Why Soviet fuel cans had three handles: not everyone knows this

In old family garages, you can still find such an artifact of the Soviet era as a 20-liter metal canister with three handles. It is quite convenient for storing various kinds of liquids, but incomprehensible from a logical point of view.

OBOZ.UA tried to figure out why such canisters were made with several handles at once. The explanation turned out to be quite practical.

Soviet engineers stole the design of the container from the Germans during World War II. The Müller company had been producing such canisters for the Wehrmacht troops since 1939. They used stamped steel, which is strong and reliable, but not the lightest material in itself. And when as much as 20 liters of liquid were poured inside, the container became extremely heavy.

Such canisters were used to store various materials for the needs of the army - from fuel for vehicles to technical and drinking water. A strong lever lock kept the liquid from leaking.

A full canister was usually carried by two people. To make it convenient, an unusual handle was designed for the canister. Two side handles allowed two people to easily grab the container and not push each other while carrying it. The middle one is convenient to grip when one person is carrying an empty canister. The pragmatic German approach worked brilliantly here.

By the way, the design of this canister turned out to be so successful that it is still in production today. You can buy a brand new metal container at markets or online marketplaces.

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