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By Michael Sullivan and Ciara Murray Jordan Outdoor Wooden Trash Can
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.
May be out of stock
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.
May be out of stock
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.
metal outdoor trash can 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.