Trash cans are valuable items as they hold the trash, whether it be around the house, in office or malls. There are different types of trash cans you can use in different places to keep the surroundings tidy and clean.
You might think the type of trash can you use does not matter, but it does. Do you prefer a trash can with or without lid? Do you care for a motion sensor trash can?
You ought to consider these common questions before getting even a trash can, so the odors and trash in the surroundings is contained.
Open Top Trash Bin
Open top trash cans are the ones that have no lid on them. They are open from the top and are often used in busy or commercial places. They are simple and do not have any mechanism that breaks down or costs you a lot.
| Photo | Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Umbra Vento Trash Can | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Features
- They are mostly made of stainless steel or plastic.
- They do not have a lid.
- They are simple to use.
- They are manufactured in compact sizes and can fit into small spaces.
- Used to store large amount of trash.
- Can be used in public places to save the time consumed in opening the automatic lid.
- Cheaper in price.
Pros
- They are not expensive.
- They are hygienic because you do not need to use your hand or foot to open the trash bin.
- No automatic lid mechanism saves time in trying to operate the trash can.
- Since there is no technology involved, they do not break down easily.
- Easy to clean.
Cons
- Since they are open, the odors are not contained inside the bin.
- Children or pets can easily trip these over if not stored in the right place.
What Is It Best for?
They are good to be used in large spaces to store large amount of trash by spending less on buying the trash bin. They are also hygienic as compared to some other trash bins.
Swing Top Trash Can
In swing top trash cans the lid of the trash bin swings. When you place the trash in the trash bin, the lid opens and swings to the other side. These type of trash cans help in keeping the odors in place and can be used when trash can being tripped over is a concern.
| Photo | Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Umbra Venti Trash Can | $50.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Features
- They are made of stainless steel.
- They are operated manually by putting in the trash by hand.
- With the swing lid, the odors do not escape the trash bin.
- They are mostly used to store dry trash; any wet or liquid item can make the lid dirty while throwing the trash in the bin.
Pros
- The lid that you open for a fraction of a second, does not let the odors escape the trash bin.
- To avoid the tripping of the trash can by children or pets, this type of trash can is safe.
- They are simple to use.
Cons
- They can be unhygienic since you have to touch the lid to throw the trash in the bin.
- The lid gets stuck if the trash bin is filled to the top.
What Are They Best for?
They are suitable for office use or to store dry items that do not take up too much space. While they are easy to use, they also add an aesthetic look to the surrounding it is placed.
Motion Sensor Trash Can
Motion sensor trash cans are a way to make your surroundings look fancy. They work by using a motion sensor that operates on batteries. They are conveniently easy to use and also hygienic.
Features
- It is an automatic trash bin.
- Any type of motion activates the motor of the trash can and opens the lid.
- It operates using batteries.
- Does not require you to touch the trash bin by hand or foot to open the lid.
- It also comes with an adapter if you do not prefer using batteries.
Pros
- Hygienic because you don’t need to touch it to open the lid.
- It is a luxurious trash can.
- It keeps the trash odors in place since the lid is mostly closed.
- The advanced technology offers advanced features.
Cons
- It requires battery to function.
- For the trash bins with an adapter, you need to make sure to place it near a switch.
What Are They Best for?
They are luxurious trash bins made hygienic to be used around house and to provide a luxurious look to the surroundings. They are good for you if you do not mind replacing the batteries and need a trash bin that operates automatically.
Pull Out Trash Can
Pull out trash cans are a modernized way to save space in the kitchen. They are placed in the cabinets which can be pulled out to throw the trash easily. While they save space in the kitchen, they also add a good look to the kitchen.
| Photo | Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rev-A-Shelf Pull Out Trash Can for Under Kitchen Cabinets 35 Qt 12 Gallon Garbage Waste Recyling Bin with Full Extension Slides, Black, RV-12KD-18C S | $61.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Features
- They are suitable for kitchen.
- They are mostly made of plastic or stainless steel to make them lightweight.
- They are manufactured in different sizes to fit the cabinet size accordingly.
- They are flexible and makes trash management in the kitchen easier.
- They are a great addition to your kitchen to save space.
Pros
- Saves space by being stored in the cabinet.
- Helps in managing the trash easily.
- Stores a good amount of trash.
- They are hygienic as you don’t have to touch the bin while disposing of the trash.
Cons
- It takes up too much of the cabinet space.
What Are They Best for?
They are the preferred type of trash can if you don’t have enough floor space in the kitchen and extra cabinet space available. They are a modernized and effective way of storing trash that is easily manageable.
Step Trash Can
Step trash cans are trash bins that are used almost everywhere. You will see them around in malls, at other public places and even in homes.
| Photo | Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Amazon Basics Round Cylindrical Soft-Close Small Trash Can With Foot Pedal, 5 Liter/1.3 Gallon, Brushed Stainless Steel | $40.65 | Buy on Amazon |
Features
- They are made of stainless steel, so the lid is not too heavy.
- Easy to use when doing other work in the kitchen.
- Their mechanism is simple, you just press the pedal by the foot and the lid opens.
- They are hygienic and do not require you to operate by touching the trash bin.
Pros
- Since no technology is used, there is no malfunction in the trash bin.
- They are hygienic.
- They are easy to use.
- The odors are well contained in the trash bin.
Cons
- The lid might slam while closing in some step trash cans.
What Are They Best for?
They have a wide range of applications. The easy-to-use and easy-to-maintain design and mechanism of these trash bins allow you to use them everywhere. In kitchen, rooms, washroom, and even around the office.
Two Compartment Trash Can
| Photo | Product | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | EKO EcoCasa II Rectangular Kitchen Step Trash Can, 20L+20L Dual Compartment Recycling Bins, Stainless Steel Lid and Pedal, Odor-Proof, Fingerprint Resistant | $119.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Two-compartment trash can serves more purpose and offers more versatility than other types of trash cans. The two compartments in the trash can allow you to sort out your household trash effectively.
Features
- They have two compartments that you can use to manage the trash and recyclable items.
- They can also be used for better recycling.
- One compartment can be used for trash while the other can be used for recycling.
- They help in managing waste more effectively.
Pros
- The trash is managed effectively.
- You can sort out the wet and dry trash or however you prefer to manage the trash.
- If you are using one compartment for recycling, it helps in recycling more.
Cons
- Since the space is divided into compartments, the individual space for single compartment might be less.
What Are They Best for?
With two compartment trash cans, you can manage the trash effectively. It helps in properly sorting out the trash and also to store the recyclable items properly. This way, the trash is managed properly, and recycling is also promoted.
Hanging Trash Can
Hanging trash can are a good way to save space and store the small amount of trash that you have lying around in the house or your personal office. They help with your worries of a small amount of trash and keep the surroundings tidy and neat.
Features
- They can easily be installed in rooms, and mostly around the kitchen.
- They have compact dimensions.
- They are used to store small amounts of trash.
- They come handy in kitchen work.
Pros
- They offer flexibility while dealing with small food leftovers in the kitchen.
- They are easy to install.
- They occupy less space.
- They maintain your hygiene since you don’t have to open any lid to throw in the trash.
Cons
- They can store only a limited amount of trash.
What Are They Best for?
They are most suitable to be used for dry and small trash. To keep the surroundings clean you can easily hang these into the countertop or cabinets and use it effectively. They are easy to clean as well.
Trash Can with Wheels
Trash can with wheels or rolling trash cans are useful for when you need to carry around the bin mostly. They can be placed in your backyard or anywhere you need it to be. The flexibility offered with this trash can is that you can simply move it around to take the trash out to the trash truck or to move it to the place where it is needed.
Features
- Can be moved around easily.
- Used to store large amount of trash.
- Helps in managing the trash of the entire household.
Pros
- They are spacious and are manufactured in large sizes to store large amount of trash.
- They can be moved around easily.
- By using these trash cans, you can manage the trash easily.
Cons
- They can be unhygienic because you need to open the lid and throw in the trash manually.
What Are They Best for?
They are the right go to option if your household has trash in large amounts. These trash bins can be stored inside the house if you have the required space, or you can place it outside. You can place it in your backyard as well to collect the trash out there. Their tight pack lid makes sure that no odor escapes into the surrounding.
Trash Storage Shed
In your trash storage shed, you can easily store the trash cans depending upon the size of the shed installed in your house. By placing the trash in the storage shed, no cats or any other pets will scatter around your trash or make a mess. Additionally, all the odors and trash is kept in place properly by enclosing them in a shed.
Features
- It stores the trash cans present in your house.
- It offers space to store any other hazardous items found in the house.
- It keeps the trash safe and away from pets.
- By keeping the trash in a storage shed, the hygiene is not compromised, and no insects are attracted to whatever food items you have in the trash.
- With a trash storage shed, the trash is easier to collect by the waste workers.
Pros
- You can keep the trash of the entire household in one place with a trash storage shed.
- With this, the hygiene is not compromised.
- Having a trash storage shed is environmentally friendly.
- Keeping the trash in the storage shed stops the odors from spreading out.
Cons
- Building them or finding them on the market requires proper research.
Trash Bin with Removable Bucket
There are trash bins with removable buckets available. By removing the bucket, you can thoroughly clean the trash bin and avoid bad odors from building up inside the trash bin.
Features
- In most, two or three-compartment trash bins, the bucket is removable.
- The bucket can fit into the trash bin and be removed just as easily.
- You can thoroughly clean the trash bin by removing the buckets.
- With a removable bucket, the trash is easy to sort for the waste collectors.
Pros
- Allows proper cleaning of the trash bin.
- No foul odors build up in the trash bin because the bucket can be removed and cleaned.
- You can transfer the trash from the removable bucket to the trash can placed outside the house, to avoid the mess made by a full trash can.
Cons
- Removing and cleaning buckets from bare hands can be unhygienic.
What Are They Best for?
Some sticky garbage piece or some type of stain tend to stick to the wall of the trash bin, which further produces bad odor and makes the entire environment of the house unhealthy. Hence, if the bucket where trash is stored is irremovable then it is hard to clean. Whereas, with a removable bucket you can free yourself of such worries.
Trash Bin with Filters
If you have faced trash odor problems, a trash bin with filter might be able to help you out. The updated technology in the trash bin has included filters to reduce the odors produced by the trash stored in the bin. The filters used are charcoal filters, made specifically to reduce the odor levels.
Features
- The advanced type of trash bin has a layer of filter to reduce the odors.
- The filter is made of charcoal.
- It absorbs all types of odors and stops them from spreading out to the surrounding.
Pros
- All the odors are contained and reduced with the charcoal filter.
- The charcoal filter lasts up to months until you have to replace them.
- They are good for your hygiene and keeps away the germs from building up in the surrounding air.
- They are good for you if you have allergies or asthma.
Cons
- They can be expensive as compared to the ordinary trash cans.
What Are They Best for?
These trash cans are best for improving the overall environment of the surroundings it is placed in. By having a trash bin with a filter, the hygiene is not compromised, and you get to sort out the trash in a healthy way.
Should You Choose Plastic or Stainless-Steel Trash Can?
The material you want to use depends on your preference. The plastic trash cans are made of heavy-duty plastic which does not bend easily and is durable as compared to the ordinary type of plastic.
Whereas for stainless steel trash cans, they contain odors better than plastic trash cans and the metal layers allows the lid to be tight enough to keep the trash in place.
Comparing the two:
In comparison, the plastic is durable and sometimes lasts longer than the stainless-steel trash cans if the build of plastic trash can is strong. Stainless steel trash cans are more liable to bending, and once bent the whole can is ruined.
- As for containing the trash and odors, stainless steel does a better job.
- Stainless steel trash cans are not exactly heavy, but they are heavier than plastic trash cans.
- Plastic trash cans are easier to clean and dry thoroughly.
- Stainless steel trash cans are comparatively environmentally friendly than plastic trash cans.
Conclusion
If you think a trash can is not a valuable item in the house, then you might end up buying the wrong type and regret it later.
The daily task of managing the trash around the household should not be frustrating. Hence, knowing the type of trash can you need is important. It helps in managing trash easily and does not make the daily work hectic for you.
We have mentioned above all the types that you need to consider before choosing the right type of trash can for yourself.
