The Best Trash Cans for 2022

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It’s really time to upgrade your trash can situation if it smells or is often overflowing with waste. Garbage and overflowing waste bins are a recipe for breeding insects, bacteria, and pests. Making sure you have a trash can that adequately holds waste and keeps odors at bay is a vital part of everyday hygiene, especially when they are placed in kitchens and living or workspaces. Flies frequenting your trash can are the same ones hovering over your roast chicken — yuck.

Having a trash can that is easy on the eyes can make your space more inviting. Bins that unabashedly make a “this is a place for garbage” statement, much less so. From recycling and odor elimination to aesthetic appeal, the top trash cans for 2022 take everything into account to help solve your garbage problems. Taking both functionality and design into consideration, these are our top choices.

Top Picks

Best overall: iTouchless Trash Can

It’s not hard to tell why this smart trash can is on top of our list. Powered by batteries or an AC adaptor, the lid opens and closes automatically, meaning you won’t have to touch it while working with food. Not only is it a great feature in terms of hygiene, but it also keeps the bin’s exterior clean and fingerprint free. It gets even better too. This option has an odor-absorbing filter that neutralizes and absorbs odors to keep your space smelling fresh. The sleek, rectangular design can also add a stylish look to your kitchen, perfectly providing everything you need from a waste bin. We chose this product as the best overall on this list because of its touchless operation and aesthetic value.

Key Features:

Easy cleaning: Simplehuman Trash Can

The Simplehuman Trash Can has two compartments, making it ideal to use for household waste and recycling. This option features a bin-liner pocket for easy interior liner changes that are dispensed one by one. The liners are securely held in place and out of sight, ensuring your trash can always looks sleek and neat. The lid opens with a sturdy base pedal so you never have to touch the trash can with your hands while cooking and risk germ contamination. Just in case your fingers do make their way onto the bin though, this product does feature a fingerprint-proof coating for easier cleaning.

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Key Features:

• Material: Brushed, stainless steel

• Customized trash bags fit inside the liner pocket

• Silent lid closure

Elite design: Ninestars Trash Can

This touchless trash can from Ninestars works with an infrared sensor that automatically opens the lid when your hand passes within 10 inches of the top. The lid will stay open as long as your hands are in the range of the sensor and after three seconds of moving away, the lid will automatically close. The sleek, fingerprint-resistant design is ideal for kitchens, offices, dorms, and bedrooms. To help keep it looking tidy, this product also has a ring liner for storing trash bags neatly tucked inside and out of sight.

Key Features:

Compact design: Home Zone Trash Can

Although its standout feature is the dual-compartment design that’s ideal for recycling, there are a lot of other great things to love about this trash can. This option has a slim shape, allowing it to fit comfortably around corners or into tight spaces. This bin also has a step pedal along a narrow front base for opening it. Each compartment’s interior features a bag-tuck band to keep bags securely positioned and out of sight for a nice, tidy look. Since the interior compartments hold different capacities, you can dedicate them to recycling or general household waste according to your household’s needs.

Key Features:

Perfect for offices: Amazon Basics Trash Can

We like this option for offices since it’s budget-friendly and comes in smaller sizes that are ideal for office papers and less bulky items. It also has a sleek, rectangular design that’s perfect for professional space, and the interior houses a removable, heavy-duty plastic bucket for easy waste disposal. This bin opens using a manual foot lever so you won’t have to open and close it with your hands, helping keep it clean and your hands germ-free.

Key Features:

How to find your next trash can: A buyer’s guide

Putting a little thought into purchasing a trash can goes a long way when it comes to managing household or workplace garbage. Although cheaper options may suit your business budget better, they won’t do much for your work environment or your health. For example, plastic open-top bins may seem like a bargain but unless all you’re using them for is paper, they won’t hide odors, will draw pests, and can spread disease-causing bacteria. Plus, no one wants to see (or smell!) decomposing banana peels, used tissues, and old tea bags mingling.

Choosing a trash can that’s suitable for your space

1. Size and positioning

When choosing a trash can, one of your main considerations should be the size. If you need to take your trash out daily, your current bin is probably way too small. A single person disposes of approximately five pounds of garbage daily. If you have a family, this will be significantly more and households with children can produce even more waste. In a workplace, areas with high traffic should also have sufficient waste bins.

In addition to a trash can’s size, it is important to consider where you are going to place a bin. It’s no use getting a larger product when there’s really no space for it. If you are tight on space, opt for a couple of smaller bins and put them in various locations.

2. Types of waste

By type of waste, we are not referring to recycling, although we’ll get to that. We’re talking about whether you discard any dangerous chemicals, medical waste, or AHP (absorbent hygiene products) like diapers or feminine care products. These are different from household trash, medical and chemical waste needs to be taken care of according to certain protocols and safety measures like at professional institutions such as clinics.

If you need to discard used syringes, strong household chemicals, batteries, and similar items at home, make sure they cannot leach out or pierce through your garbage bags. Wrap them in smaller paper or plastic bags to prevent any leaks before throwing them in the trash.
As for AHP waste, this can quickly lead to horrific odors and bacterial growth if not disposed of correctly. Wrap these used products tightly in smaller closed bags before placing them in the trash to reduce air circulation and prevent odors from escaping. Make sure that trash cans holding this type of waste are not exposed to sunlight and are washed and sanitized regularly after emptying.

Whether disposing of chemicals, household medical waste, or AHP waste, it is vital to use a bin with a lid that closes properly and to ensure there are no cracks. Metal trash cans are generally a good option here and also make it harder for your pets to get into them. Remember to avoid keeping this type of waste in places you prepare food, like your kitchen.

3. Recycling

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) estimates that 75% of waste in the US is recyclable. Separate your waste into two or three bins that allow for easier recycling. Since offices generally dispose of large amounts of paper, this can be especially effective in a workplace. Not only will it help reduce your carbon footprint but it’s also effective for managing waste and preventing your trash cans from constantly overflowing. You can get specific trash cans for recycling or simply label your waste bins clearly so that everyone knows what type of waste goes into each bin.

4. Odor control

If odor control is currently a problem or something you wish to avoid in the future, choose a trash can specifically designed for odor elimination — or one that allows you to use cart liners. These can also help with deterring animals, although pests should not be a problem if they’re stored inside an office or a home.

Another simple way of keeping odors at bay is making sure that your trash cans have a lid that closes completely. Remember to ensure that there are no cracks and that your bags do not leak or have tears. Also, wash your trash cans regularly to avoid buildup from substances that may have leaked out.

5. Durability and construction

Plastic home and office trash cans are lightweight and easy to move around but are probably the least durable models. They can crack easily and their lids aren’t always as sturdy as heavier versions. Heavy-duty plastics, on the other hand, are a lot more durable but not always super appealing in terms of design. A trash can should last you a good number of years when taken care of properly.

Steel and aluminum trash cans have become very popular due to their visual appeal, durability and because they are highly functional and include features such as sensor lids and odor elimination. They come in various sizes with their only downside being that they can be heavier and harder to move around compared to plastic models.

People also asked

Q: How can I stop my trash can from smelling?

A: A simple solution for preventing odors is sprinkling a layer of baking soda on the bottom of the bin before inserting your trash bag. Wash your bin weekly if you struggle with odors and make sure it is completely dry before sprinkling in baking soda and replacing the bag.

Q: How often should I wash my indoor trash cans?

A: This will depend on how and what you use your trash cans for. If you’re struggling with odors, wash your bin at least once a month.

Q: Which items should go into my recycling bin?

A: Clean plastic bottles and containers, cans, paper, cardboard, and glass are all items that can go into a recycling bin. Make sure not to include any food waste too.