The Sure Can made its debut at the most recent National Hardware Show. It’s not yet available for purchase; the company that developed the can was there to find vendors willing to distribute it. The product grabbed my attention because many contractors dislike CARB compliant gas cans—which empty slowly and are more difficult to use than the old-style cans they’re intended to replace. Even some the best CARB compliant cans are not immune to these problems.
Sure Can works like this: The nozzle swivels down from the bottom of the can but will not dispense fuel until you press the thumb trigger to open a self-ventilating valve. It allows you to dispense without tipping the can and with the nozzle at almost any angle (video below).
The self-ventilating part is important because one of the things a CARB compliant can does not have is that little pop cap on top that allows it to dispense fuel quickly and without chugging. I can’t say for sure how well the self-ventilation feature works because the demonstration I saw took place at a booth in a convention center and they dispensed water into a glass. It seemed like it worked and I can report that the nozzle didn’t drip if you gave it a few seconds to drain after releasing the trigger. When not dispensing the nozzle can be rotated to vertical against the side of the can and a cap screwed over it. There’s a large cap at the opposite end for filling the vessel.
Sure Can is a brand new product and is not yet available for purchase. It is currently undergoing testing for CARB compliance. The person I spoke to at the Hardware Show said a 2-gallon model will be out this summer and sell for about $28. The company is working on a 5-gallon can that is scheduled to come out in the spring of 2015. The price for that model has not been set. Both cans will be made in Utah—where Surecan Inc. is based.
