Sensor, Recycling or Button? The Best Touchless Trash Can

In a working kitchen the trash lid gets touched by everything. Chicken hands, masa hands, hands that were holding a chile a minute ago. That is the honest case for a touchless can: you drop in the scraps without touching the lid, and you do not need to wash up first or balance on one foot.

This guide covers seven motion sensor cans from iTouchless, EKO, Ninestars and BestOffice. Every pick states its capacity and power source, because batteries are the part that decides whether you still like the can a year from now. If you are open to a step pedal, start with our guide to the best kitchen trash can.

Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for, product specifications, maker statements and named reviews where we could read them.

Quick verdict: which touchless can to buy

Need more room? The iTouchless 24-Gallon comes with an AC adapter so it does not depend on batteries. For a plain plastic body, there is the BestOffice 13-Gallon, though it rests on its listing alone. If a sensor is more than you want to spend on, our guide to cheap kitchen trash cans covers simpler lids.

Five touchless trash cans compared

Five of the seven picks, one for each kind of kitchen. Capacity and power are from the maker or the listing.

Battery life figures are maker claims and depend on how often the lid opens.

Our picks for the best touchless trash can

They run from a 12-gallon can up to a 24-gallon bin. The order reflects how well each suits a home kitchen, going by the stated facts and what we could read about it. None of them was used in our kitchen.

How to choose a touchless can for a cooking kitchen

A sensor can is a small motor with a sensor attached. These are the things that decide how it fits your kitchen:

• Power first. D cells offer the longest claimed life here, but many kitchen drawers do not hold them. AA cells are easy to find. A plug-in adapter ends the question, if you have an outlet where the can stands. Rechargeables are hit or miss: Bob Vila’s team saw them work in one can and not in another, and several listings ask for alkaline.
• Capacity. Thirteen gallons is the size of a normal tall kitchen bag and suits most families. Twenty-one or 24 gallons means fewer trips, but a heavier bag and a bag size you may not find in every store aisle.
• Bags. Ordinary bags are easy to find. Custom liners fit better and look tidier, but they tie you to one maker. Add that into the cost of the can over the years.
• Shape and height. Measure the gap, then measure the height with the lid open, especially under a counter overhang or a wall cabinet. A rectangle saves floor in a narrow spot, and an oval can sit against a wall with less depth.
• Sensor position. A sensor needs some clear space. If foot traffic passes close by, or a cabinet door swings near it, expect some false openings until you find the right spot.
• Manual backup. Batteries die mid-dinner. Check for a button or a way to lift the lid by hand, and for a stay-open option if you do long prep sessions.

How we chose these seven cans

We counted in-stock sensor cans from identifiable makers on Amazon first, then read the listings for capacity, power and bag type. We dropped any can whose touchless function we could not confirm, or that repeated another pick with only a color change. We then read the maker pages we could open.

We looked at three outside sources. Bob Vila’s kitchen trash can review scored cans in home kitchens and was last updated in 2023. This Old House’s touchless roundup, updated in June 2026, rests on research and summaries of buyer comments rather than a trial. The Gadgeteer’s review of the EKO Mirage-T was based on office use of a sample from EKO. None of these reviewers looked at all seven cans, and we did not use any of them ourselves.

We also searched the CPSC recall database by brand. The only sensor-can recall we found was the 2015 EKO model described in the EKO pick.

Touchless can questions, answered

What batteries does a motion sensor kitchen trash can use?

It depends on the can. On this page, iTouchless and Ninestars use four D cells, BestOffice uses four C cells, and EKO uses AA cells. Check the listing before you buy, since batteries are often not included.

How long do the batteries last?

Makers claim anywhere from about eight months to 18 months on the cans here. Your count will depend on how often the lid opens, the room and the battery quality.

Can I use rechargeable batteries?

Sometimes. Bob Vila’s team reported that an iTouchless can worked with rechargeable D cells and a Ninestars can did not. Follow what your can’s maker says, and expect alkaline to be the safe choice.

Do touchless cans take regular trash bags?

Many do. The iTouchless, Ninestars and BestOffice 13-gallon cans say they take standard bags, and The Gadgeteer found the EKO Mirage-T worked with nearly any kitchen-size bag. Our guide to trash bags covers the options.

Why does my sensor can open by itself?

Usually because something moves within the sensor’s reach, such as a person passing, a pet or a nearby cabinet door. Try moving it a little further from foot traffic. Several listings describe delays or adaptive sensing that aim to reduce this, but buyer reports show it can still happen.

Are touchless cans noisy?

They make a small motor sound as the lid moves. EKO describes a quiet close. The others here do not give a decibel figure.

Our final word on touchless cans

Choose the power source you can live with, then the bag system, and only then the finish. For most homes that points to the iTouchless 13-gallon, a can that takes ordinary bags and, by its maker’s figures, will not need new batteries often. If odor is your main complaint, see our guide to odor control. A big batch of tamales will test any bin you buy.

And if you would rather let someone else cook tonight, see the menu or call to order.