Oil Drain Pans Vs. Oil Drain Tanks: Guide to Picking the Most Suitable One for Your Needs

Imagine you are all set for your much-awaited road trip and as you are about to begin the journey or are even halfway through, your car breaks down – reason, complete engine failure. This happens if you have completely neglected regular oil changes of your car or any vehicle. To avoid such situations frequent oil changes are necessary for your vehicle to run smoothly. Now to carry out this process efficiently, cleanly and safely you need the right tools and equipment. You can either use an oil drain pan or an oil drain tank, depending on your needs and requirements.

In this article, we will discuss what are oil drain pans and oil drain tanks, how they are different and which of the two – an oil drain pan or an oil drain tank – is best suited for your needs.

Table of contents:

• What is an Oil Drain Pan?
• What is an Oil Drain Tank?
• Oil Drain Pan Vs. Oil Drain Tank: The Key Differences
• Pros and Cons of Oil Drain Pans and Oil Drain Tanks
• Oil Drain Pans Vs. Oil Drain Tanks: When Do You Need to Use Either
• Important Things to Remember: Safety and Maintenance

What is an Oil Drain Pan?

An oil drain pan is designed to drain, catch and hold waste oil during oil changes in a vehicle. It is generally shallow and wide and looks more like a flat basin. Most often oil drain pans are made of two materials particularly – plastic and metal. The plastic one is lighter and affordable while the metal one is heavier, expensive and much more durable. You will find numerous sizes available, from a 20 gallon oil drain pan to a 5 gallon. Besides, they come with various features for convenience and ease of use such as spouts, lids, anti-slip handles, and anti-splash design, etc. Both auto repair professionals and DIY mechanics can use oil drain pans to avoid spillage when performing oil changes.

What is an Oil Drain Tank?

An oil drain tank is designed for the same purpose as well - to drain and collect oil when performing oil changes, however, they are particularly different in their appearance and capacity they come in. They are mostly cylindrical and vertical in shape and come with a larger capacity, and have a much more robust construction. Made of sturdy and strong materials such as high-density plastic and steel, oil drain tanks have additional features such as built-in funnels and spouts for easily draining and collecting oil and wheels and handles for transporting from one place to another. They are particularly designed to hold larger volumes of oil and are apt for heavy-duty vehicles and large professional auto repair shops.

Oil Drain Pan Vs. Oil Drain Tank: The Key Differences

While both oil drain pans and oil drain tanks serve the same purpose which is making the oil change process clean, safe and efficient, they do have their differences as well. Let’s take a look at some.

Materials and Durability:

You need equipment that is durable and sturdy, particularly if you are going to constantly perform oil changes. Oil drain pans are made of plastic and metal which are durable but with constant use they can tend to get damaged easily, especially if you haven’t maintained them well enough. Besides, since you are dealing with harsh chemicals most often, oil drain pans become subject to damage over time much faster. However, if you have one that is of robust construction, and if you maintain it well, it definitely will last you long enough.

Having said that, oil drain tanks are particularly designed for heavy-duty vehicles, therefore, they are made of materials such as high-density plastic and steel, which undoubtedly are more strong and durable. They are precisely designed to endure frequent usage and rough handling in a highly professional environment.

Size and Capacity:

Oil drain pans vary in size and capacity, they are designed for all sorts of vehicles small, medium and large. You would find oil drain pans from 2 quarts to 25 quarts and even more, basically from a small to a large capacity for your regular oil change needs. Generally, these are used for almost all vehicles such as cars, compact vehicles, light trucks and even some large vehicles too.

Oil drain tanks also come in various sizes but are commonly designed to have a much larger capacity. They are precisely used in professional settings for large or heavy-duty vehicles. You would find oil drain tanks ranging from 10 quarts to 100 quarts and even more. They are designed to handle higher volumes of oil changes regularly.

Usage and Maintenance:

Oil drain pans are way easier to use than oil drain tanks. All you need to do is place it under your vehicle, remove the plug and let the oil flow into the oil drain pan. They also come with spouts which make draining and pouring waste oil into storage containers easier. Moreover, some larger ones also come with handles and wheels for easy maneuvering around. Also, they are easier to maintain and clean due to their flat, shallow, and accessible design.

Oil drain tanks are much more complex to use than oil drain tanks because they come with additional features such as built-in funnels, fluid level indicators, pumps and more. While these features guarantee convenience, particularly when performing oil changes for heavy-duty vehicles, their operation can be intricate at times. Moreover, since they are heavier and bulkier, they aren’t easy to move about, but they do come with wheels and handles to make the process easy. Also, since they are mostly cylindrical and vertical with narrow openings, cleaning them is quite cumbersome. Besides, the additional components they come with require separate cleaning, thereby, ensuring more effort is put into cleaning and maintaining them.

Storage and Portability:

Compared to an oil drain tank, oil drain pans are much more compact and lightweight. This makes them quite easy to carry around and store in home garages. Oil drain tanks are larger in size, heavier and bulkier, hence, they are suitable for large professional auto repair shops. They do come with wheels and handles that make maneuvering them easy but because they are huge and heavy, therefore, it’s not an easy task especially when the oil is filled in them.

Now that you have some clarity in what differentiates an oil drain pan from an oil drain tank, let’s take a look at some pros and cons of each to help you further decide what’s best for you.

Pros and Cons of Oil Drain Pans and Oil Drain Tanks

The tables below show some advantages and disadvantages of oil drain pans and oil drain tanks.

Oil Drain Pans: Pros and Cons

Oil Drain Tanks: Pros and Cons

Oil Drain Pans Vs. Oil Drain Tanks: When Do You Need to Use Either

Let’s see the ideal use cases of each of these oil drain equipment.

When Will You Need to Use an Oil Drain Pan

If you have a small auto repair shop or you are a DIY mechanic, then an oil drain pan is just what you need. They are much more affordable than oil drain tanks, they are compact, have a flat and shallow design and are very accessible and easy to use. They can be easily cleaned and stored in home garages without much hassle, especially if you do not have much space. They are practical for cars, light trucks and other small to medium-sized vehicles. So, if you are not dealing with heavy-duty or large vehicles, an oil drain pan is an ideal choice.

When Will You Need to Use an Oil Drain Tank

If you are a professional mechanic with a large automotive repair shop and have to deal with multiple oil changes in a day, especially when catering to large vehicles, then oil drain tanks are the most ideal as they come with a higher capacity. Besides, the additional built-in features make them even more convenient and easy to use for large vehicles. They are definitely much more expensive, but they are worth the money spent.

Important Things to Remember: Safety and Maintenance

• Always use the ideal equipment, either an oil drain pan or an oil drain tank to change motor oil. This ensures your workspace is cleaner and less messy.

• Ensure that the waste oil is transferred into storage containers and sent to collection or recycling centers for safer disposal.

• Never dispose of oil in drains, waterbodies, ground or any place you are not supposed to. This is to avoid contamination and pollution of the environment.

• Always wear safety gear when performing oil changes at home or in a professional space.

• Regularly clean and wipe your oil drain pans and tanks to avoid dust or debris from settling down and causing damage to the pan or tank.

• Maintain and clean all the additional components that these oil drain pans or oil drain tanks come with.

• Store in a place that is clean and dry.

Whether you choose an oil drain pan or an oil drain tank, this decision completely depends on your needs and requirements. You should take into account whether you are a professional who regularly deals with oil changes or you are a DIY mechanic who seldom does the deed. Besides, you have to consider the kind of vehicle you have, what your budget is, how easy is it for you to use or how complex is it. These are certain factors to consider before you get one.

Having said that, if you need one for your home garage where you would occasionally do the oil change, then an oil drain pan is a perfect fit, considering you will be catering to your car alone. However, if you need one for a professional setting, then an oil drain tank is ideal, considering you will be dealing with multiple oil changes in a day for all kinds of vehicles. Therefore, assess your requirements and then choose the ideal one accordingly.