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By Michael Sullivan and Ciara Murray Jordan Steel Corner Profile
We’ve added two new picks: a dual-compartment trash can and a stylish trash can. Our other picks remain the same.
We hear a lot of trash talk. But not a lot of talk about trash. Nobody likes to take it out, but a good receptacle can make the task less of a slog.
We’ve tested dozens of kitchen trash cans since 2014, and we recommend the Simplehuman Rectangular Step Can. It makes tossing garbage easy, replacing bags painless, and cleaning a cinch.
Generic garbage bags fit well in this step can, which has a tight-fitting lid and keeps odors to a minimum.
This plastic trash can held bags more securely than most of the other, less expensive bins we tested.
This under-counter trash can is sturdy, and it glides easily on its pull-out track. It comes pre-assembled, and installing it is a no-brainer.
This small trash can sits securely on a cabinet door and frees up space in a snug kitchen.
This sleek trash can holds two bins of equal size, so you can dedicate one to trash and the other to recycling.
Colorful, cute, and classic, this trash can is as much decor as it is a functional, floor space–saving bin.
We put hard-boiled eggs and weeks-old tinned fish in each can and left them in an enclosed room for a sniff test.
You shouldn’t need custom bags for your trash can. We made sure we could fit standard garbage bags in each of our picks.
We liked bins that were manageable to clean—removable inner buckets were a big plus.
We looked for bins made of durable, rodent-proof materials with tight-sealing lids to ward off fruit flies.
Generic garbage bags fit well in this step can, which has a tight-fitting lid and keeps odors to a minimum.
The 10-gallon Simplehuman Rectangular Step Can makes fitting, hiding, and removing a standard trash bag easier than with most other cans we’ve tested. (Don’t be deterred by the custom-fit bags Simplehuman sells for its trash cans. Most models fit regular trash bags just fine.)
The lid opens smoothly, without smacking the wall behind it, and it can be locked open so you can toss in scraps while you cook. If a garbage bag breaks and leaks, the plastic insert on this can will catch the mess and make cleanup easier. The Rectangular Step Can is backed by a 10-year warranty.
This plastic trash can held bags more securely than most of the other, less expensive bins we tested.
The 13-gallon Rubbermaid Step-On Trash Can is the best trash can we’ve tested for under $30. Two plastic arms on the rim of the can hold bags securely in place and out of sight, and the black plastic exterior hides stains well. This can lacks some of the features we like in our other picks—such as a removable liner, a weighted base, and a lid that won’t hit the wall when opened—but for a basic, no-frills can, it gets the job done.
This under-counter trash can is sturdy, and it glides easily on its pull-out track. It comes pre-assembled, and installing it is a no-brainer.
We recommend the 30-liter Simplehuman Under-Counter Pull-Out Can if you don’t have room for a free-standing trash can, or if you prefer your trash bin to be tucked out of the way. This can sits in a sturdy metal frame that doesn’t wobble, and it glides smoothly on its track. The track comes pre-assembled, and it takes only eight screws to mount it to the base of your cupboard. Plus, the whole thing comes with a generous five-year warranty.
The main downside is that this bin doesn’t have a lid, which means you’ll need to take out your trash more frequently to prevent it from smelling or attracting pests.
This small trash can sits securely on a cabinet door and frees up space in a snug kitchen.
The compact, 10-liter Simplehuman In-Cabinet Can is even smaller than the Simplehuman pull-out can, for those who don’t generate a lot of trash and who need something tucked out of the way. It hooks snugly over a cupboard door and fits plastic grocery bags, 2.6-gallon trash bags, and 8-gallon trash bags (albeit not as neatly). Unlike the pull-out can, the In-Cabinet Can has a lid to contain odors and deter pests. It’s best suited for small households or for those who take their garbage out frequently. This can comes with a five-year warranty.
This sleek trash can holds two bins of equal size, so you can dedicate one to trash and the other to recycling.
The Brabantia Bo Step On Trash Can has two 8-gallon compartments, so you can collect your trash and your recycling in the same bin. Each section has an inner bucket for easy cleaning and trash removal, and the lid contains stinky smells extremely well. Though this bin is about nine inches wider than our top pick, it’s not massive, nor is it an eyesore.
It’s extremely sturdy, even when empty, and a pet would need some muscle to budge it. Despite that, it’s still easy to move around, thanks to handles on each side. The bin is pricey, but it solves two waste storage problems in one. It’s also covered by a 10-year warranty.
Colorful, cute, and classic, this trash can is as much decor as it is a functional, floor space–saving bin.
The 8-gallon Brabantia NewIcon Step On Trash Can turns something widely detested (trash) into something mildly charming—visually, at least. It fits standard trash bags, has an inner bucket, seals in stinky smells, and, best of all, it comes in a wide range of colors. Its cylindrical shape makes it well-suited to corners (or other empty spaces), and its 11.5-inch diameter is great for those low on square footage. This bin is covered by a 10-year warranty.
Associate staff writer Ciara Murray Jordan has faced more than her fair share of trash can mishaps, including nasty spills, many maggots, and—once—a mouse crawling up her arm. As such, she understands the need for one that’s solid, effective, and easy to clean. This guide also builds off the work of senior staff writer Michael Sullivan and writer Kevin Purdy.
After testing trash cans since 2014 and speaking with numerous experts, we’ve found a number of factors that make some cans better than others. Here are the features we focused on when selecting which trash cans to test:
Opening mechanism: One of the first things to consider when buying a trash can is how you want to access it. We tested step cans, touch-top cans, lift-top cans, in-cabinet cans, and automatic cans. We chose not to test cans with swing-top, butterfly, or fold-in lids because they don’t seal tightly and the lids tend to get dirty more frequently.
Durable materials: According to our experts, stainless steel bins with tight-fitting lids are best for keeping pets and pests at bay, as it’s one of the only materials they can’t chew through. We also avoided models with sharp edges. According to Matt Frye, PhD, an extension educator for Cornell University and New York State Integrated Pest Management, “Even with stainless steel, if there’s an edge, [rodents] have very strong mouths and can just bend it.” While we prioritized stainless steel bins for testing, we also included some plastic options in the budget category.
Fits standard bags: We primarily tested full-size trash cans, which are typically 8 gallons (30 liters), 10 gallons (38 liters), or 13 gallons (49 liters). Some manufacturers sell custom-fit bags with their trash cans (looking at you, Simplehuman and Brabantia). We think that’s silly, so we made sure all of our picks could fit standard US trash bags.
Easy to clean: Even securely held bags can break, tear, or leak inside a trash can, so we searched for bins that would be manageable to clean. Some trash cans had a maze of channels and indentations that were a nightmare to clean, and we ruled those out quickly. We prefer cans with removable inner bins, which makes them far easier to clean.
Tight-sealing: We looked for trash cans with tight-sealing lids and minimal gaps, to keep odors in and fruit flies out. While most bins have some kind of cutout for handles, or openings on the bottom of the can, we did our best to find models with minimal gaps or holes. We also included lidless in-cabinet models to provide an option for under-sink storage.
Sturdy but easy to move: For step cans in particular, we wanted to find models that would be heavy enough to remain in place when you open them but light enough to move around your kitchen.
Not an eyesore: A trash can doesn’t have to look like a luxury appliance, but it also shouldn’t be unsightly if it’s going to be on full display in your kitchen. We avoided cans that were overly stylized or just plain ugly.
Accessibility: Many manufacturers will advertise their cans as “ADA-compliant.” However, according to Richard Hunt, an expert in the law of accessible design, ADA standards only apply to built-in architectural elements and don’t cover standalone trash cans. This means that trash cans advertised as “ADA-compliant” have not been certified by an official agency. As such, we didn’t hold much weight in this label and instead looked to the feedback of our testers for notes on accessibility.
To test our trash cans, we started by looking at how easy they were to use. For models that had a foot pedal, we pressed it with a variety of forces and from different angles. If the trash can had a lid, we watched to see whether it had a controlled opening and closing mechanism, or if it hit the wall behind it.
We fit each of the full-size models we tested with an 8-, 10-, or 13-gallon trash bag (depending on the size of the can) to see how securely they fit. We dumped a 40-pound bag of sandbags into each trash can to see whether the weight would cause the liner bag to slip down. We then pulled out the full liner bag out to see if it got caught or was difficult to remove.
To see how easy they were to clean, we wiped down the trash cans inside and out with spray cleaner and paper towels. We also knocked the trash cans over to see if any lids remained closed (nearly all of them flew open).
Finally, we put our finalists through a stink test to see how well they could contain smells. We put hard-boiled eggs and weeks-old canned fish in each, closed the lid, and left them (one at a time) in an enclosed room for a few days to marinate.
We also asked a group of paid testers—which included people with limited mobility or dexterity, and people over the age of 65—to use our finalists and provide feedback on their experience.
We tested the small in-cabinet trash can we recommend separately, and the procedure was a bit different. We installed it in an under-sink cabinet and used it daily for several months.
Generic garbage bags fit well in this step can, which has a tight-fitting lid and keeps odors to a minimum.
We’ve recommended the Simplehuman Rectangular Step Can since 2014, and though it’s evolved slightly over the years, it continues to outperform the competition due to several ingenious features. A removable inner bin keeps trash bags hidden in the can and makes it easy to clean up garbage leaks. The lid opens and shuts smoothly and silently, tightly sealing in odors. We also love the ridge inside the can that allows you to prop up the inner bin while changing a bag, and the small switch that allows you to lock the lid open for longer cleanup jobs. The cherry on top: This can also comes with an impressive 10-year warranty.
It has an inner bucket. If a trash bag breaks or leaks, the interior bucket comes to the rescue. It’s a simple plastic liner that catches any gross trash juices and protects the outer metal can.
And because the inner bucket is lightweight, it’s easy to take it to the backyard or tub to hose down if you need to. The interior bucket is also handy for those times when your trash is so heavy that carrying the bag solo is too dicey. You can pull the entire bucket out and carry it to your trash drop without the risk of the bag breaking or leaking.
It fits standard-size bags securely. Though Simplehuman sells expensive custom-fit bags for this trash can, most 10- or 13-gallon drawstring bags fit perfectly. The bucket will also fit four-corner or twist-tie bags, but the fit won’t be quite as tight.
A clever design feature also makes fitting bags easy: You can prop the bucket up on a ridge inside the can so that it’s easy to secure a bag around the rim. Any excess can be tucked into a hole on the back of the bucket. The bags we put in this can fit tightly and securely, even after we weighed them down with a 40-pound bag.
The lid mechanism operates smoothly. The opening and closing mechanism on the Simplehuman Rectangular Step Can is smooth and controlled. The lid won’t hit the wall, even when the trash can is placed directly against it, and a damper prevents the lid from slamming shut.
It seals well. There are no gaps between the lid and the inner bucket, which helps control smells and deter fruit flies.
It’s stable. The Rectangular Step Can is nicely weighted and won’t slide around when you press the foot pedal. Only the most persistent dogs would be able to knock it over. When you do need to move the bin around your kitchen, a handle cutout in the back of the can makes it easier to pick up.
It’s great for big jobs. The wide mouth on the Rectangular Step Can allows you to easily empty a large bowl or cutting board loaded with scraps into the bucket. If you need to keep the lid open, a handy red switch in the rear corner allows you to lock the lid in its upright position.
The Rectangular Step Can is covered by a 10-year warranty, and Simplehuman also sells replacement parts. We recommend the 10-gallon version of this trash can, but it’s also available in a smaller, 8-gallon size or a larger, 13-gallon size.
It’s not totally gap-free. The handle cutout in the top rear of the Rectangular Step Can makes this model easier to move, but it also has the potential to leak smells and let in pests. However, we found that the scent was well-contained in our stinky trash test when the can was placed against a wall (thus covering the gap). The inner bucket also covers the handle opening, so unless you put your nose up to it, you’re unlikely to detect any scent.
This plastic trash can held bags more securely than most of the other, less expensive bins we tested.
Trash cans can be surprisingly expensive, and not everyone wants to invest in their garbage. If a low price is a priority, we recommend the Rubbermaid Step-On Trash Can, which stands out in an endless field of otherwise flimsy trash cans typically found in this price range (though it does lack the finer features of our top pick).
Plastic arms keep the bags secure. The hinged arms on the Rubbermaid’s rim help keep bags hidden, and they were extremely effective at preventing the bag from slipping in our weighted bag test.
To fit a bag on the can, you lift the arms, tuck the bag around them, then lower them onto the rim of the can. The lid sometimes fell while we were trying to get the bag on, but after a few attempts we got the hang of it. The arms work better with drawstring bags, but other bag styles work too.
It has a wide opening. The mouth on the Rubbermaid is 17 inches wide, so you won’t have any trouble scraping trimmings off a cutting board directly into the can.
It has a well-fitting lid. The Rubbermaid’s lid completely covers the bin, unlike other budget trash cans we tested. In fact, the Rubbermaid’s lid sealed in stinky trash smells as well as our top pick.
But the lid doesn’t lock open. While it can stay propped open for long prep or cleaning tasks, it doesn’t lock like the lid on the Simplehuman Step Can. If you bump the bin slightly, the lid will most likely shut. The lid also doesn’t open as smoothly as the lid on the Simplehuman can and will hit the wall behind it if it’s placed too close.
It’s lighter than our pick. The Rubbermaid moves minimally when you press the foot pedal, especially for a lightweight plastic can. However, it’s not weighted like our other picks, so there’s still a chance a toddler or pet could tip it over when it’s nearly empty.
It lacks an inner bucket. As is typical for garbage cans in this price range, the Rubbermaid doesn’t have a removable inner bucket. But while the bottom of the bin isn’t flat, it’s smooth enough to clean without much hassle.
It hides stains. The black plastic exterior doesn’t show stains, which was a problem we encountered with white plastic bins. But it will still show dust and needs to be wiped down occasionally.
Unlike the other cans we recommend, which are covered by generous, five- or 10-year warranties, the Rubbermaid is covered by only a one-year warranty. But that’s to be expected with a can at this price level.
This under-counter trash can is sturdy, and it glides easily on its pull-out track. It comes pre-assembled, and installing it is a no-brainer.
If you’re looking for a trash can to keep under the sink, we recommend the 30-liter Simplehuman Under-Counter Pull-Out Can. It’s a great option if you’re tight on floorspace or you prefer keeping your garbage bin out of sight, and it’s the best pull-out model we tested thanks to its durable metal frame and sturdy, smooth-gliding track. Just keep in mind that this can doesn’t have a lid.
There’s minimal setup. Unlike the Rev-A-Shelf trash can we tested, the Simplehuman Under-Counter Pull-Out Can requires no assembly and only eight screws to be fastened to the bottom of your cabinet. Just be sure to measure the dimensions of your cabinets first to ensure that the roughly 18-by-10-inch track will fit, and note that if you have a face frame on your cabinets, you’ll have to mount the track to a piece of wood that’s the same height as the frame in order for the bin to slide over it.
The track is strong. The track for the Simplehuman Under-Counter Pull-Out Can is very stable and can hold the weight of the trash can filled to capacity. The well-constructed frame doesn’t wobble like the thin metal frame on the Rev-A-Shelf does.
It’s effortless to use. The wide handle is easy to grab, and the trash can slides smoothly on its track. The 8-gallon plastic bin is easy to remove from the frame for cleaning and fits generic 10- or 13-gallon drawstring bags perfectly, so there’s no reason to spend more on Simplehuman’s pricier bags.
The Under-Counter Pull-Out Can comes with a five-year warranty. Simplehuman also sells a two-compartment under-counter can, which has an additional bin for recycling.
This small trash can sits securely on a cabinet door and frees up space in a snug kitchen.
If your kitchen is too tiny for a full-size trash can, or if you don’t generate much trash, we recommend getting the small, 10-liter Simplehuman In-Cabinet Can, which attaches snugly to a cupboard door with a simple hook.
It doesn’t require assembly. The In-Cabinet Can has a sturdy metal frame that attaches to a cabinet door with a foam-lined hook, so it requires no installation or assembly. If you want, you can also mount it to the door with a single screw to keep it stable when opening and closing the cupboard, but it’s not necessary.
The hook is ⅞-inch wide, so you should measure the thickness of your cabinet doors first to be sure it will fit. And keep in mind that if you have narrow cabinets, you may have to slide the frame closer to the door hinges for it to clear the opening.
It has a lid. Unlike many other in-cabinet bins, this can has a flip-top lid for containing odors and deterring fruit flies. You have to open the lid manually, but it props open for longer cleaning and prep tasks. At 11 inches wide, the opening is on the narrow side, so it can be more challenging to scrape trimmings into the bin from a wide cutting board.
It fits standard trash bags. This bin fits 2.6-gallon trash bags (or Simplehuman’s custom Code R bags) and regular plastic grocery bags. It can also fit 8-gallon trash bags, though the edges will need to be tucked under the rim.
Like the pull-out bin we recommend, the In-Cabinet Can comes with a five-year warranty.
This sleek trash can holds two bins of equal size, so you can dedicate one to trash and the other to recycling.
The Brabantia Bo Step On Trash Can allows you to consolidate your garbage and recycling into one reasonably sized trash can. This can is sleek, sturdy, and covered by a generous 10-year warranty. But it is expensive.
It has two equal-size bins. The inside of the Brabantia Bo Step On Trash Can has two separate compartments, each 8 gallons (30 liters). That’s on the smaller side for a kitchen trash can, so this can is best for those who take out the trash often or who don’t generate too much of it in the first place.
It’s streamlined. Though it’s wider than our other picks, the Brabantia Bo Step Can does not look much larger than a typical trash can. The design is simple and elegant, and like Brabantia’s other bins, available in multiple colors. It also has cutout-style handles on both sides of the bin, which make it surprisingly easy to move around.
It has inner buckets. Both sides of the bin have identical inner buckets that can be lifted out for easy cleaning or trash removal, a feature that is particularly helpful for recycling in case you don’t want to use a bag, or you want extra support for carrying heavy, delicate items like glass bottles.
You can use standard bags. Like Simplehuman, Brabantia makes custom-fit bags, but both compartments can fit standard trash bags (we’ve found that drawstring bags fit better). Any excess around the edges is hidden by the lid. The bags didn’t slip in our heavy bag displacement test, and they were easy to remove, though you can also pull out the inner bucket for easier removal and re-lining.
It’s sturdy. The Brabantia Bo Step Can was among the least wobbly trash cans we tested, even when empty. An inquisitive pet would find it hard to knock over, especially if placed against a wall. The step pedal is responsive and easy to press, and the lid closes smoothly.
The lid can lock open. Like our top pick, the Brabantia Bo Step Can has a small red switch on the inside, which keeps the lid open for longer tasks, but it’s harder to push than the Simplehuman’s.
It contains smells. It had some of the best results in our stink test. It sat in a closed room for four days with three-week-old tinned salmon and hard-boiled eggs, and there was not even a trace of stink in the room (but removing the bag was like opening Pandora’s box).
But it’s pricey. At over $200, this trash can is no small investment. While we think the build, practicality, and generous 10-year warranty can account for the price tag, it’s still a lot.
Colorful, cute, and classic, this trash can is as much decor as it is a functional, floor space–saving bin.
Aesthetics are generally not the first thing that comes to mind when people think of trash cans. But the Brabantia NewIcon Step On Trash Can garnered multiple oohs and aahs in our office, with its bright color and smooth, nearly seamless surfaces. Its cylindrical shape and modest footprint make it a good option for small spaces, though you’ll have to take out the trash a bit more often.
It’s pretty enough to display. The Brabantia NewIcon Step On Trash can is both modern and cute, with a classic, cylindrical design. It comes in a wide range of colors, and a slightly rounded lid adds to its streamlined look. This isn’t a trash can you need to hide from view—in fact, you may even give it a place of honor in your kitchen.
Steel Sculpture Art It fits small kitchens. With an 11.5 inch diameter, the NewIcon has the smallest footprint of all of the trash cans we tested. If you have limited floor space, it may be easier to find a spot for it. And because the NewIcon is round, it also fits nicely in a corner.