5-Gallon Stackable Water Storage Containers, Emergency Water Storage for Camping and Disaster Preparedness, 20 Gallons

I ordered these somewhat cautiously, as there are a number of reviews citing issues. I figured I'd give them a try.I bought the 60 gallon (12 containers) package and after reading reviews with complaints about smell, plastic-quality questions, lid seal, and needing to buy expensive accessories, I am very happy to report:- Little to no smell. If I really take a deep snort with my nose jammed in there, yeah I kind of smell plastic. But it's very faint. Nothing like what some other customers reported (and I'm not knocking their reviews, I'm sure theirs smelled). No stronger than a new plastic water bottle, and I'm going to wash/bleach them out anyway, so this was a non-issue for me.- Lids. Some customers report not getting lids (though I also see review updates indicating good customer service later supplying them). Mine had lids, although they were deep in the box in a separate envelope, so it may appear at first that yours don't have any.- Plastic quality. Some customers called out missing or cryptic markings on their containers. Mine are stamped all over with HDPE, the "2" in the arrows, all that BPE-free good stuff. I have no concerns about the plastic (and the containers are very sturdy).- Accessories. Mine came with a wrench for the lids! I was very happy to see this, especially as I didn't see it mentioned in the product description. I wonder whether, after complaints about lids, the company started being more diligent about including them and also threw in a wrench for free? But that's conjecture.Also, when I ordered these the delivery estimate was 2-3 weeks. They came in 5 days! Very impressed with this product and the service so far.Now, in fairness, I haven't filled these yet. So if there are issues with leaking, I will definitely update the review. But between the information about cutting off the collar on the lids, and the bonus wrench they included, I'm confident all should work well. UPDATE: Out of my 12, one had a tiny leak no matter how I tried to seal the lid. A couple others leaked when I sealed them, but by removing the lid and then re-wrenching it on I was able to get a perfect seal with no drips. The one container just leaked no matter how I secured the lid. It was just a small drop every couple seconds when I inverted the container, but this means the water isn't perfectly sealed so it's a concern. I'll see how that water is compared to the others when I open them. Also, the vent opening (the small spout on the rear with the small white cap) leaked on a few, and on a couple I used plumber's tape on the threads to get a better seal on the vent. The vent holes took a lot of work to drill out. There is a lot of plastic down in that neck, and of course all that debris has to be cleared. This was pretty easily accomplished with the repeated soaping/bleaching/rinsing I was planning to do anyway, but just to say I was surprised how thick that plug was.I do agree with others that instructions would have been useful, but there's enough information online that I think I'll be okay.UPDATE Here are the steps I used on each container, in case this helps anyone:1. Drill out the vent hole. As mentioned, this takes some doing unless you have an amazing drill.2. Rinse container with warm water. This should get rid of much of the plastic debris from drilling.3. Add more warm water and a drop of antibacterial dish soap. You don't need much! On my first few containers I used much more soap and had to rinse many times because it foamed up so much. Seal the soapy water in there and shake vigorously for several seconds to clean thoroughly.4. Rinse out all soap. If you have a sink with a sprayer, that will come in super handy: put the contained upside down to make sure you get it all out.5. Optional: Add some cold water, seal and shake, pour into a glass and sip. Did you get all the soap out? :-)6. Add 1 teaspoon (5ml) of bleach to 1 quart water, pour into container, seal and shake vigorously for several seconds.7. Rinse thoroughly.8. Optional: Shake up some more cold water in there and taste it. Should taste great.9. Fill partially with cold water, add 1/2 teaspoon bleach, continue adding water until full. The bleach is to preserve the water and prevent algae/bacteria. Ready.gov recommends 1/8 tsp bleach per gallon, which is 1/2 tsp for 4 gallons. I stuck with this for my 5 gallons. On other sites I saw as much as 1tsp and as little as 1/4 mentioned for 5 gallons.10. Seal and store, somewhere dark that won't get too warm. Label with a Sharpie: Date filled and amount of bleach added.One final note, I did order this for $9 because I knew I'd need a spigot. I highly recommend this one accessory.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DFW90GY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Heavy construction. Exactly what I needed.

We almost returned these containers, because they do NOT come with any spigots at all. However, we decided to call the company and are very happy we did so. Customer service was exceptional!!! She explained to us, that there are two different packages to order from, one comes with a set of 2 spigots, a wrench and some water treatment, but this one doesn't. Since this was confusing, she agreed to send us the set we need to use these containers, and so we decided to keep the containers. The lady also told us that there is no breathing hole, so the water lasts longer, and instead of drilling it out (like some of the reviews here suggest), it is better to tap it with a screwdriver and a hammer, so you don't get plastic pieces in your water. Another thing she mentioned was to put one teaspoon of the water treatment in each container after filling it, and the water will last for 7 years. The lady was very helpful, friendly, and understanding, and if we need more containers, we will definitely get them from this company!!! An almost return turned into a great experience. Very pleased.

UPDATE: The customer service has quickly responded to my issues and will be sending the missing lids.Initial post: While lids are pictured and described in some pictures,none were included. I don't believe it was a packaging error since the packing invoice clearly said 4 water barrels 0 lids. This is a misrepresentation since the pictures and description do not specify that lids must be purchased separately.

They arrived in good condition. Came with caps in separate bag and a locking tool so if you are not strong enough you can close and open easily.Filling them is easy but once full they are heavy to lift if you are a woman or senior not strong upper body strength but I made it work. You might bear that in mind if you have to lift out of a sink.I wish it had come with directions and explanations on use. But I wrote them w questions and they responded within a day.There is a small knob w cap that is not pierced and I deduce allows air on for easy water pour out of other big opening or spigot (not included) later. Oh and you can buy a spigot from the company fir about $3-4. I saw a set on Amazon but its not this company brand so id be concerned about proper seal. Also its a more money. I think buying a couple spigots would be a good idea. In case one breaks. (Update: I wrote readystore and they sent me 4 sets as a courtesy..that's what I call great customer service).As to long term storage. The insides are lined with something that deters algae makes it less likely hence the dark color but they say if you dont treat water ahead you need to change it every 6-8 months. I bought water purification tablets enough for each jug to put in when I'm ready to use it and I will check water at 6 months to see how it smells and I may buy a water tester to check quality. If it needs changing will decuse then.I washed mine out w a little white vinegar and water beforehand and made sure it was well rinsed. They say you can use a little dish soap as well but I preferred no potential suds.As for leaking..I hope the containers hold up. I don't anticipate leaking of the caps because they are stored upright w cap on top.Theres drought conditions in so many places..thus iui s a good investment. The size is perfect.Highly recommend. But I'll buy direct from Ready Store next round because Amazon customer service on some food issues was bad and frankly, it ticked me off.

These five gallon water containers look great and work really well! They stack nicely and are easy to transport. Easy to use, they fit in where needed (vehicles, sheds, barns, storage rooms). They are inexpensive and are a great value!!