The Kitchen Trash Can Has Been Yassified (for the Better)

From the bright and hands-free to the wicker-covered, these kitchen bins are no longer eyesores.

On my roster of things to improve, the kitchen trash can has, historically, remained untouched. But that’s because I assumed my kitchen trash can existed outside aesthetic goals for the home; at its worst, I considered it an obligatory eyesore and, at its best, a boring piece of necessary kitchen equipment. The other week, however, I spotted a tomato-colored Brabantia trash can in the wild (a friend’s apartment), and was taken with how chic it looked. Along with her retro yellow Moccamaster and graphic Vitra Uten Silo, the cheery trash can completed a perfectly bauhaus trifecta. And, for once, I didn’t want the kitchen trash can to feel invisible.

For far too long, kitchen trash cans have taken an aesthetic back seat to the casual home wastebasket, which has traditionally pulled focus through darling flower motifs, filigree materials, and other design splendors. Now, at a time when no home good is above aestheticizing, I’ve noticed that kitchen trash cans are finally starting to get a little more attention. I’m still waiting for some truly ornate offerings (where is the Dolce & Gabbana trash can?), but there are some delightful, color-popping moves in the right direction.

Below, I have rounded up a selection of my favorite non-ugly kitchen trash cans — from a high-tech composter to a bin with Googie legs — that can brighten up your kitchen.