Tank Nanny - Propane Tank Safety

The Tank Nanny is one of those simple inventions that's been on my mind for awhile now. I'm always amazed when I come a across a product that solves a problem I didn't even realize I was having until I see it. The Tank Nanny makes sense and I love it.

Tank Nanny is the brainchild of Earl Cogswell, Jr. He came up with the idea while working at his father-in-law’s Dick’s Power Equipment in Hanover, MA. Earl saw customers refilling propane tanks and then trying to prop up the tank in their back seat by using whatever they had on hand. He knew there had to be a better solution and the answer turned out to be the tank nanny

The story itself is inspiring because it's about a guy who invented an item to fill a specific need and then pushed it to market through family effort and good ole hard work. It's the kind of thing we all like to hear about and hope for a lot of success for the "little guy".

If you ask yourself how do you get that propane tank refill home safely, then you will immediately understand the value of the Tank Nanny. I mean, do you prop it up in the back seat and let it tumble around on your groceries or even the kids? Is it even safe to do that?

The Tank Nanny will prevent propane tanks from rolling over or tipping during transportation. I'm not really sure how I've gotten away with just throwing my propane tank in the trunk and pretending it's not dangerous, but honestly I just thought that's the way it was done. Propane safety is important and now that this simple solution has arrived there is no reason to chance it. The 20″ sturdy plastic device allows you to buckle in your tank for stability and safety. It's been tested at 35 miles per hour emergency stopping speed and has proven to be solid and stable.

Even though having a propane tank rolling around a vehicle could be hazardous, my guess is that most people will buy the Tank Nanny just to reduce the mess involved with tank refills. Think about how gross our tanks get after a few months of use. The bottom gets rusty and grease from drippings traps dirt and grime. Keeping that off your upholstery, carpet and whatever or whomever you are transporting is a major plus.

So it now becomes very easy to transport propane storage tanks because the Tank Nanny has no screws or bolts and there is no assembly required. It weighs less than 5lbs and measures 20 inches by 20 inches and is 9 inches deep so it won't take up a lot of room inside a vehicle. To me it looks like a big dog bowl but you don't have to worry about tipping it.

One of the cool features is that the Tank Nanny is made from recycled plastic and the company is donating a tree for every unit they sell. I'm no tree hugger or anything but cutting down on the production of new plastics and helping to repair the environment is a great idea and the fact that a small company would go to this expense is very impressive to me.

Anyway, if you think about how we are using propane these days, then the idea of transporting it safely becomes obvious. Besides grilling at the house you see propane tanks hooked up to RV's and powering outdoor lighting equipment. You see hundreds of propane tanks while tailgating at a football game and just count the tanks you see on these new portable grills next time you are at the beach. I've even seen tanks powering welding and other things on construction sites and they all need to be transported somehow.  It's crazy to think of all the people who've had to try and secure propane tanks over the years yet nobody has thought of the tank nanny until now.

The Tank Nanny is still pretty new and there aren't many tank nanny reviews online but the ones I've read are very positive. I've yet to see any complaints and I concur with the opinion that this is a great product. Obviously I don't use mine every day and I'm not one of those who is going to lug around a grill to sporting events or picnics, but I do use my propane grill a lot during the warmer months.

I'm on my third refill trip of the year and I've had no worries or problems to date. One of the cool thinks I figured out when I left the tank nanny in the back seat for a while is that it is great to put groceries in. You can put a few of those plastic bags that spill all over the trunk right into the tank nanny.

I figured out another trick during my recent obsession with the new Chinese Restaurant which opened near my house. The tank nanny is perfect for keeping the food from spilling during transport. No more leaks on my floor after stopping short. This particular place use styrofoam to go boxes which are not well sealed. They stack them and put them in a paper bag so keeping the whole thing upright is key.

Keeping the Tank Nanny in the backseat full-time is not really an option for me personally but for those who can, the Tank Nanny will become useful for a lot more than just propane tanks.

If you want to Buy a Tank Nanny, you'll have to order it online. I'm not aware of any stores carrying them yet, but I imagine it won't be long before they start turning up. But for now, here's some of the places you can find it online.