Best Jerry Cans: Steel vs. Plastic Compared
What's inside
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The best jerry cans for most people are steel cans with a baked enamel lining for long-term fuel storage and CARB-compliant HDPE cans for everyday transport and generator use — the right choice depends on how often you pour, how long the fuel sits, and whether your state regulates emissions.
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Contents
Steel vs. HDPE: The Real Differences
Both materials hold gasoline legally, but they fail in different ways. Steel cans dent rather than crack, tolerate UV indefinitely, and can store fuel for years without permeation — but they rust if the lining chips, and a 20-liter steel can weighs around 9–11 lbs empty. HDPE (high-density polyethylene) cans are roughly half the weight, never rust, and survive drops that would dent steel, but UV exposure embrittles the plastic over 5–10 years, and fuel slowly permeates the walls — which is why old plastic cans smell faintly of gasoline even when empty.
Seal longevity is the quiet deciding factor. Steel cans typically use a pin-and-gasket cam lock; the gasket is replaceable for a few dollars and lasts 3–5 years if kept clean. Plastic cans with threaded caps rely on a rubber O-ring that hardens faster, especially with ethanol fuel — expect to replace O-rings every 2–3 years in regular use.
Quick Comparison: What You Get at Each Size
| Type | Capacity | Empty weight | Typical flow rate | CARB-compliant options | Market price range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel jerry can (NATO style) | 5 L | ~4–5 lbs | ~2.5–3 L/min with flexible spout | Few models | $30–50 |
| Steel jerry can (NATO style) | 10 L | ~6–7 lbs | ~2.5–3 L/min | Few models | $40–60 |
| Steel jerry can (NATO style) | 20 L | ~9–11 lbs | ~2.5–3 L/min | Limited | $50–80 |
| HDPE CARB can | 5 L | ~2–3 lbs | ~1–1.5 L/min (auto-shutoff spout) | Yes | $15–30 |
| HDPE CARB can | 10–12 L | ~3–4 lbs | ~1–1.5 L/min | Yes | $20–35 |
| HDPE CARB can | 20 L | ~5–6 lbs | ~1–1.5 L/min | Yes | $25–45 |
| HDPE racing-style can (non-road use) | 20 L | ~4–5 lbs | ~8–10 L/min (hose pour) | No — off-road only | $30–50 |
Flow rate is where frustration lives. CARB-compliant auto-shutoff spouts cut flow to roughly a third of an open steel spout — filling a 20-liter can into a vehicle tank takes 15+ seconds per liter versus about 5–7. If you refuel generators or lawn equipment often, that difference adds up fast.
Which Should You Buy? A Decision Matrix
| Your situation | Best choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term emergency fuel storage (6+ months) | 20 L steel, lined | Zero permeation; add fuel stabilizer and the seal holds for years |
| Weekly mower/generator refueling in a CARB state | 10 L HDPE CARB can | Legal, light enough to pour one-handed, slow spout is tolerable at this size |
| Overlanding / off-road transport on a vehicle rack | 20 L steel NATO can | Survives vibration, UV, and strapping; rack mounts are standardized to NATO dimensions |
| Race fuel or off-road equipment only | 20 L racing-style HDPE | 8–10 L/min hose pour saves real time in the pits |
| Budget under $20, occasional use | 5 L HDPE CARB can | Cheapest compliant option; slow flow matters least at small volume |
| Diesel for a tractor or truck | Yellow 20 L HDPE or steel | Diesel doesn’t trigger CARB evaporative rules the same way, but color coding prevents fuel mix-ups |
Brands and Types Worth Knowing
For steel, the NATO-pattern can (originally a German Wehrmacht design from 1937) is the benchmark; Wavian and Valpro are established manufacturers, and the design’s three handles let one or two people carry it. For CARB-compliant plastic, SureCan (with its rotating bottom spout that you thumb-operate without tipping the can), No-Spill (push-button spout), and Scepter (which also makes military-spec HDPE cans) are the names that consistently appear in the category. Scepter’s 20-liter military fuel can is a useful middle ground: HDPE durability with a wide-mouth cap that accepts fast-flow spout kits for off-road use.
Ownership Realities Nobody Puts on the Listing
- What wears first: the spout and its gasket, not the can. Keep a spare gasket or spare cap — a $3 O-ring failure strands a $70 can.
- Ethanol fuel degrades seals. E10 and especially E15 harden rubber faster. If a can only stores stabilized ethanol-free fuel, seals last noticeably longer.
- Never fill to the brim. Gasoline expands roughly 1% per 10°F rise. Leave about 5% headspace or the can pressurizes and can weep past the cap on a hot day.
- Ground the can when filling. Static discharge between a plastic can sitting in a truck bed liner and the pump nozzle is a real ignition risk — always set cans on the ground to fill.
- Venting matters on steel cans. A can sealed shut in summer heat bulges; open it slowly outdoors. Some steel cans have a vent pin — use it before opening the main latch.
- Rotate fuel. Even in steel, gasoline degrades. Write the fill date on the can; aim to burn stored fuel within 6–12 months, stabilizer or not.
Cost Per Year of Use
A $65 steel can lasting 15–20 years with two $4 gasket replacements costs roughly $4.60/year. A $25 plastic can lasting 8 years with two $3 O-rings costs about $3.90/year. The gap narrows further if you replace the plastic can early due to UV damage — for a can stored in a shed rather than on a roof rack, plastic is the better value; mounted outdoors, steel wins.
FAQ
Are metal jerry cans legal in California?
Metal cans must still meet CARB portable fuel container standards to be sold for gasoline in California — that means a compliant spout and permeation controls. Many classic NATO cans are sold as “water cans” or for non-fuel use to sidestep this; check certification before buying for gasoline.
Why does my new plastic can pour so slowly?
CARB-compliant spouts restrict vapor escape, which also restricts flow. Practice the auto-shutoff mechanism — most flow complaints are user technique, not defect. Hold the can level and let the spout’s spring mechanism do the work.
Can I store diesel in a gasoline-rated can?
Yes — diesel is less volatile and the materials handle it fine. Use a yellow-labeled can so nobody mistakes it for gasoline.
