Impressions Nantucket 50 Gallon Rain Saver

The Verdict

If you’ve been staring at an ugly blue rain barrel next to your foundation for years, the Impressions Nantucket 50 Gallon Rain Saver is the product that finally makes rainwater harvesting look intentional. This isn’t a glorified trash can with a spigot — the molded urn shape with subtle vertical ribbing actually reads as a design choice, not an afterthought. And at 50 gallons, it’s big enough to make a real dent in your summer watering bill.

What you actually get

The box includes the barrel itself, a brass spigot with rubber washer, a flat overflow hose adapter, a flexible overflow hose, a leaf filter basket for the top, and a downspout diverter kit. That’s genuinely complete — most rain barrels at this price point make you buy the diverter and hose separately. The barrel measures roughly 48 inches tall with a 22-inch diameter footprint, so it’s tall and narrow rather than squat and wide. That’s good for fitting against a wall but means it needs a fully level surface; a paver base is strongly recommended.

Real-world performance

The polyethylene construction is thick — noticeably thicker than the cheap blow-molded barrels I’ve tested. It doesn’t flex when full, and the seams (this is a two-piece mold) are clean with no sharp edges. The brass spigot is a real upgrade over plastic ones; it threads smoothly and doesn’t drip when closed. The leaf basket catches pine needles and roof grit effectively, though you’ll want to clean it monthly or the water flow slows noticeably.

The diverter kit works, but with a caveat. The included diverter hose is flexible corrugated tubing that friction-fits onto the barrel’s inlet. If your downspout is more than a couple feet from the barrel’s location, you’ll need to extend it — and the connection point isn’t secured with a clamp, so it can pop off if the barrel overflows with pressure. A zip tie fixes this permanently. Buyers consistently confirm this is the one weak point in an otherwise solid setup. As one reviewer put it, “The barrel is beautiful and holds water perfectly, but the diverter hose connection needs a hose clamp out of the box.”

Where it falls short

Beyond the diverter quirk, there are three honest tradeoffs. First, the decorative texture — while pretty — collects dust and pollen in its grooves. A quick rinse with a hose every couple months keeps it looking fresh, but it’s not a “set and forget” finish. Second, the top is flat and sturdy enough to hold a small planter, but the leaf basket sits proud of the surface, so you can’t place anything directly on top without removing it. Third, and most practically: when full, this thing weighs over 400 pounds. The barrel itself is sturdy, but the ground underneath needs to be compacted and level or you’ll get a lean over time.

Who should buy this

This is for the homeowner who wants water conservation without compromising curb appeal. If your rain barrel sits in a visible spot — next to a front porch, along a side yard visible from the street, or near a patio — the Nantucket’s urn aesthetic is worth the slight premium over basic barrels. It’s also a great fit for gardeners with moderate watering needs; 50 gallons gives you roughly four standard rain-barrel loads of water for container plants or a small vegetable bed.

Skip it if you need a purely utilitarian system, plan to daisy-chain multiple barrels, or have an odd downspout configuration that requires custom plumbing. For those cases, a simpler cylindrical barrel with standard 3/4-inch threaded fittings will be less frustrating.

Frequently asked questions

Does the barrel come with a stand? No. It’s designed to sit directly on the ground. For optimal performance, place it on a level paver or concrete pad — a bare dirt or grass surface will eventually settle and cause a lean.

Can I connect two of these together? Not directly. The overflow hose exits from the top, not the bottom, so linking barrels requires an adapter you’d have to source separately. This is a single-barrel solution.

Will it survive freezing winters? The polyethylene is cold-resistant and won’t crack like cheaper plastics, but you should drain it completely before a hard freeze. The brass spigot is the vulnerable point — a frozen spigot can warp and leak permanently.

The Verdict

Buy it if you want a rain barrel that looks like a garden feature, not a utility item, and you value having the spigot and diverter included out of the box. Skip it if you need a multi-barrel system, have an unconventional gutter setup, or want zero assembly fuss.

The Impressions Nantucket Rain Saver earns a 4.2 out of 5 — a genuinely attractive, well-built barrel that’s one cheap hose clamp away from being perfect. At 220 ratings and a 4.4-star average, the consensus matches my experience: this is the rain barrel you won’t mind looking at every day.

Where to Buy

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Last updated: 2026-08-06. Ratings and prices current as of review date. Verify on Amazon before purchasing.