# Best Slim Trash Cans for Small Kitchens Source: https://smallspacepicks.com/best/slim-trash-cans-for-small-kitchens Updated: 2026-09-15 Publisher: Small Space Picks. Our score is an editorial rating out of 10 (fit 35%, features 25%, build 20%, value 20%), not a customer rating. Method: https://smallspacepicks.com/how-we-research#our-score In a small kitchen the trash can lives in a gap: beside the fridge, at the end of a counter run, or inside a cabinet door, and the right can is shaped for that gap. Measure the slot first, then buy a rectangular slim profile, since round cans waste every inch around them. A foot pedal matters more in tight quarters, where you are usually holding something with both hands, and a slow-close lid keeps the clang out of open-plan studios. If the municipality splits recycling, a dual-compartment slim can does two streams in one footprint instead of two cans you have no room for. Under-sink and cabinet-door-mounted cans free the floor entirely but limit capacity to roughly 10 liters, which means more frequent trips. Steel bodies resist the scuffs of a narrow passage better than plastic, and a removable inner bucket makes washing day civilized. Whatever the format, buy the bag size that actually fits the can, because improvised bags that slump into the bin are the daily tax of a wrong-size purchase. ## Picks ### 1. SONGMICS 13 Gal Slim Trash Can, Soft-Close Our score: 8.1/10 (Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10) Full kitchen capacity squeezed into a corridor-width steel column. Pros: - Full 13-gallon capacity in a narrow-profile steel body - Soft-close pedal lid stays quiet at night - Fingerprint-resistant finish Cons: - Tall body needs clearance under counters - Steel dents if kicked hard Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B0C5HZV9TK ### 2. SONGMICS 8 Gal Stainless Kitchen Trash Can Our score: 7.3/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) The right-sized middle can for solo cooks who empty weekly, not daily. Pros: - 8-gallon middle size matches one-person cooking volume - Stainless body with quiet soft-close lid - Compact height tucks under counter overhangs Cons: - Between standard bag sizes, test fit - Single compartment Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B0DMM8L3ZQ ### 3. SONGMICS Dual-Compartment Recycling Trash Can Our score: 7.1/10 (Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 6/10) The two-stream solution when recycling is mandatory but floor space is not. Pros: - Trash and recycling in one footprint instead of two cans - Steel pedal design built for daily use - Independent lids keep smells separated Cons: - Wider than single slim cans, it replaces two - Inner buckets need the right two bag sizes Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B07B8GX69W ### 4. EKO Hudson 50L Slim Stainless Step Can Our score: 7.1/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 5/10) The design-grade slim can for kitchens that guests can see from the couch. Pros: - Commercial-grade stainless build in slim proportions - Whisper-quiet damped lid - Design-forward look for open studios Cons: - Premium price bracket - Young listing on Amazon Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B0FLPRKJ7R ### 5. Glad Slim Trash Can with Clorox Odor Protection Our score: 7.0/10 (Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 6/10) The odor-controlled slim can for open-plan studios where the trash lives in view. Pros: - Odor-absorbing lid matters more in a studio where the kitchen is the bedroom - Slim rectangle slides into appliance gaps - Soft-close step lid from a household brand Cons: - Premium price for a plastic can - Proprietary-ish bag fit, though standard 13 gal works Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B0BTZ6MKNZ ### 6. Home Zone 4 Gal Slim Step Trash Can Our score: 6.6/10 (Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10) The under-sink-sized step can that still looks and closes like the big ones. Pros: - 4-gallon size for bathroom, desk, or micro-kitchen duty - Matte steel with soft-close lid at a small-can price - Fits under most sinks standing up Cons: - Small capacity means frequent emptying as a main can - Grocery-bag liners fit loosely Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B0DHT1B1JC ### 7. Rubbermaid Premier Step-On Trash Can Our score: 6.4/10 (Fit for the job 6/10 · Features and specs 5/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10) The proven-brand workhorse for renters tired of replacing cheap cans. Pros: - Household-name durability with replaceable parts - Stainless pedal survives years of stomping - Bag grips stop the liner slump Cons: - Rounder body wastes a little gap width - Lid slam if the damper wears Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B08LMY5PK9 ### 8. SIMPLI-MAGIC 13.2 Gal Soft-Close Step Can Our score: 5.9/10 (Fit for the job 5/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 5/10) The big-capacity smudge-proof can for galley kitchens with one spot for trash. Pros: - Smudge-resistant stainless hides fingerprints in tight galley traffic - Big 50 L capacity for a weekly-empty household - Sturdy pedal mechanism Cons: - Full-size footprint, slim-ish rather than narrow - Lid opening needs overhead clearance under shelves Details: https://smallspacepicks.com/product/B0BTMZLMGD As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.