I have the same problem, Betty. Old kitchen, broken trash compactor, don't want to replace it with another compactor. The trash bins that you linked to, antss, seem to need a cabinet front. I don't have any way of getting a cabinet front to match my existing, ugly Formica cabinets. I probably won't be able to renovate the kitchen for a year or two, and I'd love to find an inexpensive stopgap solution.

Respectfully, anyone who has not HAD ONE really doesn't know. THEY ARE AMAZING! As the man that has to take out the trash nearly every day previous to having one I will never go without one again! Also great for condos or beach areas where space is a premium. I have had 12" KitchenAid for about 8 years and it is awesome, LOVE IT!. I literally only had to take it out ONCE EVERY 2 WEEKS. I used a model with 'Solid Pack' and would engage it at night to compact to the maximum. (yes it gets heavy but so what if you only take it out occasionally, take it out once a week if it gets to cumbersome). It didn't ever smell. I would avoid putting fish heads, rotten fruit/veg in there if I new it would be leaving it in for another week. I opt instead to use the Garbage Disposal for those things. Also putting a paper grocery bag or newspaper in before a compact helps absorb and cut down on mess. I buy plastic heavy duty bags in bulk with tabs to hold bag up. I also use a separate Bin for Recyclables as I don't use many cans or bottles. Again, love, love, love it. I have very high end kitchen and feel it definitely adds to value. If we sell new owner can easily replace with Ikea pullout trash.

I wouldn't say that nobody uses them. I had one in my old kitchen and loved it. The only reason I'm not putting one in my new kitchen is because we're on septic and food now goes in the garbage instead of down a disposal. Seemed really unsanitary to mash food down in a trash compactor. Plus we take our kitchen garbage out daily now.

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