Buying Guide to Kitchen Recycling Bins

With our innovative designs, a dual or triple recycling bin can often be fitted into the same floor space that used to be occupied by one rubbish bin, which will help you to keep the recycling and waste sorted and tidied away. How do you choose from such a large range?

Floor space and capacity

The starting point has to be the space you have and how much waste your bin is going to need to hold. This may depend on the size of your household, how much you tend to throw away or recycle or how often you want to empty it. Some customers choose the largest bin they can fit into their space: for example our Brabantia range is beautifully designed to fit great capacity bin containers into a neat, stylish bin unit. If you have a compact kitchen or a narrow space for your bin, we have smaller recycling bins and also slim single compartment bins to use alone or in sets, sometimes placed separately.

How many compartments?

The number of compartments you need may influence your choice, depending on your local recycling scheme and how much capacity you need for recyclables compared to waste. Bins with two inner bin containers make it easy to separate waste from recycling and can be used in conjunction with a food waste caddy. Triple compartment bins such as the Joseph Joseph Totem can ‘round up’ all types of waste and recycling into one neat unit.

Opening methods

Which way to open the bin works best for you? The main methods are by Touch or by using a foot pedal, each with its own advantages. 

Bins with Touch-opening lids have strong but sensitive lid catches needing a light touch to open, giving easy access to the containers inside, and are then closed with a light touch, These bins are great if you’d find it difficult to use a foot pedal, and in design terms Touch bins are neat and streamlined with no pedal mechanism to add to the overall depth of the unit.

Pedal bins give you great hands-free opening, and in many of our models the lid will stay open long enough for general use before closing slowly and softly for you. Some have a stay-open catch for longer tasks or liner changing.

We also have push-flap and lift-off lids which are particularly good for places where the bin is used frequently, and Sensor opening bins with infra-red technology where a wave of your hand will open the lid.

Style and quality

The third consideration is style, as bins can be beautiful! From sleek, minimal shapes, to fun retro designs such as the Wesco range, our bins are designed to be seen and make a positive addition to your space. We believe that the bin is an essential kitchen accessory and should be given as much visual and functional design consideration as other kitchen appliances and even furniture.

If you’re looking to make a style statement with your recycling bin, then add a beautiful design in your choice of colour from bold and bright to pastels and earthy tones. Alternatively chic, on trend finishes such as stainless steel, grey or stone can blend discreetly with the rest of your kitchen or office space. 

Quality of design and materials is vital and our bins have features that set them apart from cheaply made models. The difference made by top quality engineering shows: quiet soft-close lids, pedal mechanisms that are built for years of use and extra durable construction in superior colour finishes or fingerprint-proof coatings. One of our bins should work well and keep its good looks for years of use.