Plastic Trash Can

It seems like stainless steel trash cans are all the rage these days. Companies like iTouchless and Simplehuman are coming out with high tech trash cans that are automatic, or have many other ergonomic features. Whatever happened to the plastic trash can? The plastic trash can perfectly does what it is designed to do: sit in your kitchen or outdoors and act as a container to collect trash. Although there are many advantages to modern trash cans, I wish now to speak a word for the plastic trash can.

UPDATE - Plastic Trash Can Sale Currently through This Link

Actually, there was once a time when the plastic trash can was the hot new trash can technology that everyone was talking about. Long ago, trash cans were almost exclusively made of aluminum or steel. If you can remember the metal trash can that Oscar the Grouch lived in, then you know the kind of trash can I am talking about.

So what were the improvements that a plastic trash can could provide over a metal one? The biggest advantage is that they are better at holding their shape over time. Metal trash cans often get dented and deformed. Plastic trash cans can usually bounce back to their original shape fairly easily depending on their quality.

Probably the best example of a high quality plastic trash can is the one produced by Rubbermaid. Rubbermaid has a proven track record of producing durable and functional trash cans that are much better than their metal counterparts. Rubbermaid produces both outdoor trash cans and kitchen trash cans.

So what are a few things you should consider when thinking about buying a plastic trash can?

1. What Size do You Need?

This can narrow down your choices a lot, and is not to be taken lightly. If you choose a plastic trash can that is too small, then you will find yourself faced with the chore of “taking out the garbage” much more often than you would like. On the other hand, if you choose a trash can that is too large, you will not have as many options about where to put it. It can also become extremely unwieldy if you let it get too full and may be nearly impossible to move.

2. Do You Want a Lid?

Most people like lids on their plastic trash can. This can keep the garbage out of sight, and can also contain the smell as long as the lid is securely fastened. The disadvantage of a lid is that every time you need to throw something away, you are forced to lift the lid. Luckily, there have been some innovations in this area. One is the “butterfly lid”. This is a lid that stays closed by a spring-loaded mechanism. You can toss something in the garbage, and the lid will snap shut automatically.

3. Wheels are Great

When faced with the choice, I prefer a plastic trash can with wheels. This allows you to move the bin from place to place almost effortlessly. It also saves the bottom of the plastic trash can from getting scratched up and eventually falling off.
No matter what plastic trash can you decide to buy, carefully consider your options and make sure to compare the prices that different companies offer. Nearly every day, there is a sale or deal that is occurring.