This is ours....and so far no problems. I like that fact that the bins are supported on the bottom where all the weight in the bins "settle". Think about where it's best to support something heavy...the top or bottom (especially when using a plastic edge (of the bin) to hold the weight)? B/c it's a deep "drawer", there's no tilting of trash bins. There's no hanging rail to get in the way of the trash bag. [The rail can be a pro, though, if your bags routinely slip off the top of the bin. You can lift up the bin, put in the bag, and tuck it inside the rail as you maneuver the bin back into the rail. Ours don't, so it's not an issue with us.] mondragon, unlike the Ikea cabinets, the drawer above our trash pullout is completely separated from the trash area by a fixed wooden separator. The drawer sits above the separator. However, I do not put utensils, linens, wraps, etc. in that drawer as it psychologically does seem "gross". Instead, it's our "junk drawer". Here's a picture of ours: Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with either...so get whichever you like. Sorry, but winning an award in some state contest doesn't impress me...I've seen a lot of so-called award winning kitchens and wonder how people actually work in them! Most of those contests are really form over function...with function at the bottom of the list! I also suspect that "longevity" is not on "the list" at all. Your friend's kitchen may or may not be wonderfully functional, but w/o seeing it I take the fact that it won a state contest w/a grain of salt. Again, sorry if I'm too blunt, but I would not use that as a reason to get something unless someone is going for form over function...i.e., a "show kitchen" as opposed to a working kitchen...which is OK if you're upfront about it...not everyone actually cooks in their kitchen...some people just have them for "show".

I have to disagree with LazyGardens - we have not had any problems with trash "splattered onto the walls inside the cabinet, or the door of the cabinet,or behind the trash can" in the four years we've been using ours. In fact, I think it's cleaner than a standalone trash can b/c it's contained and dogs cannot get to it :-) I suppose if you leave it open and throw things into it from several feet away, it might be an issue, but it would also be an issue for a standalone can. I guess what I'm saying is the same as Palimpsest said - it has more to do with the users of the trash can than it does the location of it or its type. As to the location of the trash compactor, it's in a very good location for using the trash while prepping and cooking - the two tasks that generate the most trash and recycling. It's even near the Cleanup Zone - so useful for all primary work zones. However, if this is a home you are renting out (and I assume it is), I would not upgrade the appliances too much unless (1) you upgrade everything in the kitchen to the same level or (2) you have to to compete in the rental market in your area. I'm assuming the range is still functioning just fine since you called it "the old, reliable electric range". Stainless steel and white (or black) appliances are not that bad together. I think of SS as a neutral that goes with just about everything!

schicksal- what kind of garbage bins are those? I really like them! oh, to answer the original question. no pic yet because my pulls are on backorder, however I chose an extra long pull for my garbage/recycle pullouts (12"). There is no drawer above it (I have outlets above my trash pullout). I chose the extra long pull for two reasons: 1) easy to pull open (I guess I was thinking no matter where you grab the handle is there) 2) can hang a towel on it the pull does match the other pulls in the kitchen though, as far as style

I have a knob (I think it is 1.25") on the 18" pull out trash cabinet and it has worked fine for 2 years. I have bin pulls on the drawers in the kitchen, but I was not sure how it would look on the trash, which I thought looked more like a cabinet door. So, we went with the knob and it works fine. However, since I finished my kitchen there was another post about this and many people showed pictures of bin pulls on the pull out trash mixed with knobs on the lower cab doors and it looked just fine. So, either way will work.