Water

Water Storage Container with Spigot, 2.6 to 5 Gallon Portable Water Jug, Camping and RV

This is a rigid water storage container with two handles and a spigot, the kind you fill at home and carry to a campsite, a site hut or an RV. It comes in three capacities, 2.6, 3.2 and 5 gallons, and six colors. The supplier lists the material as polyethylene and states it can be filled with drinking water directly.

• Three capacities: 2.6 gallon (10 L), 3.2 gallon (12 L) and 5 gallon (19 L)
• Two handles, so it can be carried or poured two-handed
• Spigot for dispensing without tipping the container
• Polyethylene, listed by the supplier as safe to fill with drinking water
• Six colors: green, black, white, orange, blue and beige
• Rigid bodied, so it holds its shape empty as well as full

Rigid or collapsible, and which you want

A collapsible container folds away when empty, which is the right answer if it lives in a cupboard between trips. A rigid one like this keeps its shape, which means you can stack things next to it, it will not crease along a fold line over the years, and the spigot stays at a predictable height so a cup fits under it. If the container is going to sit in an RV, a van, a workshop or a garage and get used often, rigid is the more durable choice.

Picking a capacity

Water weighs about 8.3 lb per gallon, so the number that matters is what you are willing to carry. The 2.6 gallon holds about 22 lb of water, the 3.2 gallon about 27 lb, and the 5 gallon about 42 lb. Five gallons is a two-handed carry for most people and the reason this one has two handles. If it has to be moved regularly by one person, the 2.6 or 3.2 is the easier life.

Using the spigot and keeping it clean

Set the container near the edge of a table or tailgate so the spigot clears it, then open the valve and fill your cup or bottle. Close the spigot fully before you move it. Rinse it before first use. Drain it between trips and leave the cap off so the inside dries, because water left sitting in a closed container goes stale. If it has been stored a while, give it a rinse before you drink from it.

Specifications

• Capacities: 2.6 gallon (10 L), 3.2 gallon (12 L), 5 gallon (19 L)
• Material: PE (polyethylene), per the supplier
• Drinking water: Can be filled with drinking water directly, per the supplier
• Handles: Two
• Dispensing: Spigot valve
• Colors: Green, Black, White, Orange, Blue, Beige
• BPA: Supplier states BPA free
• Dimensions and empty weight: Not stated by the supplier

Two things to know about the options

The capacity list shows some sizes twice, once as 3.2 gallon (12 L) and again as 3.17 gallon, and once as 5 gallon (19 L) and again as 5.02 gallon. Those are the same two capacities written two ways, with the second pair marked by the supplier as a different body type. The supplier does not explain what separates the two types, so if that distinction matters to you, ask us before ordering rather than guessing from the label. Separately, the supplier's own listing text described this as PVC while its material field says polyethylene. We have gone with polyethylene because that is what the structured data says.

Questions Shoppers Ask

What sizes can I get?
2.6 gallon (10 L), 3.2 gallon (12 L) and 5 gallon (19 L).

Can I put drinking water in it?
Yes. The supplier states it can be filled with drinking water directly.

What is the difference between 3.2 gallon and 3.17 gallon?
Those are the same capacity written two ways. The supplier marks the second as a different body type but does not say how it differs, so ask us if it matters.

How heavy is the 5 gallon when full?
Around 42 lb of water plus the container, which is why it has two handles.

Is it PVC or polyethylene?
The supplier's material field says PE, polyethylene. Its older listing text said PVC. We have gone with polyethylene.

Does the spigot come fitted?
Yes, the spigot is part of the container.

Does it fold flat?
No. This is a rigid container. For one that folds, look at our collapsible 2.11 gallon water container instead.

Is it BPA free?
The supplier states BPA free. Polyethylene does not contain BPA.

What are the dimensions?
Not published by the supplier. The photos give the best sense of the proportions.

Can I use it for hot water?
No temperature rating is given, so keep it to cold and cool water.

How do I stop it tasting stale?
Drain it after each trip and leave the cap off until it is dry inside, then rinse before the next fill.