Super Random But… What is the BEST Trash Bin for a Standard 13 Gallon Kitchen Trash Bag?

[HappyDude20]

I Use standard thirteen gallon trash bags that I purchase in a pack from either Walmart or Target.

I also, when first moving to a new home, purchased a standard 13 gallon bin for like $15 at Walmart… yet i feel I don’t get to fill up the 13 gallon trash bag to its fullest when it is inside the trash bin itself.

I’ll attach a photo here and I believe I have the most popular standard trash bin in America. My question is, is there better?

 

[Juicy Box]

I went through this with my wife who bought this expensive trashcan that looked very nice. She got it from target.

While it look nice, I noticed right away that it was way too small for our family. It fit 13 gallon bags, but it was only an 11 gallon trashcan.

We had to track change the trash multiple times a day sometimes, and due to being expensive and fancy, changing the trash took a little bit more time.

Aesthetically, it was nice, and something you would like to see in your kitchen. Using it on the other hand, it was not that nice unless you are putting it in a place that it hardly ever gets used, because of the small capacity.

After using it for a few months, I told my wife (who was actually pretty grateful) that I was going to go buy a trashcan, and do a little bit of research first.

I think the one I got was a 20 gallon model from Amazon. I bought 33 gallon bags for the trashcan. It would usually take a few days of use to empty the trashcan.

It was about half the price or less of what my wife spent on the target one, but admittedly it did not look anywhere near as nice.

 

[HappyDude20]

I went through this with my wife who bought this expensive trashcan that looked very nice. She got it from target.

While it look nice, I noticed right away that it was way too small for our family. It fit 13 gallon bags, but it was only an 11 gallon trashcan.

We had to track change the trash multiple times a day sometimes, and due to being expensive and fancy, changing the trash took a little bit more time.

Aesthetically, it was nice, and something you would like to see in your kitchen. Using it on the other hand, it was not that nice unless you are putting it in a place that it hardly ever gets used, because of the small capacity.

After using it for a few months, I told my wife (who was actually pretty grateful) that I was going to go buy a trashcan, and do a little bit of research first.

I think the one I got was a 20 gallon model from Amazon. I bought 33 gallon bags for the trashcan. It would usually take a few days of use to empty the trashcan.

It was about half the price or less of what my wife spent on the target one, but admittedly it did not look anywhere near as nice.

Thank you for sharing

Thirteen gallon seem to be the default kitchen size and in a For person household I’m noticing we take out the trash bag pretty much nightly. Which scares me as to how much each household adds to pollution over all not counting businesses and hotels and alas Vegas lol.

My wife also purchased a very nice and somewhat expensive Trash Bin from IKEA but it was such a pain to place a new trash bag everyday that it has been in storage for the better part of four months now. But it is the most beautiful trash bin we’ve ever purchased but it’s more pleasing to look at it than it is functional.

 

[0128672]

Last year I tried a few 13-gallon kitchen trash cans, everything from a higher end SimpleHuman can (which I didn't like at all but tried based on this Wirecutter review, a source I've since soured on) to a basic cheap Hefty swingtop from Home Depot. I tried a couple different variations from Target and Walmart.

It comes down to your preferences for:

- top type (swingtop, step on & open and maybe a soft close, touch spring open ... you get the idea);
- shape (rectangle, slim, square, round)
- color & material including silver/chrome/stainless steel-ish, white and black plastic, etc.
- special features like a motion sensor

What I really wanted but couldn't find without spend $100+ was a white slim step-on with auto opening and a soft close that was easy to replace the bag and had a hefty enough rim to hold the bag in place, called liner lock I believe.

I had a Rubbermaid that operated like that and it lasted about 12 years. I loved it but finally bit the dust.

While I was in Walmart one day discouraged by the selection, I almost bumped into a center aisle display of exactly what I was looking for, in white no less, and for $35. Talk about trash can kismet! It was an even better replacement for Rubbermaid. I guess it was a special because they're not on the WM website and I haven't seen them since.

The closest thing I see at WM is the Rubbermaid 13-gallon premium slow close step-on for $36, but I'm generally skeptical about Rubbermaid's quality these days. I will say I was pretty impressed with the quality of the WM Better Homes & Gardens chrome step-on trash can options but none fit my space. And they have a one-year warranty.

 

[Juicy Box]

I went through this with my wife who bought this expensive trashcan that looked very nice. She got it from target.

While it look nice, I noticed right away that it was way too small for our family. It fit 13 gallon bags, but it was only an 11 gallon trashcan.

We had to track change the trash multiple times a day sometimes, and due to being expensive and fancy, changing the trash took a little bit more time.

Aesthetically, it was nice, and something you would like to see in your kitchen. Using it on the other hand, it was not that nice unless you are putting it in a place that it hardly ever gets used, because of the small capacity.

SimpleHuman

I am pretty sure that was the brand of the expensive trashcan that my wife purchased.

Looked great, but wasn't very practical.

 

[0128672]

I am pretty sure that was the brand of the expensive trashcan that my wife purchased.

Looked great, but wasn't very practical.

Yeah, I've looked at some of their other products like dish drainers and I feel they're overhyped.

 

[maflynn]

There are products that it really doesn't matter what brand you buy. Trash bags and barrels fall into that category ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Apple fanboy]

I Use standard thirteen gallon trash bags that I purchase in a pack from either Walmart or Target.

I also, when first moving to a new home, purchased a standard 13 gallon bin for like $15 at Walmart… yet i feel I don’t get to fill up the 13 gallon trash bag to its fullest when it is inside the trash bin itself.

I’ll attach a photo here and I believe I have the most popular standard trash bin in America. My question is, is there better?

We wouldn’t fill that in a week. That’s why we use a small counter top bin. It would stink by the time we filled anything bigger. We throw away very little. Most goes into the recycling.

 

[HappyDude20]

We wouldn’t fill that in a week. That’s why we use a small counter top bin. It would stink by the time we filled anything bigger. We throw away very little. Most goes into the recycling.

I hate that our small town doesn’t provide recycling bins. Were told everything goes in one bin and there are workers at the landfill that sort out the recycling but obviously they can’t catch most of it.

 

[HDFan]

SimpleHuman

High quality top reviewed products with great support. Have a lot of their products. Bit of a luxury item but well worth it. They have a 50L (~13 gallon) kitchen step can:

simplehuman 50L rectangular stainless steel step trash can

The simplehuman classic rectangular step can has a strong steel pedal and our patented lid shox technology ensures a smooth, silent close every time.

www.simplehuman.com

Here's the wirecutter review (which one poster above disagreed with)

Why We Love the SimpleHuman Rectangular Step Trash Can

Simplehuman’s Rectangular Step Can is a giant leap for the basic trash can.

www.nytimes.com

DESIGN NOTEBOOK; Trash Trades Up (Published 2004)

Simplehuman f

www.nytimes.com

 

[Apple fanboy]

I hate that our small town doesn’t provide recycling bins. Were told everything goes in one bin and there are workers at the landfill that sort out the recycling but obviously they can’t catch most of it.

About 35 houses in my village and they have recycling.

 

[JT2002TJ]

A trick I learned a while back, drill a few vent holes in the back a few inches up (high enough that liquids that may spill wont leak). What happens is, when you put the bag in the bin, and start filling the bag, there is no where for the air to escape, which prevents you from filling the bag. The vent holes allow air flow in and out between the bag and the bin.

This doesn't solve an issue where the bin is too narrow or short to actually fill the 13 gallon bag, but it will help with any bin you use where you have to stretch the bag lip over the bin lip.