Choosing the right refrigerated trailer shouldn’t feel like guesswork. Whether you’re storing food, beverages, flowers, medical supplies, or event inventory, the size you choose directly affects how smooth your day goes. This guide breaks down the different trailer sizes Refrig-A-Rent offers, what you can realistically fit inside each one, and the types of jobs they’re best for.
Below is a clear comparison to help you make the right call the first time.
Small Refrigerated Trailer (6–8 ft)
Best for: smaller events, light food storage, beverage cooling, small businesses, mobile bartending, and short-term pop-ups.
What Fits Inside a Small Unit
A small refrigerated trailer is compact, efficient, and easy to maneuver. Inside, you can typically fit:
25–35 full-size catering trays
30–40 cases of beverages
4–6 standard restaurant food pans per shelf
2–3 rolling racks (bakery height)
Small floral orders or bouquets
Limited medical supplies and specimen coolers
Best Use Cases
This size works great for:
Backyard weddings
Graduation parties
Small caterers
Pop-up food vendors
Farmers market booths
Breweries needing a little overflow
Convenience stores waiting on cooler repairs
If you don’t need walk-in space and just want a mobile cooler to keep things chilled, this size is perfect.
Medium Refrigerated Trailer (10–12 ft)
Best for: restaurants during walk-in outages, multi-day events, festivals, mid-size catering operations, florists, and product distributors.
What Fits Inside a Medium Unit
This is the “sweet spot” size — walk-in convenience without going too big. You can typically fit:
60–80 catering trays
65–85 cases of beverages
4–6 metro racks (full height)
Half a pallet of boxed product
Bulk produce cases (apples, lettuce, tomatoes, citrus, etc.)
Large floral orders or holiday overflow
Because this trailer is walk-in accessible, you can organize product like you would inside a commercial kitchen cooler.
Best Use Cases
Choose a 10–12 ft trailer for:
Restaurants during busy season or equipment failure
Medium to large catering events
Breweries preparing for festivals or can releases
Small grocery stores handling holiday overflow
Florists needing temporary cooler space
Medical, lab, or chemical storage with controlled temperatures
If you need space you can walk into — but not the full warehouse-style setup — this is the most flexible size.
Large 16-ft Walk-In Refrigerated Trailer
Best for: large events, farms, grocery stores, medical groups, distributors, and any business that needs the maximum possible walk-in cold storage.
What Fits Inside a Large 16-ft Walk-In
This is your big-capacity, heavy-duty unit. Expect to fit:
120–160 catering trays
120+ cases of beverages
8–12 full-height metro racks
1 full pallet of product or two half pallets
Large quantities of produce, dairy, proteins, or frozen goods
Full-scale floral holiday inventory
Bulk medical or pharmaceutical shipments
This size is ideal when you need true walk-in cold storage with room to move, sort, and store inventory like you would inside a commercial cooler.
Best Use Cases
Our 16-ft walk-in trailer is the right choice for:
Large catering companies delivering multiple events
Grocery stores managing holiday overflow or equipment outages
Farms storing produce, meat, or CSA boxes
Breweries distributing kegs or preparing for festivals
Medical groups transporting vaccines, samples, or temperature-sensitive chemicals
Emergency refrigeration during major breakdowns
Event venues hosting multi-day festivals or athletic events
If you want maximum space, steady temperatures between 0° and 50°F, and the ability to treat it like a full walk-in cooler, this is the top pick.
Side-by-Side Size Comparison
| Trailer Size | Capacity | Walk-In? | What Fits | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (6–8 ft) | Light storage | Some models | 25–35 trays, 30–40 cases, small racks | Small events, food vendors, parties |
| Medium (10–12 ft) | Mid-range | Yes | 60–80 trays, 65–85 cases, metro racks | Restaurants, festivals, florists |
| Large 16-ft Walk-In | Maximum | Yes | 120+ trays, 120+ cases, pallets | Grocery stores, farms, big events |
How to Choose the Right Size (Quick Tip Guide)
Choose a Small trailer if…
You only need drink cooling or small-to-medium food storage for a day or weekend.
Choose a Medium trailer if…
You need walk-in space and will be opening the cooler frequently during service or prep.
Choose a 16-ft Walk-In if…
You’re storing large volumes, operating for multiple days, or managing continuous inventory rotation.
Need Help Choosing? We Can Tell You in Under 2 Minutes.
Every business has different needs, and choosing too small or too big can slow down your event, service line, or operation.
If you want a quick recommendation, reach out to us and tell us:
What you’re storing
How long you need it
Your location (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, or Florida)
We’ll match you with the perfect trailer size.