Stainless may be harder at first, but practice with a roll you can sacrifice in daylight, and it will be faster and easier in the long run. I also think there is better flow of chemistry with the stainless reels.(posted 8583 days ago)The best tanks I've found are Kindermann. The new Kindermann tops are better than older ones or other types for quick filling and emptying. The old Nikor/Honeywell tanks with the metal tops look very impressive and are well made, but it's easier to remove a wet plastic top than a metal one.