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should I get a trash compactor?

16 years ago

I have a large family and want to 'compact' my recyclables.

We generally put out two LARGE clear plastic bags of cans, plastic and paper packaging a week. We compost food waste and recycle our wine bottles aha ha! We are remodeling our kitchen and want NOT to look at those large bulky bags all week. Are compactors a good option? Do they work for you? What brand?

Talk to me.

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Comments (6)

igloochic
16 years ago
We have two (one in each home) by GE. I like to look for quiet operation and ease in bag changing. Personally...the best on the market is Viking...but the bag size is specific to the unit, the unit is not standard, and the cost is umm HIGH, but they're the best.

I like the GE though, and now that I've had them for a few years, wouldn't live without one.

I don't put smelly trash (food) into one very often (we have a garbage disposal). You do want to think of that if you have one and don't empty often.
carguy60
16 years ago
We also would find it difficult to live without the compactor. We do not have a good space for bags waiting for recycle and trash day.

We already have recycle bin for metal, glass, and plastic, can and plastic returnable container storage, and paper awaiting recycle storage.
The compactor enables us to have one trash bag or less a week.
We do not put smelly garbage in the compactor.
But we do put beef bones, banana peels, and coffee grounds in.
We have had one in every house we have lived in for 35 years.
We have consistantly used Whirlpool. Never have had a problem.

Good Luck.
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Since you only would need a plywood carcass, face frame and a door I cant see it costing over $200. He should be able to make a slide in cabinet. I bet you could also find a knock down that would fit the space. Just get it in the same wood face unstained and find the same door style. The door can be ordered from about 1000 places and I don't see how you can not match it. Just make sure you match the wood type. Look on the net just to see if you can find one like it. As for the stain any decent woodworker should be able to get pretty close. If you want drawers in the cabinet, then the price goes up, I'm still betting under $300, a knock down should cost about $150 a trash masher is 15". I'm having a cabinet built in an old oven hole about 24"W x 18"H x 24"D with 2 doors and a slide out to match my cabinets for $100. We have a trash masher and I posted that question to the wife and she said we could always put a trash can in there and cover it with a door. I also like the idea of the wine cooler even if you don't drink wine, put soda in there.
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Sorry to bump this after so much time. Here's a picture of the trash compactor. This is the pull out trash/recycling system that I want. http://www.pullsdirect.com/rev-a-shelf-5349-2150dm-2-5349-series-double-50-quart-pull-out-waste-container-with-soft-close-slides/p1573591. It says that it fits in a 15 inch width cabinet. It took me this long to contact a few custom cabinet makers in my area. 2 of them have told me that to replace the trash compactor with the double pull out trash/recycling that I want, I would need to not only have a cabinet door/face, but also they'd need to create a cabinet box and a frame too. However, by doing this, the width of the side of the cabinet box would mean that they wouldn't be able to put in the pull-out that I want, which needs a width of 14.8 inches (the trash compactor is 15 inches), so I'd need to select a different one, which would have a much smaller bin size. The one I want has 2 50 quart bins, and I would have to go down to 2 27 quart bins, I think, to get it to fit, which is a big difference. I'm also talking to a third custom cabinet guy who said that there might be a way to be able to put in a "floor" to where the trash compactor was, so he could install the double pull out I want (which is bottom mounted, not side mounted) without any sides, and then put some type of frame at the top only, so something that the cabinet door could rest against while closed, but said he'd have to think about how to create it, and get back to me. I'm waiting to hear from him to see if he's thought of something that would work. In addition, the price estimates I've gotten so far were substantially higher than I was expecting. Alison, I'd love to know the details of how you and your dh did this. Did you add a whole cabinet box? If not, what did you mount your pullout to, and what does your door rest against? I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks! Here is a link that might be useful: rev-a-shelf double pull out
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gizmonike
16 years ago
HATE compactors: messy, noisy, & the trash gets too heavy. While we do have garbage disposals, we use them only for bits from prepping & very liquid waste that would be a problem in a trash can.

We now have 2 pullouts, each having 2 plastic trash bins that can be easily removed, one bin for trash & the other for recycling. One pullout is in our cleanup zone, next to a dishwasher, and the other is on the opposite side of our island, near refrigerator, prep zone, & pantry. The bins get emptied into big covered & wheeled carts (outside) that our city supplies for waste collection.

I think the decision really depends on your trash & recycling collection situation, your kitchen layout, and personal preference. Compactors are not a "must" item these days for resale or convenience.
bryce5
16 years ago
We have had a trash compactor in our home for 27 years. It is super to have - definitely can't imagine being without one.

Igloochic, please tell me why you think the Viking is the best trash compactor. We have to replace our Kitchen Aid compactor and the Viking is the only brand that has the size that works for us. However, I'm curious as to why you think it is so good?
morton5
16 years ago
With 7 in my household, I need a trash compactor, but don't like having to think twice about putting potentially smelly trash in it. I am remodeling my kitchen, and plan to move my old compactor to the garage along with a few old kitchen cabinets. Then I will dump my kitchen trash daily, and compact all trash in the garage.
remodelfla
16 years ago
I had a compactor years ago and found the boys used it as an excuse not to take the trash out! Wouldn't get one again as after living without one I find it unnecessary. Then again... there are only 3 left in my household and will soon be down to just the two of us.

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