Sizes & specs · The standard
275 Gallon IBC Tote
Price up 275s
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Why this size won
The 275 exists because of the pallet, not because of the volume. A 48 × 40 inch GMA pallet is the unit of measurement North American logistics is built around — every rack bay, every trailer floor, every dock leveller and every forklift is sized for it. Build a container on that footprint and it moves through the entire continent's infrastructure without anybody having to think. The 1,041 litres is simply what fits in that footprint at a sensible height.
The result is that the 275 is not merely the most common IBC — it is the default. When somebody in this trade says “a tote” with no other qualifier, this is what they mean, and roughly seven in ten containers that come through our yard are these.
Stacking
Read the stacking test load off the plate and divide by the gross mass of one filled unit, then subtract one for the unit on the floor. A common 2,500 kg stacking load with 1,200 kg filled totes gives you two high. A marking of 0 means nothing goes on top of it in transport, whatever the warehouse manager says.
Empties are a different matter: they nest well and go three or four high routinely, which is how we double-stack eighty on a trailer for collections.
What a full one weighs, by product
The capacity is volume; the marking is mass. Anything much denser than water hits the mass limit first.
| Product | SG | Full weight | Against a 2,650 lb marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water / most aqueous cleaners | 1.00 | 2,425 lb | Within limit |
| Ethanol, IPA, most solvents | 0.79 | 1,943 lb | Within limit |
| Used cooking oil | 0.92 | 2,241 lb | Within limit |
| Latex paint | 1.28 | 3,067 lb | Over by 417 lb |
| Sodium hydroxide 50% | 1.53 | 3,641 lb | Over by 991 lb |
| Sulphuric acid 93% | 1.83 | 4,330 lb | Over by 1,680 lb |
| Liquid fertiliser 10-34-0 | 1.38 | 3,297 lb | Over by 647 lb |
| Glycerine | 1.26 | 3,022 lb | Over by 372 lb |
Buying a used 275 in New York
This is the size we always have. Grade B 275s are effectively always available same-week; Grade A industrial is usually available; documented food-grade is the tight category and worth reserving ahead.
- Grade C — $95. Static storage, rainwater, ballast, upcycling. Non-transport.
- Grade B — $130–$180. The right answer for most non-regulated on-site liquid work.
- Grade A industrial — $190–$240. Clean, presentable, documented industrial history.
- Grade A food-grade — $240–$285. Food-only history, TOC verified, interior photographed.
- Rebottled — $240–$395. New bottle, reclaimed cage, fresh UN mark.
- New — $385–$620. When a specification genuinely requires it.
Full grade definitions are on grades explained, and the reasoning behind picking one is in the buying guide.
Should you take the 330 instead?
Same footprint, seven inches taller, 55 more gallons per pallet position, about 18 lb more tare. If your door height, racking clearance and forklift mast all allow it, that extra capacity is free — you are paying the same freight and using the same floor space. Check the 330 page before you default to the 275 out of habit.
What are the exact dimensions of a 275 gallon IBC tote?
48 inches long, 40 inches wide and 46 inches high — 1219 × 1016 × 1168 mm. The footprint matches a standard GMA pallet, which is why it fits every rack, dock and trailer in North America without anyone thinking about it.
How much does an empty 275 gallon tote weigh?
About 130 lb with a steel pallet base. A composite base is a little lighter at roughly 120 lb, and wood is around 145 lb. The exact tare is often stamped on the plate.
How much does a full 275 gallon tote of water weigh?
About 2,425 lb — 2,295 lb of water plus the 130 lb tare. For any other product, multiply 2,295 by the specific gravity and add the tare.
How many 275 gallon totes fit on a truck?
Forty on a standard 53-foot trailer, single-stacked, two across and twenty deep. Double-stacking is possible for empties and lets you move eighty.
How much does a used 275 gallon tote cost?
In New York, roughly $95 for a Grade C fit only for static storage, $130–$180 for a general-purpose Grade B, $190–$240 for a clean industrial Grade A, and $240–$285 for a documented food-grade unit.
How many 275s do you need?
Grade, quantity and date. Forty fit a trailer, and we deliver across the metro within the week.
