The 9 Best Rain Barrel Diverters
Special Honors
Hayes Plastic Engineering This versatile rainwater saving kit comes with adapters that allow installation on either round or square downpipes. It has a built-in overflow and is available in a range of colors to match your existing gutters and pipework. hayesplastic.com
Wayfair Once you have chosen your ideal diverter, you'll need a suitable vessel in which to store it. Wayfair supplies a large range of styles and materials, so your water barrel need not be an eyesore, but rather an elegant piece of garden furniture. wayfair.com
Editor's Notes
March 12, 2021:
An effective rainwater catchment system has several benefits, not only will it save money on water bills, but rainwater doesn't contain any of the chemicals usually found in domestic water supplies and is better for watering plants. Additionally, water scarcity is becoming more of a pressing issue, therefore harvesting your own supply can lessen the demand on municipal systems. These diverters kits are designed to be installed on the downspouts of home guttering systems, and need to be used in conjunction with a storage vessel such as a rain barrel.
In this update, we added several new kits to the ranking for a variety of different shapes and sizes of downpipes. The Capt'eau Rectangular, similar to the Earth Minded DIY, is designed to be installed in the center of the pipe and both come with a hole-punching drill bit to do so. Both the Atlantic Water Gardens Ultra and the Rain Reserve Basic have a slightly more complex installation procedure that requires a length of the downpipe to be removed. However, they do incorporate filters and overflow systems, meaning that once installed they can be left to operate with minimal maintenance or worry. The Rain Harvesting First Flush also filters out contaminants, but this one needs to be cleaned out on a regular basis, and has a clear PVC collection chamber so it's easy to see when maintenance is required. Both the Emsco Deluxe and the Oatey Mystic Collection System have universal sizing that allows them to be used on either three or four-inch pipes and their simple design makes for an uncomplicated installation.
October 11, 2019:
The Earth Minded DIY stands out from the rest for it's versatility. It includes the parts to convert any water tight container to a rain barrel, including a spigot and a hole saw set. It also diverts water back to the downspout when the barrel is full to prevent overflows collecting around the home's foundation.
We included simpler models like the Save the Rain and the Gutterworks Offset because their installation is very simple without all the small parts that the more sophisticated options have. You don't even need to worry about getting a tight seal on a hose because they don't have a hose to connect. They don't provide overflow protection, but they are still a good option for someone who doesn't mind opening and closing it manually.