The Best Kitchen Trash Cans: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket

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Amazon had no buyable listing for our top pick when we last checked, so there is no buy link here yet.

The rectangular step can is the most reliable everyday choice: nothing to power, a pedal built to last, and the tidiest liner system we looked at. If you specifically want hands-free opening, the semi-round sensor can delivers it with a sensor that behaves.

A kitchen trash can is a thing you touch a dozen times a day, so the difference between a good one and a bad one adds up fast. We looked at step cans and touchless motion-sensor cans from budget to premium, weighing how well each holds a liner, how the lid mechanism ages, whether the steel actually resists fingerprints, and how it copes with pets. Two of these are easy recommendations, one is a solid pick only for the right buyer, and one is a genuine skip.

RBE top pick

simplehuman

simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket

Buy it

The step can that gets the boring details right, from the liner pocket to a pedal built to outlast your kitchen.

Best for: Anyone who wants a fuss-free, long-lasting everyday can and doesn't mind paying up for fit and finish.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• Built-in liner pocket stores a spare roll of custom-fit liners and dispenses them one at a time, so bag changes take seconds
• Liner-rim system tucks the bag out of sight and stops it slipping down into the can
• Simplehuman engineers the steel pedal to last over 150,000 steps, and its Lid Shox technology gives a slow close
• Brushed stainless steel finish that is easy to wipe clean

Know before buying

• The custom-fit liners cost more than generic bags, and the can is sized around them
• Rectangular footprint is space-efficient but the can is tall, which can be awkward under some counters

Amazon had no buyable listing for this when we last checked. The link still works if it returns.

Find it on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

simplehuman

simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can

Buy it

A touchless can whose motion sensor is tuned well enough that it opens when you want and ignores the dog.

Best for: Cooks who want hands-free opening while handling raw meat or messy prep and value a reliable, non-twitchy sensor.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• Adaptive motion sensor opens on a deliberate hand wave and, in owner reports, rarely false-triggers from passing pets or foot traffic
• Semi-round shape sits flat against a wall to save floor space
• Keeps the same liner pocket and liner-rim system as the step models for tidy, quick bag changes
• Lid opens on a wave of your hand, and the maker backs it with a 5-year warranty

Know before buying

• Needs power: it runs on 4 AA alkaline batteries that you will have to replace periodically
• Premium price for what is still, mechanically, a lid on a motor

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

Ninestars

Ninestars 21 Gallon Rectangular Motion Sensor Trash Can

It depends

A lot of touchless capacity for the money, if you can live with generic bags and a sensor that's occasionally over-eager.

Best for: Budget-minded households that want touchless convenience and big capacity and can tolerate some sensor quirks.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• Large capacity swallows a week of family trash, and the fingerprint-resistant steel base hides smudges
• Touchless lid at a price far below the premium sensor cans
• A retention ring holds a standard bag reasonably well without a custom liner

Know before buying

• Owner reports are mixed on the sensor: some units open when you merely walk past, others need a second wave
• Uses standard drawstring bags but the tall rectangular shape can make a clean fit fiddly
• Motor and lid feel less refined and, in some reports, wear faster than premium cans

Check price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

We'd skip it

iTouchless

iTouchless 16 Gallon Dual-Compartment Sensor Recycle Bin and Trash Can

Skip it

A clever trash-and-recycling combo on paper that stumbles on power, bulk, and sensor reliability in daily use.

Best for: Almost no one over a simpler setup — most kitchens are better served by one good can plus a separate recycling bin.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• Two independent touchless compartments make sorting trash and recycling genuinely convenient
• Removable wheels let you roll a heavy load out for collection
• Removable inner buckets in each side simplify emptying and cleaning

Know before buying

• Runs on four D batteries by default, so expect to replace them; the AC adapter is optional and sold separately
• Each side is only about half the total, so compartments fill fast and need frequent bag changes
• Large footprint takes real floor space for the usable volume you get
• Owner reports flag sensor and motor reliability slipping after moderate use

See our pick instead See it at Amazon anyway Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We don’t run a lab. Instead we synthesize maker specifications and the pattern of owner reports that build up over months and years of daily use, then weigh them against what actually matters in a kitchen. A trash can lives in the busiest corner of the house and gets opened, wiped, and refilled constantly, so small annoyances compound.

The criteria that carried the most weight: how well the can holds a liner and how easily you change bags; how the lid mechanism ages, whether it’s a foot pedal or a motorized sensor; whether the fingerprint-resistant steel genuinely stays clean; usable capacity for the footprint; and how it copes with pets nosing around. We also looked at whether custom-fit liners are a convenience or a lock-in, and whether dual-compartment recycling earns its extra bulk.

This is the can that quietly does everything right. The liner-rim system tucks the bag edge out of sight and grips it so it can’t slide down into the can under a heavy load, and the built-in liner pocket holds a spare roll of custom-fit liners so a bag change is a five-second pull-and-replace. Simplehuman says it engineered the steel pedal to last over 150,000 steps, and its Lid Shox technology gives a slow close. The brushed stainless finish wipes clean easily. The trade-off is that it’s built around simplehuman’s custom liners, which cost more than generic bags, and it’s a tall can. For a reliable everyday workhorse, those are easy compromises.

If you want touchless, this is how to do it. The adaptive motion sensor opens on a deliberate hand wave, and owner reports consistently note that it doesn’t fire off every time a pet or family member wanders past, which is the failure mode that makes cheaper sensor cans maddening. It keeps the same liner pocket and liner-rim system as the step models, so bag changes stay tidy, and the semi-round back sits flush against a wall to reclaim floor space. The catch is simply that it needs power, so you’ll replace its four AA batteries periodically, and you’re paying a premium for a motorized lid. For hands-free hygiene during messy prep, it’s worth it.

This is a lot of touchless can for very little money, and for some households that’s exactly the right trade. Capacity is generous enough to hold a family’s weekly trash, and the fingerprint-resistant base hides smudges. It takes standard drawstring bags held by a retention ring, so there’s no custom-liner lock-in. But the owner reports are genuinely split: some units have a sensor that opens when you merely walk past, others need a second wave, and the motor and lid feel less refined than the premium cans and, by some accounts, wear sooner. If your budget is firm and you can live with a bit of variability, it delivers real value. If sensor precision matters to you, spend up.

The pitch is great: two independent touchless compartments for trash and recycling, removable wheels to roll it out, and removable inner buckets. In practice it stumbles. By default it runs on four D batteries, and the AC adapter is optional and sold separately. Because the total splits in two, each compartment is small and fills fast, so you’re changing bags often. It’s also a big unit for the usable volume, and owner reports point to sensor and motor reliability slipping after moderate use. Most kitchens end up better served by one good can plus a separate recycling bin, which is simpler to power, empty, and keep running for years.

simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can vs simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can: which should you buy?

These are the two strongest cans here, and they share the same tidy liner system and clean-staying steel, so the real question is how you want to open the lid. The step can is the more bulletproof choice: there’s no motor, no battery to recharge, and no sensor to misread, and the pedal keeps the lid shut unless pressed. It’s the one to buy if you want to set it down and forget about it for years.

The semi-round sensor can earns its place only if hands-free opening is something you’ll use daily, for example when you’re constantly handling raw meat or sticky prep and don’t want to touch anything. Its sensor is well-tuned enough to be a pleasure rather than a nuisance, and the flat back saves space. But it costs more, needs power, and adds a mechanism that can eventually fail, whereas a pedal has no motor to fail. Default to the step can; choose the sensor can when touchless is a genuine daily need.

What to look for

• Liner retention: a liner-rim or grip system that hides the bag and stops it sliding down; a built-in liner pocket makes changes far faster.
• Custom vs standard bags: custom-fit liners fit best but cost more and lock you in; standard-bag cans are cheaper to feed but fit looser.
• Lid mechanism durability: on step cans, a high-rated pedal and a soft, damped close; on sensor cans, a quiet motor and a sensor that ignores passing movement.
• Fingerprint-proof steel: a coated or brushed finish that hides smudges so the can looks clean with minimal wiping.
• Capacity vs footprint: match liters to your household, and favor semi-round or rectangular shapes that sit flush against a wall.
• Pet-proofing: a pedal-only lid or an adaptive sensor, plus a stable, heavy base that won’t tip.
• Recycling needs: only choose a dual-compartment can if space is tight and you truly want both bins in one body.

Our final take

Buy the simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket if you want the most reliable, lowest-fuss can: it nails liner handling, keeps its finish clean, and its pedal is engineered for over 150,000 steps, with nothing to power. Step up to the simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can only if hands-free opening is a daily need; its sensor is one of the few that behaves. The Ninestars 21-gallon sensor can is a legitimate budget option if you accept some sensor and build variability for a lot of capacity. And skip the iTouchless dual-compartment recycler: the split-bin idea is good, but battery drain, bulk, and reliability make one solid can plus a separate recycling bin the smarter setup.

Deciding between the top two? See our head-to-head: simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket vs simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can.

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