An Honest Review of the Simplehuman Pull-Out Can

There’s a design dilemma I’ve wrestled with in every kitchen I’ve ever lived in: Where does the trash go?

For years, mine sat at the end of the counter—a sleek, stainless steel can that was lovely, as far as trash cans go. But it was still… there. It was an obstacle. We did a little side-step dance around it to get to the pantry. My friend’s dog made a beeline for it every time he visited. It was a constant, visible reminder of… well, garbage.

The dream has always been the hidden, under-cabinet solution. But I’ve been burned before by those flimsy, white wire racks that bend, jam, and scrape the inside of the cabinet door.

So, I fell down the rabbit hole of research on what people really think about the premium option: the Simplehuman Pull-Out Cabinet Trash Can. I wanted to know if it was just another expensive gadget or if it truly solved the problem.

After absorbing what feels like a thousand reviews, here is the real, honest truth about what it’s like to live with.

What We Genuinely Love (It’s All About the Glide)

Across the board, the one word that comes up more than any other is “smooth.”

This isn’t a wobbly wire basket. It’s a solid, heavy-gauge steel frame that arrives fully assembled. It bolts to the floor of your cabinet, and the magic is in the ball-bearing track. The pull-out action is so satisfying. It’s that quiet, buttery, thunk of high-quality engineering. It feels less like a flimsy add-on and more like a high-end cabinet feature.

The other deep love is simply the “gone” factor. The joy of reclaiming that floor space is huge. Your kitchen instantly looks 20% cleaner just by hiding the bin. It contains smells better, it keeps pets and toddlers out, and it removes the single ugliest “appliance” from your sightline. It’s a profound visual and emotional win.

The Real-World Frustrations (Let’s Be Honest)

Now, it’s not all perfect. There are two major points of friction that came up again and again.

First, let’s just get this out of the way: the liners. Simplehuman is brilliant at this. They create a “perfect” system. Their custom-fit “Code K” (or other) liners are strong, fit like a glove, and never slip. And… they are expensive. It feels frustrating to be locked into buying one specific, pricey bag.

My Takeaway: Most of us agree. We love the fit of the custom liners, but many people just “buy a box to get the code” and then find a standard 10-gallon or 13-gallon liner at Costco that works just fine. You don’t have to use their bags, but they will certainly tempt you.

Second, the installation can be a relationship-tester. While many found it simple, a very vocal group ran into trouble. The culprit? That tiny half-inch “lip” on the bottom of most face-frame cabinets. The unit is designed to sit flat, so if you have that lip, you must create a shim (a small platform) of wood to raise the unit up. It’s an easy fix, but only if you know about it beforehand.

A practical tip from those who learned the hard way: Before you buy, open your cabinet. Look for pipe obstructions. Measure the opening width, the depth, and the height. Then, measure again.

The Unexpected “Aha!” Moment

Here is the thing that surprised me most, and it’s a brilliant reframing of what seems like a downside.

A common complaint is that the can itself (often 35L) is smaller than the freestanding 13-gallon (50L) can it’s replacing. This is true. You will be taking the trash out more often.

But the “aha!” moment so many people shared? This is a good thing.

It’s a forced reset. You no longer have a giant bin silently collecting rotting food for a week. With a slightly smaller can, you’re emptying it every 2-3 days. The kitchen is cleaner. The bin itself never has time to get truly disgusting. The habit shift from “fill it ’til it’s overflowing” to “empty it when it’s full” paradoxically leads to a less smelly, more manageable kitchen.

My Final Reflection: Is It Worth It?

A pull-out trash can is not a glamorous purchase. It’s infrastructure. It’s the plumbing, the wiring, the hidden system that just makes life work.

Investing in the Simplehuman model isn’t just paying for a steel track; it’s paying to eliminate a daily frustration. It’s buying a little moment of satisfying, quiet function every time you slide it open. It’s an investment in visual calm and a small, invisible upgrade to your daily kitchen rhythm.

---

The Verdict: Who Should Buy It?

• A Resounding YES if: You are a “buy it once, buy it right” person. You value high-quality mechanics and hate visual clutter. You’re doing a kitchen refresh and this is the finishing touch. You have pets or toddlers.
• You Might Want to Skip It if: You are a renter who can’t (or won’t) drill into a cabinet. You have a very large family and need the largest possible trash capacity. Or, if the idea of paying for premium liners (or the mild inconvenience of not using them) will make you genuinely angry.

For me, the ability to make a piece of my kitchen’s most functional “mess” simply disappear, and to do so with such a solid, satisfying glide… it’s a small, daily joy.