The Ultimate Guide to Choosing The Right Plastic Bucket ...

Author: Ruby

Jan. 06, 2025

Machinery

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing The Right Plastic Bucket ...

It may seem like something small, but it's seriously a big decision. 

Choosing the right plastic bucket is not just about picking any old container off the shelf.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from YuchaiHI.

The best container can make all the difference depending on what you need it for, from household storage to industrial.

Here at Taylor Davis, it's our mission to equip you with the best containers for your needs, so let's get started.

Understanding Different Bucket Materials 

Before delving into the various types of plastic buckets, it's important to understand the materials used in their construction.

One of the most important things to consider is the material's quality, especially when it comes to food-grade plastic buckets.

Among the materials commonly used, food-grade polypropylene (PP) stands out for its safety and durability:

Polypropylene:

PP is a versatile polymer with various grades and blends ' although PP buckets are ideal for storing food, it is not limited to just food-grade applications.

While Polypropylene exhibits some chemical resistance, it's crucial to note that it is not resistant to many chemicals. Although it can tolerate certain solvents briefly, it is not recommended for packaging such products into plastic ' instead, consider metal cans.

Overall, PP buckets are easy to clean and maintain, making them perfect for food storage and transportation.

Other Common Materials:

While PP is a top choice for food, other materials like HPDE (high-density polyethylene) and LDPE (low-density polyethylene) are used in various bucket types, each with its specific advantages.

It is important to note that LDPE is primarily employed in blow moulding and is not suitable for injection moulding due to it's limited stacking performance, which may lead to loss of shape.

Our long term supplier Jokey predominently opts for PP for almost all of their product range. The only exception is UN-approved buckets, for which they use HDPE due to its resilience in drop testing. Another of our suppliers CurTec however, are almost exclusively HDPE for their kegs & barrels.

Types of Plastic Buckets 

Plastic buckets come in various shapes and sizes, each designed to suit different purposes.

Understanding the types available can help you make an informed decision.

  • Heavy Duty: These are robust and durable, suitable for industrial and construction use. They can withstand heavy loads and rough handling, and can also be hot filled at +70­°C too.
  • Round Tapered: Often used in food service and surface coatings (paints & inks), these buckets have a tapered design which is great for stacking. They are delivered nested one inside the other, which offers significant storage advantages for empty packaging. This nesting feature is especially beneficial when compared to alternatives like plastic bottles or straight sided metal cans.
  • Oval: These are a popular choice for equine and pet industries due to their ergonomic shape. This shape is also popular for packing retail paints as a roller can dipped straight into the bucket as opposed to a round bucket. This shape also offers a larger surface area for labelling/branding.
  • Rectangular: Ideal for space-saving storage and transportation, commonly used in DIY projects. With the same benefits of the Oval this is a very versatile shape.
  • Square: Square buckets qere primarily designed as a catering pack as their shape fitts neatly into limited small spaces in kitchens etc. As well as their stackability, these buckets are excellent for efficient storage and shipping.

Key Features 

Apart from materials and types, specific features can enhance the functionality and safety of your plastic bucket.

  • Tamper-evident: Especially crucial for food and surface coating uses, these lids provide security and protection against contamination.
  • Stackability: If you need to save space in storage or transport, consider buckets that can be easily stacked to maximise efficiency.
  • Protection against contamination: In food storage and medical use, buckets with seals can prevent contamination and spoilage.

Uses for Plastic Buckets 

The versatility of plastic buckets makes them suitable for various applications:

  • Food Storage: Food-grade plastic buckets are perfect for filling and safe transportating of various products.
  • DIY materials: Whether you're painting a room or mixing cement, plastic buckets can hold various materials securely.
  • Gardening products: Gardeners use buckets for the storage of fertilisers and plant foods.
  • Household storage: From toys to seasonal decorations, plastic buckets are excellent for organising and decluttering.
  • Fishing baits and more: Anglers often use buckets to carry and store bait, while their durability makes them ideal for various outdoor activities.

What to Consider When Buying 

As you browse through the options, keep these factors in mind:

Size and volume: Choose a size that matches your intended use, making sure it can hold the right amount without overfilling.

Intended use: Different applications require specific features, so select a bucket that aligns with your purpose.

Durability and strength: Consider the materials and build quality to ensure the bucket can withstand your intended tasks.

Price and brand reputation: While budget-friendly options exist, investing in a trusted brand can guarantee reliability and longevity.

As the UK agents & stockists for Jokey Group for over 40 years, Taylor Davis Ltd are well equipped to offer a comprehensive range of polypropylene tubs & buckets.  Extensive stock holding in 3 depots; In Wiltshire (Head Office), Warwickshire and West Yorkshire.

The Range:

JET-P ' Round tapered buckets from 2.2 litres up to 30 litres.The round bucket is the most popular packaging for liquid and solid products.

JET-B ' Small capacity round tubs from 120ml up to ml. Perfect for gourmet foods, ice cream and confectionery.

JET-R' Rectangular buckets from 3 litres up to 16 litres. The four corners ensure stability and optimum utilisation of the pallet.

JET-Q ' Square Buckets from 1.5 litres up to 35 litres. The unusual shape guarantees effective advertising in square format.

JET-S ' Small capacity rectangular tubs from 250ml up to 2.4 litres.Versatile, handy, convenient: JETS is ideal for your fresh products.

JET-O ' Oval buckets from 2.5 litres up to 18 litres. The oval shape is ideal to satisfy the requirements of the construction chemicals industry.

Additional Considerations for Specific Applications

In addition to the fundamental factors mentioned earlier, it's essential to delve deeper into specific applications to make an even more informed decision when choosing a plastic bucket.

  1. Chemical Storage: 

If you intend to use a plastic bucket for storing chemicals, it's crucial to select one that is compatible with the specific chemicals you'll be handling.

Some chemicals may react with certain plastics, leading to structural damage or contamination. For most chemical applications, UN approved packaging will need to be used.

Always consult safety guidelines and chemical compatibility charts to ensure the bucket is suitable for the task.

  1. Food Storage Tips: 

When selecting a plastic bucket for food storage, go beyond the food-grade label.

Consider additional features such as airtight seals and transparent walls that allow you to see the contents without opening the lid.

These features help maintain the freshness of ingredients and simplify inventory management.

  1. Tamper Evident Buckets: 

For industries where product safety and consumer trust are paramount, tamper-evident buckets are a must.

These buckets come equipped with seals that break when the lid is opened, providing clear visual evidence of tampering.

They are commonly used in surface coatings, food packaging, and other sensitive industries.

  1. Lids and Accessories: 

Depending on your application, you may require additional accessories like pour spouts,wet wipe dispensers, pumps that can be fitted for dispensing ketchups, mayo or mustards, or even buckets with built-in handles for ease of transport.

Carefully assess your needs to determine which accessories are essential.

  1. UV Resistance:

If your plastic bucket will be exposed to prolonged sunlight, such as in outdoor construction or gardening, consider buckets with UV resistance. Our range of PP buckets are only UV resistant when they are produced while employing specific 'barrier' polymers. The standard buckets are not impervious to UV light unless produced in black.

UV-resistant plastics are less likely to become brittle or discoloured when exposed to sunlight for extended periods.

  1. Recyclability: 

For environmentally-conscious consumers and businesses, it's important to choose buckets that are easily recyclable.

Look for recycling symbols and check with your local recycling facilities to ensure proper disposal options.

  1. Customisation Options: 

Some manufacturers offer customisation options, allowing you to print logos, labels, or branding on your plastic buckets.

This is especially valuable for businesses looking to enhance their brand visibility or provide information directly on the bucket.

We offer two main types of printing on all of our Jokey plastic bucket range, these are:

In-Mould Labelling ' In-Mould Labelling (IML) is the more popular choice when it comes to packaging decoration, due to the high-quality look and feel with unlimited decoration and colour options.

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The technology works by placing a pre-printed plastic film label into a mould and the label is seamlessly fused to the thermoplastic material during the moulding process. This integrates the production of the container and the labelling process which means faster production time and lower costs.

Digital Printing ' Digital printing, also known as heat transfer printing is the method of which acustom logo or design is printed onto a transfer paper then the ink is transferred thermally onto a container using pressure and heat.

This method also provides a high-quality photographic and seamless finish. However, there are limitations on the coverage on the container. Set up costs are more expensive than IML but are still reasonable.

Final Thoughts

Selecting the right plastic bucket may seem like a small decision, but it can have a significant impact on your business or daily life.

By being proactive and taking materials, types and key features into account, you can make an informed choice that suits your needs perfectly.

So, don't underestimate the power of a well-chosen plastic bucket; it can be the difference between being successful and failing.

Food Grade Buckets Made in the USA

At ePackageSupply.com, we're proud of the fact that every product we manufacture and distribute is made and manufactured right here in the beautiful U.S. of A. This means when you trust us for your food grade bucket needs, you can have the peace of mind knowing that your purchase is (1) food grade and (2) made in the USA.

Now, you might be wondering why this matters to us so much'perhaps even thinking something along the lines of, 'a 5 gallon bucket is a 5 gallon bucket,' unsure what the big deal is.

We're happy to expand on this concept, and that will be the focus of this blog: helping you find the right food grade bucket for your needs'and one that's made right here in America.

First, we'll address a few misconceptions about 5-gallon buckets. Then, we'll take a deeper dive into what exactly it means for a bucket to be 'food grade,' what it means to be 'made in the USA,' and how you can ensure that a bucket you purchase is, in fact, food grade and made in the USA.

Consider this your guide to finding a 5 gallon food grade bucket that's been made in the USA.

First Things First: A Few Quick Facts About 5 Gallon Buckets

Before we dive into what it means for a bucket to be food grade and made in the USA, we want to clear up a few misconceptions about 5-gallon buckets. We'll start with the dimensions and volume of a 5-gallon bucket. That should be easy, right? A 5-gallon bucket holds 5 gallons? Not exactly.

What Are 5-Gallon Buckets' Dimensions & Volume?

This might surprise you, but 5-gallon buckets do come in varying dimensions. Different 5 gallon buckets have different heights, widths, and volumes that are unique specifications of each manufacturer. Many are slightly tapered, as well. You may not perceive this when using the bucket, but it serves an important purpose: to make buckets that are stackable without getting impossibly stuck together!

If you were asked the maximum volume of a 5 gallon bucket, what would your guess be 5 gallons? That's a really great guess...but not exactly correct. If you look inside a 5 gallon bucket, you should see a horizontal indicator line showing the 5 gallon mark. It's not going to be at the bucket's brim, but a couple inches below the brim. This way, if you're using the bucket for liquids, especially, you can move the bucket without sloshing the contents and losing some of the 5 gallons.

What Are 5-Gallon Buckets Made Of?

Similar to a bucket's dimensions, the materials a 5 gallon bucket is made of also vary from bucket to bucket, based on the manufacturer as well as the bucket's intended use. As we'll cover shortly, food grade plastic buckets are specifically made of plastics identified as #1, #2, #4, and #5 plastics.

Do 5-Gallon Buckets Come With Lids?

Most 5-gallon buckets can be fitted with a variety of different lid types. Food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids provide excellent utility for long term food storage.

Are 5-Gallon Buckets Food Grade?

Some. We'll discuss this in depth in the next section, but some 5-gallon buckets are appropriate for food storage purposes'while others are not. The main factors that make a bucket food grade are the plastic it's made of, and the presence of a lid with an airtight seal.

Are 5-Gallon Buckets Made in the USA?

Again, some. While everything we make and sell is made in the USA, that is far from a guarantee with other manufacturers. This just means you may have to do a little research into the manufacturer or company, if buying American is important to you (like it is to us).

Next, let's take a closer look at two specific characteristics: how to tell if a bucket is food grade, and how to know whether it was made in the USA.

Why 'Food Grade' Matters

For certain uses, it's important to make sure your bucket is food grade. Whether you're in the restaurant industry, a farmer, pet owner, home-brewer, or you're prepping for the apocalypse, the last thing you want is avoidable contamination, which can gravely affect your health in some cases.

How Can You Tell If a Bucket Is Food Grade?

It's generally not very difficult to find out whether a bucket is food grade or not. So, if you're wondering how to tell if a bucket is food grade, there are a few different ways.

Check the Plastic Number

First, you can look for the plastic number. Usually, on the bottom of a bucket, you should be able to find a recycling symbol with a single digit in the middle. For plastic buckets, this will usually be either a 1, 2, 4, or 5. These numbers specifically refer to the type of plastic the bucket's made of, which impacts the extent to which the plastic might leech into the bucket's contents over time, which can pose health risks.

  • Plastic #1 refers to polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE)
  • Plastic #2 refers to high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
  • Plastic #4 refers to low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
  • Plastic #5 refers to polypropylene (PP)

In some cases, another food grade material can be used, as well'acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or ABS. ABS food grade plastic is categorized as a #7 plastic, a broad category that includes 'all other plastics.'

The plastic type generally determines the appropriate uses for the bucket, as well as whether the product is recyclable, microwaveable, reusable, freezable, and so on. Especially for long term food storage, you want to be absolutely sure the bucket is food grade.

It's crucial here to mention that just because a bucket or container is made of one of these plastic types, that does not necessarily mean the bucket is food safe. That being said, an HDPE 2 bucket is food grade a majority of the time.

Look for a Cup & Fork, Other Indicators

If you see an icon (typically on the bottom of the bucket) that looks like a cup and a fork, that indicates food grade material. You might also see specific language like 'FDA approved' or 'USDA approved.'

If you're purchasing a brand-new bucket from the manufacturer, it should be clearly labeled as food grade or food safe. This might be printed on the bucket, or affixed as a sticker or label. When in doubt, too, you can just ask!

Are Food Grade 5 Gallon Buckets Airtight?

If equipped with an appropriate lid, any food grade 5 gallon bucket can be made airtight, providing exceptional protection against contamination and spoilage.

What Is a Gamma Lid®, and Are Gamma Seal Lids Food Grade?

In addition to being easier to open and close than other types of bucket lids (no bucket wrench needed!), gamma seal lids also provide airtight, waterproof protection for food storage and other uses.

Gamma seal lids are food grade'as long as they are properly secured and used in tandem with a food grade bucket. To apply a gamma seal lid to a 5 gallon bucket, you'll need to:

  1. Read the directions provided with a purchased gamma seal lid. While this may not seem necessary, the manufacturer may provide some specific tips and tricks to ensure proper installation and operation.
  2. Identify the two parts of the gamma seal lid: the adapter ring, and the lid itself.
  3. Snap the adapter ring onto the bucket's rim. First position it, and then use a rubber mallet to further secure the ring. Don't strike the adapter ring too hard, and don't use a regular hammer'otherwise, you may damage the adapter ring and compromise the seal's benefits.
  4. Finally, screw the lid onto the threaded adapter ring. Voila! Your bucket is airtight and food safe!

If a Bucket Contains BPA, Is It Food Safe?

Savvy consumers are also likely aware of the industrial chemical Bisphenol A'commonly known as BPA. You've probably noticed certain goods advertised as BPA-free, which reassures buyers. Similar to many other plastic types, BPA is susceptible to leeching, a process by which potentially harmful chemical substances (from the plastic) can infect the bucket's contents.

Now, don't let this scare you, but there may be traces of BPA (or other leeching-susceptible substances) in food grade buckets and other containers. The FDA does monitor these levels, and you can learn more in their Questions & Answers on Bisphenol A (BPA) Use in Food Contact Applications. Ultimately, the FDA has determined that BPA is safe at very low levels, so while the 'BPA-free' distinction is ideal, it's not essential that a food grade bucket contain zero BPA. Make sense?

Why 'Made in the USA' Matters

67 percent of adults in the United States would be willing to pay more for products if they knew doing so would support American manufacturing. There are a few reasons for this, including a belief in the superior quality of American-made products, as well as an interest in supporting American manufacturing and industry, creating domestic jobs, and so on.

Reasons to Buy American

Why is this so important? There are a number of economic and political reasons why buying American-made goods is important for our nation and society. When enough consumers see the value in seeking out and purchasing American-made products, it increases the demand for American goods'which, in turn, helps fuel the economy by creating jobs and establishing improved balance in American trade relations.

Here are 10 great reasons why buying American-made products matters, collected by American Made Matters:

  1. It provides jobs for future generations by growing our own manufacturing sector.
  2. It promotes American independence by reducing reliance on foreign exports.
  3. It's better for the environment due to American manufacturing processes that lean toward cleaner, renewable, eco-friendly practices.
  4. Our government cannot control foreign labor standards'federal and local mandates for safe working conditions, appropriate wages and paid, and labor laws, for example.
  5. It boosts American investment opportunities; the more we produce, the more it helps the economy.
  6. It guarantees quality, as 'Made in the USA' stands for (and ensures) a superior and consistent quality of goods.
  7. It guarantees safer and fair working conditions by adhering to OSHA and other standards, including regulations to minimize accidents and protect worker rights.
  8. Helps to reduce the deficit by boosting the American economy.
  9. It avoids entanglement with foreign political debates, diplomatic relations, etc.
  10. Because outsourced manufacturing plants rarely return to the US, outsourcing should, ideally, be avoided at all costs.

How To Tell If a Bucket Was Made In the USA

This isn't as easy as you might think. Typically, though, if a product is made in America, its manufacturer will be upfront and clear about that, as it helps many people make their purchasing decisions. The less upfront they are about where and how their products are made, the more reason you have to suspect something other than 'made in the USA.'

Here are some things to look for:

  • Is the product advertised or labeled as being 'all or virtually all made in the U.S.'? Notice the language here. In order to make this claim, products must be (1) assembled in the U.S. and (2) a significant amount of the manufacturing cost comes from U.S. parts and processes. Unfortunately for consumers, 'it is up to the individual company to determine their compliance with FTC regulations and use made in the USA language on their products and in their marketing.'
  • 'Made in America' and 'Made in the U.S.A.' are not necessarily the same thing. You see, if a product is 'Made in America,' that could technically refer to North America, so a product manufactured in Canada or Mexico could still be 'Made in America.'
  • Notice the verbs used in the manufacturer's claims. There's a difference between a product being made in America or just being assembled in America (with foreign parts).
  • You might think an American flag sticker indicates a product made in the U.S., but that's not necessarily the case. Check the related language'it could be a case of being made in America using global materials, which changes the meaning.
  • If you can, do a little research into the country of origin. You might be able to find this information on a product website or the manufacturing company's website (in the 'About Us' section, for example).

Why 'Made in the USA' Matters So Much To Us

It's just a bucket'something that only costs a few bucks'what's the big deal?

For our company and our employees, 'thinking big and acting small' is not a cliché, but the way we do business. This mentality allows us to do what we do best: focus on providing our customers with a positive experience and excellent products.

As a veteran-owned and operated company, sourcing and providing products Made in the U.S.A is one of the primary ways we're able to deliver on this promise to our customers.

Buying products Made in the USA enables our team to have a 'boots on the ground' approach to vendor relationships, product quality, cost control, and competitive lead times. All of these factors contribute directly to providing customers with products that have those attributes ' high quality, competitive prices, and quick lead times.

Your One-Stop-Shop for Food Grade Buckets Made in the USA

At ePackageSupply.com, we take great pride in the relationships we have built with our customers and our suppliers. We feel confident that our suppliers in the U.S.A. share that same level of pride, and we are confident in providing their products to our customers.

Head on over to our website to either learn more about us or browse our full line of food grade buckets, lids, and more! We think you'll like what you find.

*ePackage exclusively sells official Gamma Lid® products.

The company is the world’s best Rotary Rig supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

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