What is a Reefer Container? Sizes, configurations and prices
A Reefer Container is another name for a Refrigerated Shipping Container. Insulated walls and a refrigeration unit built into one end hold whatever temperature you set between -20°C and +20°C, so one reefer covers both frozen and chilled stock. Container Traders sells and hires new and used 20ft and 40ft Reefer Containers Australia-wide, with used 20ft Reefers from $9,400 - $13,400 + GST.
Reefer Containers for sale
Our Reefer Containers come in two sizes. The 20ft is the one most butchers, cafés and farms buy, and the 40ft High Cube is for wholesalers moving pallets with a forklift.
20ft Reefer Container
The most popular reefer size for on-site cold storage, holding around 27 cubic metres of chilled or frozen stock. Available in standard or High Cube height, new or used, and suited to butchers, cafés, farms and anyone loading by hand or pallet jack.
40ft High Cube Reefer Container
Built for high volume cold storage. The 40ft High Cube holds around 67 cubic metres of chilled or frozen stock, and the extra height means you can stack higher and load straight in with a forklift.
Reefer Containers for hire
We hire Reefer Containers across Australia in 20ft and 40ft High Cube sizes, on a 9-month minimum term. Reefer hire suits businesses that need cold storage for a set period, like a harvest, a festival season or a site project, without buying the shipping container outright.
How much does a Reefer Container cost?
The price of a Reefer Container in Australia starts from $9,400 – $13,400 + GST for a used 20ft as of 1 September 2026
If budget is the priority, ask about older-plated stock. We can often find an older reefer at a lower price, with more wear on the outside.
Reefer Container price list 2026
| Reefer container | Buy used | Buy new | Hire from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Reefer | $9,400 - $13,400 | $46,500 - $50,500 | $700/mth |
| 40ft High Cube Reefer | $12,900 - $16,800 | Request a Price | $930/mth |
| 20ft Non-Operational Reefer | $5,600 - $9,800 | Not sold new | Request a Price |
| 40ft Non-Operational Reefer (HC) | $7,400 - $13,600 | Not sold new | Request a Price |
Prices exclude GST and delivery, last updated 1 September 2026. Hire rates are on a 18-month term.
What can you store in a Reefer Container?
A Reefer Container stores anything that has to stay chilled, frozen or at a set temperature. Australian food safety rules require perishable food to be kept at 5°C or colder, and frozen food is generally held at -18°C or below. A reefer covers both.
Popular things to store in a Reefer Container
How big is a Reefer Container?
A 20ft reefer container is 6.1 metres long, 2.4 metres wide and 2.6 metres high on the outside, and a 40ft High Cube is 12.2 metres long and 2.9 metres high. Inside, the insulated walls take a little off every dimension, which matters if you are planning around pallets or shelving.
| Dimension | 20ft Reefer | 20ft High Cube Reefer | 40ft High Cube Reefer |
|---|---|---|---|
| External length | 6,058mm | 6,058mm | 12,190mm |
| External width | 2,440mm | 2,440mm | 2,440mm |
| External height | 2,595mm | 2,895mm | 2,890mm |
| Internal length | 5,468mm | 5,468mm | 11,578mm |
| Internal width | 2,227mm | 2,375mm | 2,227mm |
| Internal height | 2,270mm | 2,698mm | 2,525mm |
| Door opening width | 2,290mm | 2,290mm | 2,276mm |
| Door opening height | 2,264mm | 2,564mm | 2,535mm |
| Empty weight | 3,740kg | 3,840kg | 4,300kg |
| Max payload | 31,260kg | 31,360kg | 29,500kg |
| Cubic capacity | Approx. 27.6m³ | Approx. 35.0m³ | 66.7m³ |
How does a Reefer Container work?
A Reefer Container works like a walk-in commercial fridge built into a shipping container. The refrigeration unit sits in the end wall and pushes chilled air under the floor and up through the load, and the thermostat holds the set point you choose. Thick insulation in the walls, floor and roof keeps the cold in, so the unit does not have to work hard to hold temperature.
Reefer Container features
Features vary between reefers, especially on older stock. The list below is what you will find on the new reefers we stock, and our team can usually tell you what a particular used one has.
Precise Temperature Control
Set any point from -20°C to +20°C on the controller and the unit holds it, so one reefer runs as a freezer or a cool room.
Flat floor or T-bar floor
A T-bar floor channels air under the load for even cooling. A flat floor is easier for trolleys and mopping out.
Food-grade stainless steel interior
Hygienic and easy to wash down.
Scuff liner on the sidewalls
Protects the walls from pallet corners and forklift tynes.
Longer door handle with grip
More leverage to break the door seal, and the door opens cleanly even with frost and ice build-up.
Heavy-duty sliding curtains
Strip curtains with improved clearing height and fit, so the cold stays in while the doors are open.
We use only the best brands in refrigeration
Every refrigeration unit needs servicing at some point, so the brand powering the refrigeration matters. We stock reefers fitted with popular brands such as Carrier, Thermo King, Daikin and Mitsubishi Electric units, the names most refrigeration technicians in Australia already work on and hold parts for.
What power does a Reefer Container need?
Most Reefer Container we sell runs on 32A three-phase power, the same supply most commercial kitchens, workshops and packing sheds already have. If your site has single-phase power only, or no mains at all, talk to our team before you order. The fix is usually a generator or a new outlet from your electrician.
Leave clear space around the unit end, because the condenser pulls air across it and a reefer parked hard against a wall works harder and costs more to run in summer. Before delivery you need a firm, level spot and a three-phase outlet within reach of the unit end, and tell us which way the doors should face.
Where are Reefer Containers used in Australia?
We deliver Reefer Containers into Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, mostly to food businesses that need a cold storage container on site rather than a built cool room, plus mining camps and households running a bulk freezer for a side of beef or a season’s catch.
Outside the cities, Reefer Containers are a common sight in growing regions like the Goulburn Valley around Shepparton, the Lockyer Valley and Darling Downs out of Toowoomba, and the South West around Bunbury, where growers, dairies and processors hold produce between harvest and markets without paying for cold storage in town.
Should you buy a new or used Reefer Container?
It comes down to what matters more to you, condition or cost, because both options have precise temperature control of -20°C to +20°C. For reliability, our New Build Reefer Containers are the best condition you can buy in Australia, with like-new refrigeration components and a build made for longevity. For a tighter budget, our Cargo Worthy Reefer Containers are the affordable option at around a third of the price. They have spent years in service at sea, so expect some marks on the outside and plan for more maintenance on the refrigeration components as they age.
What is a Non-Operational Reefer Container?
A Non-Operational Reefer Container is a decommissioned reefer whose refrigeration unit no longer works. We sell them as Insulated Shipping Containers. The insulation, stainless steel interior and airtight doors are all still there, so the inside stays cooler and steadier than a standard shipping container without any power. That suits dry food, electronics, artwork, documents and anything else that suffers in heat. They will not hold a set temperature, so chilled or frozen stock still needs a Reefer.
