Every kitchen produces rubbish, and a lot of it starts within arm’s reach of the sink: vegetable peelings, rinsed tins, empty packets and the odd soggy paper towel. Yet the bin often lives somewhere else, out on the floor, in the way and in full view.
Moving your kitchen waste bins inside the cabinetry fixes both problems. The rubbish stays close to where it’s made but hidden behind a door. This guide covers the main types of concealed bins, what they can and can’t do for hygiene, and what to check before you buy.
Why an Under Sink Bin Makes Sense
Scrape a plate, rinse a container or peel potatoes, and the rubbish is already in your hand right beside the sink. An under sink bin puts the container exactly there, so there’s no trail of drips across the floor to a bin in the corner.
The space beneath the sink is also awkward to use for anything else. Pipes and the sink bowl leave odd gaps that suit a compact bin better than a shelf. Depending on your cupboard and plumbing, you can choose a single bin, a double bin for rubbish and recycling, or a pull-out system that slides forward on runners.
The Main Types of Kitchen Cabinet Bins
Kitchen cabinet bins are built-in systems that sit inside a base cupboard rather than on the floor. The main styles are:
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Swing-out bins link to the cupboard door and open automatically with it, a handy option for smaller cupboards.
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Pull-out bins slide forward on runners and often come with two or more buckets.
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Door-mounted bins hang from a bracket fixed to the inside of the door.
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Multi-compartment systems divide a wider cabinet into separate buckets for general waste, recycling and food scraps.
A narrow sink cupboard may suit a compact swing-out or single bin, while a wider base cabinet can take a double or multi-bucket system.
Does Hiding the Bin Make the Kitchen More Hygienic?
Not by itself. A closed cupboard keeps rubbish out of sight and away from pets, but food scraps still smell and grow bacteria if they sit too long, whether the bin is on the floor or behind a door.
What a good cabinet bin does is make cleanliness easier to keep up:
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Removable buckets lift out for emptying and washing
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Lids help contain smells between emptying
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Smooth plastic surfaces wipe clean quickly
The rest is routine. Empty food scraps often, especially in warm weather, let washed buckets dry before refitting them and keep the cupboard floor dry. If the cupboard stays damp, check the plumbing, because the moisture may be coming from a slow leak rather than the bin.
Measure Before You Buy
Under-sink cupboards often have less room than the cabinet size suggests. Before choosing a bin, measure the internal width, the depth to the nearest pipe and the height beneath the sink bowl. Then check the bin’s full travel path, because a pull-out unit that fits when closed can still hit the trap as it slides forward.
Leave shut-off valves and any water filter within easy reach, and avoid moving pipes just to fit a bin. A smaller model is usually the easier fix.
Choosing Kitchen Waste Bins for Your Household
When comparing kitchen waste bins, start with the waste streams your council collects, then decide how many buckets you need and how big each one should be. A larger bin isn’t automatically better if it’s heavy to lift when full or crowds out the cleaning products you also need to store.
It’s also worth checking whether replacement buckets are sold for the system you choose. A cracked bucket shouldn’t mean replacing the whole unit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put a bin under the sink?
Yes, you can put a bin under the sink as long as it fits around the plumbing. Measure the cupboard’s internal width, depth and height, note where the pipes and trap sit, and choose a bin that opens and closes without touching them. Compact swing-out, single pull-out and door-mounted bins are common choices for this space.
What are some good garbage bins for under the sink?
Good under-sink garbage bins include compact swing-out bins that open with the cupboard door, slimline single pull-out bins and double pull-out bins for separating rubbish from recycling in wider cupboards. The Hailo 18L Swing Out bin, for example, opens automatically as the door does. Brands worth comparing include Hailo, Wesco, Kia Ora, Häfele and Hideaway.
Are pull-out bins sanitary?
Yes, pull-out bins can be as sanitary as any other kitchen bin, provided they’re looked after. The cupboard hides rubbish but doesn’t kill bacteria or stop smells, so empty food scraps often, line the buckets, wash them out regularly and keep the cabinet floor dry. Lift-out buckets make that routine much easier.
What is the best way to organize everything under the sink?
The best way to organise under the sink is to clear it out and plan around the plumbing:
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Remove everything and wipe the cupboard dry.
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Note the pipes, valves and any filter that must stay accessible.
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Give the bin its own zone where it can open freely.
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Group cleaning products in a caddy or tray to the side or back.
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Secure chemicals if children or pets can reach the cupboard.
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Check regularly for drips or leaks.
Why Choose The Kitchen Bins?
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Genuine brands only: authentic Wesco, Hailo, Häfele, Kia Ora and Hideaway systems
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From compact to multi-bin: swing-out, pull out and door mounted systems, plus free-standing bins
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Filter by your cabinet: browse by 400mm to 600mm cabinet width, capacity or colour
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Replacement parts: spare buckets for selected Wesco, Hailo and Häfele systems
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Australian-owned: part of The Storage Shop, operating since 1992
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Easy delivery and returns: free shipping on orders over $200 and 30-day returns
About The Kitchen Bins
Based in Lonsdale, South Australia, The Kitchen Bins is the online kitchen bin store of The Storage Shop, a 100% Australian-owned business that has been helping homeowners make better use of their space since 1992.
Its roots are in cabinetry. The Storage Shop’s founder was a cabinet maker who saw that small upgrades, like a well-fitted under sink bin, could make a kitchen far easier to live with without the cost of a renovation. The Kitchen Bins was created to focus on that one part of the kitchen, offering cabinet-integrated bin systems in a range of capacities and configurations, delivered Australia-wide.