Best Slim Kitchen Trash Can (7 Narrow Picks for Small Kitchens)

Most small kitchens have one awkward gap, beside the fridge, at the end of a counter or next to the wall. A slim trash can is made for that gap.

A regular round can sits in the floor space you stand in to cook. A slim kitchen trash can turns that around: it is narrow at the front and goes deep instead, so it tucks into a strip of floor you were not using anyway.

“Slim” still means different things. Some cans are slim but tall, some are slim but low, and some hide inside a cabinet. The seven picks below cover each kind.

The short version: For most small kitchens, buy the simplehuman 45L Slim Step Can. It is about 10.25 inches wide, holds 12 gallons, closes quietly and is built to last. Before you buy any slim can, measure the height above the spot as well as the width, because the lid needs room to open.

Our Picks at a Glance

• Best overall: simplehuman 45L Slim Step CanJump to review ↓
• Best for trash and recycling: Joseph Joseph Totem Compact 40LJump to review ↓
• Best touchless: iTouchless 13 Gallon Stainless Steel Sensor CanJump to review ↓
• Best budget workhorse: Rubbermaid Commercial Slim Jim Under-Counter Container, 13 GallonJump to review ↓
• Best value steel step can: iTouchless SoftStep EXP 13.2 GallonJump to review ↓
• Best for low clearance: iTouchless Wings-Open Lid Sensor CanJump to review ↓
• Best hidden pull-out: Rev-A-Shelf RV-12PB Single 35 Quart Pull-OutJump to review ↓

All seven are 12 inches wide or less. They differ in depth, height and how the lid opens.

Slim Trash Cans Compared

Can	How it opens	Size (W x D x H)	Capacity	Height with lid open
simplehuman 45L Slim Step	Foot pedal	10.25 x 21.5 x 24.4 in	12 gal (45 L)	40.4 in
Joseph Joseph Totem Compact	Touch bar, pull-out lower bin	11.8 x 14.4 x 29.9 in	Two 5.3 gal bins plus food caddy	41.3 in
iTouchless Stainless Sensor	Motion sensor	10.8 x 12.8 x 27.9 in	13 gal (50 L)	35.8 in
Rubbermaid Slim Jim Under-Counter	Open top	11.2 x 22.2 x 26.1 in	13 gal	No lid
iTouchless SoftStep EXP	Foot pedal	10 x 19.5 x 24.4 in	13.2 gal (50 L)	40.5 in
iTouchless Wings-Open Sensor	Sensor, lid splits in two	10.4 x 16.3 x 22.6 in	13 gal (50 L)	27.2 in
Rev-A-Shelf RV-12PB	Slides out of a base cabinet	Needs a 10.75 x 22.1 x 19.1 in opening	35 qt (about 8.75 gal)	Inside the cabinet

1. Simplehuman 45L Slim Step Can: Best Overall

This is the slim can most small kitchens should start with. It is only about 10 inches wide, yet it holds about 12 gallons, close to a regular kitchen can.

What sets it apart is the build. The steel pedal is rated for 150,000 steps, which works out to more than 20 steps a day for 20 years. The lid has a damper that slows it down, so it shuts softly instead of slamming. That matters more than it sounds in a studio, where the kitchen and the bedroom share the same air.

The liner rim is the other clever part. It lifts so you can fit the bag, then clamps down to hold it and hide the edge. There is also a spot under the lid for an odor-absorbing pod.

If you like the look of matching finishes, the brushed steel works well beside a stainless fridge. Our guide to small kitchen colors covers why one calm finish makes a tight room feel less busy.

Who should buy it: Anyone with a 10 to 12 inch gap and open air above it who wants one can that will last for many years.

2. Joseph Joseph Totem Compact 40L: Best for Trash and Recycling

Most dual trash cans put two bins side by side, which makes them wide. The Totem Compact stacks them instead. Trash goes in the top bin, recycling goes in the lower bin, and the whole unit takes up a floor patch under 12 by 15 inches.

You open the top lid by tapping a metal bar at the front. The lower bin pulls out from the front, so nothing needs lifting off. A 3-liter food caddy sits inside and can come out to the counter while you cook.

Each bin holds about 5.3 gallons, so neither one is huge. That is the trade-off for fitting two streams into one slim footprint. It suits one or two people who empty the trash every couple of days.

If you are also trying to cut food waste, our guide to cooking for one without wasting food helps shrink what goes in the top bin in the first place.

Who should buy it: Recyclers in small apartments who do not have room for a second bin, or who are tired of a bag of cans sitting on the floor.

3. DZT13P 13 Gallon Stainless Steel Sensor Can: Best Touchless

This is the long-running sensor can from iTouchless, and it has the smallest floor footprint of any full 13-gallon can here. At about 11 by 13 inches, it fits a short gap as well as a narrow one.

A sensor in the lid picks up your hand. A small motor then lifts the lid and closes it a few seconds later. You never touch the lid with raw-chicken fingers, which is the whole point.

It takes standard 13-gallon kitchen bags, so there is no special liner to reorder. There is no inner bucket, so the bag fills the whole can.

Keep the sensor away from the main walkway if you can. In a narrow galley, a sensor can that sits right where people pass may open more than you want. Our galley kitchen ideas cover where the trash fits best in a long, thin room.

Who should buy it: Busy home cooks who handle a lot of raw meat or messy prep and want to stop touching the lid.

4. Rubbermaid Commercial Slim Jim Under-Counter Container, 13 Gallon: Best Budget Workhorse

The Slim Jim is the slim can restaurants and offices have used for years. This under-counter version is shorter than the classic and costs much less than the steel cans here.

Its smartest feature is hard to see. Channels run down the inside walls and let air in under the bag. Without them, a full bag creates suction and fights you on the way out. The rim also has slots that pinch the bag in place, so you do not need to knot it around the edge.

There is no lid. That is fine inside a closed cabinet or pantry, but out in the open it lets smells and fruit flies in. If pests are a worry, read our guide on keeping pests out of a small kitchen before you go lidless.

Who should buy it: Budget shoppers who will hide the can in a pantry, closet or tall cabinet and want it to take years of rough use.

5. SoftStep EXP 13.2 Gallon Step Can: Best Value Steel Step Can

This iTouchless step can is the narrowest pick here at just 10 inches wide. It holds about 13.2 gallons, a touch more than the simplehuman, and usually costs less.

A rim inside holds the bag and keeps the edge out of sight. The lid closes gently, so it does not bang when you lift your foot. It is dent-proof plastic rather than steel, a fair trade in a busy kitchen.

Who should buy it: Anyone who wants a slim steel pedal can and a bit more capacity, and would rather not pay simplehuman prices.

6. Wings-Open Lid Sensor Can: Best for Low Clearance

Most cans need about 40 inches of height to open. This iTouchless can needs just over 27. The lid splits down the middle and the halves flip up to the sides, like a pair of wings.

That opens up spots other cans cannot use, like under a breakfast bar, a table or the overhang of a small island. Our small kitchen island ideas show the kind of overhang this suits. It takes standard 13-gallon bags and has a carbon filter in the lid.

Who should buy it: Anyone whose only free spot sits under something, such as a breakfast bar, a table or an open shelf.

7. Rev-A-Shelf RV-12PB Single 35 Quart Pull-Out: Best Hidden Pull-Out

This pull-out puts the trash inside a base cabinet. You open the door, slide the bin out, drop in the scraps and push it back.

The frame screws into the cabinet floor with four screws. A lid and a kit that ties the slide to the cabinet door are both sold separately. With the door kit, opening the door pulls the bin out for you.

At 35 quarts, it holds less than a floor can. That suits one or two people, or a home that also keeps a separate recycling bin. Before you order, read our guide to organizing under the kitchen sink, which shows how to measure around the pipes. Fitting a trash pull-out is one part of that bigger job.

Who should buy it: Homeowners with a spare base cabinet, or a sink cabinet with one clear side, who want the trash fully hidden.

How to Choose a Slim Kitchen Trash Can

A slim can solves a space problem, so the right one depends on your space first and your habits second. Start with a tape measure.

How to Measure the Gap

Measure three things: width, depth and height.

1. Width. Measure the gap at the floor and again at counter height. Walls and cabinet sides are not always straight. Leave about half an inch on each side so the can slides in and out easily.
2. Depth. Measure from the wall to the front edge of the counter. A slim can that sticks out past the counter becomes a hip-height bump in a narrow aisle.
3. Height above. Measure from the floor to whatever sits above the spot. That might be a counter overhang, a shelf or an upper cabinet. Then compare it with the can’s “lid open” height, not its closed height.

The third measurement catches most people out. A can that fits closed may hit the counter every time it opens.

Also check that the can will not block a drawer, the dishwasher door or the oven door when they open. Our small kitchen layout ideas cover how to keep these paths clear, and our tips for a small L-shaped kitchen show where a slim can fits at the corner.

How Wide Is a Slim Trash Can?

Most slim kitchen trash cans are 10 to 12 inches wide. They make up for it with depth.

Can type	Typical width	Typical depth	Good spot
Slim step can	10 to 11 in	19 to 22 in	Beside the fridge or at the end of a counter
Short slim sensor can	10 to 11 in	12 to 13 in	A short, narrow gap
Low-clearance can	About 10 in	About 16 in	Under a counter, shelf or table
Stacked recycling unit	About 12 in	About 15 in	Where you need two bins in one spot
Cabinet pull-out	Fits an 11 in or wider opening	About 22 in	Inside a base or sink cabinet

A regular round 13-gallon can is much wider than any of these. So even a deep slim can usually frees up walking space.

Slim Trash Can 13 Gallon: Capacity and Bag Size

Cans are often sold in liters, while bags are sold in gallons. One gallon is about 3.8 liters, so here is the quick conversion:

• 40 liters is about 10.6 gallons.
• 45 liters is about 12 gallons.
• 50 liters is about 13.2 gallons.

A 50-liter can is a true 13-gallon can, and most of them take regular tall kitchen bags. A 40 or 45-liter slim can is a little smaller. A regular 13-gallon bag will fit, but it hangs loose and bunches at the rim.

That is why some brands sell fitted liners. They cost more per bag but sit snugly. The inside of a cabinet door is a good home for the spare roll, one of many small kitchen cabinet organization ideas that free up shelf space.

Step vs. Sensor vs. Open Top

Each way of opening has a real trade-off.

	Step pedal	Motion sensor	Open top
How it opens	Your foot presses a pedal that lifts the lid	A sensor sees your hand and a motor lifts the lid	No lid at all
Power	None	Batteries or a plug	None
Holds in smells	Yes	Yes	No
Quiet	Yes, with a soft-close lid	Small motor hum	Silent
Things that can go wrong	Pedal or hinge wear	Sensor, motor, batteries	Very little
Best for	Most kitchens	Messy prep, meat-heavy cooking	Inside a cabinet or pantry

A step can is the safe default. It has no electronics, and a good pedal lasts for years.

A sensor can suits cooks with messy hands. It may open when you walk past, so place it slightly out of the main path.

An open-top can only makes sense behind a door. In the open, it lets out smells and invites fruit flies.

Slim Kitchen Trash Can With Lid: Does It Help With Smell?

Yes. A closed lid is the single biggest help against smell, because it traps the air inside the can. A carbon filter in the lid helps a bit more, since carbon soaks up odor as air passes through it.

Habits matter as much as the can. Take out wet scraps often, rinse sticky containers, and sprinkle a little baking soda under the bag.

If you cook a lot of fish or strong spices, smell in a small room often comes from the stove as well. Our guide to ventilation and cooking smells in a small kitchen covers that side.

Do You Need a Separate Recycling Bin?

In a small kitchen, you have three ways to sort recycling.

• A stacked unit like the Joseph Joseph Totem Compact puts both bins in one slim footprint.
• A pull-out with two bins hides both in a base cabinet, if you have one wide enough.
• A second slim can works if you have two gaps, such as one beside the fridge and one at the end of the counter.

Food scraps for compost are a different job. A sealed countertop bin or an electric unit handles those better. Our review of the best electric kitchen composters covers that, and our guide to eco-friendly kitchen swaps has simpler options.

Should the Trash Go Under the Sink?

It can, but pipes and a disposal often leave too little depth for a pull-out. A nearby base cabinet may work better, and our guide on how to declutter a small kitchen can help you empty one. Renters are usually better off with a floor can, as our renter-friendly kitchen upgrades explain.

How to Keep a Slim Trash Can Clean

Slim cans are deep and narrow, so a long-handled brush helps reach the bottom.

1. Wash the inside with hot, soapy water, in the tub or outside.
2. Wipe the lid and rim, where sticky drips gather first.
3. Dry it fully before the new bag goes in. A damp bottom smells within days.
4. Clean steel along the grain with a soft cloth, never a scouring pad.
5. Change the carbon filter every few months if the can has one.

A weekly wipe and a monthly wash fit easily into a small kitchen hacks routine.

Where to Put a Slim Trash Can in a Small Kitchen

Keep the can close to where you prep, so scraps go straight from the board to the bin. Good spots include:

• The gap beside the fridge. It is often the best use of that strip of floor.
• The end of a counter run, the natural spot in a one-wall kitchen.
• Inside a base cabinet, on a pull-out.
• Under an overhang, with a low-clearance can only.

Avoid the walkway and the oven door’s path. Clear floor makes a room feel larger, as our guide to making a small kitchen look bigger explains. In a studio apartment kitchen, a plain steel or neutral can also blends in better. For more room elsewhere, see our small kitchen storage ideas and tips for a small kitchen on a budget.

Which Slim Trash Can Should You Buy?

• You want one can that does everything well: simplehuman 45L Slim Step Can.
• You recycle and only have room for one can: Joseph Joseph Totem Compact 40L.
• You want hands-free and a short footprint: iTouchless 13 Gallon Stainless Steel Sensor Can.
• The can will live behind a door: Rubbermaid Slim Jim Under-Counter.
• You want the narrowest steel step can: iTouchless SoftStep EXP.
• Your only free spot is under a counter or table: iTouchless Wings-Open Lid Sensor Can.
• You want the trash off the floor entirely: Rev-A-Shelf RV-12PB.

Measure the height above the spot before anything else. Then pick the opening style that suits that height. Most of the time, that one number makes the choice for you.

Related Guides

• How to Organize Under the Kitchen Sink
• Vertical Storage Ideas for Small Kitchens
• How to Make More Counter Space in a Small Kitchen
• How to Organize a Small Kitchen Without Cabinets
• How to Organize a Small Kitchen With No Pantry
• Countertop Organization Ideas for a Small Kitchen
• Small Kitchen Remodel Ideas on a Budget

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best slim trash can for a kitchen?

For most small kitchens, the simplehuman 45L Slim Step Can is the best all-round choice. It is about 10.25 inches wide, holds 12 gallons, closes quietly and is built for years of daily use. If you want hands-free opening, the iTouchless 13 Gallon Stainless Steel Sensor Can is a good slim alternative that takes regular 13-gallon bags.

How wide is a slim kitchen trash can?

Most slim kitchen trash cans are 10 to 12 inches wide. To make up for the narrow front, they are deeper than round cans, often 13 to 22 inches from front to back. A regular round 13-gallon can is usually much wider, so a slim can is the better fit for a gap beside the fridge or at the end of a counter.

Do 13-gallon bags fit a slim trash can?

Often, yes, but it depends on the can. Many slim cans of about 50 liters are made for standard tall kitchen bags. Smaller slim cans of 40 to 45 liters work best with fitted liners, and a regular 13-gallon bag will hang loose and bunch at the rim. Check whether the maker designs the can for standard bags or its own liner size.

Is a sensor trash can better than a step can?

Not always. A sensor can opens with a wave, which is handy when your hands are messy, but it needs batteries or a plug and can open when you walk past. A step can has no electronics, so there is less to break. In a tight kitchen where people brush past the can, a step pedal is often the calmer choice.

Where should I put the trash can in a small kitchen?

Put it close to where you prep food, ideally between the sink and the cutting area. Good spots are the gap beside the fridge, the end of a counter run, or inside the sink cabinet on a pull-out. Avoid the middle of a walkway, where a can blocks the oven door or the path in a narrow kitchen.