The 9 Best Washing Machine Drain Pans

For most laundry rooms, the Camco Low Profile is the sensible place to start. Its floor is roomy enough for most full-size washers, and the short rim lets a pedestal drawer slide open over it. Camco molds it from sturdy plastic in the U.S. and packs a drain fitting for either common pipe size. You cut the outlet yourself along molded guide lines. Low walls hold less water before spilling, so add a leak alarm.

If your washer sits flat on the floor with no pedestal, the Camco 20750 gives you taller walls that hold more water before it spills over. It's molded plastic, made in the U.S., with a drain fitting in the box. The inside floor is smaller than the outside size suggests, so measure the washer's feet first. Camco also warns that it may not suit top-loaders with an exposed drive belt. Stock comes and goes, with waits of weeks.

Steel won't crack with age the way old plastic can, and the VEVOR Heavy Duty Stainless brings it in at a modest price. The welded stainless tray has folded, blunt edges and a pre-punched drain hole near one side. The catch is the tiny hose adapter, which takes a thin tube rather than standard drain pipe, so plan a swap for a solid drain line. VEVOR has had recalls on other goods, but none on these trays.

Front-loaders on pedestals are the reason to buy the Killarney Metals Galvanized tray. Its floor slopes from a tall back wall down to a low front lip, so the door and the drawer both clear it, and the drain hole sits in the back wall where most drain lines run. Killarney builds it in the U.S. and says galvanized steel lasts for decades in a dry room. It's pricey, looks industrial, and its steel edges call for gloves.

Renters and anyone fighting a rattling floor should look at the BIOFK Silicone Mat, a soft tray that grips the floor and damps spin-cycle shaking. Its raised rim holds hose drips and splashes, and the maker says plainly that it isn't built for a burst hose or a tub failure. There's no drain, and it ships folded, so give it time lying flat to lose the creases. It rinses clean in a sink or a tub.

Brushed stainless and tall square sides give the DR Quality Parts Stainless a tidy look in an open laundry area. A drain hole sits in the middle of one short side, and a PVC fitting comes with it, so it can feed a standard drain line. The seller states the largest washer base it takes, which makes sizing simple. It costs a lot more than plastic, and the tall rim gets in the way of pedestal drawers.

Plumbers know Eastman for valves and supply lines, and the Eastman 52525 is the brand's molded plastic tray with fairly deep walls. Cut lines let you open an outlet in the bottom or the side, which helps when the drain line runs behind the washer rather than under it. A one-year limited warranty covers it. Supply is the weak spot: it's often backordered for a month or more, so order well ahead.

Damp basements are hard on coated steel, which is where the Killarney Metals Stainless tray earns its place. It swaps galvanized steel for stainless, which the maker expects to last longest, and it's welded in the U.S. with a floor that steps down to a low front lip for pedestal washers. A PVC drain fitting comes in the box. The price is steep, and the steel edges can be sharp while you set it in place.

Tight closets and apartment washers suit the Buzzlett Stainless Pan, which has a smaller footprint than most full-size trays and no drain hole, so there's nothing to drill or plumb. A foam pad underneath keeps it from sliding and softens the shaking. Check the washer's depth before ordering, since many front-loaders run too deep for it. Without a drain, any water just sits there until someone spots it.