Small Refrigerated Trailer Rental: Towable Cooler & Freezer Trailers

Most mobile cold storage companies do not rent 53ft semi trailers. They rent small refrigerated trailers — insulated cooler or freezer boxes on a light trailer chassis, usually about 5×10 to 8×20 ft, delivered to your site or towed behind a pickup. You will also see them called cooler trailers, refrigerated party trailers, or walk-ins on wheels. They are the go-to for restaurants, caterers, events, and florists.

Sizes and capacity

For a real-world reference point, Mobile Ice Box in Douglasville, GA lists its 5×10 trailer at 283 cubic feet or 6,500 lbs of product. For more than about 8 pallets, step up to a semi trailer or a container — see what size do I need.

How cold do they get?

Most small trailers run as coolers, and many switch to freezer mode — but they do not get as cold as full-size units. Published ranges from providers in our directory:

• Cooler mode: down to about 34–36°F.
• Freezer mode: typically 0°F to -10°F. Keep It Cold in Dallas, for example, lists a range of 36°F down to -4°F, and offers dual-temperature trailers with two doors — a freezer and a refrigerator section running at the same time.
• Semi trailers and containers, by comparison, reach about -20°F.

That covers most frozen food. If your product must be held colder than about -10°F — some ice cream and specialty frozen goods — confirm the unit’s rating or rent a freezer semi trailer or container. See temperature ranges for product targets.

Power

Small cooler trailers usually plug into an ordinary circuit. Cooler Trailer Rentals in Cocoa, FL runs its cooler trailers on a standard 110V, 20-amp circuit, while its freezer trailers need 220V, 30-amp. KC Frost Wagon in the Kansas City area plugs into a standard 120V outlet. For sites without power, most providers can add a generator, usually for an extra fee.

Delivery or tow it yourself

• Delivery — most providers deliver, set up, and pick up. Some include delivery within a set radius (KC Frost Wagon: free within 25 miles); others bill by the mile.
• Towing — some small units can be towed with a full-size pickup; Mobile Ice Box says its 5×10 needs no commercial license. Before you plan to tow, confirm the hitch and ball size, trailer wiring, your vehicle’s towing rating, and that your insurance covers it.
• Placement — the smallest units fit in a regular parking space. They sit low and load through rear doors with a step or ramp, so no loading dock is needed.
• Axles — single-axle trailers are easier to tuck into tight spots; tandem-axle trailers carry heavier loads like beverages and dense product.

What it costs

Published rates for small towable trailers run about $150–$250 per day, $700–$1,700 per week, and $2,400–$5,100 per month, before delivery — and most providers set a 3-day minimum. Keep It Cold in Dallas starts at $150/day plus delivery; KC Frost Wagon charges $225–$250/day, $1,500–$1,700/week, or $4,500–$5,100/month; Storage In Motion in Ohio lists $899–$1,599/week for 10×6 to 16×7 ft trailers. The rental cost guide has every published rate card and the break-even math — then compare local quotes.

Small trailer or something else?

• More than about 8 pallets, or a dock-height workflow → a semi trailer.
• No room to park a trailer, or a placement of several months → a portable walk-in or a reefer container.
• Need to move product around → a refrigerated or freezer truck.