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Original poster

Are there any downsides to having your bins built in to the cupboards/drawers?

65 replies

ScreamingBeans · 03/04/2022 18:38

Not sure whether to have freestanding or built in, any disadvantages to built in, do you spill bits of food all over the bottom of your cupboard or is it only good?

OP posts:
bumbledeedum · 03/04/2022 22:46

Honestly hate them in cupboards/drawers. Maybe we just produce more rubbish/recycling/compost than the average family but I find I'm constantly opening the bin drawer at the in-laws. Means I've only got one hand for rubbish. They have ones with lift off lids to add to the annoyance but in their old house they were open and smelly when the drawer opened. Much prefer the practicality of freestanding although I do agree they're ugly

CrabbyCat · 03/04/2022 22:58

We have a 60cm pull out wide cupboard with 4 bins, we use the two small ones for council food waste and our compost bin. Those have lids. We then have two large ones, one for recycling and one for general waste. I'm not sure where the comments about them being dirty come from - you take them out and clean them the same way you do freestanding ones? They are bigger than my old freestanding pedal bin so the size has never been a problem for me.

I love the pull out bins, it's so much better than having the kitchen taken over by the large number of bins we now need. The only downside about our layout is that we can't open the dishwasher and the bin cupboard at the same time, as both open into the same space.That can occasionally be a pain when I want to scrape dishes while loading the dishwasher, although we had no where else to out either so we'd have had to do the same even if we had realised it would be a problem.

Strictlyfanoftenyears · 03/04/2022 23:32

Whenever I see peoples freestanding bins, they are always overflowing (yeuch). Mine are hidden away, FAB.

BruceAndNosh · 04/04/2022 00:57

@HomeprideSaucy

Grim. My friend has one. Bin is always full to the brim and muck and crap is smeared rounds all sides of the unit.
I suspect if she had a free standing bin it would be just as grim. I don't tend to lob baked beans into my bin from a distance, and I empty it before it overflows
HeddaGarbled · 04/04/2022 01:08

I’ve got one now and I’m going for a free-standing in my new kitchen. As PPs have said, it’s too small and is awkward to clean, and yes, definitely get splatters all around the lid, cupboard and inside cupboard door, all of which are awkward to clean because the bloody fixed bin bit is in the way.

TooManyPJs · 04/04/2022 01:33

Doesn't manky bin smell leach into the cupboards?

Even though I wipe my freestanding bin out with disinfectant every time it's changed it still has an odour if you stink your head it and it's metal and plastic. Surely that smell would penetrate wood/msf even more?

DustyMaiden · 04/04/2022 01:37

I have them in the cupboard. Two bins one for recycling and a shelf for paper recycling.
They don’t get messy. If you can’t put something in a bin you’ll have mess wherever you keep it.

jkrfan · 04/04/2022 01:39

I chose not to have them as I was worried about odours and losing space. I don't regret not having them.

Monty27 · 04/04/2022 01:50

It's a super neat idea but I can imagine messy if you live with other people.
I've got freestanding recycling and rubbish bins under the sink unit.
When they get scruffy (too much bleach) I use them for gardening refuse to take to recycling and buy shiny new ones for under the sink.
Works for me ☺️

Mydogisagentleman · 04/04/2022 08:46

I live ours.
They are quite deep, one is for general rubbish which I use a black sack in, the other is recycling.

TheAbbotOfUnreason · 04/04/2022 09:49

@MarmiteCoriander

I'm looking into this also. Only downside is the bin capacity is much smaller than my current bins- so will need emptying a lot more often!
We found that rubbish compacts better in a built in bin, and consequently our big dustbin is only ever a third full now on our fortnightly collection day.
TheAbbotOfUnreason · 04/04/2022 09:59

We have this type

The only thing I’d suggest when planning is to choose a cupboard away from sources of heat (dishwasher, oven, pipes etc).

JustFrustrated · 04/04/2022 10:08

I love my IKEA 3 bin pull out.

It's 3 bins on 2 seperate pull out things.

One for general waste, one for food and the other cardboard/plastic

Easy to use, saves space (galley kitchen) and just sits under the sink.

Wouldn't go back.

Change it once a week, family of 4. Because everything is recycled e.g tins/glass straight into the box outside, it doesn't get full quickly.

skippy67 · 04/04/2022 10:08

We have exactly the same set up as @BaileysBreakfast. Works really well for us.

Obelisk · 04/04/2022 12:38

I find our built-in bin quite hard to use- you need to open the pull-out thing then lift the lid which is tricky of your hands are full of whatever you're throwing away.

JonSnowedUnder · 04/04/2022 13:15

We recently had a new kitchen installed and I specifically didn't want a pull out. Our last one got so manky inside, not just the bins but the cupboard itself which was difficult to access to clean properly.

Hebeee · 04/04/2022 15:06

We love ours! We have two cupboards (one either side of the sink) with two pull out bins - one each for food waste, glass, plastic/paper/card and landfill. Ours have lids that slide open as you pull out the drawer, so no need to lift the lids manually 😉

I always hated having freestanding bins on show in the kitchen - even when we had a 'posh' wesco one - especially after a bloody mouse got into the last one we had 😮

My only regret is not getting larger ones, but the cupboard/drawer space we had available didn't allow for it.

Hebeee · 04/04/2022 15:07

Sorry, I mean four bins in total, two in each 🙄

DomusAurea · 04/04/2022 15:47

Not hygienic and a friend got mice in her built in bin. That has put me off them forever. Also potentially they attract all sort of bugs/ants if we have a hot spell. Just don't.

DomusAurea · 04/04/2022 15:48

Hahaha just seen Hebeee's post - looks like mice will go in freestanding one too

Sapphirejane · 04/04/2022 15:52

I have them and hate them, awkward to get inside the cupboard to clean, I feel the smell lingers more despite how much I clean them. Would definitely not get them again.

Hadjab · 04/04/2022 17:21

@TwinkleToesStrikesAgain

Whenever I see a non built in bin I wonder why on earth the kitchen designer forgot that and what else isn't well designed in the room.

Who wants a bin on display, taking up floor space?

Me!! I love my bin, it's a thing of beauty. It's also tucked away at the side of a tall cupboard, so doesn't get in the way.
EasterDecorations · 04/04/2022 17:33

Me, but then I don't like minimalist kitchens with integrated appliances either. Ours isn't in the way at all, it's against a wall not in the middle of the floor.

MidnightMeltdown · 04/04/2022 17:44

@Sapphirejane

I have them and hate them, awkward to get inside the cupboard to clean, I feel the smell lingers more despite how much I clean them. Would definitely not get them again.

This. My house also has them and I hate them. They are messy, difficult to clean, inconvenient to use, and take up valuable cupboard space. Think I will try to remove them and have a normal bin.

Houseplantmad · 04/04/2022 17:49

I love ours - 600mm pullout with two compartments. Very easy to keep clean and much more capacity than the freestanding Brabantia bins we had before.
We also have an insinkerator so all food waste (apart from banana/citrus skins and really hard bones) go down there.
So much nicer having them hidden away and no big deal to open abs close when cooking.

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