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We tested 32 of the best watering cans on the market to see which ones are lightweight, durable, and easy to use in our lab in Des Moines, Iowa, so you can get the most value for your money. Our home and garden experts spent an entire day using and evaluating different watering cans based on their capacity, ease of use, durability, and more. Since this watering can doesn't have a sprinkle head, it's best for heartier plants, but it had a great pour for plants at every height, and it was easy to fill and carry. However, it failed the drop test on concrete when full of water: The bottom dented, and the can was no longer able to rest flat. The functionality seemed to be okay, though. For that reason, you'd probably want to use it indoors only.
In terms of durability, the Beech Wood Handle Watering Can held up well functionally from being dropped, landing upright and denting only slightly, but the paint did chip and show the steel underneath. If you are in an environment where you expect to have a lot of wear and tear (hello, small children and pets), the painted exterior might show damage over time. In general, this is a good value for a smaller, good-looking indoor watering can. A watering can (or watering pot) is a portable container, usually with a handle and a funnel, used to water plants by hand. It has been in use since at least A.D. 79 and has since seen many improvements in design. Apart from watering plants, it has varied uses, as it is a fairly versatile tool. In watering cans, attractive design, good balance, and grip do not always go hand in hand. A watering can needs good balance so it doesn't easily topple over. Generally, the longer and bulkier the spout, the poorer the balance. If the spout is fairly thin, it won't necessarily be prone to tipping. "A can with a slightly wider base can help balance out a heavier spout, and ones with heavier metal accents may also be more stable," says Stark. According to Kristen Whitehead, designer and owner of Helios Landscape Design, outdoor plants in pots typically need to be watered once a day while indoor plants have varying water needs, depending on the type of plant. Why You Should Get It: This durable, lightweight watering can impressed us with its overall ease of use.If you’re looking for an attractive watering can to display on a shelf or ledge in your home, the E.Palace Stainless Steel Watering Can is made for you. The small, 15-ounce can is made from sturdy stainless steel with an overall minimalist design, and the size makes it easy to fit into your other home decor. The term "watering can" first appeared in 1692, in the diary of keen cottage gardener Lord Timothy George of Cornwall. [1] Before then, it was known as a "watering pot". [2] We also found it easy to use thanks to its two handles (including one with hinges), which made it easy to maneuver into multiple positions, reducing strain on our hands and wrists. "Personally, I like watering cans with multiple handles, so I get two spots to hold," says master gardener, interior designer, and home improvement expert Jen Stark, founder of Happy DIY Home. And at 2.6 gallons, this watering can has a sizable capacity, allowing you to water several plants without making multiple trips to the hose or sink. Plus, the lightweight plastic won't weigh you down. This watering can also passed all of our drop tests, except when dropped on concrete while full of water. It only suffered a large dent in the corner but didn't leak at all. While this design isn't the most attractive watering can—we think it kind of looks more like a leaf blower—but we didn't mind the trade-off considering how well it worked, especially for watering plants in a garden. We found the Fasmov model to be extremely easy to carry around. The 1-gallon size makes it lightweight enough to transport while still holding a decent amount of water, and the ergonomic handle design adds to the general ease of use. The mouth on top is slightly smaller than normal, which means that it might be hard to fill depending on your faucet or spigot. However, the plus side to a smaller fill hole is that you are much less likely to drip water or have it slosh over the top when carrying the watering can around.
Despite its small size, we are fans of this can for its great aim and reach for all sizes of plants. The long spout makes it comfortable to reach higher hanging plants, plus we love the minimalist brushed metal finish. Although the handle wasn't distinctly ergonomic, it balanced well in our hands and still felt comfortable to hold. Why You Should Get It: This watering can holds a large volume of water but is still easy to carry and use. We also loved the removable sprinkler head, which makes it easy to switch between full water flow and a soft rainshower. This versatility is incredibly helpful when taking care of a garden, allowing you to water hearty plants deeply and also take gentle care of delicate herbs and flowers. During our tests, the French Blue Watering Can completely broke when dropped while full of water, making us question its durability over time. We also found that it was very clunky and heavy, making it nearly impossible to use when watering hanging plants. We found this product to have a particularly slow flow that affected its effectiveness, so we chose to exclude it from our lists.Of course, whatever watering can you choose should be easy to fill, carry, and pour. The handle should be comfortable to grip and carry for several minutes at a time since a watering can can get heavy when filled with water. You will also want to note where the top mouth is located in relation to the handle, ensuring that a variety of faucets and outdoor spigots will be able to fit inside. Why You Should Get It: This watering can covers all the basics with a price tag that can’t be beat. The small capacity means that it's also easy to lift overhead to water hanging plants or bookshelf vines, and the hole at the top is large enough that it can be filled from virtually any sink. Plus, we found it quite easy to carry and pour without spillage.
Regardless of where you use it, a metal watering can should resist rusting—look for phrases like "rust-resistant" or "powder-coated." Copper watering cans tend to be both more expensive and smaller. "They're great for indoor use, and they'll develop a pretty patina over time that turns them into rustic decor pieces, too," says Stark. The stainless steel did suffer some damage when it was dropped on concrete: A small scratch when it was dropped empty and a dent when it was dropped full, but neither of these affected the functionality of the can—it could still sit steady and hold water. Keep in mind, a stainless steel can like this one is best kept out of the garden. "Metal cans are great rustic pieces that work well for watering indoor plants, but if you don't paint them to seal out the elements, they can easily rust and corrode," says Stark, adding, "They're best used inside as you're less prone to drop them and dent or damage the metal." Depending on how many plants you are going to be watering, you may need a smaller or larger watering can. Out of all the cans we tested, the Bloem Easy Pour Watering Canstood out for its unique, two-handle design (including one with hinges), which made it easier to maneuver and balance when full compared to other options. We also appreciated the Fasmov Plastic Watering Can—the two ridges on the handle made it easy to grip and allowed us to pour accurately without spilling.
The best indoor watering can: Etarewilt ½-Gallon Watering Can
If you are primarily using the watering can outdoors, a breakable material like ceramic might not be the best fit. If the person using the watering can is young, older, or may not be capable of lifting heavy items, a lightweight material (like plastic) might be a good choice. However, Whitehead cautions that some plastic watering cans are a bit flimsy.
Easily the most glamorous choice on our list, this watering can won points for its good looks on top of its effectiveness. We loved the subtle, hammered texture that made it look "extra luxe," and we'd happily show it off in one of our homes. This watering can would look nice sitting on a shelf by your houseplants and is a great design for people without a lot of storage who would need to keep it on display. Typically, you'll want a larger shower head spout for outside plants, since you'll most likely be watering more on each of the plants,” Whitehead says. “For indoor plants, you'll want a more defined, narrow spout head that will allow you to accurately water your plants.”Just like the other watering cans in this roundup, this model passed all of our drop tests except the round, where it was full and dropped on concrete. It dented and lost some paint, but this didn't affect usability. The price of this watering can is a little higher than some of the more basic cans on this list, but we think it's reasonable given the quality and unique design. Of all the watering cans we tested, this model stood out to us thanks to multiple unique features. The double-handle design is ergonomic, and we found the handles were comfortable for both carrying and lifting up to reach hanging flower baskets. Although this watering can has a generous capacity, it stands at less than a foot high, so it's easily fillable in a standard kitchen sink. The rose can be removed, and the spout itself can swivel, offering you the option to either direct the sprinkle upwards (for a gentler effect) or downwards, depending on the watering style your plants need. We weren’t able to test the long-term durability of the Room Essentials watering can, but based on how well it performed during our lab tests, we have no reason to suspect that it wouldn’t hold up over time.
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