wow, I have a step trash compactor that opens it near fully. I can only imagine the frustration of not having it open all the way. Can you get a heavier spring or replace it with something yourself? If not, I am sure in time you will get used to stepping then pushing open with your foot.

Try moving the bungee cords that attach to the cabinet base (if that's the style you have)--s/b three holes for attaching the hook. The furthest in causes less "oomph" to the door's opening, while the using the furthest out hole opens the door with more force.

Thanks--after further crawling around, it looks like the pedal does...nothing. No springs no bungees no nothing. It is one step up from having a shim stuck in there that opens it a half inch.

This little useless and mildly unattractive feature will be replaced. Grr.

So I'm not crazy! Thank you for that!

Is this the one by Hafele that's installed after market or is it one that came with your cabinets?

I can't find a brand name on it. It came with the cabinets. I told the cabinet maker I needed a trash pedal. He said he didn't do many of them because people didn't like them--now I see why!

My fault I suppose for assuming it would actually DO something and not asking for specifics. It just didn't occur to me that a trash pedal wouldn't actually make a trash can appear. Silly me. We will consult with the cabinet maker when he comes to measure for the dishwasher panels (if not sooner).

How does Hafele one work? Does it have springs, cords, etc.? How far does it open the trash drawer?

Can someone recommend a good one? Opening just half or a little more would be fine with me.

the Hafele pedals have spring or bungee cords that can be adjusted to open the cab. Sounds like your installer forgot to install them. there is another thread that discusses this but yes, the pedal should open the door.

Here is a link that might be useful: pics of the Hafele install

Here are three threads discussing foot pedals:

Thread: Foot Pedal for Framed Trash Cabinets
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg021819178147.html

Thread: Foot Pedal for Trash Can
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0821444819857.html

Thread: Trash - Foot Pedal AND Soft-Close?
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0602233719839.html

Thanks, Buehl. Off those threads I found this one--good ol' Alku with her pictures! Now I know what I'm missing, and where. My pedal isn't as cool-looking as the Hafele, but looks the same mechanically. It appears I need a bungee, and I think I can stick one on, whether or not there is supposed to be one. I'll see if the cabinet guys forgot it of course, but there is hope!

Here is a link that might be useful: trashytrashtrash

I have the Blum Servo Drive for my trash/recycling cabinet. I can either give it a bump with my knee or whatever or I can give a slight pull on the knob and it opens all the way to expose trash in front and a recycle bin in the back. Then I just give it a bump and it closes all the way. It's one of my favorite parts of my "almost done but in use anyway" new kitchen. It does require a plug in under the cabinet, but if power is out you can use it manually. No more worries of raw meat hands pulling out the trash. My cabinet guy suggested this over the foot pedals which he has experienced as trouble prone and disappointing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blum Servo Drive

That's very cool, Faleash.

I'll probably modify what we have, unless the cabinet guy has some hardware he forgot to install. I stuck a bungee cord on parts of the cabinet and pullout and it works pretty well with that. I'll do a proper installation once I hear from the cabinet guy.

Hmmm...I wonder if the servo could be retrofitted...no plug but we might be able to get to one to it...it might quiet my DH's objections to the pedal b/c he doesn't want to lose the soft-close feature...

Buehl- it takes very little power and can share with your disposal or instahot. It actually feels like a soft close. I mean it doesn't shoot out at you fast, rather gently but quick enough.

The Hafele has a bungee cord and the location that bungee cord is attached to on the railing is where the drawer opens to. Assuming you have the kind of cans that hang from a railing. My bungee is attached to the front of the floor of the cabinet on one end, and to just a bit beyond the front of the back trash can on the the other.

So when I hit the pedal, it comes open to expose the entire front (trash) can and just a little bit of the back (recycle) bin. That's the way I set it up because that's how I wanted it. But I could have attached the second end of the bungee to the very back of the railing in order to have both cans exposed when I stepped on the pedal.

The pedal and bungee operate independently so if you already have a pedal installed, just go get yourself a bungee and attach it and you should be good to go. You just need some kind of hook to install in the floor of the cab, and the railing needs a hole at the spot you want the bungee attached. I used a regular old drill to drill a hole in my metal railing for that purpose.

Faleash,
I have heard so much about soft close drawers... but this is the first time I see soft open! What a great idea! I also like how your sink cabinet looks like doors, but is actually drawers. Or is the 2nd half a door? Is Blum Servo Drive only for Blum drawer runners or any? Have you looked at the Tip-on, also on Blum website? How is that different?