Saratoga Farms 100 gallon water storage kit review
Twenty stackable 5-gallon containers, two spigots and a preserver, and a serving figure that needs correcting.
Twenty stackable 5-gallon BPA-free HDPE containers with 24 lids, two spigots, a cap wrench and a bottle of water preserver rated to treat up to 110 gallons.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 100 gallons across 20 individual 5-gallon containers |
| Included | 20 containers, 24 lids, 2 spigots, 1 70mm cap wrench, 1 bottle of water preserver |
| Preserver coverage | Treats up to 110 gallons, and Saratoga Farms states it keeps water safe for up to 5 years rather than the usual 6 to 12 months |
| Material | Food-grade BPA-free high-density polyethylene |
| Design | Flat tops and bottoms for stacking, built-in handles, twist breathing ports to prevent air lock when pouring |
| Weight when full | Around 40 lbs per container, by the manufacturer's own figure for the same containers |
| Approx. price | Around $549 |
Specifications above come from Saratoga Farms' published product information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Modularity is the whole argument. Five gallons is a weight one adult can carry, which means water you can take to a shelter, a car or an upstairs bathroom, unlike a barrel that never moves once it is filled.
- Stacking flat tops onto flat bottoms turns a wall of wasted floor into a column, which is the difference between storing 100 gallons and wishing you could.
- Twist breathing ports sound like a gimmick until you have tried to pour from a sealed five-gallon jug and watched it glug and spill half of it.
- The spigots and cap wrench are included rather than being the accessories you discover you need after the first refill.
- Food-grade BPA-free HDPE, which is the correct material and not something to compromise on for drinking water.
Where it falls short
- The 200 days figure is built on half a gallon per person per day. FEMA and the Red Cross recommend one gallon per person per day, which halves the honest number, and it is one person rather than a household. For a family of four at the recommended figure, 100 gallons is about 25 days, not 200.
- The price per gallon is high. At roughly $549 for 100 gallons you are paying several times what the same volume costs in 55-gallon drums. You are buying portability and stackability, and that is a legitimate thing to buy, but be clear that is what the premium is for.
- Forty pounds per full container is heavy, and stacking them means lifting that weight above waist height. Think carefully about how high you stack, and about who in the household could actually retrieve one.
- The water preserver is a consumable that covers 110 gallons. When you rotate or refill, you are buying more, and the 5-year figure depends on using it correctly and storing the containers properly.
- Storage conditions do most of the work. Containers left in sunlight or in a hot garage will not deliver the shelf life on the label, and HDPE should not sit directly on concrete for long periods. Cool, dark and off the floor is the requirement.
What owners report
Owners consistently report that the stacking works as advertised and that the containers are more robust than the cheap blue jugs sold in camping aisles. The breathing ports and the spigots get repeated positive mentions, because pouring is the part of water storage that people only think about once.
The recurring criticisms are weight and cost. Forty pounds per container comes up constantly, particularly from older buyers and from people who stacked them higher than they could comfortably reach. The other consistent theme is leakage at the lids if they are not tightened properly with the supplied wrench, which is a technique issue rather than a fault but worth knowing before you fill twenty containers in a basement. Owners who bought barrels as well generally report using the containers for portability and the barrels for bulk, which is the sensible arrangement.
Our containers versus bathtub storage comparison covers what to do if the storm is already forecast and you have not bought anything yet.
Who it suits
- Households without space for barrels, or in apartments and basements where a 450 lb drum is not an option.
- Anyone who might need to evacuate with water rather than shelter in place with it.
- People who want to be able to rotate their supply in manageable pieces rather than draining a barrel.
- Households with anyone who cannot lift more than about 40 lbs, where five gallons is already the practical ceiling.
Who should skip it
- Anyone with garage or basement floor space for 55-gallon drums, who will get far more water per dollar.
- Buyers who want the cheapest possible reserve, where drums or repurposed food-grade barrels win easily.
- People with no cool, dark, off-the-floor place to store containers.
- Anyone relying on stored water alone in a long emergency, who should also own a filter.
Alternatives worth considering
Four of the same containers instead of twenty, at a fifth of the price. The sensible way to try the format before committing to 100 gallons, and enough for a few days for a small household at the recommended one gallon per person per day.
Check price on Amazon55 gallons for well under half the price of 100 gallons in jugs, in a UV-resistant HDPE tank with an integrated spigot that takes a garden hose, and a stackable design at 22 by 23 by 30 inches. It is not portable once filled, which is the trade.
Check price on AmazonStorage is finite and a filter is not. If you have a pond, a stream, a pool or rainwater available, a gravity filter turns an unlimited but unsafe supply into drinking water, which no amount of stored gallons can match. Most households want both, and the filter is what extends the storage.
Check price on AmazonCommon questions
How much water should I actually store?
FEMA and the Red Cross recommend one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation, and more in hot climates, for nursing mothers and for anyone unwell. That is double the half gallon this kit's marketing uses, so halve any duration figure you read on the box. Work out your household's real requirement with the water storage calculator, and remember to include pets.
How long does stored water last?
Municipal tap water sealed in clean food-grade containers and kept cool and dark is generally considered good for around six months to a year before rotation. Saratoga Farms states the included preserver extends that to up to five years. Either way, label the containers with the date you filled them, store them off concrete and out of sunlight, and rotate on a schedule you actually keep.
Containers or a 55-gallon barrel: which should I buy?
Barrels win decisively on cost per gallon and lose completely on portability, because a full 55-gallon drum weighs over 450 lbs and never moves again. Containers cost more per gallon but you can carry one to a car or upstairs. Most well-prepared households end up with barrels for bulk and a handful of containers for movement. Our containers versus bathtub storage comparison covers the no-notice option as well.
Do I still need a water filter if I store water?
Yes, and this is the mistake people make most often. Stored water is a fixed amount that runs out, and a filter turns whatever you can find into drinking water indefinitely. A gravity filter such as the Big Berkey is the household answer, and our Berkey versus LifeStraw comparison covers the two best-known options. Use the water purification calculator to see what capacity you need.
Can I store these containers in the garage?
Only if the garage stays cool and out of direct sunlight, which most do not. Heat and light degrade both the water and the container, and HDPE should not sit directly on concrete for long periods because it can pick up flavours and, over time, deteriorate. A basement, a cool interior cupboard or shelving off the floor is far better. Also consider the floor loading before stacking 100 gallons, which is roughly 800 lbs of water, in one place.
Keep reading
- Water storage calculator
- Containers vs bathtub storage
- Berkey vs LifeStraw
- Big Berkey review
- Complete water storage guide
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.