Propane is one of the most common fuels used to power household appliances, furnaces, grills, and more. Whether you’re using propane to heat your home or fuel your next campout, Sam’s Club is a great place to stock up on all your propane needs.
Contents
Propane Brands Available at Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club sells propane and propane tanks from the following brands…
- AmeriGas
- Coleman
- Worthington
As far as we can tell, all of the pre-filled and exchangeable propane tanks sold at Sam’s Club (the ones housed out front in the metal cages) are provided by AmeriGas. Coleman sells smaller propane cylinders through Sam’s Club which are designed for camp stoves, while Worthington sells new, empty propane tanks and cylinders, which can be filled anywhere that offers propane filling services.
However, if you’re looking to purchase a pre-filled propane tank or exchange an empty tank for a full one, then AmeriGas is your brand choice when shopping at Sam’s Club.
Some Sam’s Club locations even have self-serve propane exchange kiosks, provided by AmeriGas…
Because these kiosks are housed outside the store and do not require paying for your purchase at a Sam’s Club register, anyone can purchase AmeriGas propane at Sam’s Club without the need for a membership. However, if your location does not have a self-serve kiosk, you will need a membership to pay for your propane exchange inside the store.
Unfortunately not everyone has had great experiences with these AmeriGas kiosks at Sam’s Club. According to this Reddit user, the 5-gallon propane tanks aren’t reliably full…
How To Exchange Propane Tanks at Sam’s Club
Depending on which Sam’s Club location you visit, there are two main ways to exchange a propane tank–via a self-serve propane exchange kiosk or the old-fashioned way (which we’ll go over below).
To use a self-serve AmeriGas kiosk at Sam’s Club, simply bring your empty propane tank or tanks with you to the kiosk and follow the instructions on the screen. You will need to pay for your exchange with a credit or debit card (cash is not accepted).
Once your exchange has been paid for, the front of the kiosk will open and you will be able to deposit your empty tank and grab a fresh one. Full tanks are typically marked with blue plastic caps over the line connection. For a closer look at how to use an AmeriGas kiosk, check out this helpful video provided by AmeriGas.
To exchange a propane tank at Sam’s Club the old-fashioned way, follow these steps…
- Arrive at any Sam’s Club location that offers propane tank exchange with your empty tanks in your vehicle
- Head into the store and visit any register (if you have other shopping to do, wait until you have everything you need and then head to the checkout area as you normally would)
- Let your cashier know that you would like to pay for a propane tank exchange (if you have multiple tanks with you, let them know how many tank exchanges you need)
- The cashier will ring you up for the cost of your propane along with your other purchases
- After you’ve paid for your purchase and taken your other items out to your vehicle, grab your empty propane tanks and bring them to the front of the store where the propane cages are (typically located near the doors)
- A Sam’s Club employee will meet you there with a key to open the cage and hand you your new propane tanks
- To avoid having to carry the full propane tanks too far, you can pull up to the front of the store and park there temporarily while you load your propane into your vehicle
Keep in mind that this is the same process you’ll follow when purchasing a new propane tank. You do not have to have an empty propane tank to buy propane at Sam’s Club. If you need a propane tank, simply visit any Sam’s Club location that sells propane and let a cashier know you would like to purchase a new tank. The price for a new tank is about 30-50% more than the price of an exchange.
Pricing
Unfortunately, it’s hard to provide any reliable information about the price of propane at Sam’s Club. This is because propane prices are extremely volatile, just like gas and diesel prices. After all, propane is a petroleum product subject to the same politics and pricing regulations as other petroleum gas.
According to several unverified sources online, price estimates range from about $14 to about $21 per tank when you exchange a 5-gallon (20-lb) AmeriGas propane tank at Sam’s Club. If this is true, these prices are much lower than what you can find elsewhere. Propane tank exchanges can cost as much as $30 to $35 at other retailers.
Does Sam’s Club Refill Propane Tanks?
While Sam’s Club offers a convenient method for exchanging empty propane tanks for full ones, they do not refill propane tanks on site.
If you can find a location that offers propane tank refilling, this is often the least expensive way to load up on propane.
Stores With Propane Tank Refilling Services
If you’d rather refill your empty tanks that pay for an exchange, try visiting one of these retailers…
- Costco (propane refilling only available at select locations)
- U-Haul
- Tractor Supply Co.
- AmeriGas
FAQs
Does Sam’s Club carry small propane tanks?
Yes. You can purchase 16-oz Coleman Propane cylinders (popular for camping) from Sam’s Club here.
How long will two 20-lb propane tanks last?
This depends. Your propane tanks will deplete depending on how often you use them. For example, if your propane tanks power all of your home appliances and heating/cooling systems, two 20-lb tanks will run out quite quickly (approximately 1-2 weeks). However, if you only power one or two appliances with propane, or if you only use your tanks occasionally to power a grill or other freestanding appliance, they will last much longer.
Does Sam’s Club have a propane vending machine?
Some locations do, but not all. Check with your local Sam’s Club to find out if they have an automated propane exchange kiosk.
