The best Rain collectors, compared.
Top pick: Normodic 200 L collapsible rain barrel Best value: Mekturm 200 L collapsible collector, green – Score 66 at about £41.99, with 4.2 from 10 reviews, and a stand, tap and overflow named. Updated October 2026.
A rain collector stores roof runoff or open-sky rain so you can water the garden. In the UK the permanent version is usually called a water butt. This category is the freestanding soft PVC tank, or a hanging cloth that feeds a bucket. The water is for watering, not for drinking. You tell a suitable rain collector apart by stability when full, the tap, and the overflow. A soft tank needs a firm level base, poles or feet that stay straight, and stakes. A mesh or zip lid keeps leaves and mosquitoes out. The tap should sit high enough for a watering can. Plan an overflow so a patio does not flood. Measure the downpipe before any cut-in diverter: common plastic sizes are about 68 mm round and 65 mm square. A hanging cloth needs fixing points you supply, because a frame in the photograph may not be in the box. Soft tanks suit renters and seasonal plots. A rigid butt with a matched diverter suits a permanent install. The [rain collector buying guide](/hub/garden-watering/rain-collector/sub/rain-collector-buying-guide) sets those checks in order.
A rain collector stores roof runoff or open-sky rain so you can water the garden. In the UK the permanent version is usually called a water butt.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will it sit?
Normodic's 200 L collapsible barrel is about £41.99 with four rods, a mesh top, screw-in spigot, drain valve, overflow spout and gaskets listed in the bullets. The listing records about 60 × 60 × 70 cm and a 5.0 from four reviews. Only two short UK texts were present. They praise easy folding and side litre markings, with no critical text in that sample. A perfect average on four ratings is not deep proof against bent rods or drip taps. It sits as a competent mid-size soft option with clearer rod and gasket wording than some peers, while the written sample stays this thin.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 200 L soft tank with named rods and gaskets and accept a tiny five-star sample.
Less suitable: You need deeper UK review evidence, hose pressure, or a large soft store near 380 L.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the box?
The bullets list four rods, an overflow spout, a spigot, a drain valve and gaskets. Setup is described as no-tool and within minutes.
What size is the tank?
The listing records 200 litres and item dimensions of about 60 × 60 × 70 cm. The bullets also print inch figures for height and diameter.
What do the short UK reviews say?
The two texts praise easy folding and litre markings on the side, plus a generic excellent note. There were no critical texts in that sample.
LengSuaa's 200 L soft tank is about £45.99 with four PVC support rods and a brass spigot named in the title, plus a filtered inlet on top. The star line is 5.0 from a single review, and no UK review text sat in the saved listing. The bullets print a −20°C to 50°C range and a reinforced PVC sandwich claim. Those are seller statements, not a winter field test. Seller copy also mentions drinking water after cleaning. This comparison treats the product as non-potable garden storage only. The listing spells the colour Balck. You pay a little more than the plastic-tap 200 L peers for brass wording, with almost no UK evidence behind the stars.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You specifically want a brass spigot on a 200 L soft tank and accept almost no UK review proof.
Less suitable: You need overflow linking, deeper reviews, or a permanent rigid butt.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the tap brass?
Yes. The title names a brass spigot and the bullets describe a drain faucet with a filtered inlet on top.
Does the listing claim frost tolerance?
The bullets print a temperature range from −20°C to 50°C. That is seller text, not a winter field test in this comparison.
Is drinking-water use endorsed here?
Seller bullets mention drinking water after cleaning. For this comparison the product is non-potable garden storage only.
Across 25 amazon.co.uk reviews the BeGrit soft tank sits at 4.4 and about £59.99, with a title capacity near 380 L and a detail field that also prints 350 litres. Five poles, ground stakes, straps, a zip mesh lid and an overflow path are named on the listing, so you can site it under a spout without cutting the downpipe. UK reviewers praise the volume once it is pegged on flat ground, and they note that an empty tank can blow away if the stakes stay in the bag. Several say mid-tap pressure is too low for a useful hose and that watering cans or dipping work better. Bent-strut complaints appear in the same sample. It is the top pick in this set for large pack-flat storage when you accept gravity draw-off and pegging.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want large seasonal soft storage under a spout, will peg it down, and fill watering cans rather than run a hose from the tap.
Less suitable: You need hose pressure, a tiny patio footprint, or a permanent rigid butt with a cut-in diverter.
Specifications
Common questions
Do I need to cut the downpipe for this BeGrit tank?
The bullets say you can place it under an existing downpipe with no cutting or diverter required. Overflow linking to a second barrel is also named.
Will the tap run a garden hose with useful pressure?
Several UK reviews say mid-tap pressure is low for a hose and that watering cans or dipping work better. That is review comment, not a measured flow test.
Does it need pegging down?
The bullets include ground stakes and straps. Reviews say an empty tank can blow away if it is not pegged, and that a flat surface helps the water sit evenly.
The black Mekturm 200 L listing mirrors the green sibling at about £41.99 with the same stand, tap, mesh lid and overflow title pattern under model K-RB-02. The star line shows 4.4 from only three reviews, and the saved listing had no UK review text to quote. Feature claims match the green K-RB-01 pattern, so colour is the clear difference on paper. Without written UK feedback you cannot verify feet strength or tap drip risk the way you can on the green ASIN. Treat it as a colour variant with thin evidence, not a second independent durability proof.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You specifically want the black 200 L Mekturm and accept colour-first evidence with almost no written UK reviews.
Less suitable: You want review-backed feet and tap behaviour. Start with the green Mekturm or the larger BeGrit instead.
Specifications
Common questions
How does this differ from the green Mekturm 200 L?
The listing shows the same 200 L collapsible pattern at about £41.99, model K-RB-02, in black. The green sibling is K-RB-01. Feature claims on stand, tap, mesh lid and overflow match the title pattern.
Are there UK review texts on this ASIN?
The listing shows 4.4 from 3 reviews, and the saved listing had no UK review text to quote. Treat the star line as the only review signal here.
Is it foldable?
Yes. The bullets describe a foldable rain barrel with a zipped mesh lid and a screw-in tap.
The green Mekturm 200 L foldable butt is about £41.99 with a stand, screw-in tap, zipped mesh lid and overflow kit named in the title pattern. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.2 from 10 reviews, enough written UK text to see both easy assembly praise and failure modes. Reviewers who got a complete set like the no-tool build and useful collection under a spout. The same sample includes snapped stand feet, a short set of feet on a multi-buy, and a tap that only dripped. Instructions may not be in English, though illustrations helped at least one buyer. It is the best value in this set for mid-size soft storage if you check the feet and tap on arrival.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 200 L pack-flat collector on a budget and will inspect the stand feet and spigot before the first storm.
Less suitable: You need a large soft tank near 380 L, a brass tap, or a permanent rigid kit with a diverter.
Specifications
Common questions
Is a stand included?
The title names a portable water butt with stand and tap. Reviews still report missing or weak feet on some units, so check the parts on arrival.
Is assembly tool-free?
The bullets say no tools are needed and that you screw in the spigot. One UK review says the instructions were not in English but the illustrations were clear.
What do the reviews warn about?
Of the seven UK reviews read, praise covers easy assembly and useful collection. The same sample includes snapped stand feet, a short set of feet on a multi-buy, and a tap that only dripped.
The blue generic rain-collector tarp with drain hose is about £8.99 and scores 2.0 from two amazon.co.uk reviews. Both UK texts say the photos imply legs or sticks that were not in the box, so buyers had to hang or prop it themselves. One verified review says it collapsed in the first rain and felt too flimsy without supports the buyer had to add. Straps, hooks and a drain-hose path are named. A freestanding frame is not. Treat this as a warning row in the set, not a primary rain collector for a patio that must survive the first storm.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Only a DIY experimenter who already has a strong frame and accepts collapse risk. It is a poor primary collector.
Less suitable: Anyone wanting a ready soft tank, a watering-can tap, or a set-and-forget patio store.
Specifications
Common questions
Does it come with legs?
Both UK reviews say the photos look like it sits on legs or sticks, but those supports were not supplied. Buyers had to hang or prop it themselves.
Did it work in rain?
One verified UK review says it collapsed in the first rain and was too flimsy without supports the buyer had to add.
What hose does it use?
The bullets say it connects to standard hoses. The exact hose diameter is not printed on the saved listing.
This generic 100 × 50 cm polyester hanging cloth is about £13.99 with four straps, hooks and a central drain toward a bucket or hose. The saved listing has no amazon.co.uk rating and no UK review text. Capacity in litres is not stated. A barrel is not included, so you still need a vessel under the drain and real fixing points on a fence, branch or frame you build. It is a hanging-catcher type rather than a soft barrel, useful only if you already accept DIY hanging and low volume. Without reviews it is a low-cost experiment, not a ranked collector.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You only need a small hanging catch into a bucket on a balcony or fence and will build the support yourself.
Less suitable: You want a freestanding soft tank with poles, a tap, or reliable UK review evidence.
Specifications
Common questions
How big is the cloth?
The bullets print 100 × 50 cm. Capacity in litres is not stated on the listing.
How do you mount it?
Four adjustable hanging straps with plastic hooks are listed for fences or branches. A storage barrel is not included.
Are there UK reviews on the listing?
No. The saved listing has no star line and no UK review text for this ASIN.
Seven amazon.co.uk rain collector listings are on this page. Scores use the display file dated 21 October 2026. Stars are (amazon rating / 5) × 50. Review volume is up to 15, with thin samples kept low. Kit print is up to 12 when poles or a stand, a tap, a lid or mesh, and an overflow or drain are named. Review sentiment is up to 10 where UK review text exists. Deductions cover low tap pressure, bent struts, snapped feet, missing supports, a missing star line, and a critical 2.0 sample. A 5.0 from one rating is not treated as stronger evidence than 4.4 from 25 reviews. Price is not inside the score. The weights below are those four positive parts scaled to 100. The original caps are 50, 15, 12 and 10. This is not a laboratory test. The top pick is the BeGrit collapsible water butt, score 74, at about £59.99 with 4.4 from 25 reviews. Best value is the green Mekturm 200 L collector, score 66, at about £41.99 with 4.2 from 10 reviews.
Amazon stars
57%Star points are (amazon rating / 5) × 50, rounded. A 4.4 is 44. A 5.0 is 50. A listing with no star line scores 0 on this part. The original cap is 50. The weight here is that share scaled so the four positive parts sum to 100.
Review volume
17%Review count is scaled up to 15 points. Samples of one to four reviews stay low. Twenty-five reviews earn more than ten. The original cap is 15. A single silent 5.0 is not treated as stronger evidence than 4.4 from 25 reviews.
Kit named on the listing
14%Up to 12 points when the listing names poles or a stand, a tap, a lid or mesh, and an overflow or drain. The original cap is 12. A cloth that names straps and a drain can score this part without being a barrel.
UK review sentiment
12%Up to 10 points where written UK reviews praise capacity or assembly. Deductions, applied in the published scores, cover low tap pressure, bent struts, snapped feet, missing supports, a missing star line, and a critical 2.0 sample. The original cap on this part is 10.
Match the tank to the space, the base, and how you will draw water off. A rain collector here is a soft PVC tank or a hanging cloth for garden watering, not drinking water. Prices and stars below are the amazon.co.uk lines in the display file dated 21 October 2026, not a live check and not a laboratory test.
A rain collector in this UK category is a freestanding soft PVC tank, or a hanging rain-catcher cloth, that stores roof or open-sky rain for garden watering. It is not drinking water. UK shoppers usually say water butt for the permanent rigid tank. The listings here are collapsible tanks around 200 L and about 350 to 380 L, plus cheap hanging cloths, rather than rigid kits with a stand and a diverter. Capacity is the first split. A mid-size soft tank is roughly 200 L.
Hanging cloths often need a frame that is not in the box. Both UK reviews of the blue tarp say the legs or sticks in the photos were missing, and one says it collapsed in the first rain. If you hang a cloth, the fixing points are yours to supply.
A soft tank needs a firm level base when it is full. Poles, feet and stakes are what keep it upright. Reviews note that an empty tank can blow away if the stakes stay in the bag, and that bent struts and snapped feet do occur.
Common plastic downpipes are about 68 mm round and 65 mm square. Cast iron is often excluded. A cut-in diverter also needs the butt inlet height and a hose that does not defeat the overflow return. An open soft tank under a spout needs no cut.
Capacity versus footprint is the first buying check. A mid-size soft tank in this category is roughly 200 L. A large soft tank is about 350 to 380 L. Read the title and the detail line together, because the same listing can print both 380 L and 350 litres. A hanging cloth may give only a cloth size, such as 100 by 50 cm, and no litre figure. On a balcony, allow about 1 kg per litre plus the frame before you commit. Stability when full is the second check.
Draw-off decides whether the collector is useful once it is full. A tap high enough for a watering can is the job these soft tanks are built for. A mid-height tap often will not run a hose with useful pressure. That shows up in UK reviews of the large soft tank, and it is review comment, not a lab flow test. One 200 L listing names a brass spigot. The others name a plastic screw-in tap. One review describes a tap that only dripped, so check the spigot on arrival.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a pack-flat tank and you do not want to cut the downpipe. The BeGrit soft tank is the top pick at about £59.99, score 74, with 4.4 from 25 reviews. The title is about 380 L and a detail line also prints 350 litres. Poles, stakes, a zip mesh lid and an overflow are named. Peg it on flat ground and fill a watering can. Several reviews say mid-tap pressure is too low for a hose.
The green Mekturm is the best value at about £41.99, score 66, with 4.2 from 10 reviews. A stand, screw-in tap, zipped mesh lid and overflow kit are named. Reviews praise easy assembly and also report snapped feet and a tap that only dripped, so check the parts on arrival. If you want the tank to last several winters, a rigid butt with a diverter is the longer path than any soft tank in this set.
The generic 100 × 50 cm hanging cloth is about £13.99. The saved listing has no star line and no stated litre capacity. Four straps and a central drain are named, and a barrel is not included. You supply the fixing points. The blue tarp at about £8.99 is 2.0 from two reviews, and both say the supports in the photographs were not in the box.
The top pick is the BeGrit collapsible water butt at about £59.99. The score is 74, from 4.4 and 25 amazon.co.uk reviews, with poles, stakes, a zip mesh lid and an overflow named. The title says about 380 L and a detail line also prints 350 litres. Reviews praise the volume once it is pegged, and several say mid-tap pressure is too low for a hose. Bent-strut notes are in the same sample. The best value is the green Mekturm 200 L collector at about £41.99, score 66, with 4.2 from 10 reviews and a stand, tap and overflow named. Snapped feet and a drip-tap note keep that assessment honest. The black Mekturm is the same price with only three reviews and no written UK review text, so it does not take the award. Price is not inside the score. Neither score is a laboratory test.
Mekturm 200 L collapsible collector, green
Score 66 at about £41.99, with 4.2 from 10 reviews, and a stand, tap and overflow named.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest, plus the amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts in the display file dated 21 October 2026. Last reviewed 22 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines captured for these seven products. We did not run a laboratory test.
