Best Stainless Steel Kitchen Trash Cans of 2026

Twenty gallons is a lot of trash can, and that is the point of the EKO Hudson. It is 31.4 inches tall and 16.3 by 14.3 inches at the base, so it holds a week of family waste without turning into a second piece of furniture. We like the matte stainless finish for a kitchen where the can sits in plain view; it is less mirror-like than polished steel and easier to live with between wipe-downs.

The rear compartment is the detail we did not expect to care about as much as we do. It stores a roll of bags on the back of the can, so a liner change does not turn into a hunt through a cupboard. The pedal is rated for 200,000 steps and the lid uses a bi-force damper, which is the sort of hardware that makes a big can feel less like a dumpster. At 19 pounds, it is heavy enough to stay put when you step on the pedal.

The size cuts both ways: 20 gallons means fewer trips outside, but the can is tall enough that it may crowd a short counter run. We see it as the right pick for a busy family kitchen with room for a big can, not for a tight galley. If you want the same capacity with a squarer, slightly shorter body, the Glad below is the closer call.

The flat back is the first thing we notice on the simplehuman semi-round. It lets the can sit flush against a wall or the end of a cabinet run, while the rounded front keeps it from reading as a box. At 15.9 gallons, it is bigger than the standard 13-gallon can but still within the range most kitchens can place. We like it for an open kitchen where the can is visible and the extra capacity earns its footprint.

The liner-rim system is the part that changes daily use. The stainless rim grips the bag directly and hides the excess, so you are not wrestling a liner around a separate ring every time. The design is meant to leave more of the interior for trash and make bag changes quicker. Treat the rim as the fitting that matters: a bag that is too small will fight it.

The lid uses the same Lid Shox slow-close mechanism as the smaller simplehuman, and the pedal is rated for 150,000 steps. The 60-liter body weighs 12.7 pounds, which is light enough to reposition but not so light that it slides. The liner rim is the deciding detail: it makes bag changes feel more deliberate than a loose liner stuffed around an open rim.

The Glad 20-gallon can puts odor protection in the lid and frame, not in a separate filter you have to remember to buy. That is the feature we care about most in a kitchen can, because a tight lid helps with smell but does not do much once the bag is open. The 16-inch square footprint is compact for a 20-gallon body, and the pewter stainless finish is designed to resist fingerprints.

We also like the bag rings. They hold the liner firmly around the rim and tuck the excess out of sight, which matters on a can this deep. A rear compartment stores spare bags, so you are not digging through a drawer with a full liner in your hand. The soft-close lid is quiet when it is working, and the step pedal is the simple, hands-free mechanism we prefer for a busy kitchen.

The weak point is long-term hardware. The lid and mechanism can lose their smooth close, and the finish can dent if the can is knocked around; treat it as a can to keep against a wall rather than one to drag across the floor. For a large household that fills a 20-gallon bag quickly and wants odor control built in, the Glad earns its place. It is also a more affordable route to extra capacity than the premium 20-gallon picks here.

The Amazon Basics 50-liter is the budget can we keep on the shortlist because it does the basic job with a removable inner bucket. That bucket is the detail that makes emptying and cleaning less of a chore: lift it out, take the bag with it, and wipe the plastic instead of reaching into a deep stainless shell. The 13.2-gallon capacity takes standard 13-gallon bags, and the footprint is 16.73 by 14.65 inches.

The soft-close lid and foot pedal are the right choices for a kitchen can at this end of the group. We also like the carry handle on the inner bucket and the smudge-resistant exterior, which keeps the stainless looking presentable without constant polishing. The body is light enough to move when you need to clean behind it, which is not always true of a 13-gallon steel can.

The caveat is the lid mechanism. It can start slamming instead of closing softly, and the foot pedal is not the strongest part of the design over years of use. That is the trade-off for the lower price: you get a practical layout and a removable bucket, but you should check the lid action when it arrives and keep the receipt. If you want a can you can hand down, spend more; if you want a good-looking workhorse for a rental kitchen or a busy mudroom, this is a sensible place to start.

At 11 inches wide, the Rubbermaid Elite is the can we point to when the gap beside the fridge is the deciding measurement. It is a 12-gallon square can, so it holds slightly less than a standard 13-gallon bag but still takes a standard 13-gallon liner with some excess to tuck. The lid lock holds the lid open for longer tasks, and the fingerprint-resistant finish is a practical choice for a can you will touch every day.

We like the step pedal and the way the square body sits against a cabinet. The can is 17.5 inches deep and 26 inches tall, so it has a small footprint in one direction but still needs floor space in the other. Check the width of your gap and the height of your counter overhang before you order; an 11-inch can still needs room for the lid to rise.

The finish is the part to watch. A stainless shell this size can dent if it is banged against a cabinet or dropped, and the lid lock can stick if it is forced. Those are daily annoyances, not reasons to avoid the can if the narrow footprint is what you need. The 12-gallon body is the price of that narrow fit; if you routinely overflow a 13-gallon bag, this is not the can for you.

The EKO Madison is the matte 13-gallon option we keep in the conversation because it pairs a fingerprint-resistant finish with a pedal rated for 200,000 steps. The matte surface is less shiny than brushed steel and should hide fingerprints better in a kitchen where the can sits out. It is a 13.2-gallon can, so it takes standard kitchen bags.

The lid uses a bi-force damper for a soft open and close, and a lid lock holds it open for longer jobs. We like that combination because it covers the two ways a step can gets used: a quick toss and a longer scrape-the-plate session. The lid lock is the kind of small convenience you notice more after you have lived without it.

The 50-liter body is the standard kitchen size, not a family-size can. A couple or a small household will fill it at a reasonable pace; a busy family will likely want the 20-gallon EKO Hudson instead. The matte finish is also a different look from the brushed steel most cans use, which is a nice change if your appliances are matte.

The main unknown is long-term support. This model has a shorter track record than the simplehuman or the Amazon Basics, so we treat the 200,000-step pedal rating as a design claim rather than a proven lifespan. If you want the matte look and a lid lock at a midrange price, it is a reasonable alternative. If you want the longest track record, the simplehuman is the safer default.

The SONGMICS 20-gallon is the heavy, simple version of an extra-large kitchen can. At 22 pounds, it is the heaviest can in this group, and that weight is noticeable when you move it but useful when you step on the pedal; it stays put. The stainless body has a removable inner bucket with a bag hole, so the liner stays tucked and you can lift the bucket out for cleaning.

We like the rear handle for pulling the can out from the wall, and the 19.5 by 16.3 inch footprint is wide enough to feel stable without taking over a whole wall. The soft-close lid and step pedal are the right setup for a family kitchen, and the 28.1-inch height is tall enough to hold a lot of trash.

The bag hole is a small detail that keeps the liner from creeping down inside the bucket. The inner bucket also makes the can easier to empty than a bare stainless shell, though it takes up some of the 20-gallon capacity. If you routinely fill a 13-gallon bag before trash day, the extra room is the point.

The lid is the part to check. It can fail to close properly or lose its soft close, and the finish can dent if the can is handled roughly. Those are the compromises on a 20-gallon can at this price. For a large household that wants a removable bucket and does not need a liner rim, the SONGMICS is a solid value. If you want the same capacity with a more polished fit and finish, the EKO Hudson is the upgrade.