Kitchen Bin Wars: Standalone or Built-In?
We asked, you answered: Houzzers reveal their bin set-up of choice in kitchens of all kinds
Joanna Tovia
23 September 2016
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well.... More
Details count in a kitchen renovation and this is certainly the case with the kitchen bin. If you’ve been perfectly satisfied with an under-the-sink bin in your pre-renovated kitchen, should you stick with what you know or is there a better option? Would a standalone bin be easier to access and more hygienic, or will it just get in the way? We asked you to nominate your favourite bin set-up and, as you’ll see below, opinions are divided.
Under the sink
Putting dead space under the sink to good use makes sense, and has long been the most common location for homeowners wanting to hide their garbage away. If you can combine areas for compost, recycling and general garbage, so much the better.
A slide-out drawer with the handle at waist height is easier to use than having to open cupboard doors and then slide out the bins.
Putting dead space under the sink to good use makes sense, and has long been the most common location for homeowners wanting to hide their garbage away. If you can combine areas for compost, recycling and general garbage, so much the better.
A slide-out drawer with the handle at waist height is easier to use than having to open cupboard doors and then slide out the bins.
Plus, having a slide-out bin drawer on one side of a double sink can leave room for bin bags and cleaning supplies on the other side. A sink with the waste set at the back frees up more space in the cabinet below than a centrally positioned waste. Choose wisely, and make sure your plumber knows what your plans are with your under-sink bin set-up.
How to pick the right kitchen sink
How to pick the right kitchen sink
Next to the sink
This was a preferred option to stashing the bins under the sink for many Houzzers who responded to our bin poll. “An under-sink bin is so annoying!” says Miki. “Everyone wants to access it while you’re doing the dishes.” Next to the sink is far better, she says. And when you add an electronic opening mechanism for hands-free operation, “it’s perfect”.
This was a preferred option to stashing the bins under the sink for many Houzzers who responded to our bin poll. “An under-sink bin is so annoying!” says Miki. “Everyone wants to access it while you’re doing the dishes.” Next to the sink is far better, she says. And when you add an electronic opening mechanism for hands-free operation, “it’s perfect”.
Robandlyn has lived in several homes, some with built-in bins and others with freestanding. “In our last house I had a freestanding bin that was always in the way and an absolute pain!” she says. “When we built our new house we got built-in bins – they are not under the sink but to one side of it, so stuff can still get put in the bin while someone is doing the dishes.” Her two side-by-side bins are used for general rubbish and recycling.
As for those who question the cleanliness of bins built into drawers or cabinets, with a bit of elbow grease, robandlyn says this isn’t an issue. “No, it’s not a festering mess – we change the bags every night (we are a household of six so they fill up rather quickly – and I wipe the drawer and surrounds with disinfectant once a week. Suits us fine and I would never go back to a freestanding.”
Meanwhile, myownstyle13 has had a pull-out bin next to the sink for 20 years. “It is positioned where I do my prep work (between the sink and cooktop/stove) right under the [benchtop]. I prepare my food, pull out the bin, wipe it down – done! And no, there is no mess at all. I empty the bin every day; it is never overflowing. No smell, no mess.”
Smaller bins may mean you have to take out the garbage more regularly, but this also means unpleasant odours will stay out of the kitchen and there’ll be room for a drawer above for bin liners.
Browse more kitchens featuring marble
Browse more kitchens featuring marble
If built-in bins are your preference, why stop at tucking garbage and recyclables away when you can have mini-bins for kitchen scraps in an easy-access location too? Cleaning up is easier as a result, and so is keeping your compost bin or worm farm well fed.
If you’re not renovating your kitchen anytime soon, there are ways to make improvements to your existing cabinets, such as the Hafele system that opens the bin when you open the door. When you close the door again, the lid goes on to keep smells at bay.
Standalone bins
Not everyone agrees with in-cabinet bins, of course. In fact, our poll showed an almost even preference for freestanding versus built-in bins.
“I like [the bin] on the floor, but not under the sink. We have it in an unobtrusive, yet accessible corner,” says Najeebah.
“Our [freestanding bin] is right outside the kitchen door, which is steps from the main kitchen,” says Rollinggirl. “It cuts down on the smell and keeps it out of the way. I use a large bowl while cooking, then throw it all away in the end.”
Not everyone agrees with in-cabinet bins, of course. In fact, our poll showed an almost even preference for freestanding versus built-in bins.
“I like [the bin] on the floor, but not under the sink. We have it in an unobtrusive, yet accessible corner,” says Najeebah.
“Our [freestanding bin] is right outside the kitchen door, which is steps from the main kitchen,” says Rollinggirl. “It cuts down on the smell and keeps it out of the way. I use a large bowl while cooking, then throw it all away in the end.”
The accumulation of grime in a built-in bin set-up is the reason some Houzzers prefer a bin that stands alone.
“I absolutely detest bins built into kitchen cupboards,” says E L. “I can see the appeal of hiding the bin behind a beautiful kitchen [cabinet], but out of sight means out of mind, and normally clean, hygienic people with immaculate homes seem completely oblivious to the festering mess hiding beneath their benchtop.”
“I’d love to see an integrated bin that wasn’t totally gross, smelly and overflowing, so I vote for a freestanding bin placed in a strategic spot where I can grab and drag when needed.”
“I absolutely detest bins built into kitchen cupboards,” says E L. “I can see the appeal of hiding the bin behind a beautiful kitchen [cabinet], but out of sight means out of mind, and normally clean, hygienic people with immaculate homes seem completely oblivious to the festering mess hiding beneath their benchtop.”
“I’d love to see an integrated bin that wasn’t totally gross, smelly and overflowing, so I vote for a freestanding bin placed in a strategic spot where I can grab and drag when needed.”
Recycling
If a freestanding bin makes the most sense in your kitchen, the under-sink storage space can then be dedicated entirely to recyclables. This set-up makes it easy to separate the different recyclables before you take it to the wheelie bins outside.
If a freestanding bin makes the most sense in your kitchen, the under-sink storage space can then be dedicated entirely to recyclables. This set-up makes it easy to separate the different recyclables before you take it to the wheelie bins outside.
Colour-coded bins make separating recyclables even easier – for every member of the household.
Can’t decide? A set-up that’s not quite built-in and not quite freestanding could be the right way to go in your next kitchen renovation.
TELL US
Want to weigh in on the debate? Vote in our kitchen bin poll, and leave a comment voicing your opinion.
MORE
Browse more kitchen bin options
TELL US
Want to weigh in on the debate? Vote in our kitchen bin poll, and leave a comment voicing your opinion.
MORE
Browse more kitchen bin options
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When we refurbed 13 years ago we installed a system called Recyclit, not sure if it is still available but it is the Rolls Royce of rubbish systems. The two stainless steel flaps open to chutes straight down to the bins. They are magnetised and spring loaded so they keep closed. It was a leap of faith because we really didn't know how it would work with insects and nasties but we never get any flies, cockroaches or the like. There are brushes around the rim of the external bin that critters do not like so even externally there is no pest problem. We have a small bin on the bench that we line with a plastic bag which food scraps or anything messy goes in and this gets put down the chute once or twice a day. Then everything else straight down to the bins. I love it. When they changed the red bins to a smaller size a few years ago we had to place some pavers to make a small platform but it still works. Only problem will be that the next house will have to have that external wall in the kitchen to install another Recyclit.
How much "stuff" can you fit on each bin......????
If you mean the Recyclit system Felicity the opening and chute are 17x17cm so it is plenty big enough to put a bag or rubbish, bottles, papers etc down. Anything bigger and I just take it outside and put it in the bypass on the top of the system, straight into the wheely bins. The bypass means if something expands and stays in the chute you open it and move it along, very easy.