Best Rain Barrels for Small Spaces
Updated How we research
RIOBOW Rain Barrel Collapsible 26 Gallon Portable Rain Catcher Green
RIOBOW's green collapsible 26 Gallon portable rain catcher barrel for small-space water collection.
50 Gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel with Drain Valve and Mesh Cover
A 50 Gallon collapsible rain barrel with drain valve and mesh cover for tidy water collection.
Collecting rainwater is not just for big gardens. Slim, small-capacity barrels fit balconies and patios, giving container plants a free water supply that saves trips to the tap and keeps pots going between showers. For tight spaces, look for narrow or wall-hugging shapes, a secure lid to keep debris and insects out, and a tap low enough to fill a can under. Capacity matters against your footprint, so balance how much you can store with the room you have. A stable base is important once full, since water gets heavy fast.
The short version
We compared 6 picks. Our scores range from 7.1 to 7.9 out of 10.
- Best overall:RIOBOW Rain Barrel Collapsible 26 Gallon Portable Rain Catcher Green. Highest overall score in this guide at 7.9/10.
- Also great value:50 Gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel with Drain Valve and Mesh Cover. Value score of 8/10, overall 7.6/10.
- Solid build:Collapsible Rain Barrel 50 Gallon Folding with Spigots and Hose Blue. Build and materials score of 7/10, overall 7.6/10.
- Feature-rich:Eco-Friendly Rain Barrel 52 Gallon Portable with Spigot and Hose. Features score of 8/10, overall 7.5/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.RIOBOW Rain Barrel Collapsible 26 Gallon Portable Rain Catcher Green7.9/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.50 Gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel with Drain Valve and Mesh Cover7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Collapsible Rain Barrel 50 Gallon Folding with Spigots and Hose Blue7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Eco-Friendly Rain Barrel 52 Gallon Portable with Spigot and Hose7.5/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.VEVOR Collapsible Rain Barrel 66 Gallon Portable with Spigots Overflow7.5/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.VINGLI 100 Gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel Portable with Filter Spigot7.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1RIOBOW's green collapsible 26 Gallon portable rain catcher barrel for small-space water collection.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + 26 Gallon size is manageable for balconies and small patios
- + Collapsible design folds away when not in use
- + Portable barrel can be moved to catch runoff where needed
- - Smaller capacity fills quickly in heavy rain
- - Fabric barrels can sag if not set on level ground
#2A 50 Gallon collapsible rain barrel with drain valve and mesh cover for tidy water collection.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Mesh Cover keeps leaves and mosquitoes out of the water
- + Drain Valve simplifies emptying and cleaning
- + Collapsible build stores flat in winter to save space in a small shed
- - Budget for a hose or watering can to reach distant pots
- - 50 gallons of water weighs a lot on elevated floors
#3A blue 50 Gallon folding collapsible rain barrel with spigots and hose for portable rainwater capture.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Hose included for direct watering from the barrel
- + Blue color is easy to spot and signals water storage to the household
- + Folding design is ideal for seasonal use
- - Bright blue may clash with natural wood and green garden decor
- - Fabric construction is less durable than rigid barrels
#4An eco-friendly portable 52 Gallon rain barrel with spigot and hose for collecting and reusing rainwater.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + Spigot and hose are included for easy watering
- + 52 Gallon capacity stores a good reserve of rainwater
- + Portable barrel can be relocated seasonally
- - Full barrel is very heavy for a balcony floor
- - Needs a downspout or runoff source to fill efficiently
#5VEVOR's collapsible 66 Gallon portable rain barrel with spigots and overflow for larger rainwater storage.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + 66 Gallon capacity holds plenty of water for dry spells
- + Overflow outlet helps manage heavy rainfall
- + Multiple spigots allow flexible hose connections
- - Large capacity is too heavy for many apartment balconies
- - Needs a flat, stable base when full, or the fabric walls may lean
#6VINGLI's 100 Gallon collapsible portable rain barrel with filter and spigot for maximum rainwater storage.
Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + 100 Gallon capacity is the largest in this guide
- + Filter keeps leaves and debris out of stored water and the spigot
- + Collapsible when not in use for off-season storage
- - Far too heavy when full for most balconies
- - Large footprint needs ground-level space
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Smaller capacity fills quickly in heavy rain (RIOBOW Rain Barrel Collapsible 26 Gallon...)
- Budget for a hose or watering can to reach distant pots (50 Gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel with Drain...)
- Bright blue may clash with natural wood and green garden decor (Collapsible Rain Barrel 50 Gallon Folding...)
- Full barrel is very heavy for a balcony floor (Eco-Friendly Rain Barrel 52 Gallon Portable...)
- Large capacity is too heavy for many apartment balconies (VEVOR Collapsible Rain Barrel 66 Gallon...)
- Far too heavy when full for most balconies (VINGLI 100 Gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among rain barrels for small spaces?
RIOBOW Rain Barrel Collapsible 26 Gallon Portable Rain Catcher Green is our top overall pick. RIOBOW's green collapsible 26 Gallon portable rain catcher barrel for small-space water collection. It earns our score of 7.9/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
50 Gallon Collapsible Rain Barrel with Drain Valve and Mesh Cover is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. A 50 Gallon collapsible rain barrel with drain valve and mesh cover for tidy water collection.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Balcony Garden Picks independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
Popular right now
- Watering Container Plants Correctly on a BalconyArticle
- Best Tomato PlantersBuying guide
- Best Hydroponic Growing Kits for BalconiesBuying guide
- Best Organic FertilizerBuying guide
- Best Plant Support StakesBuying guide
- Why Container Tomatoes Flower but Do Not Set FruitArticle
Based on the last 28 days of search and visitor data.