Oil Vial Reviews

Over the years I have tried just about every oil vial on the market.  I would fill each vial with consecrated oil, attach it to my keychain, and carry it around for at least three months.  Here are my experiences with each type of oil vial:

Plastic Oil Vials

I tried both two of the plastic vials that we carry and had very different results. 

The one with the blue top (the Mira oil vial) looked slick and complimented my keychain nicely.  Aesthetically, it was the clear winner. However, after prolonged use, I found the top would somehow get loose and eventually unscrew itself to leak oil all over my pocket.  No matter how tight I screwed the top close, eventually after 3-5 weeks it would get loose, come off, and get oil everywhere.  After having this experience, you’ll notice I don’t offer these on the site anymore.

The second plastic oil vial is much more basic with a smaller footprint and a very simple design.  Not winning any beauty fairs, but easy to see how much oil is in the vial. Practical and easy, I had no issues with the plastic cracking or coming unscrewed in my pocket.  Actually one of my favorite oil vials to this day because I like to see what’s inside.

Plastic Oil Vial Pros:

• Easy to see your oil level
• Maintains oil integrity

Plastic Oil Vial Cons:

• More susceptible to cracking or breaking on hard impact
• Not winning any beauty contests

Metal Oil Vials: Aluminum, Brass

A classic. My first oil vial when I went on my mission was the silver aluminum oil vial that is still being sold today. It hasn’t changed a bit.

Despite the material difference and color, the aluminum and brass oil vials are the same.  They have the same form factor, they both have the black rubber O ring on the screw-top seal, and they are both pretty much indestructible.

Besides not being transparent, the only other drawback may be in the oil shelf life.  I say “may” because this only comes from once experience I had with my brass oil vial.  It had unused consecrated oil inside for over 2 years.  When I reopened the vial, the oil had gone bad.  It may just be the shelf life of olive oil, and/or the fact it was stored in a metal container. Without some experimenting, who really knows.

Metal Oil Vial Pros:

• Durability—almost impossible to break
• Reliability--Tried and proven over decades

Metal Oil Vial Cons:

• Can’t see the oil level
• Questionable life span of stored consecrated oil

Dual Case Interior Oil Containers: Glass, Plastic

The dual-case oil is a method that some people swear by.  And, in all honestly, it’s easy to see why.  When you have a vial within a vial, there’s really no way the inner vial is going to break or leak.  Simply put, it’s an added layer of protection. 

The outside case is usually made of metal or sometimes wood.  It can be as ornate or as simple as you want. The inside, however, houses the real oil vial.  That vial is usually made from glass or plastic. Both are nice since they give you visibility to the oil level once removed and aren’t going to come unscrewed in your pocket.

Having used several of these I can tell you I didn’t have any problems with either the glass or plastic. I prefer the glass because the plastic just feels cheap.  However, I found that I didn’t like doing twice the work: unscrewing the first one so I could remove and unscrew the second one.

Dual Case Oil Vial Pros:

• Definitely not going to leak oil into your pocket
• Gives you freedom to pick your style without compromising functionality

Dual Case Oil Vial Cons:

• Two vials equal twice the work to get to the oil
• Can’t see the interior container for oil level

Hybrid / Multifunctional

Trying to incorporate other useful, functional elements into an oil vial may see like a good idea, but it wasn’t.  In fact, we discontinued all the multi-functional oil vials we carried because they were simply too big and impractical.  Even the ones pictured that had an LED flashlight embedded become pretty much useless as cell phones filled that gap.

At the end of the day, I’m a fan of simplicity. I like the smallest and most simple oil vial that gets the job done.

Multifunctional Oil Vial Pros:

• Makes a good paper weight in addition to holding your oil and being a flashlight

Multifunctional Oil Vial Cons:

• Too large and bulky
• Distracts from the purpose of having an oil vial

Hopefully these personal oil vial reviews have helped you in your research for which oil vial is best for you. 

As always, any questions or comments are welcome below.