Best Home Recycling Bins – Recycling Bins to Drool Over

I’ve been wanting to do a post on better looking recycling bins for a while now. However, there’s not much coolness out there in the recycling bin market. There’s some decent recycling bins, but nothing that was making me drool. However, I got lucky this last week, and found some really nice and stylish bins for the home.

Why bother with nice looking recycling bins?:

You can use anything for a recycling bin – an old box, an ugly bin from your local recycling company, even just a bag on the floor. However, it’s worth the money in my opinion to find some attractive bins. If you have attractive bins you can keep them out in public. Recycling bins that are tucked away in your garage or on the porch are far less likely to be used to their maximum potential. Families who work recycling into their home decor scheme are just more likely to recycle. These bins may cost more in the short run, but in the long run they’ll last and last, and you’ll feel really happy using them.

PLUS you may be able to convert non-recycling friends once they see your pretty bins. I think that the bulk of icky looking recycling bins give recycling a bad name. This year, if you can, pick up a more attractive system. Ideas below.

The best recycling bins for your home:

Simplehuman is my new obsession, mainly because they’re rocking the recycling bin market. Seriously they have some of the best looking bins I’ve ever seen. Like this fingerprint-proof rectangular recycler below. If you lined two of these up, you’d have enough space for recycling categories and trash.


Other recycling bin goodies from Superhuman include the ultra hip and modern front load recycler bins and the pullout recycler- good for if you’re short on space (these work under the counter).

From OXO are these cool Good Grips bins – really they’re garbage bins, but they come in 8-10 gal sizes, and are so fresh and retro you just have to love them. I think these would make great recycling bins. The yellow is my fave.

45 Litre 3 Compartment Stainless Steel Recycle Bin from Trashcans Unlimited.

Witt Industries Metal 24 Gallon Geocube 24GC0 Recycling Waste Receptacle – meant for commercial use, but since they come in singles and you choose the decal and color, these could easily be adpated to home use. I like the whole mod cube look going on with these. Also from Trashcans Unlimited.

Lastly from Trashcans Unlimited, some neat Wood Solid Pine Trash Bins – different and kind of cool if you’ve got the right decor.

Recycling Bags – Set of 4 – these used to be one of my favorite sets. I like the stainless steel look better right now, but these are less expensive and still not bad to look at if you want a bag option. From Design Within Reach.

If you’re looking for a fun vs. pretty bin, check out how bored people and or soccer players recycle. If you’re looking for info on how to recycle better and limit your trash read the Weekly Green Home Audit Round-Up: Trash Control.

Which bins are your favorite? I really adore those little retro numbers.