How to choose a grade
Start with what the tote will hold. A blender filling a chemical product wants a bottle with no unknown history, which points to rebottled or reconditioned. A grower running irrigation water wants food-grade history or a new bottle. A same-product user taking back its own tote can use one as-is, because the residue is its own product.
Then the budget the grade implies. A new tote is a new bottle in a new cage. Rebottled puts a new bottle in a used, inspected cage. Reconditioned keeps the original bottle and cage after cleaning and certification. Rinsed is flushed but not formally reconditioned. Used as-is has not been washed at all.
| Grade | Bottle | Cage | Washed | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New | New | New | Not needed | Any use where history must be zero |
| Rebottled | New HDPE | Used, certified | Not needed | Repeat fills, clean-history needs |
| Reconditioned | Used, cleaned | Used, cleaned and certified | Yes | Industrial reuse with paperwork |
| Rinsed | Original | Original | Flushed | Non-food uses, water for plants |
| Used, as-is | Original | Original | No | Same-product reuse |
Sizes and types
Two sizes cover most requests. A 275 gallon tote is 48 by 40 inches on the base and 46 inches tall. A 330 gallon tote has the same base and stands 53 inches tall. Both ride the same pallet footprint, so a rack built for one takes the other.
Most totes here are caged: a plastic bottle in a galvanized steel cage on a pallet base. All-plastic, metal and bag-in-box totes exist and have their own pages, because they are bought for different jobs.
What to put in the request
- The grade you need, and if you are unsure, what the tote will hold.
- The size, or "mixed" if both work.
- How many, and whether it is one load or a repeating need.
- The ZIP code the totes ship to.
The request is answered by email. Prices, quantities and timing are not set on this site.
Choosing between the grades
The grades run from new, which has no history, to used as-is, which has all of its history. In between sit rebottled, reconditioned and rinsed. Match the grade to the job, not the price: a food line needs a new or food-history tote, an irrigation tank can be used, and a blender usually wants a certified one.
Two quick rules help. If you will not read a record, pick rebottled or new. If you will read the record, reconditioned or food-history totes are fair choices.
Reading the cost of a grade
This site states no prices, because the cost depends on size, count and condition. The order is still useful: new costs the most, rebottled and reconditioned sit in the middle, rinsed and used as-is cost the least. Each step down trades money for history you have to check yourself.
A buyer for a water tank should not pay for a new bottle. A buyer for a food line should not save money on a rinse. Fit the grade to the risk and you will usually have paid the right amount.
Questions buyers forget
How will the tote be unloaded? Is there a dock, or does a liftgate need to be booked? Does the valve match the hose or pipe you own? Is a spare cap worth asking for? None of these is hard, but each one is easier to raise before the tote arrives than after.
Delivery and unloading
Say whether a forklift is on site. If not, a liftgate or a specialised unloading arrangement may be needed. Say also whether the place is a business address or a home.
Returns and mismatches
Ask what happens if a tote arrives different from its description. Photographs on both sides, taken at handover, settle most disagreements quickly and kindly.
Keep the plate photograph and the delivery paperwork together, and note the date of arrival.
Every grade, size and type
Questions people ask
Can I buy just one tote?
You can ask. Growers and homeowners often need one to a few, and the water totes page and food-grade page are written for them.
Do you list stock?
No. The site does not show a stock list or counts. Describe what you need and the reply says what can be done.
Which grade is cheapest?
The site does not state prices. The grades differ in what has been replaced or cleaned, and the reply to your request is where cost comes in.
Sources. Last reviewed 2026-11-11.