best oil drain pan

The Best Oil Drain Pans To Efficiently Change The Oil In Your Vehicle

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In today’s post, we’ll be talking about the oil drain pans, hoping to choose the best oil pan when it comes to value for the money. Dive in!

Best Oil Drain Pans – Because Life’s Too Short for a Bad Pan

Let’s start a bit different this time. It’s a sunny Sunday morning, and you’ve got some spare time on your hands. Since you are a DIY kind of person, you decide to change your car’s engine oil – after all, it doesn’t take long to change it, right?

You set up all your tools. The oil drain pan is ready underneath your car. But are you sure you have the best oil drain pan to do the job?

You continue on your mission by unscrewing the drain plug and oil begins to drip and pour out. Suddenly you notice that your pan is leaking and that the oil is starting to build up on the top since the pan’s opening is not big enough.

You frantically replace it with any container you can find, trying to catch the oil stream, but it is too late. Now you will have to spend the rest of your day washing your driveway and trying to clean up all the mess. It seems you didn’t have the best oil pan to do the work.

Has this happened to you? Because it has to me, and it is really frustrating. That’s why you always have to choose the best oil drain pan you can find.

Luckily there are many dedicated oil pans for just this purpose, and we will talk about a few in this article. A good catch pan will be durable, leak-proof, and able to handle all of the oil that is required to change your car’s oil.

So read on to find out our picks for the top oil drain pans to ensure you never have to run into this nightmare situation yourself. 


Best Oil Drain Pan Comparison Table

Image
Capri Tools CP21023 Portable Oil Drain Pan,...
GarageBOSS GB150 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with...
NREOY ATD Tools 5184 Black Drain Pan - 4-1/2...
Quality
A++
A
A+
Pros
  • Thick, sturdy plastic
  • Ideal for the home or shop
  • Smooth finish allows for easy cleanup
  • Large capacity can handle practically any oil or transmission fluid change
  • Totally sealed for transport
  • Low profile makes it great to use with lowered vehicles
  • Integrated funnel, no need to buy an extra one
  • Simple, functional design
  • Easy to pour spout
  • Sturdy
Image
Capri Tools CP21023 Portable Oil Drain Pan,...
Quality
A++
Pros
  • Thick, sturdy plastic
  • Ideal for the home or shop
  • Smooth finish allows for easy cleanup
  • Large capacity can handle practically any oil or transmission fluid change
Reviews
Image
GarageBOSS GB150 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with...
Quality
A
Pros
  • Totally sealed for transport
  • Low profile makes it great to use with lowered vehicles
  • Integrated funnel, no need to buy an extra one
Reviews
Image
NREOY ATD Tools 5184 Black Drain Pan - 4-1/2...
Quality
A+
Pros
  • Simple, functional design
  • Easy to pour spout
  • Sturdy
Reviews

Why are oil changes necessary?

Oil is one of the most important products for your car, but one of the easiest to neglect. It plays three crucial roles in the health of your engine: it lubricates the internals to prevent them from wearing out, it clings on to microscopic bits of debris to stop them from causing damage, and it cools the engine by transferring heat from the working parts.

As oil ages, it becomes less effective. If you let it go too long without changing it, it can actually damage your engine rather than protect it. Oxidation starts to happen, and if you don’t change the oil and add new, fresh oil, small particles of metal from the engine could potentially travel around the system and cause secondary damage, which eventually could lead to failure.

Oil changes also help to improve your gas mileage. A well-lubricated engine uses fuel more efficiently and produces fewer exhaust emissions. Some states have emission tests that you need to pass if you want to keep your car on the road, so changing your oil should be a priority.

The main reason you need to change your oil is to prevent it from turning into sludge. After prolonged exposure to your engine’s high heat, oil starts to break down and forms a gelatinous goo that can block oil passages. This prevents oil from entering vital parts of your engine, and metal parts that don’t receive oil will soon cause friction, start overheating, and eventually, the engine will seize.

Simply put, changing your oil will always be a lot cheaper than having to replace your vehicle’s engine. So don’t wait until it’s too late, pick up a drain pan so you are prepared to change your car’s oil when it needs it.


The importance of a good oil drain pan

Unless you want to spend several hours of your day trying to clean oil spills off your floor, having a good oil drain pan is vital. You need to get a container that can handle all your used oil without overspilling.

It can also be a help in case you accidentally put too much oil in a car engine and the only option to fix it will be to drain the excess oil.

There is no worse feeling than finding out that there is more oil in your sump than what your oil drain pan can contain, and see it overflow onto the ground.

An oil drain pan should have a robust design made out of durable material. It will be dragged and bumped against car parts, so you don’t want a flimsy pan that will crack after two uses. A mesh screen is a good feature and will save you from having to fish around your used oil trying to find that lost drain plug.

The size of the opening is another important point to consider. If it is too small, oil can pour in more rapidly that the pan can take it, creating overflow and air bubbling, which will splatter oil all over the place. A good, wide mouth on your drain pan also makes it easier to aim the oil flow into the pan.

If you are going to store your oil in the drain pan, look for one that has a tight seal. If the cap has a rubber trim, it means it is a high-quality one.

The good thing about this purchase decision is once you have it, you’ll have it for years. It is a simple device to fulfill a simple purpose, but it is certainly not one you want to neglect.

You barely notice it when you have it, and really notice it when you don’t. So get a durable oil pan that is big enough to hold all your car’s oil, and you won’t look back.


Oil Drain Pan Reviews

Image
Capri Tools CP21023 Portable Oil Drain Pan,...
GarageBOSS GB150 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with...
NREOY ATD Tools 5184 Black Drain Pan - 4-1/2...
Quality
A++
A
A+
Pros
  • Thick, sturdy plastic
  • Ideal for the home or shop
  • Smooth finish allows for easy cleanup
  • Large capacity can handle practically any oil or transmission fluid change
  • Totally sealed for transport
  • Low profile makes it great to use with lowered vehicles
  • Integrated funnel, no need to buy an extra one
  • Simple, functional design
  • Easy to pour spout
  • Sturdy
Image
Capri Tools CP21023 Portable Oil Drain Pan,...
Quality
A++
Pros
  • Thick, sturdy plastic
  • Ideal for the home or shop
  • Smooth finish allows for easy cleanup
  • Large capacity can handle practically any oil or transmission fluid change
Reviews
Image
GarageBOSS GB150 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with...
Quality
A
Pros
  • Totally sealed for transport
  • Low profile makes it great to use with lowered vehicles
  • Integrated funnel, no need to buy an extra one
Reviews
Image
NREOY ATD Tools 5184 Black Drain Pan - 4-1/2...
Quality
A+
Pros
  • Simple, functional design
  • Easy to pour spout
  • Sturdy
Reviews

FloTool 42003MI Drain Container

Not found.

This is a drain container will hold 16 quarts. One great feature is that it can be stored either upright or flat. It has an integrated handle to carry it around easily. The elongated basin will capture the full range of the oil stream, although it does have a small drainage hole.

The pan has an area designed to put your used oil filter on, as well as the oil drain plug. This lets you change your oil filter at the same time. It measures 6” tall, so it will fit under almost any vehicle. The heavy-duty plastic it is made of can handle not only oil, but also antifreeze or most chemicals used in your garage.

Pros

  • Heavy-duty design
  • Integrated handle
  • Designed not to leak

Cons

  • The plug does not have a rubber seal
  • The pour spot’s cap does not have a retainer so it can easily fall off

Check Price at Amazon


Lisle 17942 Black Plastic 4.5-Gallon Drain Pan

Lisle 17972 4.5 Gallon Oval Drain Pan, Black

This is just a drain pan—it is not an oil container. Built using high-density polyethylene materials, it is resistant to solvents and chemicals, and quite easy to clean. This pan feels quite rigid, with extra thick walls. The 1”wide spout makes pouring quick and easy. It has an angle that lets you pour without having to tip the pan too much. The anti-splash lip helps you prevent spilling while you are carrying the drain pan or pouring out the oil, and carrying it around is comfortable since the large handles let you get a good grip.

Pros

  • Thick, sturdy walls allow you to handle it roughly without fear of breaking it
  • Spout makes it easy to pour the oil into any container
  • Large area. No need to judge where to put the pan to catch flying oil anymore

Cons

  • The spout does not have a plug
  • No cap or cover

Check Price at Amazon


Capri Tools CP21023 Portable Oil Drain Pan

Capri Tools CP21023 Portable Oil Drain Pan,...

This oil pan is made of sturdy plastic which will not flex or bend. Its large area will catch your oil with no splashing. The pouring spout lets you pour oil into containers for storage. It comes in green or black, so many people buy one of each and use one for oil and one for antifreeze changes since the polyethylene material used to build it can handle most chemicals.

With a total capacity of 4.5 gallons, it can easily handle most oil changes, leaving enough room left over to carry the pan without worrying about spills. The lip around the rim also helps to keep any oil from spilling out.

So if you are looking for a big pan that can handle all your car’s oil, check this one out. It is often best to have too much room, as if you are close to overflow there is still the chance that you will spill it while moving the pan.

Pros

  • Thick, sturdy plastic
  • Ideal for the home or shop
  • Smooth finish allows for easy cleanup
  • Large capacity can handle practically any oil or transmission fluid change

Cons

  • Spout is angled, so when pouring, it can be pointed at an awkward angle
  • No spout cap

Check Price at Amazon


GarageBOSS 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with Funnel

GarageBOSS GB150 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with...

This is an oil drain pan and also a container, so you can drain the oil directly into it and transport it to your recycling center. With a high 12.5 quart capacity, you can do several oil changes before it is filled up. Unlike other pans, this one is pretty shallow; at only 3.5” tall it will easily fit under your car, even if it is a low rider.

The integrated handle lets you carry it with a firm grip, and its leak-proof cap keeps you from spilling any fluid. One interesting feature is that the large screw cap can be reversed to act as a wide mouth funnel for direct oil draining.

This is a great drain pan that is useful for certain functions, just make sure that you don’t need more than 12.5 quarts before you choose this pan.

Pros

  • Totally sealed for transport
  • Low profile makes it great to use with lowered vehicles
  • Integrated funnel, no need to buy an extra one

Cons

  • Poorly produced threads have been reported, but it can be cleaned up easily with an X-Acto knife

Check Price at Amazon


GarageBOSS 16-quart Oil Tear Away Clean Drain Pan

GarageBOSS GB150 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with...

If you’re a practical person who likes to keep things clean, this drain pan might interest you. It shares most of the features of the GarageBOSS funnel pan, since this one also has a comfortable carry handle and is designed to sit flat for transport. It has both a large drain surface and a funnel drain option, so you can choose the method that best suits your vehicle. Its oil vent prevents oil from burping while gushing into the drain hole.

What makes this drain pan unique is that it uses disposable tear-away sheets. These eliminate the mess from draining old oil; just drain the oil, remove the tear away sheet and you are clean and ready to recycle. By the way, these sheets are also recyclable. So if low clean up is an important feature to you, this might just be your favourite pan on this list.

Pros

  • Large capacity. Change your car, mower, and tractor oil and make just one trip to the recycle center
  • Sheets make cleaning up a breeze
  • Convenient built-in well that will hold your oil pan drain plug

Cons

  • Replacement sheets are an additional cost

Check Price at Amazon


ATD Tools 5184 Black Drain Pan

NREOY ATD Tools 5184 Black Drain Pan - 4-1/2... This is another great option, and it has all the features you would need in a basic, durable drain pan.

There are many features that make this pan very functional. This pan has a wide mouth for easy pouring. It also has a molded handle which makes it highly portable and easy to pick up, move, and store. The lip makes it quite easy to pour without having to worry as much about spillage.

Although it is a plastic pan, it is actually quite rugged and sturdy and will hold up to most bumps and jolts you might put an oil pan through. It is very well constructed despite not being made with the most durable materials out there. Additionally, the plastic actually makes it a bit lighter, which some may prefer.

Overall, this is a simple, functional design, that is made for usability above all. It is easy to carry, pour, store, and use.

Pros

  • Simple, functional design
  • Easy to pour spout
  • Sturdy

Cons

  • A plastic pan, so not the most durable on the market

Check Price at Amazon


Best Oil Drain Pan – Conclusion

The GarageBOSS 12.5 Quart Oil Drain Pan with funnel is an affordable option that will satisfy most needs. Not only is it a drain pan, but also a container, and with its high capacity, you can change your oil several times before having to take it to the recycle center. The shallow design in this drain pan allows you to use it on all sort of vehicles, and its sturdy construction and built-in handles make transportation easy.

We found the integrated funnel to be quite convenient; it will save you from having to spend extra money on one, and will also save you from having to search around for it every time you are going to change your oil. Best of all, once you’re done you just screw it into the container, so it’s always there when you need it.

An oil drain pan is far from one of the most exciting choices you will have to make when it comes to routine maintenance and servicing of your car. However, if you don’t get the proper one, it might just be one of the most annoying problems and cleanups you will have to face.

So make sure you get a pan that has the capacity for the amount of oil you will need it for, as well as one that is durable and user friendly. With any luck, you’ll never have to think about this decision again.


Here is a video on how to change oil in your car. Just watch it!


Last update on 2024-03-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


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