Having the right oil pan is essential for any vehicle owner who wants to properly change the oil of their vehicle. An oil drip pan and an oil drain container are two of the most important components of a good maintenance routine.
These pans provide a safe, easy way to catch and contain motor oil drained from vehicles so that you can change your engine’s oil. But good oil drip pans are not only used to catch/contain the oil but also to transport it where you can safely and legally dispose of it. Alternatively, you can take the oil to your nearby locality where you can find an oil recycling unit.
1. Lumax LX-1632 15 Quart Drainmaster Drain Pan – Best Overall
Why do you need the best oil drain pan for an oil change?
If you are going to be changing your oil, you may need the best oil drain pan to prevent oil from spilling everywhere and leaving a mess. In general, you should be changing your engine oil every 3000 miles or so. This means you will be changing your oil quite often if you have a long commute to and from work every day.
Most people just use some kind of makeshift container or jug to collect this oil, but this usually results in spilled oil and splashing, which is quite annoying to clean up. Also, you probably didn’t know that you are supposed to dispose of oil in a designed oil disposal area in your local recycling center. If you are going to transport it there in an open container, you risk the chance of spills as well. These inconveniences can all be solved in two ways.
One is if you don’t care about the environment and just drain your oil anywhere and don’t even bother cleaning it up. The other solution is to do it properly and with the best oil drip pan, your life can be made much easier.
Most oil drip pans have a way of collecting and funneling oil into a container, which can be fully closed so that you can easily transport it. Most have some kind of pressure release value as well to let out some of the internal pressure built up to prevent the cap from popping off. For more information on the best oil drip pan, we have put together a buying guide below.
Best Oil Drip Pan Reviews
- Lumax LX-1632 15 Quart Drainmaster Drain Pan (Top Pick)
- FloTool 42003MI Drain Container, 16 quart
- GarageBOSS 12.5 quart Oil Drain Pan with Funnel
- Capri Tools Portable Oil Drain Pan
- Custom Accessories Oil Drain Pans
1. Lumax LX-1632 15 Quart Drainmaster Drain Pan – The Best Oil Drain Pan
If you want the best oil drip pan with a large opening to catch everything, go with the Lumax LX-1632. This oil drip pan holds 15 quarts of oil, so large enough for pretty much any engine oil tank. It has an 8-inch opening so it is large enough to catch all oil drips with plenty of room for error and random splashes. It is also made quite durable, so all oil, gas, and antifreeze won’t be able to break down the material and leak through.
The screw cap is made nice and tight with an O-ring seal to ensure that nothing gets through even if you flip it upside down. There is a nice pressure release value up top that you can flip open in case there is too much pressure built up inside.
This prevents situations where the entire thing explodes because gas can really build up air pressure if shaken up. Finally, the Lumax LX-1632 is extremely easy to transport and comes with two easy grip handles, and even has two wheels so you can carry this to the recycling site of your choice. We can’t complain about this oil drip pan and for a few bucks, this definitely saves you the trouble of transporting old oil in a makeshift pan.
2. FloTool 42003MI Drain Container, 16 quart – For An Easy Oil Change
The FloTool 42003MI is the best oil drip pan if you want something with big capacity and excellent durability. You can also ensure that no oil spills or splash on the side, because the entire surface is a funnel that goes into a drain hole. The FloTool drip pan has 16 quarts of capacity and will accommodate more than a full tank of engine oil on any car, except for 18-wheelers.
This pan has heavy-duty caps and seals that are completely leakproof and work perfectly even when stored upright. The elongated basin ensures that you capture everything as the coverage area is around 17 square inches.
This drain container only stands 6 inches tall, so it can fit under all cars, including cars built with low clearance. The unit is very lightweight, coming in at only 3.8 pounds, so those who are not very strong can carry it with ease.
You can store this thing upright and transport it with a built-in handle on the side. And in case you want more capacity, FloTool makes 24 and 48-quart versions, with the same design and durability.
3. GarageBOSS 12.5 quart Oil Drain Pan with Funnel – Help prevent a messy oil change
If you want the best oil drip pan with a built-in funnel for catching oil, you should look into the GarageBoss series. This 12.5-quart drain pan has a large tight screw cap that can be reversed to act as a funnel. This allows you to catch all oil when draining, even if you miscalculate and don’t aim it right.
And at only 3.5 inches tall, rest assured that it will fit under all cars, including the low riders. The caps all seal pretty airtight and this drip pan can be placed and stored upright. It has a sturdy handle if you want to transport it to a recycling center.
And if you need a bigger size, Garage Boss comes in a 16-quart container as well. If you feel the 12.5 quart is too big and clumsy, there is always the Garage Boss 8 quart pan. Be sure to have the vent port open when draining oil.
The plastic is very thick and durable, so you should have no concerns about your engine oil or anti-freeze puncturing the container. Overall, this is a great oil drain pan that collects oil and other fluids easily without spilling.
4. Capri Tools Portable Oil Drain Pan, Anti-Freeze – To Efficiently Change The Oil In Your Vehicle
The Capri Tools Portable Oil Drain Pan is the perfect solution for all your oil-changing needs. Constructed with durable polyethylene material, this high-quality oil drain pan is designed to last for years. It provides a total capacity of 4.5 gallons (16 liters) so you can easily drain fluids from your vehicle. The large opening allows fluids to drain directly, making oil changes cleaner and easier.
This oil drain pan features an anti-splash lip to contain the fluid when pouring and a molded handle to make carrying, pouring, and storing effortless. The easy-to-clean and carry design of this oil drain pan ensures that you never have to worry about cleaning up a mess after an oil change.
With its vibrant green color, the Capri Tools Portable Oil Drain Pan is easy to spot in your garage or work area. It has gained a lot of popularity among car enthusiasts and mechanics, having accumulated a 98% 5-star rating from over 2000 users.
This oil drain pan can also hold anti-freeze without any problems, ensuring that you can use it for many more years to come. As a testament to their commitment to quality, Capri Tools offer a 1-year warranty with every purchase of the Portable Oil Drain Pan. Note that the only negative thing we have is that this pan does not have a cover to carry the oil away. Apart from that, and if you select this pan, then we are sure that you’ll experience an easier and cleaner oil change with the Capri Tools Portable Oil Drain Pan today.
5. Custom Accessories Oil Drain Pans To help Prevent Oil Spillage
The Custom Accessories Oil Drain Pan is a waste oil container solution specifically made for keeping your garage floors clean and mess-free. With the capacity to hold up to 6 quarts, it is a universal fit for all liquids including oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, and more.
This oil drip pan is an essential tool for reducing spillage and improving efficiency when pouring liquids during oil changes or any other type of vehicle maintenance.
Custom Accessories has a long history of offering a wide selection of interior and exterior car accessories to customize your vehicle, including floor mats, deer alert systems, phone cup holders, chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and much more.
This means they know quite a bit when it comes to producing a waste oil drain pan. They are still a small family-owned company in the USA and a renowned leader in the aftermarket automotive accessories marketplace.
Overall, this is one of the best oil collector pans that are sturdy, easy to use, and designed to make it easy for you to collect old oil without any spillage. The custom accessories oil drain pan does not come with a cover, so you cannot transport the oil to another location for disposal. You would need to empty it in a closed container and then take it away for safe non hazardous disposal.
Best Oil Drip Pan To Avoid Oil Spill – Buying Guide
An oil drip pan is kind of what it sounds to be. It is simply some kind of container that is small enough to be placed underneath your vehicle and collects engine oil and oil in your oil filter as it drains out, preventing oil from spilling on the floor and damaging the environment. Most people don’t even know that there are pans that are specifically designed to collect oil.
Instead, they just use a random pan from their house or make some kind of container themselves. While you think this will work, they usually result in spills and at the very least splashing. Oil drip pans are designed to minimize the amount of oil spilled and help you conveniently transport it for disposal at a recycling site.
They are usually big enough to collect all of the oil from your vehicle, regardless of the size of your oil tank, but we would definitely double-check the measurements. They are also small enough to snuggly fit under your vehicle. Many oil drip pans collect oil on the side and can later be turned vertically to be easily transported. If you are in the market for the best oil drip pan, you should also consider the following features.
Size and capacity of a portable oil drain pan
First and foremost, you should roughly look at the clearance below your vehicle to get an idea of the maximum height for your oil drip pan.
Most oil drip pans are not very tall, but please just make sure there is enough clearance underneath your vehicle for your oil drip pan to fit. Next, you want to look at the total capacity or volume of the pan and compare this with the total volume of your engine oil tank. Make sure there is enough legroom for error and get an oil drip pan with a total capacity at least larger than your engine oil tank.
Material of an oil drain container
Most oil drip pans are made of some form of plastic. Don’t worry, this is usually not the cheap kind of plastic that does not support any weight. This material is both lightweight and durable enough to handle heavy loads without breaking. Simple oil drip pans are made of metal, but they are usually not fully enclosed and so it becomes tough to transport an open container to a recycling site. The main thing is to look for something lightweight so that you can carry it around easily.
Other features of motor oil catch pans
The extra features of an oil drip pan can really make one pan better than another. Some oil drip pans have a mesh screen at the opening to prevent other things besides oil from getting into the container. This comes in handy if you accidentally drop your oil drain bolt into your pan. Next, you should look for a pan where you can close the top, so you can store and transport it easily.
A pan that can be fully closed is much easier to deal with than an open container. You should also look for leak-proof containers with heavy-duty caps and seals. Also, look for oil drip pans with elongated basins so that there is a large area to collect your oil. It would also be nice to have some kind of pressure release value and ergonomic handles so that you can get a good grip while transporting the oil.
References
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