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The original was posted on /r/lifehacks by /u/gnarlycarrot on 2023-08-14 16:00:40+00:00.
I always thought spending more than 20 bucks on a trash can seemed ridiculous, but I now have a different opinion.
I recently learned that cheaper trash cans don't hold odor in like nicer ones do because they are not made as intentionally, so you will end up with a stinky kitchen quicker or you will have to take your trash out when the bag isn't actually full. We had a cheap plastic trash can and with the house being a bit warmer this season, our kitchen was getting smelly just a few days after changing the bag (and we don't even put food in it!). The cheaper plastic ones don't seal together well so the odor escapes really easily.
We swapped our can out for a secondhand stainless steel trash can that we got on Facebook marketplace for a quarter of the brand new price, and now you can only smell the trash when the can is actually opened to throw something in. Our kitchen smells great otherwise! I also talked to my family about this and they had the same experience with upgrading. So if you are struggling with your trash can stinking up your house, you might consider upgrading the can to a nicer model - and if you can, buy it secondhand to save money! That's a win win.