Reddit mentions: The best rain barrels
We found 19 Reddit comments discussing the best rain barrels. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 15 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. RTS Home Accents 50-Gallon Rain Water Collection Barrel with Brass Spigot, Brown
- Authentic oak barrel texture is molded into each barrel; Will not fade or rot
- Flat back to sit flush against a wall; Linkable to other barrels to increase water collection. Rain Barell is 33.5” tall x 24” wide x 18.25” deep
- Save water and money by capturing rainwater to use for your lawn and garden; Optional stand to make filling watering cans easier (sold separately, item # 55100002008081)
- Aluminum screen keeps out debris; Designed to be child and pet safe with no large opening
- Brass Spigot shut off valve for hose hook-up with dual overflow; A front side overflow keeps water from flooding against your outside wall
- Includes Rain Barrel, Brass Spigot, Teflon Tape, Aluminum Screen, Hose Barb and Assembly Instructions. Rain Barrel Stand and Rain Barrel Link Kit sold separately.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Brown |
Height | 34 Inches |
Length | 19 Inches |
Weight | 22 Pounds |
Width | 24 Inches |
Size | 50 |
Number of items | 1 |
2. Augason Farms Water Storage Barrel 55-Gallon Drum
- Stores up to 55 gallons
- BPA-free water drum
- Made with food-grade polyethylene
- Measures 22.95" diam. x 35.13"h
- Weighs 18.2 lb.
Features:
Specs:
Color | Blue |
Height | 35.5 Inches |
Length | 23.438 Inches |
Weight | 18 Pounds |
Width | 23.438 Inches |
Size | unt |
Number of items | 1 |
3. Kyoto 55 Gallon Sand-Stone-Look Rain Barrel UV Resistant Container with Drainage
- 50 gallon capacity
- UV inhibited recycled polyethylene - BPA free
- Plants will love the chlorine free water and you will love the savings on your water bill
- Planter top
Features:
Specs:
Color | Sandstone |
4. FCMP Outdoor US4000-TC Urn Style (Terra Cotta) Rain Barrel
- 50 gallon capacity
- UV inhibited recycled polyethylene - BPA free
- Plants will love the chlorine free water and you will love the savings on your water bill
- Planter top
Features:
Specs:
Color | Terra Cotta |
Height | 33 Inches |
Length | 24 Inches |
Width | 24 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
5. Great American Rain Barrel
- Versatile design can tie back to any Style of home decor
- 9-Inch crystal bowl; wonderful gift for any occasion
- Made of crystal; Comes in Mikasa photo gift Box
- Classic and clean look; these pieces are timeless beauty
- Hand wash with warm water and a mild detergent; rinse and dry immediately
Features:
Specs:
Height | 22 Inches |
Length | 39 Inches |
Weight | 24 Pounds |
Width | 22 Inches |
6. BLUMAT Water Reservoir | 5-Gallon Bucket w/Lid & Bulkhead Fittings Installed | Ready for 8mm Super-Flex Tubing, Blumat Watering Sensors & Irrigation Systems | HDPE Food-Grade Plastic
- BLUMAT READY - This 5 gallon water tank comes ready with bulkheads/spigots for 8mm blumat tubing
- HIGH QUALITY - These buckets are made of HDPE food-grade plastic, and are assembled in the USA
- BLACK/OPAQUE - Designed to keep light out, these water reservoir tank(s) discourage algae growth
- IDEAL HORTICULTURE APPLICATION - Will work for hydroponic bucket(s) or other gardening uses
- BUCKET WITH SPIGOT(S) - Pre-installed, no tools required to get this reservoir working for your plants
Features:
Specs:
Height | 12.5 inches |
Length | 15.5 inches |
Weight | 2.4 Pounds |
Width | 12.5 inches |
7. Rain Harvesting Pty Ltd RHUL99 Leaf Eater Ultra Rain Head- 3 in. Round
- 95%+ Capture Efficiency
- Self-Cleaning
- 1000 Micron Screen
- Attractive Screen Cover
Features:
8. Good Ideas RW50-Kha Rain Wizard Rain Barrel 50 Gallon, Khaki
50 gallon capacity rain saverClassic whiskey barrel lookCollect water that's great for plants and save money on water billsFlat-back design that saves spaceMade with ultra-tough, BPA-free, FDA approved, PolyethyleneAnti-debris screen that keeps out bugs and gutter garbageRotationally molded to hold ...
Specs:
Color | Khaki |
Height | 22 Inches |
Length | 31 Inches |
Weight | 19 Pounds |
Width | 23 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
9. Suncast 50 Gallon Rain Barrel with Hose - Durable Resin Rain Barrel - Holds and Catches Rain Water - Taupe
RAIN BARREL: This outdoor rain barrel holds and catches up to 50-gallons of rain water to protect your outdoor spaceDURABLE: Constructed of sturdy resin material, this product is made to last for years of quality useHOSES INCLUDED: Leader and flow hoses as well as a debris filter are included for yo...
Specs:
Color | Taupe |
Height | 26 Inches |
Length | 29 Inches |
Weight | 17 Pounds |
Width | 29 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
10. Good Ideas RB55-BLUE Big Blue Recycled Rain Barrel, 55-Gallon
- Resistant to rust, mold, mildew, and rotting
- Brass spigot for hose hook-up or dual overflow
- Screen to keep out debris and insects
- Two optional locations for spigot placement, Change them anytime you want
- Child and pet safe
- Resistant to rust, mold, mildew, and rotting - BPA Free
- Brass spigot for hose hook-up or dual overflow
- Screen to keep out debris and insects
- Two optional locations for spigot placement, Change them anytime you want
- Child and pet safe
Features:
Specs:
Color | Blue |
Height | 25 Inches |
Length | 37 Inches |
Weight | 22 Pounds |
Width | 25 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
12. Enviro World EWC-10 FreeGarden Rain Barrel, Beige
Large 55 Gallon capacityNo cheap imitation that looks worn out after one seasonSleek flat back square design fits naturally in any location around the homeHigh quality injection molded keeps it looking clean and new year after yearComes complete with all brass standard size spigot, extension hose ,p...
Specs:
Color | Beige |
Height | 33 Inches |
Length | 24 Inches |
Weight | 18 Pounds |
Width | 24 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
14. 55-Gallon Barrel Combo
- 55-gallon water container (BPA free)
- water siphon, 6-feet long x 1/2"
- bung wrench
- water treatment solution (1-year)
- detailed instructions
Features:
Specs:
Color | Blue |
Weight | 24 Pounds |
Size | 52521 |
15. Koolatron RBSS-55 KoolScapes 55 Gallon Sandstone-Look Rain Barrel, Brass Tap, UV-resistant, Stone-like Appearance, Rotational-molded Plastic, Corrosion-proof, Beige
Rotational-molded plastic withstands extreme temperatureStone-like appearance for contemporary aesthetic eleganceBrass tap for easy filling of watering cans (sold separately)UV-resistant design will not chip, crack or fade with normal useCorrosion-proof screen guard
Specs:
Color | Standard |
Height | 35.5 Inches |
Length | 23.5 Inches |
Weight | 18 Pounds |
Width | 23.5 Inches |
Size | Standard |
Number of items | 1 |
🎓 Reddit experts on rain barrels
The comments and opinions expressed on this page are written exclusively by redditors. To provide you with the most relevant data, we sourced opinions from the most knowledgeable Reddit users based the total number of upvotes and downvotes received across comments on subreddits where rain barrels are discussed. For your reference and for the sake of transparency, here are the specialists whose opinions mattered the most in our ranking.
This fence line is just shy of 90 feet and my setup works pretty well at that length. I used pretty small diameter pvc so it’s not much weight; I can’t imagine reinforcement would be needed for the watering— maybe for the vines depending. It’s not a raging torrent of water it basically is just a steady drip but it saturates pretty well when run in cycles and not run during the heat of the day.
My initial version of this setup was a single battery and small solar panel and it ran fine for a year or more (granted I’m in SoCal so we get a lot of sun)— I’ve since expanded a bit to a 4 battery setup and larger panel but just because I added two more pumps for covering other areas.
Here’s a picture of the control box of a basic single battery system with timer and a simple solar controller
https://i.imgur.com/JOfGqdp.jpg
Here’s some of the basic gear:
Water Storage
===========================
Current Water tank
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003H9WJMI/
(Although I’ve also used smaller/cheaper tanks like this for my vegetable garden, just might mean more refills depending on how often it’s run: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BFC5NIA/ )
If you’re looking to go super cheap, I honestly started my first setup with a couple modified 5 gallon plastic water bottles I stole from my office like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003B27RAA/
Power
===========================
Current solar panel for a 4 battery setup:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFMBF3G
Previous panel for single battery system:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PFGP0EA
Solar regulator (keeps you from blowing up the battery! The smaller panel comes free with one that works fine, I just liked this one better because it had more lights!): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L37KZI6/
Batteries, one is plenty for a single pump system:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003S1RQ2S/
(obviously if you wanted to build a system on the cheap you could bypass the solar entirely and drop $20 on a second battery that you leave charging and just swap them back and forth every week or three, depending on how often/long you run the system)
Pump
===========================
Current Pump:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072BXBQGC/
Although I’ve also used cheaper ones like these for drip systems and they were fine:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07699RMVB
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WYMC492
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DLKT4OO
Misc
===========================
Timer (has like 16 stop/start memories which should be plenty for any configuration):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0090MTLFO
If there is some interest next weekend I could draw up a complete wiring/assembly diagram and detailed parts list and make a separate post (and include all the sundries: wire, hose, clamps, filters, waterproof project box, couplings, drip heads, etc).
There's a lot of information to learn. I don't have all of my favorite links at work with me, but having gone on that learning journey I can tell you that it's easiest to break down prepping into categories in order of importance. Then learn and address those categories in order.
For example, first would be food or water depending on your location and overall situation. Food/Water because that's one of those thing that, in an emergency situation, you either have or you don't. People hit hard by Harvey or Katrina weren't hopping into the water with a rifle and searching for squirrels. They had what they had, and in most cases where you'd need your preps that will be the case.
Food:
Water:
After that, things like security, weather preparedness, communications, power, transportation, bug out bags, get home bags, everyday carry kits, etc can all come as you learn and can squeeze them in. Focus on the things that will most realistically be needed in events that are most likely to occur to you as an individual. If that's flooding, maybe life jackets are high on your list. If that's riots, maybe guns and excess fire extinguishers are. If it's job loss, maybe you really want to focus on getting bills paid down and having a hearty backstock of food that you can rely on during the job hunt. If it's a cold weather are, maybe secondary heating sources should be high on the priority list. Once you've covered yourself on the most likely scenarios that you'll have to deal with, usually you'll find that it's not too many more steps to cover the next most likely, and so on. If you want some reading links let me know and I'll try to remember to drop some of my favorites when I get home.
We've had these rain barrels (60-gal) for probably 8-10 years now, but they're on the E-NE sides of our house, and get limited sun. If yours are going to get full afternoon sun and money is no object, I would go with terracotta urns like these, or a sandstone type like these that are specifically UV-resistant. Or you could paint the plastic ones with some UV paint, maybe.
If you do go with the plastic, upgrade your spigots if they come with the cheap plastic ones like the first link has. When we purchased those, they actually came with quality brass spigots, so I'm not sure why they changed that. Also, DO NOT connect a hose to them. Build a pedestal for them to sit on, and fill watering cans/buckets from there. Yanking around a hose when connected to these, you will weaken where the spigot joins to the barrel, and it will leak and/or break. My husband had to fabricate a plate to go on the inside of the barrel and bolt it from the inside to reinforce that area on one of our barrels when that portion of the plastic got weak. It's great now, but FYI.
Lastly, get a quality diverter that will work best with your downspouts. None of them are perfect, so be sure to check out the reviews.
Hi, I'm currently using Blumat stakes, which take about 45min to set up and are then good. I opted to use their customized 5-gal bucket for convenience.
You could also create your own setup with any 5-gal bucket:
I'm cutting the rectangular copper downspout to install one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Rain-Harvesting-Pty-Ltd-Advanced/dp/B004VM9CMK
or
https://www.amazon.com/Rain-Harvesting-Pty-Ltd-RHUL99/dp/B004VMG13S/
or a simple mod on a generic flex gate like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6v-8r2jBsE
Debris gets in and easily clogs the downspout. The downspout is also too close to the ground and isn't diverting the water properly.
I learned that gutter guards require maintenance and don't work very well so my plan is to install the above and be able to remove the debris before it builds up. My hope is that I'll need to clean the gutters less frequently.
I personally haven't used this but based on the review and Amazon's reputation of having awesome customer service, it's a small risk
edit: there are several more products that have more customer reviews although they're a bit more expensive
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Ideas-RW50-KHA-Wizard-50-Gallon/dp/B002GJ7FMY/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1370016343&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Ideas-RW50ST-GRN-Wizard-Stand/dp/B00343KOMY/ref=sr_1_9?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1370016343&sr=1-9
http://www.amazon.com/Suncast-RB50D-50-Gallon-Rain-Barrel/dp/B001P5HMAK/ref=sr_1_23?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1370016343&sr=1-23
https://www.mwrd.org/irj/portal/anonymous/rainbarrel
Or you can buy one on Amazon, $66 delivered for free with Prime.
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Ideas-RB55-BLUE-Recycled-55-Gallon/dp/B003BE2BV8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469147752&sr=8-2&keywords=rain+barrel
What about a storage barrel or two. You can link them via a system hoses and place them where ever you want..
https://www.amazon.com/55-Gallon-Water-Barrel-Combo/dp/B0007YR6XI/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_201_tr_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=RNXC2QMDTX54HKWDJCEZ
you could do something like this
https://image.slidesharecdn.com/sacrainwaterpresentation-121024151409-phpapp01/95/steve-clyburn-rainwater-presentation-37-638.jpg?cb=1351091907
Amazon Prime
Enviro World 55 Gallon Rain Barrel with Brass Spigot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FWN9QK0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_iNcFwb0R2PEZE
Of course when I bought them last summer they were $65
http://www.amazon.com/Shelf-Reliance-52521-55-Gallon-Barrel/dp/B003Y2T8SG
I have 55 gallon water drums, but it might not be feasible for apartments. Do you have a garage you can store it in?
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Essentials-Water-Barrel-Gallon/dp/B006KAAUSQ
Got the starter kit
and resevoir
This will make life so much easier
I have had a rain barrel for several years now with no problems, though the one the city is offering doesn't look as good quality - I spent a bit more on a Koolatron that looks like a huge brown pot with feet - it has a spigot for a hose connection, a bottom plug for emptying, and an overflow chute at the top.
edit - this is it