Walk-In Coolers vs Refrigerated Containers

If keeping stored items at a specific temperature is necessary, walk-in coolers and a refrigerated container are both quality options. Businesses looking for additional cold storage will find each unit useful, but they differ in a few ways. Let’s look at the differences/advantages of each.

Questions to Consider:

What temperature must the stored items maintain?

Is your product palletized?

What power is available on-site?

Walk-In Cooler

Convenient:

Equipped with a large lockable 4’ walk-in door on one end, this cold storage unit is convenient for many situations. Made for ground level access only, a walk-in cooler will fit in a parking space. These units are 20’L x 8’W x 8’6”H on the exterior and 17’L x 7’W x 7’H on the interior. The walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers provide 119 sq ft of floor space and 833 cu ft of overall storage space. If you are planning on hand-carrying product in/out, the walk-in coolers and freezers are a great option. However, the door is not wide enough/the floor is not rated to accommodate palletized products. Our portable walk-ins are ideal for any restaurant or small business in need of additional cold storage space.

Cooler or Freezer:

They are capable of maintaining a temperature range between 0 deg F to 40 deg F (dependingon product/usage). The walk-in coolers& walk-in freezers are made for cooling or freezing only.However, they do not produce heat and are not able to control the humidity level. An exterior thermometer near the door, plus an exterior digital temperature display on the unit allow full control over the condition of stored items.

Refrigerated Container

Often called “reefers,” refrigerated containers look like standard shipping containers with double cargo doors on one end. However, they are fully insulated and possess an all electric cooling system. Refrigerated containers are available in two sizes and contain more features providing additional flexibility and uses.

Set Any Temperature:

The refrigerated containers can maintain temperatures below 0 degrees F to 75 degrees F(depending on product/usage). Equipped with dehumidification capabilities, these units are able to remove moisture and dehumidify. With the ability to set an exact temperature and further control the interior climate, a refrigerated container is able to protect stored contents with precision and consistency.

More Storage:

The refrigerated containers come in both 20’ and 40’ lengths. The 20’ refrigerated containers provide approximately 127 sq ft of floor space and 956 cu ft of overall storage space. The 40’ refrigerated container soffer 277 sq ft of floor space and 2,228 cu ft of overall storage space. With double cargo doors on one end that can swing open, refrigerated containers have a larger opening for load in and load out. These units are built for products on pallets and warehouse type applications. The 20’ refrigerated containers can accommodate up to 8 standard pallets (single stacked, side by side). The 40’ refrigerated containers can accommodate up to 18 standard pallets. The larger 40’ unit can also be utilized on wheels at a loading dock. This option allows you to drive directly into the refrigerated trailer with a pallet jack or forklift.

Power:

All of these cold storage units provided by Portable Refrigerated Storage are electric. Muchmore cost effective than diesel options, our walk-ins and refrigerated containers are also quieter and safer for the environment. They do not produce any harmfulemissions into the atmosphere. Equipped with a 50 ft power cord, the walk-in coolers require a 220V single phase power source and a dedicated 30 amp circuit. Also equipped with a 50 ft power cord, the refrigerated containers require either 230V or 460V 3-phase power. We recommend consulting an electrician to determine the power available at your facility.

Contact us today at (888) 939-5820 to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members or request an online quote.