Best Water Storage Containers | Tested & Reviewed

Water storage containers are essential for emergency preparedness, and there is a range of types and use cases to consider. Water can be difficult to find during emergencies, so having containers to stockpile water for emergency use makes sense for most people. Gallon jugs can get it done in a pinch, but dedicated emergency water containers give water a longer shelf life, hold more water, and are much more durable.

My main recommendation is for the Aqua-Tainer, which isn’t terribly expensive, and it holds a three-day supply of water easily.

If you need more durability, WaterBricks give you a sturdy, nesting water solution that is infinitely expandable. I also suggest options for emergency tub filling, a rain barrel, a water bottle, a gravity bag, and emergency water pouches that work very well for vehicle preparedness.

This is an aggregate review of the best water storage containers. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Disclosure»

Also available to buy at Amazon.

The Aqua-Tainer strikes a balance between the flimsy plastic containers that buckle and the overbuilt military-style jugs.

Specifications

• Capacity: 7 gallons (26L)
• Material: HDPE (BPA-free)
• Cap: Valve tap w/ separate vent
• Features: Stackable when empty, centered handle
• Size: 11.25″ x 11″ x 15.25″
• Empty Weight: 2 pounds
• Full Weight: 60 pounds

It has a respectable capacity for the price and is easy to move around and stack when it is empty. It comes with a spigot valve included, and it has a vent-tab on top, which gives it a smooth pour once you turn the spigot on.

While the container is opaque, you can see the shadow of the water behind the water level indicator when the container is on its side.

Military-style jugs with less capacity come in at a higher price, and don’t offer much more durability for most use cases.

For a versatile but simple water storage container, pick up a Reliance Aqua-Tainer.

When it comes to bricks that store water, there are two choices. WaterBrick is the superior choice, with its Lego-like nesting design.

Specifications

• Capacity: 3.5 gallons (13.25L)
• Quantity: 4 bricks
• Material: HDPE (BPA-free)
• Cap: Screw w/ gasket
• Features: Stackable (8 high), wire handles
• Size: 9″ x 18″ x 6″
• Empty Weight: 2.5 pounds (each)
• Full Weight: 32 pounds (each)

Compared to AquaBricks, WaterBricks are symmetrical and distribute the water more evenly in the storage compartment, making them easier to carry full with the attached wire handle, instead of a molded handle. Their design also makes them more versatile, being able to stack up to eight high and having very little empty space in the ‘wall’ it creates, making them more efficient.

If you want the most versatile water storage solution, get Stackable WaterBrick Containers.

The WaterBOB allows you to convert your bathtub into a massive drinking water reservoir before emergencies. It has been knocked off by imitators, but WaterBOB is still clearly the best emergency bladder system for your bathtub.

Specifications

• Capacity: 100 gallons (378L)
• Material: 10 mil LLDPE (BPA-free)
• Cap: Fill cap
• Features: Pump siphon included
• Size: 6″ x 12.5″ x 3″ (in box)
• Empty Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Full Weight: 835 pounds

The downside is that the bladder is designed for single use only. It is difficult (if not impossible) to dry and repack, so if you don’t use it during the emergency, it can feel like a waste of money. Still, there is no other way to have this many gallons of drinking water stored and ready at a moment’s notice.

If you need an inexpensive and fast water solution for your emergency kit, get a WaterBOB Emergency Bathtub Water Storage Bladder to be ready for the next disaster.

Also available to buy at Amazon.

The RTS Eco rain barrel holds a whopping 50 gallons of water and can be easily set up to replenish itself from rainwater and/or gutter downspouts.

Specifications

• Capacity: 50 gallons (189L)
• Material: HDPE (BPA-free, UV-stabilized)
• Cap: Spigot
• Features: Overflow outlet, input screen
• Size: 6″ x 12.5″ x 3″
• Empty Weight: 18 pounds
• Full Weight: 435 pounds

This barrel is the top overall pick from our rain barrel review, where we tested and compared a variety of barrels under the lens of emergency use.

If you want to start harnessing rainfall for your preparedness, get an RTS ECO Rain Barrel.

Also available to buy at Vargo Outdoors.

Stainless steel bottles are preferred for outdoor survival because they are durable and can be boiled to purify water. Vargo gives us the best value here, with a 1-liter bottle that doesn’t break the bank.

Specifications

• Capacity: 34 ounces (1L)
• Material: Stainless steel
• Cap: Spigot
• Features: Overflow outlet, input screen
• Size: 3.25″ x 9″
• Empty Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Full Weight: 2.6 pounds

Other popular brands have either discontinued their single-wall stainless bottles or just put too much margin on them to make them competitive. Over the years, we’ve seen thinner material and lower-quality welds on what used to be great outdoors-branded stainless bottles.

This bottle takes the top spot in our survival water bottle review, but we list other options if you are looking for an integrated filter or a lighter weight.

If you need a water bottle for your EDC water storage, get a Vargo Para-Bottle.

Also available to buy at Waterdrop.

Gravity bags are great for bug out bags, campsites, or anywhere you set and need a water source. This Waterdrop bag integrates into filters easily, is easy to carry, rolls flat, and comes at a great price.

Specifications

• Capacity: 1.5 gallons (5.7L)
• Material: TPU
• Cap: Roll top
• Features: Adjustable strap, pinch-stop outlet hose
• Size: 2.5″ x 9″ (rolled)
• Empty Weight: 4.6 ounces
• Full Weight: 12.8 pounds

The gravity bag itself is one of our favorite components of the Waterdrop Gravity Filter, which is one reason it is the top pick from our survival water filter review.

One of my favorite ways to use this bag is as a dry bag when I’m not toting water in it. In the same way it keeps water contained with the roll-top and waterproof TPU, it can keep contents inside dry as well. This makes it extremely versatile and a great inclusion for bug out bags to keep important gear dry and protected when you aren’t using it as a gravity-powered water reservoir.

Hoist it high in a tree until the outlet hose goes straight, and the bag provides a respectable amount of water flow that is equivalent to some camp showers.

If you need a water container for your bug out bag, consider getting a Waterdrop Gravity Bag.

Water pouches are great for vehicle preparedness and survival situations. Datrex pouches offer small amounts of pre-portioned water for true emergencies, and will be ready to drink five years down the road.

Specifications

• Capacity: 4.25 fl. oz. (125ml)
• Quantity: 64
• Material: Polymer-foil
• Features: 5-year shelf life
• Size: 4″ x 6″
• Weight: 4.3 ounces

These Datrex pouches are the top pick in our emergency water pouch review, since they have such great temperature tolerance, all of the USCG/SOLAS approvals, and the robust burst-proof packaging. They don’t leach a plastic taste in the heat of a car trunk, and won’t burst if they freeze.

If you need small portions of emergency water, store Datrex Emergency Water Pouches in your vehicles.

Comparison Table

How I Tested the Containers

First, I compared the manufacturing specs, including the material type and capacity. My industrial engineering degree came in handy as I inspected their mold quality and construction.

I measured their wall thickness with a micrometer or digital caliper and verified their outer dimension with a tape measure and measuring board. I also drop-tested them (empty) from 10 feet high (one story) on concrete to make sure they didn’t break easily.

Lastly, I filled them with water multiple times over their years of use to test them practically. I frequently checked for failure points during filling, storage, and while draining the containers.

Why Trust TruePrepper

Water is one of the critical components of life, and storing and transporting it have been a challenge since the first clay pots were cast 20,000 years ago.

Hi, I’m Sean Gold, and I’m the founder of TruePrepper. I have degrees in both Emergency Management and Engineering, making me especially qualified to review water storage containers. I’ve been recommending them since I enlisted as a 3E9X1 in the Air Force two decades ago, since they are an integral part of any resource planning for emergencies.

I enjoy digging into details, inspecting quality, and measuring performance with tools to gather data for comparison. I go beyond the practical use of everything I review to make sure it’ll actually hold up when your survival relies on it.

What to Look For

The best water storage containers have several important features to look for:

1. Value
2. Capacity
3. Quality
4. Size & Weight
5. Versatility

The right container can hold a lot of water in various situations without breaking the bank. Below, I break down how each point matters for the water storage that outperforms the rest.

Value: Cost vs. Benefit

The amount of money you spend on something like a water container shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. They are essential for preparedness, but there is a range of prices that can get it done, including some recycled options.

Still, it’s nice to have the correct containers, because you don’t want to get the wrong thing that’ll leach plastic into your water. We’ll go through the rest of the features to look out for so you can see how those affect the price for various water storage types.

Capacity

The price of a water storage container typically scales with capacity, unless it has specialized features or is used for a specific purpose, like a water bottle.

Capacity is relatively straightforward- most listed capacities of containers we reviewed matched what they can actually hold. It would be a tough number for a manufacturer to fudge, since you can easily calculate the water capacity based on the dimensions of the container.

If you’re not quite sure how much capacity you need, the obvious answer is that you can never have enough. That answer doesn’t usually track well with budgets and a practical prepper’s available space, so head on over to our water storage calculator to determine what you need real quick.

Quality

The quality of a storage container matters because you can end up relying on it in survival situations and for long-term storage. Going through the effort of setting up a water storage system, just to find it leaked or leached contaminants when you need to use it, can be more than just frustrating- it can be deadly.

The materials used to make the container should be robust, food-safe, and without defects. The construction of containers needs to improve durability, rather than sacrifice it.

Material

Most water storage containers are made using HDPE (heavy-duty polyethylene), a type of plastic that can be made food-safe and UV/temperature resistant. I also checked out some that used LLDPE (bladders), TPU (bag), stainless steel (bottles), and polymer-foil (pouches), which all fit niche applications well.

Durability

Water storage containers shouldn’t be designed just for optimal use- they need to be able to withstand some punishment and extreme scenarios. During my testing, I saw durability issues with collapsing water bottles, plastic water bottles, and folding water storage containers. Folding and rolling create stress points that don’t hold up- skip the containers that have any sort of bending or moving parts.

Size & Weight

The size and weight of water storage containers typically scale with capacity. The exception is bladders and bags- these end up being extremely compact and lightweight compared to their capacity, but hold small amounts of water or need additional support for large amounts of water (in the form of a bathtub, in one case).

Weight is a major concern when it comes to water storage. Water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon, or 1 kilogram per liter. This adds up very quickly and can even become a limiting factor if you plan to store water on a level higher than the ground floor.

Versatility

Many water storage containers are purposefully versatile. Beyond the niche containers, general containers are usually stackable when empty, can hold various liquids other than water, and some are even food-grade and can hold food.

WaterBricks are notoriously versatile. Their stacking design allows you to create supports and barriers with the containers.

Who Needs Water Storage Containers?

Everyone needs water storage containers. Being able to collect, hold, transport, and treat water is one of the first considerations when you start prepping, and its importance is only second to air in the Survival Rule of Threes.

Typically, in our reviews, we list out the various kits that rely on the gear, but water storage containers are in every single survival kit we’ve ever encountered.

If you’re just getting started, disposable plastic water bottles can get it done. Whether you grab a case of drinking water or gallon jugs, they can get you prepared quickly. We simply don’t recommend them in this review because the containers themselves are not great- they only keep the water fresh in ideal conditions for a few months before they start to leach and taste like plastic.

Sources & References

My experience and the testing I did to find the best water storage containers are useless without a list of my research sources and references. I leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with my hands-on testing and practical prepping experience:

Bross, L., et al. (2021). Will There Be Enough Water? A System Dynamics Model to Investigate the Effective Use of Limited Resources for Emergency Water Supply. Engineering Resilient Systems. Volume 9. Issue 1. Page 2. (Source)

Fryer, J. (2012). The Complete Guide to Water Storage. Atlantic Publishing Company. Ocala, FL. (Source)

Teramoto, T., et al. (1993). Portable water storage tank for emergency use. Kinkyujiyo inryosui tank. Kawasaki Seitetsu Giho. Volume 25. Issue 3. Pages 72 – 73. (Source)

Conclusion

Water can be difficult to obtain and preserve during emergencies and disasters, but having a few proper containers is a step in the right direction.

If you’re interested in boosting your water self-reliance further, our readers have found these helpful:

See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.

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