I encourage you to have two 50 qt cans in a pull out---one for trash and the other for recyling. I have a 15" pull out in our island that only holds a trash can and although it is so much more convenient than a trash can under the sink, I regret that I don't have a pull out that holds a recyling bin as well. Instead, I have to step out into the garage to deposit the recyling. I thought that wouldn't be an issue but I regret not having used a few more inches in width in the island to permit a pull out that holds both trash and recyling.

I agree with nancyaustin - definitely get the trash and recycling pullouts. They are great you won't regret it.

hi trinitybay...

We have the trash pullout just to the left of our sink and DW and I find it extremely convenient. In the old kitchen we had a small trashcan under our sink, and it wasn't convenient because someone was usually standing at the sink which made it difficult to get to it. I love the recycling bin being right there and agree that it saves me alot of trips to the garage. I only put clean, dry things in my indoor recycling bin, and I don't even put a bag in it, since there isn't anything to dirty the container.

The only drawback that I find with the big trash can is that it takes us a very long time to fill it up with trash (it's just me and my hubby)and if it sits in there too long it gets a bit smelly. So instead, I hang small grocery plastic bags off the edge of the trashbin, which we can fill up in a day, and take out frequently. I realize this may sound silly, but I can't stand pulling open the bin and getting hit with the bad smell of old trash. If we have guests over then I will use a tall kitchen trash bag since I know we will fill it up and get it out more quickly.

If your space is THAT limited then I suppose this is one of those things that you will have to weigh the pros and cons.

KA:)

That's what we're doing too. We had planned on a smaller unit and then had a vacation rental that had the 35 quart - it was just too small for us. And we definitely get in each other's way trying to get to the trash that's currently under the sink. I also have to go to the garage for recycling so I'm definitely looking forward to a nice big dedicated bin.

Besides, I figure if I really hate it it's not too expensive to convert to a regular cupboard. But I'll have so much space in our new kitchen I doubt it'll be a problem.

If it will fit your needs, consider an 18" double-bin pullout with a drawer above the two bins...it adds a drawer to your kitchen storage. The bins in this configuration hold 35 qts...just a bit smaller than a typical 13 gallon kitchen bag. At first I was afraid the trash bin would be too small, but now that we have a recycling bin in the kitchen (no more having to make "recycling runs" to the garage), I find that we actually generate less trash & recycle more. A win-win situation. Additionally, the 35 qt size seems perfect...not too small that you're constantly having to take the trash out and not too large that it begins to smell b/f it's full. (Another win!)

Personally, I really dislike trashcans under the sink...

First, there's the issue already mentioned...if someone needs to use the trash while someone else is working at the sink (prepping, cleaning up, etc.), that person working has to stop what they're doing and move aside. Sometimes it's OK, sometimes you're in the middle of something and it's best if you don't stop.

Second, the bins that fit under the sink, IMHO, are too small. Generally, they're no larger than a PR's small trash can so you end up needing to take the trash out all the time (or at least it seems that way.)

Third, to me it's the "yuck" factor...I've seen several people w/the trashcan under their sink and it always seems that the area is dirty (from missing the can b/c people try to get the waste in the bin w/o removing it or from an overflowing bin.)

As to cleaning the pullout, it's a lot easier to clean than trying to get under a sink to clean! Plus, the fact that it pulls out means you're putting things directly into the bin...not reaching inside a cabinet and then depositing the waste...so less of a chance of hitting the cabinet frame, missing the bin, etc. You also know when you're putting something in the pullout that if it's above the rim of the bin, it's time to take out the trash!

Funny. I was just thinking about that this evening.

Five years after reno it is the one thing I could live without. Company ALWAYS opens the door under the sink anyway looking for it.

I could take it our leave it.

My trash pull out is not under the sink, it's right under my food prep area. I just pull out the trash and sweep everything off the counters into the trash. It's so convenient! It never gets grungy at all. I use the cabinet under my sink for all of my cleaning supplies instead.

I love my double trash and recycle pull-out. I did not have one in this house and thiis was a required element in our renovation. Trash cans under sink are just way too small for us.

My pullout trash can is also not under the sink but to the right of it. I never considered putting it under the sink since it seemed it would be so difficult to use if someone was working by the sink/prep area. The greatest thing about the pullout is that it sits higher than a regular garbage can. I no longer have to stoop down to change the bag. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but I'm not getting any younger, and it was always such a hassle to take out the garbage in the past - but no longer. However, I only have a single bin since I did not have room for a double. If you have room for two, go for it! I agree with nancyaustin that it is so inconvenient to have to carry recycables to the garage.

It may sound crazy here because I am the definite minority, but I had a trash pullout in our last house and hated it. It was the double kind with trash in the front and recycling behind it. The concept was good, but it was a royal PITA to try to keep clean because it was physically impossible to get to the back part. I also did not like that guests did not know where it was (to the left of the sink cab and across from the island where I did my main prep). I'd have dripping garbage to transport if I did not take the whole shebang out in advance. I also had to hook a dirty pinky under the pull to open it when in the midst of handling food.
In our current lousy kitchen, the only good thing is we use a free standing garbage pail with a step pedal to open it. It is easy to nudge it around to where I am working and to open it. When we have a visitor, they know right away where the garbage is and do not have to open half our cabs to find it. If I am working in the sink area, someone can use the garbage and not make me move.
I often wonder why people want to pay cabinet prices for storing their garbage? I picked our current garbage pail up at Walmart for approx $30 and love it. We tried the motion detecting kind that would open "magically" but they always broke and you'd need to change the batteries fairly often. This one is cuter (white metal with stainless/chrome accents) and is easier to put a bag in than some of the other kinds.
I'd consider a pullout for recycling, but never again for the garbage itself.

I have a pullout that holds 2 trash cans and it has a drawer on top. Love it! Defnitely a must-have, IMO. Mine is right beside the DW and we just scrape food into the trash and stick in in the rack. So easy and convenient. I have one in my laundry room too that we could use for recycling if we wanted to (we would have to haul stuff an hour to get to the nearest recycling center, so at this time we just don't do it). Meanwhile, I like having a trash can in there for junk mail. ;-)

V

My husband and I didn't expect to love our trash pullout, we put it in largely because so many people around here loved them -- now we're big fans. We put in a single one, and our recycling is in two small cans under the sink (paper and other stuff separate). The pull out trash is super convenient because you just open it a few inches and can sweep stuff into it without fully opening it. Drippy, messy stuff no longer has to be picked up with your hand, but rather just pushed in to the open can. If there is any disadvantage to them it's probably that you can't fill them as full as you could an on-the-floor can due to the (in our case) soft-close drawer glides and not wanting to damage them by pushing trash in with any force. This forces us to take the trash out daily, but also means we can get by using cheap Ruffies liners instead of the more expensive Force-flex.

No regrets, in fact the pullout trash is one of the favorite things we put in the new kitchen, partly because we were not expecting to like it so much.

I agree with dianalo. I kept my step pedal trashcan. The pullout doesn't make sense to me. If your hands are dirty, how do you pull out the cabinet. Also, it grosses me out to think of garbage without a lid. And guests always know where it is. Plus I can pull it to wherever I am prepping. (It's one of those Simple Human SS cans.)

We have a pullout cabinet for the recycled items though. It's kind of wasted cabinet space, but my family had a terrible habit of leaving things to be recycled on the counter in our old kitchen. So, I was the one to gather it up and put it in the garage. Now they are good about putting it in the pullout. So, I am actually glad I have it, because I was unable to train DH or his minions.