Watering Cans So Beautiful, They Might Upstage Your Plants

(Bloomberg Businessweek) --  

A Display-Worthy Model

Slipcast in two parts that are connected by hand, this 10-inch-tall stoneware option is made in a Vermont studio powered by renewable energy. The matte sand finish accentuates its bold, intersecting geometries. $210

For the Outdoors

Britain’s Haws Water Cans Ltd. started selling this patented “watering pot” in 1886 and still makes classic styles in copper and steel. A brass rose on the spout provides a gentle shower; it comes with a mister for terrariums, orchids, and ferns. $88

The Value Play

Made to be held at the top, near the intake, this two-liter plastic design from Sweden-based Shane Schneck has no handle. Two intersecting cones make up its uber-functional body, which extends to an elongated spout. $25

The Investment

Tipping the scales at six pounds, this 16-inch-wide doorstop feels more like a kettlebell than a can. Continually produced since 1950 in the workshop of Vienna designer Carl Auboeck II, it can be identified by the polished brass spout and cane-wrapped grip. $2,520

For Overhead Plants

This tiny dancer holds about five cups and has a delicate, armlike spout for irrigating out-of-reach locations. Finland-based Harri Koskinen designed it from brass, which darkens to a beautiful patina with use. $220

One of a Kind

Cut from a heavy, thick-gauge copper, this 1.5-gallon vessel—stamped 1925, the year of its design—has hand-cut flanges, a riveted swing handle, a wide spout, and an additional back handle for secure, two-handed grasping. $525

The Minimalist

Under the name OYOY, Danish designer Lotte Fynboe takes a less-is-more approach to the Mizu. The golden, powder-coated can is 13 inches tall, can hold two liters, and weighs just over a pound when empty. $105

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Gaddy at jgaddy@bloomberg.net

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