You can have both--a trash pull-out under the sink.

I like having the trash pull-out under the prep space. It's so easy to sweep debris into the open can. A lot of trash is generated in the prep and cooking tasks--packaging material, emptied containers,etc, so it makes sense to have the pull-out between the sink and range. That said, if you are short on storage space, and your plumbing is in the right spot, an under sink trash pull-out can work.

This is Carrie B's under sink trash pull-out:

Pros for separates trash & recycle pullout:

• Trash & recycling in one place (2 bins)

• If someone needs to throw something out and someone else is working at the sink, the person at the sink doesn't have to move

• You can place the pullout where it makes the most sense - in your primary Prep Zone. This is particularly important if your primary Prep Zone is not next to your cleanup sink (e.g., an island or peninsula). (You generate far more trash & recyclables while preparing a meal than cleaning up and for a much longer span of time.)

• With the bins over a counter in your primary Prep Zone, you can sweep any crumbs, etc., directly into the trash bin without having to collect them and carry them to the bin.

• There is a drawer above the bins that provides storage. Some people store their extra bags in that drawer, others use it for linens. I use it as my "junk drawer". (Everyone ends up with a junk drawer, whether or not you want one, so plan for it!)

• There is a permanent wooden divider b/w the bins below and the drawer above so there is no issue with cross-contamination b/w the bins and whatever you're storing in the drawers. Also, since it's a separate cabinet, no spilling over onto other items. I.e., the trash is completely separate from all other items in your kitchen.

• You don't have the "ick" factor of trash under your sink and possibly spilling over into the cabinet. This is also a cross-contamination issue b/w the trash and everything else under the sink.

• The bins are bigger so you don't have to take the trash out as often. But, they're not so big that trash stays around too long and starts to smell.

Cons for separates trash & recycle pullout:

• Base cabinet space needed:
  -- 18" for a 2-bin pullout (recommended choice)
  -- 12" for a 1-bin pullout
  -- However, you do have that drawer above the bins that provides additional storage, so you don't lose the entire space.

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Pros for trash under the sink:

• 18" or 12" of base cabinet space not used for pullout

Cons for trash under the sink

• Trash & recycling in multiple places & you have to run around the kitchen while preparing a meal to get to both...dripping and trailing anything that drops as you go.

• If someone needs to throw something out and someone else is working at the sink, the person at the sink has to move out of the way

• If your primary Prep Zone is not next to your cleanup sink (e.g., an island or peninsula), then you have to run around the Kitchen (see the dripping above!) (Again, you generate far more trash & recyclables while preparing a meal than cleaning up and for a much longer span of time.)
  -- Even if you have a prep sink in that location, prep sinks are generally smaller, so it can be difficult to find a small trash can that fits in the smaller sink base b/c of the plumbing and, if you have one, garbage disposal.

• You have to collect crumbs, etc., and carry them to the bin.

• You have the "ick" factor of trash under your sink and possibly spilling over into the cabinet. This is also a cross-contamination issue b/w the trash and everything else under the sink.

I prefer a wheeled square cabinet w/solid door on one side and a top with an opening and a hinged lid to cover the opening that, when hinged lid is closed, is the same height as the countertop. In the winter, if your meal ends after dark, you can roll the trash can out onto a screened porch and/or into the mud/laundry room and wait until morning to move out to the bin by the curb anything that might, by morning, smell more than you want your kitchen to smell. You can wheel it anywhere in the kitchen or dining room it is needed, as needed.

How you handle trash depends on how trashy you are. Some people are just trashy, and produce a lot of waste. Do you compost almost everything? What about recycles? How big a bin do you generate for that? How often does the waste pickup service run? Or you go to the dump? Is there a lot of prepackaged plastic that is neither recyclable not compostable?

We generate very little actual trash. Almost everything is compostable or recyclable. Therefore the systems to handle that are larger. And the actual trash is under the sink, utilizing recycled grocery bags for its containment.

The bigger issue for me is compostables. Having dealt with a fruit fly infestation, I don’t want a large container for that in the house. But we generate too much to have it elsewhere than the kitchen. It just has to be emptied more frequently.

I have a fairly small kitchen and it made no sense to dedicate valuable and limited storage space to trash. The under sink cabinet is perfectly fine -- I have a 30" sink base and have trash, recycling and compost bin pullouts in there, plus storage space for cleaning supplies and small tools. There is no "ick" factor IMO since I don't let stuff pile up for long periods or overflow, and there is no cross-contamination -- the compost bin is covered and it is possible to purchase covered trash/recycling bins that have covers that even open & close automatically. My prep area is one or two steps from the pullouts -- not a chore (and my crumbs actually go into the compost).

We have a tiny kitchen with limited cab space. We dedicated 12” to a pullout trash and haven’t regretted it once.

Some great comments above to consider. Depends on the owner's users habits & goals.

For example,

I currently use a trash can bin on wheels,because I cook daily from scratch. I guess I'm an active prepper, cooker. I'm homestly all over the place when cooking & it's convenient to have my trashcan on the go whereever I am active at that moment. But what works for me, doesn't work for everyone.

A lot of my clients don't cook as much or they prefer the trash can hidden in a cabinet.

If placing in a cabinet, I highly recommend ...

- a trash can where trash accumulates. That is often where the prep area is.

-Close to the door out is nice, too, but not necessary.

-Being easily accessible to everyone in the house creates a user friendly environment

-Cans that can easily be taken out to disinfect & avoid stink ups.

- Separate Recycle bins , the way the home recycles

- compose is often in a container under sink that can go out as a whole to garden

Here's a few photos of ideas to find the best solution for you.

If going to put under sink, need to be get around the plumbing in the cabinet.

If want taller trash cans, a cabinet with a tall door with no drawer above is needed.

We have a small kitchen. No regrets for dedicating some of our limited space to a double trash pullout (right by sink and under a prep space). We use one can for trash and one for recyclables. They are pretty sizeable but we empty them before they “need” to be emptied anyway.

I have a trash/recycling/compost pullout under my sink. I spent a lot of time here reading the pros and cons and at one point I thought that a separate cabinet was the way to go, mainly because people talked about it being in the way if it's under the sink. I couldn't get my mind wrapped around having it next to the sink, and hence in my prep zone. I ended up putting in a larger than necessary sink cabinet and put my pullout under the sink. I lost less cabinet space than dedicating a separate cabinet to trash, and got a large enough sink that I can use one end of the sink while the trash pullout is open. It's a win win for me.