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Kitchen trash cans: Built into cabinets or not?

13 years ago
Wondering how people like their built-in kitchen trash cans (built into cabinet, like attached picture).

We currently use a simplehuman semi-round step trash can that we absolutely love, but are remodeling our kitchen and considering going to a built-in top mount double bin wastebasket (see attached example pix)

I'm concerned with two things. One is that guests will have a hard time finding our built-in trash cans -- they're designed to blend in and not stand-out like a simplehuman can. Second is the smell. Will built in contain smells as well as the simplehuman?

The pro of the built-in for us would be more efficent use of our valuable floor space -- we have small galley kitchen.

Any and all thoughts would be greatly appecited!

Comments (30)

  • PRO
    13 years ago
    we love ours..we use one for recycle and the other for trash. No question the trash can smell from time to time. Just keep the super smelly trash out of the trash.
  • 13 years ago
    last modified: 13 years ago
    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our double built in, roll out trash drawers! I can't compare them in terms of odors because our previous kitchen had a single built in trash drawer. But what I love is having the space for both recycle and trash. As with our paneled dishwasher, we centered a cup pull on the upper frame of the door, which matches the cup pulls on our drawers but also gives a hint that this cabinet doesn't open from the side like the others. Guests seem to figure it out.
  • 13 years ago
    I have a built in trash can and I love it. I, personally, don't like to see a garbage can when I walk into my kitchen and the dog can't get to it (another plus) : )
  • 13 years ago
    I have the same built-in and love it. No problems with odors, although I do use a "scented" trash bag and typically remove the trash every other day or so. I wouldn't keep kitchen trash in my house much longer than that anyway!

    You can always use a cute, different knob/pull if you want to make it easy for guests to find the trash can. Typically the built-in is to the left or right of the sink which is easy to point out also.
  • 13 years ago
    Our built in trash drawer is in our kitchen island. I do love it. Advantages are no unsightly trash can taking up floor space, pets can't get into it (although our Boxer has figured out how to open the drawer). The disadvantages are more difficult to clean. Trash making it's way into the built in bin inevitably ends up everywhere but which results in me down on all fours vacuuming/wiping out the bottom of the cabinet. A trash can is much easier to take outside and hose down. If you do decide on a built in, I would also be vigilant about where you place it keeping in mind that the drawer needs to be opened which means it should not be placed where people would commonly stand, eg. centre of an island, cabinet under a sink, a narrow point of the galley. Hope this helps and good luck with your Reno.
  • 13 years ago
    We love ours too. All you have to do is tell guests once, and they got it. No big deal there.
  • 13 years ago
    I just changed my whole kitchen, total makeover and the top thing me and my husband live is the garbage bins in the drawer, it's by far the best investment!!!
  • 13 years ago
    We have the kind that uses tall kitchen garbage bags. they are small enough that there is not enough time for things to get stinky before it gets taken out. I LOVE having it out of sight. nOnly issue we have had is the anchoring into the bottom of the cupboard which was particle board but that is a minor thing.
  • 13 years ago
    We had one once and loved it. Trick to keep it nice is avoid putting sticky trash into it, or put a messy paper plate upside down so mess does not end up touching underside of top, making it dirty or smelly!
  • 13 years ago
    We have a built in with 2 bins that we use for garbage and compostables. It can get smelly, but no more than my step-styled garbage can.

    The only issue we seem to run into is inconvenient moments to open the drawer - someone in the way or dirty hands that make me reluctant to touch the handle.
    Choose the location well! :)
  • 13 years ago
    I have these in my kitchen for trash and again in my laundry room for recycling, one for papers and one for cans. I love them.
  • 13 years ago
    We have the same set up, and it's perfect. Keeps pets out, looks beautiful, and keeps both recyclables (we use a brown grocery bag to inside the plastic bin) and trash together in one place. Simple, clean, neat. When I'm cooking, I tend to pull the trash drawer out a few inches so that I don't have to touch the handle with my hands. It's easy, you'll love it.

    Think carefully about placement - you'll probably want it to right of the sink. Definitely not under the sink, which is an awkward spot for trash if somebody's using the sink. Smelly trash? You'll want it in a separate cabinet, and as long as the trash goes out regularly it should be fine. I always wrap meat, fish, or other smelly stuff in a plastic bag then toss.
  • 13 years ago
    Great...right between the sink and dishwasher....scrape....rinse...dishwasher! I have one large container.
  • 13 years ago
    Had a small kitchen with freestanding simple human trash can. Remodeled with double pull out and would never go back! Love it. As for guests finding the cans, I live in my kitchen 95% of the time so I designed it for me. Happy to show anyone who needs yo know where the garbage goes!
  • 13 years ago
    Thanks everyone for the input. You convinced us to go for it! Now what to do with the old simplehuman can. Guess my basement gets a fancy trash can!
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    I would never, ever, design a kitchen with anything but a built-in trash like the one you're considering. Smell is not an issue, since the cabinet will be closed most of the time, but at my own house I take really stinky bits out to the garage bin right away.

    When the trash is full, it does get heavy, so don't skimp on the working hardware. I would recommend a larger, easy-to-grab piece of cabinet hardware here, and soft-close glides on the working hardware.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    We have a hands-free step-to-open trash compactor, and it is the best. Since building it in 13 years ago, our town trash pickup switched to single stream recycling (love!) with pay per bag trash pickup, so with the compactor, I really do get a lot into one of those town bags. (Our recycling goes into a pretty copper-lined basket at the base of the baker's rack.)
  • 13 years ago
    I'm surprised nobody mentioned a disposer in the sink. I've had one for years and love it. Almost no stinky trash at all!
  • 13 years ago
    WE have the double bin drawer set up in our island bench and its great.You do have to keep it empty on a regular basis as it is in the kitchen prep area.We were limited for space (as most of us are in some sense), and so have it installed in the island bench.I agree it can be challenging to clean so I have lined the bottom shelf under the bins with either a chux wipe or other cloth/paper so I can remove and throw it or clean it.I've also sprayed the under bin-surface with a product we have here in Australia called Mr Sheen which has a silicon component and thus easier to clean off the dirt and smells good too.
    I have a hen house full of 8 disposal girls who eat all our kitchen scraps in return for tasty fresh eggs!
    Currently in Australia its the sweltering heat of summer, so all garbage has to go out daily!
  • 13 years ago
    deb, your disposer is much more interesting than mine :)
  • 13 years ago
    We have four bins and that is because we have strict recycle at our local dump. We cannot have a disposal as we are on septic. No, odor problem. Just make sure the cabinet is right next to your sink.
  • 13 years ago
    Hey orangecamera, I'd drop around some eggs for for you,but I suspect they wouldnt make the journey across the ocean. Is it freezing cold in your part of the world?
  • 13 years ago
    We toss our paper (not newspaper), rinsed glass and cans in the back container, and it just takes a minute to separate it into our garage recycling containers, and it works very well. Much simpler, actually, than having to explain to guests. Just trash or recyclable.

    Think about your placement, since the drawer will often be open. One suggestion was to keep it between the sink and dishwasher. We have ours to the right of the sink, and the dishwasher on the left. Whichever way you do it, you'll love it.

    Definitely spring for top quality strong hardware, because trash cans get heavy, and you won't want to stress the hardware. Without self-closing hardware, you may find the drawer pops back open a few inches.
  • 13 years ago
    judy, a few houses ago I was on septic. Didn't have a disposer in that house, but had a giant compost bin in the yard near the garden.

    deb, thanks for the kind thought :) Yes, it's c-c-cold here in NJ this time of year.
  • 13 years ago
    A must in every kitchen!
  • 13 years ago
    We have built in bins like this and they have a metal shelf fixed in the cabinet above the bins that acts as a lid. I use the shelf to store my dustpan and brush and the bin bags. Recycling goes in at the back, rubbish at the front. Easy to keep clean as the bins lift out of the rack and the base of the cabinet only needs and occasional wipe down. No more problem with smells than a free standing bin as we empty it regularly and like others have said, it's easy enough to point guests in the right direction if they can't find it. Ours is next to the sink. Wouldn't change it for the world!
  • 13 years ago
    I'm putting them in my new kitchen.... Judyg, I had a garbarator in my old house for 12 years and we were on septic. I was however watchful of what went down the sink. I will put two in the new house one on the main sink and one on the prep sink.
  • 8 years ago

    We moved into home that has the hidden trash bins in the island. Hidden trash bins seemed like a wonderful idea, but the odor was horrible...even with daily trash bag changes. Also, the surrounding wood absorbs the odors. I wound up buying a very nice SimpleHuman trash can and love it; No more smelly garbage in the kitchen. The hidden trash bins are now used for clean paper recycling only. We are going to remodel the kitchen without the hidden trash bins. I will use one smaller cabinet for a small clean paper recycling bin and for paper goods storage. It will be great to have another large cabinet for storage(sans the trash bins). Our larger paper and plastic/glass recycling bins are in the garage.

  • 8 years ago

    We have a small kitchen and when we renovated, I put a pull out trash bin into my new peninsula. It was the only cabinet I put an upgraded feature in and it was totally worth it! I really love it! I have a double bin so one for trash and one for recycling. I don't have too much of a problem with smell because I use scented bags and give the bin a quick spritz with Lysol when I change the bag. Also, because the bin is smaller than my old trash can, we change out the bag more frequently. I also like the location of mine because I can just wipe scraps over the edge into the bin which is really helpful since I prep my food on the peninsula. It's the 18 inch cabinet on the right.


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