Algreen Products Cascata Rain Barrel 65-Gallon, Sandalwood,81211

I bought this at least 2 years ago, maybe 3. It is still in great shape, I'm using the original hose and spigot, and the color hasn't faded at all. I installed this myself and found it very easy to install. I love the planter on top, makes this water barrel a bit of a decoration in my yard rather than an ugly rain catcher. I highly recommend this water barrel. The only slightly negative thing is that the hose has developed a crease where I hang it on the side hook, but that's to be expected with a hose hanging on a narrow hook in the hot sun. It has not impacted the operation of the hose at all.

Sadly, this looked nothing like the picture... Seemed damaged and the several parts were "gorilla glued" back together. Ever the spigot had a bunch of globs of blue all around it. We had really researched and were on a tight timeline, so it was a real shame to have such an expensive and poorly constructed product when it arrived. Ended up buying 3 fiskars salsa barrels with upgraded diverters. Went in well, look great and seem very nice but durable. This product looks nothing like the picture, sadly. Very disappointed.

This is an attractive design and overall works as advertised. Other reviews have called out the need for a drain hole in the 'planter' portion of the barrel and this is true. Unless you add something to your drainpipe that allows it to flow directly into the barrel opening, heavy rainfall will cause splashover into the planter section and it won't drain unless you drill a drain hole. This is very easy to do. Also, one of the 2 barrels I purchased has developed a seeping leak around the brass spigot and I will have to use a silicon sealant to stop it.While these are flaws I'd like to see corrected, I shopped extensively for rain barrels before buying these and I did not find any that were issue free. These seem about as good as you will get, particularly if you live in an area with a true winter.

Received barrel scuffed up a bit, with screen guard cracked in half, and with the crown planter part missing. But, I liked the way it looked and didn't want to deal with the hassle and cost of returning it, so I set it up anyway. The darn thing leaks. (SIGH) MUCH to my relief, it appears that Amazon is going to let me exchange the product for a new one and not charge me for returning it! (I am REALLY happy about that!) I was thinking of putting a water pump in it (with river rocks) and making the rain barrel double as a fountain instead of a planter, like one of Algreen's other barrels. I would recommend planning on setting the barrel up off of the ground so that you have higher water pressure and get better out flow from barrel.PROS: I do very much like the way it has a hose coming out of the bottom of it and it is nice that it has a water spigot on the side. It is a very good thing that it has a potential overflow port, because it fills up pretty quickly. It comes with 6 feet of thick white 1.5 inch tubing (which is, unfortunately, fairly inflexible) for connecting to the downspout (downspout diverter not included). It is nice to look at (even without the crown planter). The removable screen mesh is a good feature because it allows you to be able to gain access to the inside of the barrel and helps keep debris and mosquitoes out.CONS: FYI: The "sandalwood" color of the barrel has the appearance of a non-metallic gold, not beige or tan as pictured and as I was expecting. The part of the spigot pieces that screw into the barrel are made of plastic (not metal). The side spigot is a circular turn valve type (not quarter turn). (REALLY?! How much more would have cost them to change that ... $1 or $2?!!!) It is VERY difficult to find tubing that fits the second 1.5 in diameter spigot/hole (which is for overflow away from house or for connecting to another barrel). I looked at all the local hardware stores... will have to order the tubing from Amazon and hope I am ordering the right thing. Quality in general with this product seems to be hit or miss, based on my experience and other reviews. I have had no response from the manufacture's customer service (over 1.5 week period).I like the barrel--despite receiving it with missing and broken parts... and the fact that it leaks (issues that Amazon appears to be helping me resolve). I think I might even say that I love it if it were received as described.

Would have given this one star, except I did love the style. BUT the product was totally defective upon further inspection. There were literally holes in the bottom, rendering the item not a rain barrel at all. For the price I paid, I never dreamt that it would have this many "imperfections."

I already own this type of rain barrel in brown. I had three different ones before this winter. The brown one like this was the only one that was not damaged. I should have totally drained them, but I have to water sometimes in winter and the rain barrels had always withstood cold temps before. But this brand and type did not split. The top just was raised up by the ice that formed from the water inside. So for me it did not split. But from now on I will drain them! And I really like the color despite the increase in price.

I have purchased two Cascata Rain water systems in the past and have been pleased. One was damaged this winter, so I bought this as a replacement. The quality is so poor, that for the first time in my many years with amazon, I will have to return the item. The plastic connector on the bottom of the tank is not glued well, causing half of it to be unattached. This will cause all water to leak out. The connector to the hose does not fit correctly and will not screw in more than 1/2 way. At this point I quit. Now I'll have to return in a rain damaged box.