Bottles Vs Jars - What's the Difference Between Bottles and Jars?

Is a bottle or jar right for your application?

When choosing packaging for your product, you may find bottles and jars to be similar, however, there are instances where one option may be more suitable than the other. Utilizing the right container for the job is one of the first steps towards simplifying your processes, maintaining efficiency, and saving yourself a bit of effort. Today, we’ll help you understand the major differences between bottles and jars, so you can always get the most out of your packaging.

We've done business with tons of painters in our over 75 years of operation, and most of them just use metal paint cans as their go-to storage solution. However, we've found that those metal paint cans aren't always a one-size-fits-all. Our plastic bottles have been able to solve several painters' problems, and we'll tell you all about how.

1. Bottle Shape vs Jar Shape

Bottles typically have a narrow neck and mouth, making them taller than they are wide. Jars usually have a shorter neck, as well as a mouth that is the same width as the jar’s body, or close to it.

2. Mouth Opening Sizes and Closures

Bottles have a narrow opening designed for pouring liquids and small solids. This narrow bottle opening helps to seal liquids tightly, keeping them fresh longer. This is especially useful for storing perishable liquids like drinks.

The most widely used bottles with neck sizes ranging from 18mm-28mm include: Boston Rounds, Cylinders, Carafes and Cosmo Round Bullets. Additionally, 33mm-53mm bottles such as the French Squares, Cylinders, Packers, Industrial Jugs and F-Styles are designed for thicker products and solids, like pharmaceuticals or food ingredients and spices.

Bottle closures include: continuous thread caps, child resistant, tamper evident, lug twist caps and dispensing caps such as misters, triggers, pumps, droppers, flip-top, snap top, and spout caps to name a few.

Jars have a wider opening to accommodate solid and thick liquid items. This allows users to either pour or scoop out the product inside. This wider opening has much more surface area, enabling jars to stack on top of one another. Stackability is a major benefit for jars, since it allows for more efficiency in storage.

Jar necks come in a variety of sizes and depending on the diameter and size of the container. The most common jars are: Straight-Sided, Double Wall, Thick-Wall, General-Purpose Wide Mouth jars, and Mason Jars.

For jars, plastic and metal standard continuous thread cap or metal lug twist cap options are based on the neck thread finish and jar material. Plastic continuous thread caps also have options such as stacking rings and dispensing flaps.

3. Common Applications for Bottles and Jars

Bottles and jars are used across dozens of industries, for hundreds of purposes. There are some situations where bottles are more advantageous, and some where jars are the better choice. 

Some main contributing factors are typically: 

1. The thickness/viscosity of the product
2. The end-purpose (consumer packaging, long-term storage, manufacturing, etc.)
3. Aesthetics/style of the desired packaging

Some applications for glass/plastic bottles and jars include:

• Food: sauces, salsa, marinades, dressings, condiments, honey, spice, syrup, oils, vinegar, canned goods, jams & jellies, candies, and snacks.
• Beverages: beer, wine, liquor, coffee, tea, juice, dairy, and energy drinks.
• Personal Health & Beauty: soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, sun care, shaving cream, beard oil, serum, face & eye creams, scrubs, oils, masks.
• Pet Care: food, treats, flea & tick care, vitamins, shampoo, supplements, tinctures.
• Home and auto care: chemicals, cleaners, solvents, detergents, fragrances, candles, sanitizers, pest control, fertilizer.
• CBD & Cannabis: oils, tinctures, capsules, lotions, creams, flower, edibles.
• Nutraceuticals & Pharmaceuticals: capsules, tablets, syrups, vitamins, topical creams, ointments, lotions, sanitizers, food supplements, oils & extracts, essential oils.

Still need help finding the right bottle or jar for your application?

At BASCO, our continued goal is to provide a completely comprehensive selection of plastic drums, pails, IBCs, and small packaging to the United States. If you’ve browsed our selection of containers, and you were unable to find the perfect packaging for your application, please feel free to reach out! We have over 75 years of experience in the industry, and we’d be more than happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. We stock our products nationwide, so whether you’re in New York or California, we can provide fast and efficient shipping, directly to your front door.

We know our containers, and we want to help you know them too. If this article didn’t answer all of your questions, give us a call or email and ask!

Contact BASCO today, and we can succeed together.