat $500 nationwide delivery on a tilt-bed truck, set right where you need it, and in-stock units handle in 1-3 days.