where to buy/refill portable propane tanks

Convenience stores Garden centers BBQ specialty stores Supermarkets Gas stations

Let's spin the wheel of fortune and see if we can price shop all of them, just for you, without having any idea where you live, or what steps you've taken to research this locally.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom
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Decided to give up the charcoal ghost and go propane. Just bought a new lp gas grill and cart. Where's the best place to pick up a tank...and do most refill their own or go to one of these swap your tank bins at 7/Eleven or Circle K type stores ?

Thanks, Tim

Reply to
Tim R

You actually attach a hose to your empty tank and pump more propane into it?

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I refill my own. Most of the supermarkets where I live have locked bins outside of their stores where you can exchange. I don't know how much it costs to exchange an empty one for a full one, but they're easy to have refilled.

Cheri

Reply to
Cheri

Yes.

Reply to
Bob F

Around here the cheapest thing to do is find one someone has put out for the trash because it is an old style that can't be refilled. Take that to HD or Lowes and they will give you a new one for a couple dollars. Then BJ's is half the price for a fillup as anywhere else.

I have about 5 or 6 tanks running 2 grills and a refrigerator. Now I only pick up the ones in the street if they are full, which they often are.

Might not be the same where you are.

Reply to
Toller

The places that swap tanks are generally the most expensive. I pay $10 for a refill at BJ's here in New England. Any store that sells grills will sell the tanks.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Cheapest way is to take it to where they have a big PROPANE tank, and sell it by the gallon. Lots of gas stations have these.

Next, and more expensive are places where you exchange the tank.

All depends on convenience. I have eight, and (for me) it's worth it to run to the gas station where they sell it cheapest.

Steve

Reply to
Steve B

Advantage of getting them filled yourself is cost. Advntage of exchanging is you always have a tank. Tanks expire and need replacing or inspection. Personally I think I save more getting it filled for 10 years which will pay for a new one when the time comes.

Reply to
James "Cubby" Culbertson

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:pzOAh.44691$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr21.news.prodigy.net:

ACE Hardware refills propane tanks.(Orlando area)

Check your local Yellow Page directory.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

"Tim R" wrote in news:QHNAh.28341$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe17.phx:

Home Depot or Lowes sell new empty tanks.Probably Sams,Costco and BJ's,too. refills are cheaper than tank exchange.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

I picked up old tanks with obsolete valves from garbage etc, turned then in at home depot as exchanges for the new valve type, take those tanks to local gas station for cheap refills, and when the tanks look bad, and begin to rust exchange them at home depot.for nicely refresed tanks. That way the tanks cost me ZIP, and the refills are usually cheap:)

I have about 8 tanks so I never run out, keep them in shed with door always ajar for safety........

Cheapest refills are local gas station with BIG tank, cheapest exchange home depot, pricest exchange the local convenience store, guess thats to be expected.

one advantage to exchanging tanks is they DONT smell like propane. cost perhaps 5 bucks more

Reply to
hallerb

No, the guy at the propane dealer does it. You walk out with the same tank you walked in with, as opposed to the somewhat-more-expensive tank swap stations at the quicky marts.

aem sends...

Reply to
<aemeijers

That&#39;s what happens around here (NY), but the others are saying the customers do the actual filling. I&#39;ve never seen that here, so I wondered...

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I used to have that done at a winnebago lot, and repair place. I didn&#39;t want to lose my matching CharmGlo tank. They even refilled it twice after the date said NO. I even painted the thing so they wouldn&#39;t notice how old it was. But they weren&#39;t fooled, and I ended up going to the supermarket or HD and it is about 15 or 17 dollars for an exchange.

Reply to
mm

I saw some tanks at a junkyard, one which has a lot of autos, but a lot of non-auto stuff too.

He asked me why I was buying one, and I told him the truth. He smiled and sold it to me for whatever he said before, 5 dollars?

It was almost 5 pm and I went straight to the HD, and who do I see when I&#39;m coming out of the store. The same guy going in.

I have never seen a tank on the street, and I always look at the trash. I will keep my eyes open though. What kind of n&#39;hood has tanks in the trash?

Reply to
mm

Why not just get it filled for 9 1/2 years and exchange it the last time?

Reply to
mm

Someone told me that milk is usually cheap at a convenience store, to get people to come in. I can never remember the supermarket price to check, so do any of you know if that milk is cheap or not?

Reply to
mm

I have picked up several tanks out of the trash over the years, and bought one that looked brand new at a garage sale for $1.00. All were empty though. I refill them off my house tank, though they only get about 1/2 full before the pressure equalizes. (The house tank has a valve on it with a dip tube for liquid.) Besides the places like HD, Lowes and some hardware stores that have the exchange system, and regular propane dealers that refill tanks, around here some UHaul stores refill the small tanks also. Larry

Reply to
lp13-30

Hmmm, Tank has to be recertified every 10 years here. And should never be overfilled. You don&#39;t have such a law where you live? No one will refill the expired tank. Date code is stamped on the tank valve guard. I hope you are not compromising your safety issue.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

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