The Best Rain Barrels – A Thorough Review

These Reviews For The Best Rain Barrels Answer The Question:

How Should You Water Your Backyard Garden?  After setting up the backyard garden with soaker hoses, it’s time to think about how to supply the soaker system with water.  Free water supplied by Mother Nature is a no-brainer so, it is in your best interest to look over these reviews for the best rain barrels because, in the long run, they will pay for themselves.

Do you want to just connect it to a slow stream of water from the garden hose?  Maybe, it’s time to think about investing in a rainwater collection system to capture the rain off your roof and save $$$ on your water bill.

A good rule of thumb for estimating rain collection is…for every inch of rainfall on a 1,000 square foot roof, you can collect about 600 gallons of rainwater.

Here are several first-rate possibilities to consider.  Prices can range from modest to extravagant…depending on your needs and desires.

Emergency Essentials Ultimate 55-Gallon Water Barrel Combo

The Emergency Essentials 55-gallon water barrel is probably the easiest, most efficient way to maintain a long-term, permanent supply of water for your garden.

The “Combo” includes;

• A dark blue 55-gallon barrel – It restricts light and helps control growth of harmful algae and bacteria. It is made with heavy-duty, thick, high-molecular-weight polyethylene resin.
• An emergency siphon – Gives you an easy, efficient way to remove water from the barrel in case of an emergency.
• A barrel buddy – This is a wrench designed to remove the barrel’s bung seal caps.
• 2 bung seal caps – They seal the water barrel, keeping water safe from contamination and mosquitoes.
• 1 Aquamira Water Treatment – A 2-ounce bottle treats 60 gallons of water…kills odor-causing bacteria and helps control slime build-up in water storage containers.

Downside:  The overall disadvantage for rain barrels is that, during freezing temperatures, they must be completely empty with their spigot open to ensure that water doesn’t build up and freeze inside of them.  A significant amount of deposited ice inside these barrels can rupture and crack them…so, be diligent…and, keep them empty over the winter months if icing is possible.

This barrel is FDA-approved and BPA-free…and, following the instructions, it can be set up in about 20 minutes, including filling it up with water!

Do you want more info and current pricing about the Emergency Essentials Ultimate 55-Gallon Water Barrel Combo?

Good Ideas RW50-KHA Rain Wizard Rain Barrel 50-Gallon, Khaki

The 50-gallon Rain Wizard is a rustic faux oak rain barrel with a highly detailed wood-grain texture that adds realism to the barrel, giving it a classic whiskey barrel look.

It comes with a fine mesh screen to keep out bugs and debris.  The barrel also has a front-facing overflow.

The Rain Wizard is flat on the back so it can sit flush against the house for a reduced footprint…and, there are connection points for linking additional rain barrels together.

Downside:  The disadvantage for the Rain Wizard is the same as discussed for the Emergency Essentials Ultimate 55-Gallon Water Barrel Combo shown above.

This polyethylene barrel is rotationally molded which helps prevent cracking and splitting in cold weather and, it’s FDA-approved and BPA-free.

I am sure you would like to look closer at the Good Ideas RW50-KHA Rain Wizard Rain Barrel 50-Gallon, Khaki.

Emsco Waterstone WP 2284 40-Gallon Rain Barrel with Downspout Diverter

The EMSCO 40-Gal Rain Barrel is disguised to look like a natural landscape rock.  It is made with a sturdy, UV-stable polyresin and has detailed carvings along its surface with a textured sandstone finish.  This is an ideal rain barrel for lawns and gardens. Your neighbors won’t know it is a rain barrel because, it blends in with the environment!

There is a closed downspout diverter which prevents mosquitoes from breeding.  The diverter channels excess rainwater from the downspout to the rain barrel to eliminate overflow.

This EMSCO 40-Gal Rain Barrel comes with a 48 inch hose and can be linked to additional rain barrels.

Downside:  The disadvantage for the Emsco Waterstones 40-gallon rain barrel is the same as discussed for the Emergency Essentials Ultimate 55-Gallon Water Barrel Combo shown above.

It barely takes a couple of hours to fill one of these during a moderate rainfall.

I am extremely interested in the Emsco Waterstone WP 2284 40-Gallon Rain Barrel with Downspout Diverter.

Emsco 2297 80-Gallon Waterstone Rain Barrel with Downspout Diverter

If you want to double your capacity in just one rain barrel, Emsco offers a pricier, 80-gallon version. The Emsco 80-Gallon Waterstone Rain Barrel with Downspout Diverter has all the same features as the 40-gallon version…but, a larger volume.

If I were space-challenged, I might consider this 80-gallon option but, as long as I have the space to link several or more 40-gallon versions together, for me, the smaller version would be more price-effective.

The 80-gallon unit retails quite a bit higher than the 40-gallon unit…so, given the space,

I could link 3 of the 40-gallon rain barrels together, getting a total 120 gallons of capacity and still come out less expensive than buying one 80-gallon rain barrel.

Downside:  The disadvantage for the Emsco Waterstones 80-gallon rain barrel is the same as discussed for the Emergency Essentials Ultimate 55-Gallon Water Barrel Combo shown above.

If you do need a bigger one because of space limitations, click on the image below for more details.

This Emsco 2297 80-Gallon Waterstone Rain Barrel with Downspout Diverter would be a great addition to my garden!

Are There Some Other Accessories to Think About?

There are several diverter kits that adapt the downspout to the rain barrel seamlessly.

• The Oatey 14209 Mystic Rainwater Collection System.
• The Graf Quattro Downspout Filter and Diverter, White
• The Flex-Drain 37043 Catch-A-Raindrop Rainwater Colander Kit, 3 x 4-Inch, White.

These reviews for rain barrels offer some pretty nifty ideas for watering your garden if you are really and truly interested in capturing nature’s water supply and saving some money at the same time.  Take a closer look at them.  I am sure you won’t be disappointed!

Which of these rain barrels trip your trigger?  Comment below or email me at: jim@perfect-vegetable-garden.com.

Jim, the Lifelong Gardener