Home & Kitchen · Head-to-head
simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket vs simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Kitchen Trash Cans: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
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.
simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket
Buy itThe step can that gets the boring details right, from the liner pocket to a pedal built to outlast your kitchen.
- 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
- 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
simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can
Buy itA touchless can whose motion sensor is tuned well enough that it opens when you want and ignores the dog.
- 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
- 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
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket Our pick | simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Anyone who wants a fuss-free, long-lasting everyday can and doesn't mind paying up for fit and finish. | Cooks who want hands-free opening while handling raw meat or messy prep and value a reliable, non-twitchy sensor. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$$ · premium |
| Type | Foot-pedal step can | Touchless motion sensor |
| Capacity | 45 L (~12 gal) | 45 L (~12 gal) |
| Liner retention | Liner-rim + liner pocket, custom-fit | Liner-rim + liner pocket, custom-fit |
| Lid mechanism durability | Pedal engineered for 150,000+ steps, slow close | Motorized lid, 5-year warranty |
| Fingerprint-proof steel | Brushed stainless steel | Fingerprint-resistant coating per maker |
| Dual-compartment / recycling | No | No |
| Pet-proofing | Lid stays shut unless pedal is pressed | Adaptive sensor resists false pet triggers |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket if
anyone who wants a fuss-free, long-lasting everyday can and doesn't mind paying up for fit and finish.
Know before buying: the custom-fit liners cost more than generic bags, and the can is sized around them.
Pick the simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can if
cooks who want hands-free opening while handling raw meat or messy prep and value a reliable, non-twitchy sensor.
Know before buying: needs power: it runs on 4 AA alkaline batteries that you will have to replace periodically.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the simplehuman 45L Rectangular Step Can with Liner Pocket - The step can that gets the boring details right, from the liner pocket to a pedal built to outlast your kitchen. Choose the simplehuman 45L Semi-Round Sensor Can instead if cooks who want hands-free opening while handling raw meat or messy prep and value a reliable, non-twitchy sensor.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Kitchen Trash Cans: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).