Kitchen Trash Cans

Kitchen trash can buying guide

Q: Should I get one can or two?

Two, if you sort recycling in the kitchen — either a [dual-compartment can](/kitchen-trash-cans/best-dual-compartment-recycling-cans) or a main can plus a caddy. One full-size can is right if your recycling goes straight to an outdoor crate.

Five measurements, one honest question about how often you empty it, and the mechanism decision. In that order — the mechanism is the last thing to pick, not the first.

By Ryder M. · Last reviewed September 27, 2026

Take five measurements first

The single biggest cause of a returned trash can is a measurement nobody took. All five of these take two minutes with a tape.

Floor width and depth of the spot. Obvious, and the one people do take. Add an inch on each side so the can is not wedged.
Height to whatever is above it. A counter lip, a windowsill, an overhanging shelf. A step can needs roughly twelve inches of clear air for the lid to swing.
Swing clearance in front. If the lid hinges at the back and the can sits in a doorway or a walkway, an open lid can block the path.
Clearance for the pedal. A pedal projects forward by two to four inches, and in a galley kitchen that is the difference between a walkway and an obstacle.
How far the can is from where you chop. Not a dimension exactly, but the one that predicts whether you will use it. More than a couple of steps and scraps accumulate on the board instead.

Then decide the size, by emptying habit

Most people size a trash can to their household. Size it to how often you are willing to empty it instead, because odor is a function of time and temperature rather than volume — and a can that only gets emptied when it is full will always be at its worst just before you empty it.

You empty	Household	Buy	Notes
Daily	Any	8-10 gal / 30-40 L	Smells least of any option
Every 2 days	2-4 people	13 gal / 50 L	The American default, and usually right
Every 3 days	2-4 people	13 gal / 50 L	Move food scraps out or it will smell
Every 2 days	5+ people	15-16 gal / 55-60 L	Or a second can elsewhere
Weekly	Any	Reconsider	No kitchen can copes; the wet fraction has to leave

If you compost or run a food caddy, drop one row. The wet organic fraction is a small share of the volume but almost all of the smell, so removing it makes a smaller can viable. Compost bins · the full size chart.

Then pick the mechanism

Last, not first — because the footprint and size decisions above eliminate most options anyway.

Mechanism	Choose it when	Give up
Step / pedal	Default. Hands-free, no consumables	A linkage that eventually wears
Touchless	Hands are often wet, raw or full	Batteries, electronics, a shorter warranty
Touch-top	You want the longest guarantee available	Hands-free operation
Open top	Paper and packaging only	Odor containment and a fly barrier
Pull-out	You want it out of sight entirely	Capacity, cabinet space, and an install

What to spend money on, and what not to

Worth paying for

A damped lid. The single most-noticed upgrade. An undamped lid cracks shut twenty times a day.
A steel pedal on a steel linkage, ideally with a published cycle rating. It is the part that fails.
A bag retention system — a ring, a liner rim, or a fitted liner. It is the difference between a tidy can and a daily annoyance.
A fingerprint-resistant finish, if the can is visible. Plain brushed steel looks marked within a week.

Not worth paying for

Voice control and app connectivity. A lid that opens when you wave at it already solved the problem.
A built-in deodorizer you cannot replace. If the odor control is sealed in, it is a timer on the can's usefulness. A replaceable carbon filter is fine; a sealed one is not.
Antimicrobial plastic claims. The inside of a trash can is not sterile and will not be. Washing it is what works.
Extra capacity you will not use. A half-empty can that sits for three days smells worse than a full one emptied daily.

When you are ready, our overall picks are here, and if you are cross-shopping two specific brands, the head-to-heads are here.

Common questions

What size trash can is standard for a kitchen?

Thirteen gallons, about 50 liters, is the American standard and what most bags are sold for. It suits a two-to-four-person household emptying every couple of days.

How much should I spend on a kitchen trash can?

Enough to get a damped lid and a steel pedal linkage, which is where the genuine quality difference sits. Beyond that you are buying finish and a liner ecosystem, which are real but optional. The premium question in full.

Where should a kitchen trash can go?

Within a step or two of where you prep, because distance is what determines whether it gets used. Beyond that, out of walkways and away from heat sources like a dishwasher vent or a radiator. Placement options for small kitchens.

Should I get one can or two?

Two, if you sort recycling in the kitchen — either a dual-compartment can or a main can plus a caddy. One full-size can is right if your recycling goes straight to an outdoor crate.

Do I need a can with a lid lock?

Only if you have a dog or a determined toddler. A dog defeats a can by nosing the lid until it lifts, and a mechanical slide lock is the only thing that reliably stops that — a heavier lid just slows it down.