If you had told us a plastic pail was about to steal our hearts, we never would have believed you. We first spotted the object in question en masse in the Chilewich booth at Shoppe Object’s recent design trade show in downtown NYC. Made by Hachiman, a family-owned company based in the Japanese Alps, the ribbed buckets are built to last and thoughtfully detailed: They come with covers that enable them to double as stools and tables, and a hole in the handle for hands-free filling with a hose.
First introduced in 1994, the buckets received Japan’s prestigious Long Life Design Award. Chilewich (and other US retailers) are now officially selling them in North America for the first time, along with another Hachiman standout: a well-detailed watering can also made of ribbed heavy-duty polypropylene. Think of these workhorses as the opposite of single-use plastic.
Photography via Hachiman and Chilewich, unless noted.
Above: The Hachiman 1.3 gallon Watering Can, $55, has a wide, divided spout for a gentle, “sprinkler-like flow and superior control.”
Above: Hachiman buckets come in three sizes and many colors: mini (1.1 gallon) $30; large (2.6 gallon) $45; XL (5.3 gallon) $60 from Chilewich.
Above: There are two sizes of Hachiman Garden Beetle Watering Cans. The small (.4 gallon), shown here, is $45, and has a longer, narrower spout than the large (1.3 gallon), $55, shown above. The MoMA Design Store also offers the small Garden Beetle Watering Can for $45 ($40.50 members).
Above: The buckets come with lids and can support up to 330 pounds.
Above: The collection is made of recyclable polypropylene free of phthalates and is food-safe: among many other things, they work well as compost bins.
Above: The watering cans come in a range of colors, too, but are debuting in the US in green only. Photograph via Hachiman.
Above: The holes in the watering can and bucket handles are for supporting a hose for hands-free filling. Photograph via Paper Plane NZ.
Here are other tools we swear by:
