If you are handy, you may want to look at the IKEA Utrusta - it's made by Blum and looks like it could be retrofitted to any cabinet, with some wood jigs to get it into the right position. It's on my "maybe" list this winter.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30238703/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNMz50U8qBI
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0902470928823.html

It's the one thing we didn't do that I keep revisiting "maybe we should have..."

Thank you! I'd seen it mentioned but didn't know it was made by Blum or that it could be retrofitted. (I'm not handy but my contractor is.) I just can't understand Blum's website (and all I see it on it are the tandem drawer openers now...no single trash drawer opener), and I thought the servo-drives were on Amazon, but now I'm not so sure that what's there is what I need.

Thanks too for the gardenweb thread link -- I'm interested in the push-latch options, too, and maybe I'd prefer them? I haven't found a review of anyone using the Lee Valley drawer kickers yet, but those were an interesting option, too.

My cabinet maker is installing one for me in his custom cabs. As long as the servodrive has wood or metal to push against to "kick" out the trash holder it should work. There is an ikea utrusta video on youtube taht might help you; I have read that the utrusta is made by Hafele and has minor differences.

I too would love to install this on my trash/recycling drawer. Was too overwhelmed by the huge number of other stuff I had to deal with in the remodel, but am just about in the mental state where I might do this now, after we are just about done.

The IKEA one is intriguing....have no more budget to do something expensive!

Firsthouse is correct - it's Hafele not Blum that makes it for IKEA. I got mixed up.

We went this route with using the Utrusta from IKEA. (BTW, it is a Blum product - Blum is written right on it, and Blum is who supplies IKEA's hardware. Hafele also uses items make by Blum.

We had custom cabinets made, but the inside of the cabinet is nothing different than any other inside of a cabinet to accommodate the servo-drive. So, I'm figuring that the Kraftmade cabinet should allow for installation too.

Our installer found installing the servo-drive frustrating...but he found several things frustrating, so I'm not certain if it's truly an issue on the part of the servo-drive or the installer. ;-) I know that he did need to play a little with it to get everything working properly, so I'd say that it's not a 10-minute project.

So far, I really like it. Sometimes it doesn't open quite as easily with the "bump" as it's depicted in video...but when I have messy hands and I need to toss something in the garbage, it's wonderful...no more messy handle or door front. Saying that about the bump - I use my hip to bump the handle rather than the door itself since I don't know if the door would be likely to develop rub marks over time...so, if I were to kick or bump it as shown in videos, it may be a little easier overall.

Oh and FWIW, we used the Utrusta in an 18" cabinet and we used this insert (because we wanted the double 50 quart and only had an 18" cabinet available to place the waste unit).
http://www.rev-a-shelf.com/p-474-double-soft-close-w-tandembox-waste-containers.aspx - the waste unit is fine, but I do somewhat wish that it were wood rather than medal.

Because the servo-drive installs at the bottom of the cabinet, and "kicks" an area of the garbage insert, I don't think you can use any of the garbage units that are top mounted (because there is no hard surface at the bottom of the unit for the drive to kick)

The garbage does make an electrical sound when it's opening, so it's not sound free...not a bother really, but good to know.

All in all, I would definitely do it again. It can be looked at by some as a little "gadgety" - but I got it for the same reason that I have a Tapmaster and a non-touch liquid soap dispenser in the kitchen - it just seems more hygienic.

Andrea, do you have to have electricity in the wall behind the cabinet?" tia

Andrea - I've got the top-mounted bins and the "solid" part of the drawer is in the that top 1/3 area. That's been my hesitation - I have enough room in the back to build up a wood block to mount the kicker to, but it's definitely a bigger project than just screwing it in - hence why it's on my "to do" list "someday" :)

On the bright side, I have power right behind it, so easy to feed a line in.

The more I've heard about it, the more people seem to like it.

Thanks for all the helpful responses! It turns out that the Kraftmaid waste drawers we have are top-mounted... but I went ahead and ordered the Utrusta from IKEA. I almost cancelled it, but I'm going to see if there's a way to rig it up to "kick" the top of the drawer... I will report back! GW has taught me so much, this will be my way of giving back -- fingers crossed it works! If it doesn't work, maybe I can buy a new "insert" (like the one from rev-a-shelf) and swap that in?

P.S. Why is IKEA shipping so ridiculous? It's $34.75 to ship what I expect can fit in a shoebox.... maybe I'm just spoiled by Amazon.

This post was edited by aek9y on Thu, Oct 2, 14 at 13:58

Gaaa, another decision to make! I'm glad you posted for help, aek9y, because otherwise this detail might have slipped by me.

Is the Double Electric Assist Waste Containers that Rev-a-Shelf charges a ridiculous amount of money the same thing? Does anyone know if we accomplish the same thing with the Double Bottom Mount Rev-A-Motion⢠Wood Waste Containers with the IKEA Utrusta added to it? It might save us a little money but what it will gain us is a 1 1/4" of height, which will help since we're putting a pull-out garbage unit in our sink base beneath an undermount Silgranite sink (on the left side of a right drain sink). We're fine with 35 qt cans. We currently only have a 20 qt can under our sink.

We won't have height issues with our other garbage pull-out in the island. We need 4 bins for garbage, mixed recycling, glass recycling and returnables and putting one beneath our sink was the only way to get 2 pull-outs in without giving up other much-needed storage.

Would someone please measure the distance from the top of the can to the cab frame for the drawer above for me? I keep looking at the photos but I can't tell how much room there is between can and cab top to know what is possible for my situation. Thank you!

westsider - yes, there is electricity inside the cabinet - there has to be in order for the unit to work. We placed our garbage unit in our island, so the wiring is coming up through the flooring and into the cabinet. We placed the electric box up higher in the cabinet (you can see the yellow electrical wired running up to the box in the far right side of the photo posted below), and then we run the electrical cord from the Utrusta into the electric box.

aek9y - so here's a picture of our unit. I think that there might be an issue with trying to make it work for a top-mount garbage because of where the Utrusta needs to be affixed. Hopefully the photo helps you to see a little better how it's in our cabinet.

Mini update: I ordered the Utrusta from IKEA, and it arrived today. It does indeed say "Blum" on it. I showed it to my contractor, and he thinks maybe we can mount it upside down -- from the top of the cabinet -- so that it pushes against the solid part of the trash/recycle drawer. I'll update further when we've tried it! (Hopefully in the next two weeks.)

aek9y - sorry to hear that it won't work out for you. I think the key on Utrusta/Blum servo drive unit is having one of the waste can set ups like what we purchased so that the "foot" can "kick".

I wonder why you don't consider a pedal opener? Some who have done that seem to be rather happy with that set up.

I'm not sure about placing a low handle on the door - it seems to me that it would unusual and probably would not be very user friendly...not sure how easily your garbage area door opens right now, but to open mine by hand took a little bit of force...not a lot mind you, but more than just opening a cabinet door, so I'm thinking that it would be difficult to use a handle with your foot.

Thanks, andreak100. I'd looked at the pedal openers briefly, but something turned me off -- I can't remember what now? I kind of recall seeing that they didn't last very long before they broke? But if others are happy with them, then I'll give it another look!

I'm sorry it didn't work for you aek9y. It was a total headache getting mine installed and working, but a year later both still work beautifully. One is top mounted and the other at the floor level because I have two different trash drawer configurations. If I ever do another kitchen, I'll specify the one Lisa_a linked with the servo drive already installed.

Hope it's ok to revive this old thread. I have new custom cabs and the rev a shelf trash unit installed in one. I purchased the Ikea version of the servo drive. My cabinet doors have an edge that is already flush with the outside of the box. Will that work? I'm not sure nudging it will make it move any to set off the arm.