Which crate is for me?

Which crate is for me?

•All of our crates are sorted on arrival and priced for strength.

•The main picture for each listing reflects the aesthetic differences between crates (further details are within the listings)

•All crate types are made to the same approximate dimensions as follows:

All of our crates are made to the following approximate dimensions: 50cm x 40cm x 30cm.
 

Many of our customers ask us which of our apple crate types might be best for them. We have priced all of our crates for both strength and appearance and we give full descriptions within each listing of the details of each crate type to enable our customers to make informed decisions. Whilst ultimately you will best be able to assess which type should suit your needs, below is a brief breakdown of what each of the main types are most commonly used for by our customers and what the main differences between them are.

Storage Crate Type 5

These are currently amongst the strongest crates we have available along with the below crate type, however they differ slightly in appearance. They have various numbers of slats but all more than 5, they tend not to have particuarly large gaps between each slat and are generally quite light coloured wood.  Customers often buy them because they have particularly heavy items to display, or if they wish to use the crate/s as floating storage by securing them to the wall. They are also often used to display items that are small enough that they might otherwise slip through the lager gaps between the other crate types.

Storage Crate Type 4

These are amongst the strongest crates that we have, the wood is generally the heaviest and the gaps between the slats minimal. For this reason customers often buy them because they have particularly heavy items to display, or if they wish to use the crate/s as floating storage by securing them to the wall. They are also often used to display items that are small enough that they might otherwise slip through the lager gaps between the other crate types.

 
Storage Crate Type 3

These crates are slightly weaker than the standard crates, the wood is usually lighter and/or the gaps between the slats slightly larger. Customers often buy these to use as displays, and we ourselves use them as storage in our offices full up with stationery/files etc.They are still strong crates, particulary when used to carry items as was their original purpose. Several of our customers have used them as laundry/linen storage as they are a bit lighter than out standard crates and, therefore, more portable.

Storage Crate Type 2

These crates are usually weaker than the others, mostly due to the fact that there are substantially bigger gaps between the slats of wood. As a result they are not quite as sturdy as the others but can still be stacked - they have been fully loaded with apples several times so they are still pretty strong. These crates are great when used in gardens as planters or as boot/log storage.

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Storage Crate Type 0/1

Some of the things you may find with Type 0/1 include slight damage, cracked slats, rough wood, traces of woodworm holes, areparticularly weathered or light in colour or have loose slats.

Type 0/1 crates will be a mixture of the Type 2-5 crates, just with the added issues listed above and therefore can vary quite a bit in strength and appearance.

These authentically used crates are a limited resource as the fruit farms in Europe where they are produced are moving on to plastic boxes. We spend huge amounts of time sourcing the most economical, strongest and most reliable suppliers which are in ever shorter supply! Our most recent supplier is our most reliable yet and provides a steady amount of very strong crates but they are certainly not as affordable as they once were and the cost of transporting them across Europe is, unfortunately, substantial. We promise we'll always keep them as affordable as we can and the prices that you find on our website are as competitive as possible!