The best trash cans

Your trash can doesn’t have to look like the garbage you put in it. It can be functional, well-designed, and beautiful.
The best trash can that’s stylish, practical, and sturdily built is the Simplehuman Rectangular Step Trash Can. You can fit the Simplehuman can tightly against the wall, and its excellent built-in bag dispenser makes it easy to change the bag.

When preparing to decorate your kitchen, paint colors, countertop materials, and appliances sit at the forefront of your thought process. When making these decisions, you’ll almost feel like you’re starring on a home decorating show. But the selection of the trash can for the kitchen? Not quite as exciting or sexy. On the home decorating shows, the decision about a garbage can occurs during commercial breaks.

This normally marks the point in this type of article where I’d now try to convince you that your pick of the best garbage can deserves as much decorating attention as your choice of countertop. However, I won’t insult your intelligence. We all know it doesn’t.

Still, selecting the best trash can for inside your home does require a little bit of thought. Focus on the aspect of the trash can that those home decorating shows tend to gloss over – practicality. You’ll be using your trash can several times per day, and it should fit your needs at least as much as it fits your décor. Practical isn’t always pretty, after all.

Here are our top picks for the best trash cans:

The best overall

The sturdy and sleek Simplehuman Rectangular Step Trash Can looks great in any home with its high-quality construction and practical design.

Trash cans that offer a sharp look, a sturdy construction, and high-quality materials aren’t easy to find. So the fact that the Simplehuman Rectangular Step Trash Can ranks near the top of the market in all three of these categories earns it our best overall pick. This simple stainless steel step trash can is both attractive and practical. We also love the dual-compartment version with space for trash and recyclables, which we reviewed in detail on Insider Picks and also recommend later in this guide.

Simplehuman’s durability and odor-minimizing design allow its trash cans to easily outperform every other option on the market.

This Simplehuman trash can comes in stainless steel, white steel, black steel, rose gold, brass, and dark bronze finishes, all of which give this model an impressive look. However, the finish can wear off the can's shell overtime or with rough handling.

It's available in 30-, 45-, and 55-liter volumes, which makes finding proper sized garbage bags a challenge. A standard 13-gallon kitchen garbage can equal roughly 50 liters in volume. However, Simplehuman does offer custom liners that store inside the trash can, making them easy to grab after removing the previous bag. It's probably best to stick with those bags. Just be sure to check which type of liner will fit your trash can since Simplehuman makes many sizes - the Rectangular Step Trash Can uses Code M.

We're not the only ones who love Simplehuman's trash cans. Wirecutter likes this garbage can because it has a smooth hinge on the trash can with a lid that fits tightly to hold odors inside.

Overall, you just can't find a better trash can than this one by Simplehuman. In fact, several Simplehuman products made our list - they're that well-made.

Pros: Sturdy build with stainless steel construction, fits tightly against the wall, excellent hinge mechanism, tight-fitting lid holds in odors, multiple color finishes and sizes available

Cons: Odd capacity levels make finding bags difficult

The best affordable trash can

Foto: Source: Rubbermaid/Home Depot

The Rubbermaid Step-On Wastebasket has a very low price point, but it covers your most basic trash can needs.

If you're seeking simple and inexpensive over stylistic and long-lasting in your kitchen garbage can, the Rubbermaid Step-On Wastebasket is a good option. Like many Rubbermaid products, it has a durable plastic construction that outperforms other plastic kitchen trash cans. However, the plastic construction can't match the durability of a steel can over the long run, but it's much lighter should you need to move it.

Rubbermaid offers the Step-On Wastebasket in black plastic only, and its lack of lots of nooks and crannies makes it easy to clean. The lid fits tightly enough to keep most odors inside the trash can, but not enough to keep pets from gaining access, as Wirecutter discovered. Its stainless steel pedal makes it easy to open and gives it a bit more sturdiness than a plastic pedal. The lid also stays open even after you remove your foot, making it easier to change bags.

The low price point of this plastic trash can provides its biggest advantage versus steel cans.

Pros: Extremely low price, standard 13-gallon size, easy-to-clean plastic shell, step-on pedal for opening the lid, lid fits tightly enough to prevent odors from escaping

Cons: Not a long-lasting construction, plastic lid won't keep pets out of the garbage

The best touchless trash can

Foto: Source: iTouchless

If you loathe the idea of touching garbage or the trash can, the iTouchless Automatic Trash Can is built with you in mind.

If your kitchen garbage horrifies you to the point that you refuse to come close to touching the trash can, a touchless trash can with a motion sensor that opens the lid automatically is the answer. And our favorite model with this feature is the iTouchless Automatic Trash Can.

The iTouchless is built with longevity in mind. The lid mechanism's rating for 100,000 openings represents an impressive performance level, and the four D size batteries that operate the sensor will last at least one year. You can purchase a version of this can that runs from an AC adapter as well if you plan to place your trash can near an outlet.

The can has a carbon filter built into the shell, which excels at neutralizing odors. Aesthetically, it looks sharp with a stainless steel/black or stainless steel/platinum design.

The iTouchless can doesn't include an inner liner. Instead, you'll use a ring to hold the garbage bag in place. Unfortunately, in its review, Wirecutter says the real-world usage of this ring mechanism was a huge hassle.

Some issues with the sensor may arise overtime, but the most common issue had a simple fix - cleaning any grime off the sensor that may prevent it from detecting motion.

As with any high-tech appliance, there may be bugs, so just be aware of that if you spring for a touchless trash can. Regardless, this is the best touchless trash can you can buy.

Pros: Sharp-looking trash can, uses standard-sized 13-gallon trash bags, automatic sensor opens lid when you move near the garbage can, long-lasting lid mechanism, runs from battery or AC adapter

Cons: Some customers report the sensor breaking down, lack of liner may make swapping trash bags difficult

The best for tight spaces

Foto: Source: Simplehuman

If you have a tight space in which you'd like to store your garbage can, the Simplehuman Slim Open Top Trash Can provides a normal volume capacity in a thin can.

With a 10.7-inch width, the Simplehuman Slim represents one of the thinnest 13-gallon stainless steel garbage cans available on the market. So for those kitchens where space remains at a premium, a narrow garbage can works well.

With such a narrow can, the opening in the top of the can measures narrower than average, too, unfortunately. This means it's difficult to fit large objects into the garbage can without spilling. Fortunately, the brushed stainless steel or rose gold steel finishes on the Simplehuman Slim allows for an easy cleanup process.

One downside to this can is its lack of lid, meaning odors could easily spread into your kitchen. Additionally, pets can easily gain access to the garbage can, although the taller height of the can could make it more difficult for animals to tip the can and spill it.

Pros: Thin can fits well in narrow spaces, high-quality construction, sharp looking metal designs, narrow can offers common 13-gallon capacity, easy to clean garbage can shell

Cons: No lid to minimize odors

The best dual-compartment trash can

Foto: Source: Simplehuman/Facebook

If you want a trash can that doubles as a holder for recyclables, the Simplehuman Dual Compartment Rectangular Trash Can is the best one you can buy.

We love the Simplehuman Dual Compartment Trash Can. Insider Reviews Executive Editor Ellen Hoffman uses one in her small NYC apartment, and she says, "It's arguably the smartest purchase I've made for my home so far this year."

This 15-gallon trash can has two compartments: one for recyclables and another for trash. It's a good solution for the eco-friendly buyer who wants to recycle in style. The trash can comes in a sleek metal design and several color options.

"The trash can, for better or worse, is the first thing people see when they walk into my apartment, and my rose gold one from Simplehuman makes a pretty awesome first impression," We wrote in our review. "It's stylish (can I say that about a trash can?)."

It's also very practical. The two compartments make sorting and disposing of trash and recyclables easy, and the built-in bag dispenser ensures that you can simply replace the garbage bag without rummaging around your kitchen for more of them.

Simplehuman trash cans don't come cheap, and this one is certainly pricey, but as Hoffman points out, it has a 10-year warranty and Simplehuman will even repair your trash can if you have problems with it. All you have to do is register the can on Simplehuman's site.

If you're still not convinced, read our full review on Insider Picks.

Pros: Two compartments for trash and recyclables, stylish design, practical, easy to clean, built-in bag dispenser

Cons: Expensive

The best bathroom trash can

Foto: Source: Simplehuman

The unique center-split lid of the Simplehuman Butterfly Stainless Steel Step Trash Can is an interesting and functional design that stands apart from other options.

The double-flap lid that opens in the middle gives the Simplehuman Butterfly garbage can a really cool, almost futuristic design. You might expect a Star Wars-like ship to fly out of the can when the lid opens. Additionally, the stainless steel construction and the high-quality step pedal that's rated for 150,000 uses allow this Simplehuman can to stand up to rough treatment.

Simplehuman also makes a full-size version of this trash can if you prefer this design for your kitchen, but we like the 10-liter version for bathrooms. It tucks easily into a corner and keeps all your bathroom-related refuse sealed up tight.

As an added benefit for pet owners, the Dog Guide calls the Simplehuman Butterfly Trash Can one of the best garbage cans for thwarting dogs from opening it, thanks to its unique butterfly-style lid opening design.

Pros: Dual-flap lid opens with step pedal, lid's design gives the garbage can a futuristic look, high-quality materials used in can's construction, works great to thwart nosy pets

Cons: High price point, center-split lid design makes inserting large objects difficult

The best hideaway trash can

Foto: Source: RevAShelf

If even a sharp-looking garbage can doesn't convince you the trash can should be visible in your kitchen, the Rev-A-Shelf Pull-Out Waste Container slides in and out of a cabinet, hidden from view.

No matter how much a garbage can manufacturer attempts to beautify kitchen trash cans, there's always one problem: It's still a trash can, and everyone who sees it knows it's a trash can. If you hate the idea of having a garbage can visible inside your home, the Rev-A-Shelf Pull-Out Waste Container is a great idea.

You will have to dedicate a section inside a cabinet to this small garbage can. It uses a wire frame attached to roller bars to make sliding the Rev-A-Shelf trash can in and out of the cabinet easily. The trash can included in the Rev-A-Shelf system provides 35 quarts of volume (nearly nine gallons). The bracket system supports up to 100 pounds, an impressive level of sturdiness.

Pros: Garbage can hides in a cabinet, sliding mechanism makes moving garbage can back and forth easy, can remains out of reach of pets, shelf rated for 100 pounds of weight

Cons: Smaller than average garbage can volume, can may wobble inside bracket

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Foto: Source: O-Cedar