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If you live your life generating zero rubbish and recyclables, we salute you! For the 99.99% of the population that is the rest of us, we need places to put our refuse before taking it to the curb to magically disappear. We’ve picked our favourite bins for kitchens, bathrooms, patios, bedrooms, and dens. There’s a luxury motion sensor can and a trash compactor, as well as more practical plastic buckets that’ll do pretty much the same thing for a lot cheaper. If you’ve got stuff to get rid of, this guide’s for you.
Best trash compactor
How would you like to deal with just one bag of trash per collection cycle? This built-in compactor has a ram that smooshes your garbage down to around 20% of its original size, meaning less trips to your outdoor trash bin. Just tap the foot pedal to start the quick, whisper-quiet compacting cycle. And since it installs under the counter your trash is always hidden from view.
Best cabinet door garbage bin
This sturdy little in-cabinet bin drapes over a cabinet door and has a removable basket for easy removal and cleaning. It’s a bit small compared to some of our other options, but if you use Simplehuman’s fitted liners you should be able to maximize volume. And while you’ll probably need to make more trips to your outdoor bin, each load spends less time in your house, making it less likely to stink up the place.
Best all around kitchen can
This simple brushed metal (and smudge resistant) can is a great option for almost any kitchen. It’s big enough that you probably won’t need to empty it more than once or twice per collection cycle, and it comes in both wide and narrow models so you can choose one that fits your preferred space. The basket slides out easily, and the soft-close lid keeps clanging at a minimum.
Best motion sensor garbage can
This Simplehuman bin is equipped with a smart motion sensor that adapts to your environment, learning when to open and close the lid as you use it so that someone who’s just walking by won’t trigger it. A built-in storage space for liner bags ensures they’re always at hand when you need a new one, and the sleek semi-circular brushed metal design helps it blend in well with most modern kitchens.
Best doesn’t-look-like-a-trash-can
No matter how sleek and modern a trash can gets, some folks just don’t want it to be recognizable as such. Fair enough. Think about this tilt-out bin instead. It looks like a small island or narrow sideboard, complete with a little countertop and drawer above its bin compartment (a dual bin model is available as well). Consider it for kitchens, laundry rooms, and larger bathrooms.
Best vintage trash can
Your warm, lovingly appointed home would be poorly served by a cold brushed metal or utilitarian plastic can. But what about a vintage pedal bin? Made to look aged and worn in a hipster sort of way, it’s a good fit beside a desk in a lavish den or in bathrooms with claw tubs and pedestal sinks. It comes in a variety of faux rusts and rustic colours, including faded blue, green, grey, and white.
Best budget can
You’re not here to spend half your paycheque on a garbage can. You just need something that’ll hold the trash you generate until you get around to taking it outside. How about this $7 plastic marble-patterned refuse receptacle? Pair it with standard 12L liners, use an old shopping bag, or, if you expect it to only hold only dry items, let it go commando. You can always rinse it with a hose if necessary.
Best outdoor trash bin
Live life on your deck or patio? Then an outdoor trash can is essential. This tough resin Suncast bin with a faux-weave design is a good fit with most outdoor decor and big enough to receive a barbecue party’s worth of disposable items. It has a weighted bottom to help keep it in place during windstorms, and a latching lid to protect contents from curious critters. Get two and you’ll be able to keep trash and recyclables separate.
Best compost bin
If there’s a better indoor compost container than the pedal-operated Compost Genie, we haven’t seen it. It’s big enough to store a week’s worth of food waste, and the easily replaceable carbon filter helps keep odours from escaping during that time. Removable base pieces can be hand washed in a jiff, and fresh bags are automatically pulled up from the bottom as you remove full ones. Available in white, black, or silver finish.
Best dual trash/recycling can
Why bother with discrete cans for recycling and trash when you can have one can to rule them all? Simplehuman’s dual purpose refuse receptacle lets you sort garbage from recyclables as you go, storing them separately within a single, brushed metal body. It’s got a sleek metal pedal for hands-free use, a soft closing lid, and a recessed hinge that lets it open without touching the wall or cabinet behind.