The bucket is never going to have lashings of praise thrown at it. By its very design, the best compliment a bucket can receive is 'it holds water well.' But there's a growing market of detailing buckets, all designed to take car cleaning to the next level.
While a £30 bucket won't hold water better than a £1 model, it doesn't mean there aren't valid reasons why you should look at a proper detailing bucket or simply one that costs a couple of quid more.
The best buckets at a glance:
Editors pick: Gtechniq Bucket with Lid, buy from Amazon
The best bucket for serious detailers: AVA Car Wash Bucket, buy from Amazon
The best simple bucket: Autoglym Car Wash Bucket, buy from Halfords
We're dedicating time to bucket research because it's an important aspect of the car cleaning process. For a start, you should be using at least two buckets to wash your car to ensure you aren't contaminating your wash mitt. This means storing an extra bucket which in turn means you need to take storage seriously. You should also look at getting a decent grit guard to ensure you don't scratch up your paintwork as you clean, which means checking to see if one will fit in your bucket.
So here are our favourite buckets for making car cleaning that little bit easier. Just remember to buy two.
The best buckets for car care
Editor's pick
Via Gtechniq The perfect kit for a detailer, this Gtechniq bucket ships with a 20-litre red bucket, plastic grit guard and Gamma seal. The bucket is a quality design, made from robust plastic and featuring a sturdy metal handle for easy transportation. The grit guard is a handy addition for keeping detritus from catching your wash mitt and fits perfectly. The Gamma seal is particularly handy for storage, the lid locks tightly and means the bucket can double as a seat.
Pros
- All you'll need to start car cleaning
- Robustly build
- Gamma seal lid included
Cons
- The lid may not be that useful
- No colour coding option
The best budget bucket kit
Via Turtle Wax www.turtlewax.co.uk
Like the above example, but a couple of quid cheaper, this bucket from Turtle Wax follows US sizes and offers 18.9 litres of capacity. The plastic quality is still excellent, and the grip ring should prevent the bucket from sliding around on uneven surfaces. The included lid isn't as robust as the Gtechniq example, but it'll still allow the bucket to double as storage. The grit guard is a handy addition for any dedicated detailer.
Pros
- Better value for money
- Included lid and grit guard
- Robust
Cons
- Not the full 20-litres
- Weaker lid design
The best bucket for serious detailers
Shaking the world of buckets to its core, this 16-litre bucket from AVA of Norway doesn't look like a normal bucket. Flatter and rectangular in shape, this bucket kit includes the all-important grit guard and lid to let it double as a step. To use, it's nicer than a normal bucket, easier to carry around and the grit guard is superb.
Pros
- More stable than a normal bucket
- Quality is top-notch
- Neat design
Cons
- Difficult to store
- Smaller capacity
The best simple car bucket
Via Autoglymwww.halfords.com
Sometimes you can't beat the basics. This Autoglym-branded bucket is as basic as a car cleaning bucket can get. 20 litres of volume, a metal handle and not much else, it'll make a lovely bucket. The semi-transparent plastic will show how full the bucket is from a distance, but there's no grit guard as standard.
Pros
- Simple but durable
- Easily check the water level
- Can double as storage
Cons
- Grit guard is a separate purchase
- White will show muck quickly
The best collapsible bucket
Via HOTOEffectively a massive bag for water, this foldable bucket from HOTO will hold 20 litres of water and is designed for car cleaning. Weird corporate logo aside, the bucket is well-built with two sturdy handles. The kit ships with microfibre towels and a sponge too. Not one for serious detailing enthusiasts, but an interesting choice.
Pros
- Very easy storage
- Multipurpose design
- Ships with accessories
Cons
- Ditch the sponge for car cleaning
- Not as sturdy as other buckets
What you need to know about buckets
What we look for in a detailing bucket
A grit guard - Essential for anyone wanting to reduce paint scratches, a grit guard sits in the bottom of a bucket and works as a barrier between your cleaning apparatus and the gtir and debris collected during washing. Kits that include a guard and bucket are more desirable as you'll be guaranteed a snug fit.
Size - You'll want a good amount of water in your bucket for car cleaning. Not only will this reduce trips to the tap, but it'll allow for more rinsing. A larger bucket will also happily swallow a multitude of detailing brushes and wash mitts.
Handle - A bucket with 20 litres of water will weigh 20kg more than an empty one, so make sure the handle won't give out while carrying it. At the very least look for a reinforced plastic, metal is more desirable however.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for CAR, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. With an MA in Automotive Journalism, when he's not testing buckets he can be found looking at old Porsches.