Lowe’s is known for the quality of its buckets, but if you’ve never used them before, you may have a few questions about how to properly use them.
Are Lowe’s buckets food grade? Lowe’s has 23 different food grade buckets available in-store and online. However, the most popular Lowe’s blue buckets are not food grade.
We’ll start off by taking a look at which food grade buckets you can get from Lowe’s and then we’ll explore how you can make sure that the buckets you’re getting truly are food grade.
Are Lowe’s Buckets Food Grade?
Today, we’ll explore if Lowe’s buckets are food grade. Perhaps you want to store some grain in one of these buckets or maybe you want to use them to transport potable water.
Even though the classic blue buckets you’ll get from Lowe’s aren’t food grade, there are plenty of options at your disposal if you’re looking for something to store your food or beverages in. If you take a look at the Lowe’s website, you’ll find over 23 products available in the “food grade bucket” category.
One of the more affordable options is the 5-gallon food grade bucket from Encore Plastics, which is available in-store and online. Keep in mind that some food grade buckets on the Lowe’s website may not necessarily be available in-store, so always confirm that they’re available in your area before you commit to buying them.
Another option is the 6-pack of 5-gallon food-grade buckets from ePackage Supply, which gives you a better per-unit cost than many of the other options, though you’ll have to commit to getting six at a time. While this may be a good deal for farmers and heavy users, for many people, it’s overkill.
If you’d rather invest in a food grade bucket that will be sure to last you a long time, you may wish to take a look at the Yeti buckets that are on sale on the Lowe’s site. They come in a wide range of colors, including black, seafoam green, and a more utilitarian tan.
The Yeti LoadOut is only a five-gallon bucket, but it’s meant to beat your traditional bucket in almost every possible sense. For example, this bucket features a BEARFOOT no-slip ring to ensure that it doesn’t slide on slick surfaces, and as a bonus, the footprint of this bucket is non-marking.
Lowe’s even has the Leisure Sports 10-liter collapsible bucket that is designed for frequent travelers who may need to store a large amount of food or water. This 10-liter bucket is made of silicone and it is made of fully food grade materials, though its most impressive feature is that it collapses.
For customers that would rather avoid the use of synthetic materials altogether in their food grade buckets, Lowe’s also has the Benzara 1-liter food bucket available. While this is far smaller than many of the other buckets that you’ll find on their site, it’s also the only one that is made entirely of stainless steel.
As you can see, Lowe’s has a wide range of buckets available for a variety of applications, and these are all food grade.
Don’t take a risk by using Lowe’s blue buckets to carry your food and drink, instead, check the food grade bucket section of their side to find the ones that work best for you.
How Can You Tell if a Bucket’s Food Grade or Not?
Some products may say food grade but how can you be sure? Instead of relying on a label to assure you that you carry around food and drink in a bucket, here are some tips to help you figure it out on your own. No matter which Lowe’s you’re shopping at (we know there are a lot), follow these guidelines to find safe and effective buckets.
Labels/Markings
The most obvious indicator that your bucket is food grade is the label or name of the product. If you’re not sure, you can always ask a sales representative whether or not a bucket is safe for use with food or potable water.
If you are having trouble finding the label, it is usually located underneath the bucket or near the recycling symbol.
Recycling Symbol
Also, take a look at the recycling symbol that’s molded into the bucket you intend to use to transport food or water. The number in the recycling symbol for a food grade bucket should be “2”.
Bucket Material
Check the material. A food grade bucket should be made from high-density polyethylene. It should also be BPA-free.
If you’re having them delivered or getting your buckets through curbside pickup, you’ll want to phone ahead and ask an employee to ensure that the product you’re ordering is food grade.
Were Lowe’s Buckets Ever Food Grade?
Believe it or not, Lowe’s once did offer 5-gallon Food-Grade variants of their famous blue buckets, but the product has been sadly discontinued since then. Checking the store page for the product now shows a prompt that states that “This item is no longer sold on Lowes.com”.
This particular model was designed to be used both indoors and outdoors, and it featured a tapered opening so that it would be more compatible with paint rollers (not that you’d want to mix your food and your paint). The bucket also featured the classic wireframe handle with a plastic housing for comfort.
These buckets were made of an HDPE resin, and they featured relatively good reviews from customers, though they were discontinued for unknown reasons. Perhaps we may one day see the return of the food grade classic Lowe’s bucket, but until then, don’t try storing your food in one of their iconic blue buckets.