Best petrol cans and fuel containers UK (2026): steel, plastic and the HSE home-storage rules
A fuel can earns its place in a resilient household for one reason: a small, legal reserve for a generator, a mower or the car when a forecourt is shut, queued or dry. The useful differences between cans are few but they matter: whether the body is steel or plastic (which fixes the size the law allows), whether the maker states a UN approval for that exact model, the closure and spout, and the colour code that stops petrol going into a diesel tank. Every figure here is credited to the maker, the HSE or a UK retailer; we have not filled, poured or tested any of these cans ourselves.
Live: UK petrol and diesel prices today →By Tom Calder · Updated 21 October 2026 · 6 products, all price-tracked
Our picks by type
Photo: AmazonDraper 10L green plastic can
A light 10-litre plastic can for unleaded petrol, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds.
as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Photo: AmazonDraper 10L steel can
A single steel can for a modest petrol reserve for a mower, generator or car, kept outside the house.
as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Photo: AmazonDraper 5L black plastic can
A light 5-litre plastic can for diesel, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds.
as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.All 6 compared
| Can | Capacity | Material | Approval | Spout | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 L · HDPE plastic · UN certification (Draper states) · Flexible spout, 290mm A light 10-litre plastic can for unleaded petrol, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. | 10 L | HDPE plastic | UN certification (Draper states) | Flexible spout, 290mm | £20.44 at Amazon as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched Draper makes this 10-litre can from HDPE and states UN certification for it, with a 290mm flexible spout in the box. Green is Draper's colour for unleaded petrol, and stock number 09058 is the matching can for the other fuel. Draper lists its weight as 0.6 kg (net). A 10-litre plastic can is the largest the HSE allows for petrol at home. Best for A light 10-litre plastic can for unleaded petrol, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you want a steel can or need more than 10 litres in one container. | |||||
 10 L · HDPE plastic · UN certification (Draper states) · Tethered flexible spout, 290mm A light 10-litre plastic can for diesel, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. | 10 L | HDPE plastic | UN certification (Draper states) | Tethered flexible spout, 290mm | £12.40 at Amazon as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched Draper makes this 10-litre can from HDPE and states UN certification for it, with a 290mm flexible spout in the box. Black is Draper's colour for diesel, and stock number 09055 is the matching can for the other fuel. Draper lists its weight as 0.675 kg. Best for A light 10-litre plastic can for diesel, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you want a steel can or need more than 10 litres in one container. | |||||
 5 L · HDPE plastic · UN certification (Draper states) · Tethered flexible spout, 290mm A light 5-litre plastic can for unleaded petrol, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. | 5 L | HDPE plastic | UN certification (Draper states) | Tethered flexible spout, 290mm | £9.99 at Amazon as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched Draper makes this 5-litre can from HDPE and states UN certification for it, with a 290mm flexible spout in the box. Green is Draper's colour for unleaded petrol, and stock number 09053 is the matching can for the other fuel. Draper lists its weight as 0.375 kg. It is comfortably inside the HSE's 10-litre limit for a plastic petrol container at home. Best for A light 5-litre plastic can for unleaded petrol, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you want a steel can or need more than 5 litres in one container. | |||||
5 L · HDPE plastic · UN certification (Draper states) · Tethered flexible spout, 290mm A light 5-litre plastic can for diesel, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. | 5 L | HDPE plastic | UN certification (Draper states) | Tethered flexible spout, 290mm | £9.99 at Amazon as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched Draper makes this 5-litre can from HDPE and states UN certification for it, with a 290mm flexible spout in the box. Black is Draper's colour for diesel, and stock number 09052 is the matching can for the other fuel. Draper lists its weight as 0.375 kg. Best for A light 5-litre plastic can for diesel, with a colour that marks which fuel it holds. Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you want a steel can or need more than 5 litres in one container. | |||||
10 L · Steel A single steel can for a modest petrol reserve for a mower, generator or car, kept outside the house. | 10 L | Steel | — | — | £34.99 at Amazon as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched Draper sells this 10-litre steel can with a bayonet cap that it says stays leak-proof in any position and gives a smooth, steady pour. A metal can of this size sits well inside the HSE's home limits, and it leaves room for a second container within the 30-litre total. Draper's page names no UN approval and does not say a spout is included, so check the listing and the can's markings before you buy. Best for A single steel can for a modest petrol reserve for a mower, generator or car, kept outside the house. Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you want a can with a stated UN approval or a spout in the box. | |||||
 20 L · Steel One larger steel can for someone running a petrol generator or tools who wants fewer refills. | 20 L | Steel | — | — | £40 at Amazon as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · DetailsProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.In stockCheck price → |
Our verdictOur verdictResearched This is the 20-litre version of Draper's steel can, with the same bayonet cap that Draper says is leak-proof in any position. Twenty litres is the most the HSE allows in a single metal petrol container at home, and it uses two-thirds of the 30-litre total. Full, it is a heavy lift, and Draper's page names no approval marking. Best for One larger steel can for someone running a petrol generator or tools who wants fewer refills. Good
Worth knowing
Who shouldn't buy it: Skip it if you cannot comfortably lift a full 20-litre can or want a stated UN approval. | |||||
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Before you buy
Start with the law, because it decides the can.
The HSE's guidance on the Petroleum (Consolidation) Regulations 2014 says you can keep up to 30 litres of petrol at home without telling your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority, in suitable portable containers: plastic containers of up to 10 litres, metal containers of up to 20 litres, one demountable fuel tank of up to 30 litres, or a mix of these totalling no more than 30 litres. Between 30 and 275 litres the law adds conditions and a notification; above 275 litres you need a licence. Petrol already in your car's tank does not count towards the total.
Then decide between steel and plastic.
The HSE allows metal cans up to 20 litres, and steel resists knocks, but a full 20-litre can is a heavy, awkward pour, and Draper describes its steel cans only as for flammable liquids, not as petrol cans. Forecourts may also refuse large metal cans: Dorset's Trading Standards guidance sets 10 litres for metal unless the station agrees. Plastic HDPE cans are light (Draper gives 0.6 kg empty for its 10-litre) but 10 litres is the legal maximum per plastic can, and the HSE says plastic cans are not meant for direct sunlight, so keep them in shade.
Check the approval and the markings.
There is no British Standard for petrol cans; the HSE says a UN-approved metal or plastic container that meets the ADR carriage requirements is considered robust for storage, and that every petrol container must carry the words PETROL and HIGHLY FLAMMABLE, a hazard sign, the nominal capacity in litres, and the maker's name and date of manufacture. UN-approved cans carry a UN logo and code moulded in. Draper states UN certification for its plastic cans but not its steel ones, so look at the can itself. We only state an approval where the maker names it for that exact model.
Use the colour code and keep fuels apart.
The HSE says there is no legal restriction on can colour, but the custom in the UK is green for unleaded petrol and black for diesel; Draper follows it, selling matching green and black versions of each plastic size. Buy the colour for the fuel you use, and if you keep both fuels, label the cans too. Diesel is a different product under different rules: the HSE storage limits above are for petrol, but the same habits of a sealed cap, a ventilated outbuilding and a can on the ground when filling are sensible for both.
Fill and store it the way the enforcement authorities ask.
Dorset Council's Trading Standards guidance says containers must be taken out of the vehicle and placed on the forecourt, filled one at a time with the nozzle held open by hand, and closed as soon as filling stops, then left on the ground briefly so vapour can clear; engines stay off. It lists 5-litre plastic and 10-litre metal cans as suitable unless the station agrees otherwise. At home, the HSE's conditions for larger amounts (no petrol in living accommodation, ventilation, no ignition sources) are good practice at any amount; our generator guide covers refuelling.
We verify every product's specifications against at least two independent sources, re-check its UK price and stock on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and cross-check safety-relevant claims against official guidance. Every review is labelled Researched or Used and reviewed by us: where we've bought a product, or been sent it free, and used it ourselves, its review says which; where we haven't, our verdict is a considered spec-and-evidence comparison, not a hands-on test — and commissions never change a ranking either way. Read our full methodology →
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Common questions
How much petrol can I legally store at home in the UK?
The HSE says you can keep up to 30 litres of petrol at home or similar non-workplace premises without telling your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority. It must be in suitable containers: plastic containers of up to 10 litres each, metal containers of up to 20 litres each, one demountable fuel tank of up to 30 litres, or a mix totalling no more than 30 litres. Over 30 litres and up to 275, you must meet storage conditions and notify the authority; above 275 litres you need a licence.
Do I need a UN-approved petrol can?
The regulations require a suitable container rather than a particular mark, but the HSE’s guidance says a UN-approved metal or plastic container meeting the ADR carriage requirements is considered robust for storage, and gives UN approval as its example of a suitable container. Every petrol can must also be marked PETROL and HIGHLY FLAMMABLE with a hazard sign, its capacity, and the maker’s name and date of manufacture. Of the cans here, Draper states UN certification for its plastic cans only, so check the moulding.
Why must a petrol can be filled on the ground and not in the boot?
Forecourt rules from Petroleum Enforcement Authorities, such as Dorset Council's Trading Standards, require containers to be taken out of the vehicle and placed on the forecourt before filling. Fill one can at a time with the nozzle lever held open by hand, keep the caps of the other cans closed, and cap each can as soon as filling stops. Dorset also asks that filled cans stay on the ground for a short time so vapour from any splashes can disperse, and that vehicle engines are switched off.
Can I keep a petrol can in the house, a flat or under the stairs?
No. The HSE's conditions for storing more than 30 litres at home say petrol must not be kept in your living accommodation, that an enclosed storage place needs a direct exit to the open air with ventilation to it, and that ignition and heat sources must be kept away. They are sensible for smaller amounts too. In practice that means a detached shed or garage, not a hallway, kitchen, cupboard or flat. With no such space, keep the car's tank topped up instead.
What colour is a petrol can and what colour is a diesel can?
The HSE's guidance on portable petrol containers says there is no legal restriction on colour, but that custom and practice in the UK is green for unleaded petrol and black for diesel. Draper follows this, selling its 5-litre and 10-litre plastic cans in green for unleaded and black for diesel, with matching stock numbers. Its steel cans are red and simply described as for flammable liquids, so label them. Whatever the colour, keep one can for one fuel and never mix them.
How many petrol cans can I carry in the car?
The HSE says you can carry up to 30 litres of petrol in a maximum of two suitable containers in a vehicle, and that this counts towards the 30 litres you may store at home. Keep the caps tight, stand cans upright where they cannot tip, and get them out of the car and into a ventilated outbuilding as soon as you are home. Forecourts may also limit how many containers they will fill in one visit, so do not plan on filling more than two.
