Introducing the essential gardening tool, watering cans. These versatile containers are indispensable for nurturing your plants with precision and care. Designed with a spout for controlled water flow, watering cans provide a gentle and efficient means of hydrating your garden. From vibrant flowers to delicate seedlings, these cans offer a user-friendly experience, ensuring your green companions receive just the right amount of moisture. Whether you're an avid gardener or a novice with a budding interest, a well-crafted watering can is a must-have for cultivating a thriving garden. Our favorite is the Qilebi Watering Can, combining form with function for a great watering experience.
Our Top Picks For Watering Cans
Watering Cans: Finding the Right One for You
A watering can is one of the most important implements in any gardener’s arsenal, it is a simple and efficient way of delivering a monumentally important resource, water, to plants. The best watering cans are easy to handle and use, precise, and built to reach those hard-to-reach areas with a minimum of fuss. Although watering cans have the same basic design, there are subtle differences from model to a model that make some better suited to particular tasks than others. In this buying guide, we explore these differences in a bid to help you see what models work best for you.
What Is a Watering Can?
A watering can, also called a watering pot, is a portable container used to water plants by hand. They can be made of metal, ceramic, or plastic, they consist of a handle, a container for holding water, and a spout that usually has a “rose” at its end. A rose is a device with small holes (like a showerhead) that functions to break up the stream of water into droplets reducing water pressure on soil or more delicate plants.
Why Should I Get a Watering Can?
Although more sophisticated irrigation systems exist, the old, trusty watering can remain a mainstay in the plant growing industry. This is so because:
- Watering cans, unlike sprinklers and other irrigation systems, can be used for indoor plants.
- They are inexpensive.
- They require no installation.
- They are easy to operate.
- They give you precise control over the amount of water you feed to each plant.
What Factors Should I Consider Before Choosing a Watering Can?
Watering cans come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles, with each suited to particular functions. As a result of this, getting a watering can that was designed to meet your specific needs is essential for an optimal gardening experience. With so many options available on the market today, each boasting different sets of features, making a choice isn’t always the easiest. We recognize this, and we realize that even with the list of the best watering cans we have already provided, more detail is required. Here, we run through those factors you should pay attention to when shopping for a watering can to help you make the best choice.
Size and capacity
This is one of the most important considerations when selecting a watering can. A watering can that’s too small would mean you’d have to make a lot of trips, from the water source to the plants and back, before you’re done with the task. On the other hand, a watering can that’s too large would be inconvenient to carry around. So you need to find one that meets your particular size requirements. When deciding what size of the watering can you need, you should consider how many plants you plan to use it with and how much weight you’re comfortable with carrying per time. For indoor watering, a small watering can should suffice. For outdoor watering, however, you may want a larger watering can.
Material
The material the watering can is made from is another important consideration. They are typically made from metal, plastic, or, less commonly, ceramics, with each building material offering unique characteristics.
Plastic cans are typically lightweight and as such, easy to carry around. Plastic cans are typically translucent too, making it easy for you to see how much water is left in them. Metal watering cans, on the other hand, are the more durable options and are better suited to frequent and heavy use. Metal may rust, however, so you should look to get rust-resistant units if metal watering pails are your preference. Decorative indoor watering cans may be made of ceramic and can feature pretty designs and artwork.
Spout length and configuration
With some plants, especially plants with rich foliage or plants situated in hard-to-reach areas, a watering can with a long spout will work better. A watering can lets you reach those normally difficult to reach areas, such as hanging baskets, with ease and give you greater control over where you deliver the water to.
Also, some watering cans have spouts with detachable rose attachments. These let you choose between 2 watering modes, a steady stream when the rose is off, or a gentle spray of water (that’s less likely to disturb compost or damage delicate plants like seedlings and young plants) when the rose is on. These models give you greater control of the watering process, but they also have a tendency to leak from the point of attachment with time, especially with frequent disassembly and assembly. To prevent this, you should only disassemble the unit when you absolutely have to.
For more details about the pros and cons of different watering can features, such as spout length and configuration, view this video from The Grow Network:
Style and color
Asides from functionality, aesthetics is another important consideration when watering can shopping. They come in various styles and configurations, so choose one that suits your aesthetic preferences for the best experience.
How Much Do Watering Cans Cost?
The price of a watering can depend on its size and capacity, built material, attachments, and other features. Watering cans can be bought for anything between $4, for cheap plastic models, and $200 for premium models.
People Also Asked
Are metal or plastic watering cans better?
Plastic watering cans are usually less expensive than metal cans, they are lightweight and easier to carry but they are not as durable as metal cans. Metal, especially the rust-resistant models, is more durable and is better suited to consistent and heavy use. Choosing one of the 2 is down to personal preference.
How much storage do I need in a watering can?
This varies from person to person. You should consider how many plants you own and how much weight you're comfortable with carrying per time. For the average user, a watering can that can store up to 2 liters is appropriate.
How long can a watering can last?
This depends on your usage and the build material. Watering cans made from rust-resistant metal are the most durable option.