The 20 m³ (roughly 700 cu ft) is our best-seller. It has the capacity for a wholesale butcher, an active hunting syndicate, a mid-sized restaurant or a market garden handling post-harvest stock. Pre-charged with R290, 100 mm PIR insulation, 400 V three-phase. This is the format where the cost per m³ is at its best.
Why 20 m³ and not 25? Because this is where factory production is most efficient (standard panels, a modified ISO 20' frame) and where the R290 charge stays comfortably below the ATEX threshold (~1.8 kg). Above 25 m³ the charge climbs; below 15 m³ the fixed costs — refrigeration unit, electronics, door — stay much the same but are spread over less volume.
20 m³ of usable space does not mean 20 m³ of product. Once you allow for perimeter shelving (four-tier units), an 80 cm central aisle and a 60 cm door zone, the real working volume drops to roughly 14–16 m³. Product capacity: 1,200–1,800 kg densely loaded (meat, cheese, vegetables), or 800–1,000 kg loosely loaded (flowers, delicate fruit).
The 20 m³ R290 needs a 400 V three-phase supply rated at 32 A for chilled, 40 A for frozen. If your site is not yet equipped, a standard grid connection takes around 6–12 weeks and €1,500–3,500 + VAT depending on the distance to the transformer. A temporary alternative is a 12 kVA diesel generator (hire ~€150/day, purchase ~€6,500 + VAT). Our quotation includes a site recommendation based on the details you give us.
Estimation indicative sur la base de 3 distributeurs européens recensés. Le prix réel dépend du fluide (R290/R744), de l'isolation et de la livraison.
The 10 m³ (roughly 350 cu ft) is our entry point: the most compact small cold room that still works as a genuine professional unit. It arrives pre-charged with R290, runs on a standard 230 V single-phase supply, and can be sited almost anywhere without a heavy concrete slab. A best-seller for game-hunting groups, small butchers, florists and restaurants on temporary premises.
From 5,800 € ex VAT
30 m³ (roughly 1,060 cu ft) is the boundary of our pre-charged R290 catalogue. It is the format for farms handling post-harvest stock, caterers with large seasonal volumes, wholesale butchers and shared hunting estates. Above this point we switch to empty delivery, with the unit charged on site by a certified F-Gas engineer.
From 11,500 € ex VAT
40 m³ of usable space (roughly 1,410 cu ft) on an ISO 40-foot frame. Aimed at food manufacturers, large producers and logistics platforms. Always delivered empty, then charged on site by a certified, Category I F-Gas engineer (R290 or R744, depending on the specification).
From 17,800 € ex VAT
Minimum access required: 3.2 m clear width and 4.5 m headroom below any obstruction (the envelope of a loaded crane-lorry). The container itself is 2.3 m wide × 2.5 m high. If your access is tighter — an enclosed yard or a 3 m passage — we can drop the unit nearby with a standard lorry plus a mobile crane (a specific quotation, adding €600–1,200).
8 to 10 Euro pallets (1,200 × 800 mm) on the floor, densely loaded. Double-stacked: 16–20 pallets. For 12+ pallets on the floor, a 30 or 40 m³ is the better choice. Our standard free-standing shelving is four perimeter tiers plus a central T-run, which means no pallet stacking.
The frozen version costs roughly 35–45% more than a chilled one of the same volume. The reasons: 120 mm rather than 100 mm insulation, a reinforced T-floor, a heated-gasket door, a refrigeration unit twice as powerful, and double the refrigerant charge. Price range: €8,200 + VAT (chilled) to €11,800 + VAT (frozen), ex VAT ex works.