Design Sleuth: Stylish Trash Bins from an Unlikely Source

We have to hand it to Rubbermaid for coming up with a line of European-like waste receptacles for the home.

Last week we featured the Jennings Hotel kitchen in Joseph, Oregon (see Kitchen of the Week: A Communal Kitchen/Library at the Jennings Hotel), and the good-looking trash can caught our eye. Turns out it’s from Rubbermaid’s new line of powder-coated steel trash bins, called Defenders.

Above: A Rubbermaid Defenders trash can in the kitchen of the Jennings Hotel in Joseph, Oregon. Photo by and courtesy of Greg Hennes.

Above: Defenders is actually a commercial line and conforms to several medical and hazardous waste standards. (If you order direct from Rubbermaid, you can add an optional “Biohazard” label.) We’ll just take that to mean it’s tough enough to handle our household trash. The Rubbermaid Defenders 12-Gallon Steel Square Trash Can with Plastic Liner in white is $142.99 on Amazon.

Above: Defenders’ standard colors are glossy white, red, and stainless steel, but can be custom-ordered in more than 200 colors for large commercial projects. The Defenders 7-Gallon Steel Square Trash Can with Plastic Liner in white is $115.23 on Amazon.

Above: The trash cans come in eight sizes in the square shape and another two sizes in a round shape. For household use, you’re most likely to find square bins in 7-gallon, 12-gallon, and 24-gallon sizes. The Defenders 7-Gallon Steel Square Trash Can with Plastic Liner in red is $116.18 on Amazon.

Above: Most Defenders bins come with a leak-proof plastic liner, shown here, but check before ordering—bins are available with plastic liners, steel liners, and simple trash bag retainer bands. Refer to the Defenders Spec Sheet for all possible combinations.

For more on the topic, see 10 Easy Pieces: Recycling Bins and Object Lessons: The Perfect Office Wastebasket.