Freight Class for Appliances
Major appliances generally ship at freight class 85 to 125. Dense, metal-bodied units rate lower; large units with more packaging rate higher.
What is the freight class for appliances?
Washers, dryers, ranges and dishwashers carry enough metal to keep density moderate. The class mostly turns on the crate or pallet footprint and how much protective packaging is added. Stacking two units on one pallet raises density and can lower the class.
Because freight class is density-driven, there isn’t a single fixed number for appliances — class 85–125 is the common range. Run your actual dimensions and weight below to pin it down.
Metal bodies in factory cartons
Major appliances are the friendly end of bulky freight: they carry real metal — steel cabinets, motors, compressors, drums — so they hold moderate density and rate class 85–125, well below the light-and-hollow classes. Washers, dryers, ranges, dishwashers and freezers ship in factory cartons engineered to protect a specific unit at minimum material, so like refrigerators the smart default is to leave the manufacturer's packaging alone; it's usually the densest safe configuration.
The class within the range tracks the metal-to-air ratio. A packed range or washer with a heavy steel body sits near class 85–92.5; a lighter, larger unit with more cabinet void and protective clearance climbs toward class 110–125. Small appliances (microwaves, countertop units) behave more like electronics — dense enough boxed, but light per carton, so they rate up the range unless palletized in quantity.
Appliances freight class: worked examples
Density is weight ÷ volume (cubic feet = L × W × H in inches ÷ 1,728). Here is how typical appliances shipments measure out:
Boxed clothes dryer — class 110
A factory-cartoned dryer, 30" × 32" × 42", 200 lb.
30 × 32 × 42 = 40,320 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 23.3 ft³. Density = 200 lb ÷ 23.3 ft³.
8.6 lb/ft³ → inside 8–9 → class 110.
Boxed dishwasher — class 92.5
A dishwasher in its carton, 24" × 24" × 35", 130 lb.
24 × 24 × 35 = 20,160 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 11.7 ft³. Density = 130 lb ÷ 11.7 ft³.
11.1 lb/ft³ → class 92.5 — a compact, dense unit rates the low end.
Two stacked units, shared footprint — class 92.5
A washer and dryer paired to fill a 48" × 40" pallet, 70" high, 400 lb total.
48 × 40 × 70 = 134,400 in³ ÷ 1,728 = 77.8 ft³. Density = 400 lb ÷ 77.8 ft³ = 5.1 lb/ft³.
Shared footprint helps, but a tall two-high stack of light units still cubes out — measure before assuming it beats shipping singly.
Stack, skid to the carton, ship upright
The biggest density lever is unit count on the footprint. A single appliance centered on a full 48" × 40" pallet bills the whole deck, including the air beside a narrower unit; two units stacked or paired to fill the pallet share the footprint and can drop a class. Where units stack safely (many do with proper support between them), it's the cheapest gain available. Skid appliances to their carton footprint rather than a bigger pallet, and don't re-crate a factory-boxed unit unless a rough lane truly requires it — the added clearance costs a class, exactly as it does for refrigerators.
Appliances with sealed systems (freezers, some ranges) ship upright like refrigerators, which fixes the height and makes the footprint the variable you manage. Confirm the receiving location can handle major appliances, and price protective over-crating against the class jump it causes. Run the real skid dimensions through the calculator; appliances quoted off a bigger pallet than the carton needs always measure worse.
What affects appliances freight class
- Unit weight and metal content
- Crate/pallet footprint
- Protective packaging
- Single vs. stacked
Common appliances shipments include washers and dryers, ranges and ovens, dishwashers, freezers.
Class guides covering the 85–125 range:
Calculate the freight class for your appliances
Enter dimensions and weight to get the density-based class for your exact shipment.
Density-based estimate. Some commodities carry a fixed NMFC class — check our freight class by commodity pages.
Estimated Freight Class
Density
12.75
lb/ft³
Volume
53.33
ft³
Weight
680
lb
12–13.5 lb/ft³ → Class 85
Free PDF includes a watermark. Pro removes it & adds your brand.
Estimates only — verify freight class/NMFC and chargeable weight with your carrier.
How freight class is calculated (density scale)
Freight class is set by density = weight (lb) ÷ volume (ft³). Higher density → lower class → typically lower cost. Volume here is L × W × H × quantity.
| Density (lb/ft³) | Class |
|---|---|
| 50+ | 50 |
| 35 – 50 | 55 |
| 30 – 35 | 60 |
| 22.5 – 30 | 65 |
| 15 – 22.5 | 70 |
| 13.5 – 15 | 77.5 |
| 12 – 13.5 | 85 |
| 10.5 – 12 | 92.5 |
| 9 – 10.5 | 100 |
| 8 – 9 | 110 |
| 7 – 8 | 125 |
| 6 – 7 | 150 |
| 5 – 6 | 175 |
| 4 – 5 | 200 |
| 3 – 4 | 250 |
| 2 – 3 | 300 |
| 1 – 2 | 400 |
| 0 – 1 | 500 |
Frequently asked questions
What freight class is appliances?
Appliances typically ships at freight class 85–125. The exact class is set by density — weight divided by volume — so packaging and dimensions can move it within that range.
What affects the freight class of appliances?
The main factors are unit weight and metal content, crate/pallet footprint, protective packaging, single vs. stacked. Denser, tightly packed loads rate a lower class and cost less to ship.
How do I find the exact freight class for appliances?
Measure your shipment and divide weight by volume to get density, then match it to the NMFC scale — the calculator above does this. Confirm the final class and NMFC item number with your carrier before booking.
What freight class are appliances?
Major appliances in factory cartons measure ~8.5–11 lb/ft³ → class 92.5–110; compact dense units (dishwashers) rate near class 92.5, larger clearance-heavy units up to class 125. Small countertop appliances rate higher per carton unless palletized in quantity.
Should I re-crate appliances for shipping?
Usually no — the factory carton is engineered to protect the unit at minimum cube, so it's typically the densest safe option. Re-crating adds clearance that can raise the class. Reserve extra crating for genuinely rough lanes and price it against the class jump.
How do I lower the freight class on appliances?
Skid each unit to its carton footprint (not a bigger pallet), and where units stack safely, pair or stack them to share the deck. A single appliance on a full pallet bills the empty space beside it; filling the footprint can drop a class.