Harbor Freight's Mini Bucket Is Finally On Sale – But You Can't Buy It Online Yet

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In June 2026, we reported how Harbor Freight finally announced a highly demanded mini bucket. Today, you can grab one for yourself just in time for holidays. But the kicker? You'll need to search for it on the shelves in person. Unfortunately, for fans of the Harbor Freight 4 qt. Mini Bucket with Lid, you can't get the 99 cent bucket online just yet. Similar to its larger sibling, the Harbor Freight 5 Gallon Bucket, it's still an in-store only exclusive. As of October 2026, it has a single 5-star rating on the company's official website.

Made of polypropylene, the Harbor Freight mini bucket can hold up to 0.4 qt. of volume. Available in red, it's about 4 inches in height. This means that it has enough space for small parts, but you won't be able to close it with pens or longer hand tools inside it. Designed for compact storage, organization, and transportation, Harbor Freight added a handle and secure-fit lid to prevent both spillage and build up of unwanted particles. Listed as food-safe, you can use it to keep small snacks, like candy or chocolate. But take note, it's not dishwasher safe, and it doesn't mention if you can use it in freezers or microwaves.

If you can't find time to visit a Harbor Freight warehouse in person, there are some alternatives that you can order online instead. These days, there are plenty of available mini bucket options that might even be better suited to your needs.

If you want a mini bucket from a similar big store brand, there's one in the same size as the Harbor Freight option. Lowe's has an almost identical line up of 0.4 quart BPA-free, food-grade mini buckets, which you can get for just under $2. Apart from being available for sale online, it also comes in more color options: blue, pink, and even silver glitter. Between them, the iconic Lowe's blue color is still the most popular with over 2,200 people rating it 4.8 stars on average.

Should you want something specifically for food, there are more practical options, such as the ASEVAT Mini Buckets. Sold in a pack of 12, it comes in four different sizes: 10 oz. ($15.49), 16 oz. ($16.99), 32 oz. ($17.99), and 64 oz ($20.99). While none of its options come in the exact size as Harbor Freight's Mini Bucket, the 10 oz. and 16 oz. ones come close. Not only are they food-safe, but you can also use them to store food in the freezer and microwave. An Amazon Choice product, more than 140 people have rated these 4.5 stars on average. That said, if you're just looking for small parts storage, there might be other unconventional storage solutions within reach, such as Milwaukee Packout Bins. While they're not rated to be waterproof or food-safe, they can work for a ton of different practical uses, like being bag dividers, plant pots, or snack containers for sealed food.