Best For Light Duty: United Solutions 32 Gallon Outdoor Waste Garbage Bin

If you need separate cans for trash and recycling, this 2-pack is a good solution. We liked the quality here. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Easy to move around.

• Affordable.

• Lightweight—good for seniors to move around.

• Handle is easy to grip.

What Needs Work

• Small wheels are best for paved surfaces—not gravel or grass.

• Can be unsteady.

Best For Gravel Driveways: Rubbermaid Commercial Products Brute Rollout Trash

If you have a gravel driveway or need to roll your trash bin over grass to an alley, you need a can with more robust wheels and construction. This reader favorite fits the bill—we like the sturdy design and yes, it comes in colors in case your trash hauler requires a blue can for recycling, for example.

What We Liked

• Beefy wheels can go over dirt or grass.

• Durable.

• Sturdy.

• Colors are helpful (blue for recycling, for example).

• Moves around easily.

What Needs Work

• Can be unstable if you push or pull with one hand. 

Best Bigger Capacity: Rubbermaid Commercial Products Brute Rollout Plastic Trash Can

This bin has the same pros and cons as the previous pick—it is just larger in capacity (65 gallons). This is helpful for larger families or infrequent trash pick up. 

Best Durable Can: Toter 64 Gal. Trash Can Greenstone with Wheels and Lid

This brand (Toter) came up time and time again when we asked our readers what is the most durable trash can they’ve owned—and we would agree after seeing this can in person: Toter makes an excellent trash bin. This model has a generous 64 gallon capacity, yet has all the quality features we look for (note the molded axle that makes rolling it easier).

What We Liked

• Rolls easily.

• Generous capacity.

• Sturdy, excellent construction.

• Texture surface.

• Rim is reinforced.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!