Outdoor Trash Cans

The best 45 gallon trash cans

Four cans in the 45-gallon bracket, ranked on lid security and how they handle a freeze. The top pick is the NATUREPON 45-gallon, because its lid clicks into the rim instead of resting on it.

By Ryder M. · Last reviewed September 29, 2026

Household trash cans standing outside a house

Lid & Liner is reader-supported. If you buy through a link on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we rank first — how we pick and how we make money.

The short answer

Buy the NATUREPON 45 Gallon Wheeled if you want capacity, wheels and a lid that clicks into the rim for as little as possible. Step up to the Rubbermaid BRUTE Rollout 50 if you would rather have commercial construction and an auto-lifter rim than the lowest price. If you want cart-grade rotational molding, the nearest size is the Toter 48.

#	Product	Best for	Price
01	NATUREPON 45 Gallon Wheeled Outdoor Trash Can with Locking LidForty-five gallons, two wheels and a lid that clicks into the rim — the cheap wheeled can that does not lose its lid.	Best budget wheeled can	$44.99 · View on Amazon Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money
02	Rubbermaid Commercial BRUTE Rollout Container, 50 GallonThe size between a household can and a municipal cart: 50 gallons, an attached lid and commercial wheels, without the footprint of a 96.	Best large wheeled can	$195.99 · View on Amazon Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money
03	Toter Heavy Duty Two-Wheel Trash Cart, 48 GallonThe 48-gallon Toter: municipal construction and a ten-year warranty, in the size most households actually fill in a week.	Best mid-size cart	$160.00 · View on Amazon $174.00 · 8% off · Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money
04	Suncast 39-Gallon Resin Outdoor Hideaway Trash CanThe larger Hideaway, for a patio that generates more than a 33 can hold between collections.	Best larger patio can	$79.00 · View on Amazon Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money

Forty-five gallons is the in-between size, and that is exactly why people search for it. It is more than a household can and less than a municipal cart — the right answer when your collection is bag-based rather than cart-based, or when you want a second can for yard work that one person can still move.

How we picked

We have not weathered these cans through a winter. What we did was compare published construction, lid design and dimensions across every can we could confirm is currently sold in the 45-gallon bracket, and rank on the failure modes that end an outdoor can's life. Methodology, disclosure.

The criteria: whether the lid is attached and whether it is secured; whether the can has wheels, because 45 gallons of wet waste is not something to carry; resin type and cold-weather behavior, since a cracked rim is how these die; and whether a standard liner fits, because oversized bags are a recurring annoyance at this size.

We have included the Toter 48 and the Suncast 39 rather than pretending the 45-gallon bracket is exact. Manufacturers do not agree on the size, and refusing to name the nearest real product would be less useful than explaining the gap.

The picks in full

01 — Best budget wheeled can

NATUREPON 45 Gallon Wheeled Outdoor Trash Can with Locking Lid

Forty-five gallons, two wheels and a lid that clicks into the rim — the cheap wheeled can that does not lose its lid.

Capacity: 45 gallons
Dimensions: 26.09" L x 21.69" W x 33.7" H
Weight: 11 lb empty
Lid: Attached, clicks into the rim
Wheels: Two, with an easy-grip handle
Material: Impact-resistant polypropylene, seamless body

Not every household needs a municipal-grade cart, but almost every household needs the lid to stay on. This one attaches to the body and clicks into place, which handles wind and casual animal interest for a fraction of what a commercial rollout costs. The body is a single impact-resistant polypropylene moulding with no seams to leak, the base is reinforced so it takes being dragged, and there is a groove under the bottom edge for the lift-and-pour at the curb.

What we'd flag: a click-lock lid is not a certified animal-resistant latch, and the manufacturer's "animal-proof" wording oversells it. A determined raccoon, and certainly a bear, will get past it — if that is your problem, add a lid lock. It is also a no-name brand rather than a line with a decade of field history.

$44.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money

02 — Best large wheeled can

Rubbermaid Commercial BRUTE Rollout Container, 50 Gallon

The size between a household can and a municipal cart: 50 gallons, an attached lid and commercial wheels, without the footprint of a 96.

Capacity: 50 gallons
Dimensions: 28.5" L x 23.38" W x 36.4" H
Weight: About 19.6 lb empty
Lid: Attached, full-range, stays open
Wheels: Two, high-performance tread
Standard: ANSI Z245.60 Types B and G (auto-lifter compatible)

Most households that outgrow a 32-gallon can do not need 96 gallons — they need about half again as much, and a cart they can still steer. This is that can. The lid is hinged into the body so it cannot blow away or get left on the lawn, it opens to full range and stays there instead of swinging as you walk, the rim is reinforced against crush, and the wheels have the same high-performance treads as the rest of the BRUTE rollout line. ANSI Z245.60 Types B and G means an automated truck can lift it.

What we'd flag: an attached lid is not a locking lid. It solves wind and lost lids, not animals — for that you still want a strap over the top. It is also commercial-priced, and at 28.5 inches deep it needs real space beside a house.

$195.99 · View on Amazon

Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money

03 — Best mid-size cart

Toter Heavy Duty Two-Wheel Trash Cart, 48 Gallon

The 48-gallon Toter: municipal construction and a ten-year warranty, in the size most households actually fill in a week.

Capacity: 48 gallons
Construction: Advanced rotational molding, seamless
Lid: Attached, hinged
Wheels: Two, Quiet-Cap, molded-in axle
Material: Polyethylene, up to 50% recycled content
Warranty: 10 years; 15-20 year stated service life

Forty-eight gallons is the size nobody is issued and plenty of people need — more than a 32 for a household with a yard, less than a 64 to wrestle down a sloped drive. Toter builds it the same way as the rest of the range: one seamless rotationally molded piece, Rugged Rim reinforcement, a molded-in axle, Quiet-Cap wheels, and up to 50% recycled polyethylene. Toter states a ten-year warranty and a 15 to 20-year service life.

What we'd flag: 48 gallons is a non-standard municipal size. If your hauler only lifts issued carts, this is a second can rather than your curbside one — check before you buy.

$160.00 · View on Amazon

$174.00 · 8% off · Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money

04 — Best larger patio can

Suncast 39-Gallon Resin Outdoor Hideaway Trash Can

The larger Hideaway, for a patio that generates more than a 33 can hold between collections.

Capacity: 39 gallons
Material: All-weather resin
Lid: Hinged

Same all-weather resin and the same discreet look, with meaningfully more capacity. For an outdoor kitchen or a household that entertains, the 33 fills in an afternoon and this does not.

What we'd flag: it is still a resin patio can, not a municipal cart. Do not expect it to survive being tipped by a truck arm or dragged loaded across gravel.

$79.00 · View on Amazon

Price as of November 14, 2026. #ad How we make money

What to check before you buy at this size

45 gallons is not a standard bag size

Tall kitchen bags stop at 13 gallons and contractor bags start around 42, so at 45 you are into oversized liners. Check what the can states it takes before you buy a box of bags — a 39-gallon bag in a 45-gallon can will sit down inside it and collect everything that misses. Bag sizes, properly explained.

A lid that is attached is not a lid that is locked

Two different features and people conflate them constantly. An attached lid cannot blow away. A locked lid cannot be levered open by a raccoon. The NATUREPON's lid clicks into the rim, which handles wind and casual interest; the BRUTE Rollout's lid is hinged into the body, which handles wind but not a raccoon. Neither is a certified animal latch, which is why a strap is such a common accessory at this size.

Wheels matter more than they do at 32 gallons

The jump from 32 to 45 gallons is the point at which a full can stops being liftable for most people. If the can has to reach a curb, wheels are not a convenience feature here, they are the feature.

It is a second can as often as a first

A lot of people arrive at this size wanting somewhere to put garden waste, a garage clear-out or recycling overflow. If that is the job, the lid matters less and the volume matters more — and an open commercial container is worth considering instead. The full outdoor field.

Which one for which job

If this is you	Buy	Why
You want capacity and wheels, cheaply	NATUREPON 45 Gallon Wheeled	Seamless polypropylene, wheels, lid that clicks into the rim
You want commercial construction	Rubbermaid BRUTE Rollout 50 Gallon	Reinforced rim, attached full-range lid, auto-lifter rated
You want cart-grade construction	Toter 48 Gallon Two-Wheel Cart	Rotationally molded, hinged lid, ten-year warranty
It lives on a patio	Suncast 39-Gallon Hideaway	All-weather resin that does not look like a can

If your collection is cart-based rather than bag-based, skip this size entirely and go to the standard curbside pair. 64 versus 96, decided.

Common questions

What is the best 45 gallon trash can?

The NATUREPON 45 Gallon Wheeled can, because the lid clicks into the rim rather than resting on it - which handles wind and casual animal interest, the two things that end most outdoor cans. If raccoons are a settled habit rather than an occasional visit, add a lid lock on top.

What size bags fit a 45 gallon trash can?

Oversized liners, typically in the 40 to 55 gallon range rather than tall kitchen bags. Check the can's stated liner size first; a 39-gallon bag in a 45-gallon can will slip down inside it.

Is 45 gallons too big to move when full?

To lift, yes, for most people. To roll, no. At this size wheels stop being a convenience and become the feature that decides whether the can works for you.

Is a 45 gallon can suitable for curbside collection?

Only if your hauler collects bags or non-standard cans. Automated truck arms are built around issued carts, usually 64 or 96 gallons, so check before you rely on a 45 at the curb.

Why do outdoor trash cans crack?

Almost always at the rim, in cold weather, when knocked or dragged. Rotationally molded and shatter-resistant resin bodies handle it; cheap injection-molded ones do not, and no amount of care makes up the difference.

Do I need a lid lock at 45 gallons?

If you have raccoons, yes. An attached lid stops the lid blowing away but does not stop it being levered open. A can with locking handles, or a strap over a standard lid, is what actually keeps animals out.

Sources

Every specification on this page traces to one of these, checked at the time of writing. Where a manufacturer does not publish a figure, the page says so rather than estimating it.

The short answer

How we picked

The picks in full

NATUREPON 45 Gallon Wheeled Outdoor Trash Can with Locking Lid

Rubbermaid Commercial BRUTE Rollout Container, 50 Gallon

Toter Heavy Duty Two-Wheel Trash Cart, 48 Gallon

Suncast 39-Gallon Resin Outdoor Hideaway Trash Can

What to check before you buy at this size

45 gallons is not a standard bag size

A lid that is attached is not a lid that is locked

Wheels matter more than they do at 32 gallons

It is a second can as often as a first

Which one for which job

Common questions

What is the best 45 gallon trash can?

What size bags fit a 45 gallon trash can?

Is 45 gallons too big to move when full?

Is a 45 gallon can suitable for curbside collection?

Why do outdoor trash cans crack?

Do I need a lid lock at 45 gallons?

Sources

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