Based on my experience and Art_'s as well, I think the bottom line is: if you pay for plastic pails, you've been royally had.

I have about 25 drywall pails, 10 motor/hydraulic oil pails, and half a dozen canola oil pails from a restaurant. Some scrounged from a recycling bin (I'm shameless) but most given to me for the asking. I separate "food grade" from "chemical grade" just to be on the safe side.

I think that a couple of dozen 5-gal pails, with some lids if possible, should be standard for any of us. They solve a whole bunch of practical problems. If you stack them vertically in a garage, their footprint is approx. 2 sq. ft.