For houseplants, buy a can with a long, thin spout, and start with the Fiskars 40 oz Indoor Watering Can.
Fiskars lists a long, slender spout that reaches deep into dense foliage, so water goes to the roots without spilling on the leaves. Outdoor pots call for a bigger can, and that is where weight starts to matter.
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The four cans, by where your plants are:
| Your plants and space | A calm choice |
|---|---|
| A few houseplants on a shelf or windowsill | Fiskars 40 oz Indoor Watering Can |
| Small pots, and a slightly larger indoor can | WhaleLife 1.4 L Indoor Watering Can |
| Outdoor pots on a patio or step | Bloem 2 Gallon Watering Can |
| A can that stays outside in the weather | Behrens Galvanized Steel Watering Can |
Fiskars 40 oz Indoor Watering Can
A few houseplants on a shelf or windowsill, and you want the water to land on the soil
Fiskars 40 oz Indoor Watering Can, Long Reach Spout
Long, slender spout
Anti-drip tip and volume markings
See the price and reviews on Amazon
Fiskars lists a long, slender spout and a translucent nozzle with volume markings, plus a tip shaped to stop drips on floors.
The markings let you measure what each pot gets, and the can holds 40 oz (1.2 L).
The cap allows quick refills without removal, so you can water several small pots in one go. The body is lightweight resin made with 30% post-consumer recycled plastic, and a lifetime warranty is included.
WhaleLife 1.4 L Indoor Watering Can
Small pots on a desk, shelf or sill, and you want a little more water per fill
WhaleLife Small Indoor Plant Watering Can, 1.4 L
Extended slim spout
Wide fill opening, curved handle
See the price and reviews on Amazon
WhaleLife lists an extended slim spout that sends water to the root zone, with no wet leaves or messy surfaces.
At 1.4 L it holds a little more than the Fiskars, which lists 1.2 L.
The fill opening is wide and the handle is curved and ergonomic. The shatter-resistant plastic is described as light enough to lift and pour even when full.
Bloem 2 Gallon Watering Can
Outdoor pots on a patio or step, where one trip should water several pots
Bloem 2 Gallon Watering Can, Removable Nozzle, Two Handles
2 gallon capacity, wide mouth
Removable nozzle spout, two handles
See the price and reviews on Amazon
Bloem lists a capacity of 2 gallons (about 7.6 L) and an extra large filling hole that fits under water spigots. The nozzle spout is removable.
There is an easy pour handle, and the title adds a second handle. The UV stabilized plastic is fade resistant, which matters for a can left out in the sun.
- Not for you if
- Anyone who cannot comfortably lift a full two gallons, which is about 16.6 pounds of water
Behrens Galvanized Steel Watering Can
A can that lives outside for flowers and pots, and you like the look of metal
Behrens Weatherproof Galvanized Steel Watering Can
Weather resistant, listed as rust free
Wooden handle and side handle
See the price and reviews on Amazon
Behrens lists hot dipped galvanized steel that is weather resistant and will not rust, with a wooden handle and a side handle.
The weight is 4.7 pounds, before any water goes in.
The listing gives its size as 19 1/2 inches wide, 11 deep and 14 high.
The look is vintage and classic, and the can is recyclable.
- Not for you if
- Indoor shelves and sills, since it is listed at 19 1/2 by 11 by 14 inches
Spout first, then size
- Houseplants on a shelf or sill: the Fiskars or the WhaleLife, for the long, thin spout.
- Outdoor pots, several at a time: the Bloem, if lifting a full can is fine for you.
- A can that stays out in the weather: the Behrens.
The Fiskars holds 1.2 L, the WhaleLife 1.4 L and the Bloem 2 gallons. The choice is partly how much water you want per fill and how much you want to lift.
For the Fiskars and the WhaleLife, buy for the spout. Both have a long, slim spout meant to put water at the soil.
How to water with any of them
Check the soil before you pour. Iowa State University Extension, the university’s public outreach service, says not to water on a schedule.
It says to check soil moisture first. If the soil is dry down an inch or two, water; if it is wet or damp, wait.
The University of Illinois Extension, the university’s public outreach service, gives a depth of two inches and says to test it with your finger.
When you water, pour until water comes out of the bottom of the pot. University of Maryland Extension, the state university’s public outreach service, says to water thoroughly this way.
It also says to pour off any water that collects in saucers, to prevent problems with fungus gnats and other insects.
Illinois says to use room temperature water, not cold, and to avoid softened water.
It also says to let tap water sit at least 24 hours so the chlorine and fluoride can dissipate. A can you fill ahead of time makes that easy.
Why bigger is heavier than it looks
Water weighs about 8.3 pounds per US gallon. A full 2 gallon can therefore carries about 16.6 pounds of water, before you count the can.
A half-full can carries about 8.3 pounds. Fill a big can part way for a long walk across the patio.
The listed capacities work out to about 2.6 pounds of water in the 1.2 L Fiskars and about 3.1 pounds in the 1.4 L WhaleLife.
The Behrens adds its own 4.7 pounds.
Weight also tells you when a pot is drying out. Maryland says potting mix gets lighter as the plant uses water. Lift the pot now and then and compare it with how it felt right after watering.
Which can for which plants
Houseplants on a sill: the Fiskars. Pots outside: the Bloem, filled part way. A can that lives out in the weather: the Behrens.
If one or two small houseplants are all you have and a mug already puts the water on the soil, you can skip the can. Keep checking the soil first.
A can is one of the five things to start container gardening, next to grow bags, potting mix, a self-watering pot and a trowel.
If a plant droops after you water it, check whether it is overwatered or underwatered.
Check the soil with a finger before every pour.