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The garden beds are dry after a week of sun, and the downspout pours a stream onto the driveway every time it rains. The question is rain barrel vs rain tank, and the short answer is that a rain barrel is a small garden container with a spigot and an overflow valve that sits by the downspout, while a rain tank is larger storage for keeping water ready, and the 4 containers below show where the line sits between them.
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The quick answer: rain barrel vs rain tank
A rain barrel catches roof water for the garden. The RTS and FCMP listings here hold 50 gallons, sit flat against a wall, and give the water back through a spigot, with an overflow valve for the excess. A rain tank stores water for a household: the Augason Farms listing holds 55 gallons in food-grade, BPA-free polyethylene, with 2 plug fittings for filling and draining, and is made for drinking, cleaning and hygiene during outages. So the barrel is for watering, and the tank is for keeping water ready. Both sit outside or in a garage, and both can be linked to hold more.
Rain barrels: how they work
A barrel sits under a downspout and fills when it rains. The RTS ECO listing holds 50 gallons, is made from UV-resistant polyethylene with 100% recycled plastic, and has a built-in overflow valve with the option to connect multiple barrels for increased storage, plus a plastic spigot for water retrieval. The RTS walnut listing holds the same 50 gallons with a brass spigot instead of plastic, and the same flat back shape that fits snugly against walls or fences. The FCMP Raincatcher 4000 listing holds up to 50 gallons, or 189L, with spigots on the side that let you connect multiple barrels in series, and a wide opening that makes installation quick and easy. All 3 barrels are made from UV-resistant or UV-inhibited polyethylene, and all 3 weigh between 18.0 and 24.0 pounds empty.
Rain tanks: how they work
A tank is a drum for storage rather than a garden fixture. The Augason Farms listing is a 55-gallon water storage barrel in food-grade, BPA-free polyethylene, with 2 built-in plug fittings for filling and draining. It is made for long-term emergency storage: drinking, cleaning and hygiene during outages, kept in a basement, garage or on storage shelves. It weighs 18.0 pounds empty and measures 23.438 by 23.438 by 35.5 inches, so it fits where a drum fits, not where a flat-back barrel fits. The listing gives no spigot and no overflow valve, because a tank is filled and drained through its plugs, not drawn from a spigot like a garden barrel.
The 4 containers side by side
Capacity is close across the group, so the differences are the material, the spigot and the warranty.
| Container | Size | Material | Spigot and ports | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTS ECO Rain Barrel | 50 gallons | UV-resistant polyethylene, 100% recycled plastic | Plastic spigot, overflow valve | 1 year |
| Augason Farms Barrel | 55 gallons | Food-grade, BPA-free polyethylene | 2 plug fittings | Manufacturer, no term stated |
| RTS Walnut Rain Barrel | 50 gallons | UV-resistant polyethylene | Brass spigot, overflow valve | 1 year parts |
| FCMP Raincatcher 4000 | 50 gallons, 189L | UV-inhibited, BPA-free polyethylene | Side spigots, connect in series | 1 year limited replacement |
How to choose between a barrel and a tank
Match the container to the water: garden watering or household storage.
Match the size to the use
All 4 containers hold about the same water: 50 gallons on the 3 barrels and 55 gallons on the Augason Farms tank. Size does not split them, so the use does. The barrels are for watering gardens, lawns and plants, and the tank is for drinking, cleaning and hygiene during outages. When more water is needed, the RTS listings offer an overflow valve to connect multiple barrels, and the FCMP listing connects multiple barrels in series through its side spigots.
Check the material for the water
Material decides what the water is for. The Augason Farms tank is food-grade, BPA-free polyethylene, made to keep stored water clean for cooking and hygiene. The FCMP barrel is UV-inhibited, BPA-free polyethylene. The RTS ECO barrel is made of 100% recycled plastic and is listed for watering gardens, lawns and plants, not for drinking. When the water is for drinking, the food-grade figure is the one to look for.
Check the spigot and the warranty
The spigot decides how the water comes out. The RTS ECO barrel has a plastic spigot, the RTS walnut barrel has a brass spigot, and the FCMP barrel has spigots on the side. The Augason Farms tank has 2 plug fittings instead of a spigot. Warranties run 1 year on the RTS ECO barrel, 1 year parts on the RTS walnut barrel, and 1 year limited replacement on the FCMP barrel, while the Augason Farms listing states a manufacturer warranty with no term stated. See the best solar water pumps for a rain barrel when the barrel needs a pump to move water to the garden.
FAQ: power away from the grid
What is the difference between a rain barrel and a rain tank?
A rain barrel is a garden container with a spigot and an overflow valve that sits by a downspout, and the listings here hold 50 gallons. A rain tank is larger storage for keeping water ready, and the Augason Farms listing holds 55 gallons in food-grade, BPA-free polyethylene for drinking, cleaning and hygiene during outages.
How many gallons do these containers hold?
The RTS ECO, RTS walnut and FCMP barrels hold 50 gallons each, and the FCMP listing also gives 189L. The Augason Farms tank holds 55 gallons.
Can you connect multiple rain barrels?
Yes. The RTS listings state a built-in overflow valve with the option to connect multiple barrels for increased storage, and the FCMP listing states side spigots that connect multiple barrels in series.
Are these containers safe for drinking water?
Only the food-grade one states it plainly: the Augason Farms listing is food-grade, BPA-free polyethylene made to keep stored water clean for cooking and hygiene. The FCMP barrel is BPA-free polyethylene, and the RTS ECO barrel is 100% recycled plastic listed for watering gardens, lawns and plants.
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