Garbage cans contain around 411 germs per square inch, which isn’t the dirtiest place in your home, but it warrants careful thought if you ever cook with eggs, raw meat, or dispose of other bacteria breading perishables. On a related note, you may want to develop a habit to regularly clean your phone before putting it near your mouth again.
If you have any issues with touching garbage bins or just want a helping hand with the trash, you will want to get a touchless garbage can for your home. This is especially the case if you have kids that often don’t wash their hands after handling garbage. This touch-free approach can drastically cut down on the bacteria spread across your home and assists when your hands are full.
The iTouchless DZT13 and Ninestar DZT-50 are two leading automatic garbage cans that provide a sanitary way of handling your trash. These garbage cans open and close based on motion so you don’t have to touch the germ-covered lid every time.
Automatic Garbage Can Comparison
iTouchless DZT13
Pros
- Works with all standard kitchen garbage bags
- 2-3 times longer battery life (~1.5 years)
- Automatic and manual trash can lid control options
- Charcoal odor filter blocks bad garbage smells
- Lid status indicator light
Cons
- Odor filter may fall out if not secured properly
- Power adapter must be purchased separately
Ninestar DZT-50
Pros
- Rotate-able motion sensor
- Quiet and soft lid close
- Ring liner to keep inside looking neat and clean
Cons
- Shorter battery life (~6 months)
- Power adapter must be purchased separately
Detailed Automatic Garbage Can Review
Review Categories:
- Ease of Use
- Motion Sensors & Lid Function
- Power & Batteries
- Pricing
EASE OF USE
There isn’t much to cover in terms of installation with these automatic garbage cans since the units are basically ready out of the box. Of course, you’ll need to install the batteries and mount the lid to the top of the garbage receptacle, but that takes just a couple minutes.
When it comes to user-friendliness, the lid opens and closes automatically based on motion which makes these touchless garbage cans ideal for the elderly and kids. You don’t have to juggle trash in your hands or push a foot pedal that often rockets the lid open. These garbage cans look great and are incredibly easy to both set up and use for everyone.
Advantage: Tie
MOTION SENSORS & LID FUNCTION
The iTouchless and Ninestar automatic garbage cans use infrared sensors to detect motion and proximity. These sensors trigger the lid to open when you’re within range and close when it no longer detects motion. There are differences in both products in how close you have to be for your presence to be detected and how long the lid will stay open.
- Proximity Range: 10 inches
- Lid Open Duration: 3 seconds
- Features: Rotatable sensor, soft close, and open & close buttons
- Proximity Range: 6 inches
- Lid Open Duration: 3 seconds
- Features: Extra wide opening, status light, soft and silent close, and open & close button
While the Ninestar automatic garbage can will open the lid when you are within 10 inches, I will caution you that this may not be useful. This is especially the case if the trash can is in a higher traffic area since the lid may open unintentionally more frequently. The iTouchless only has a 6-inch sensor reach so it won’t accidentally trigger as often. This distance is more than sufficient given the fast and soft lid opening of the iTouchless trash can. The wide lid opening also makes it easy to fit larger or odd shaped trash such as a pizza box.
Advantage: iTouchless DZT13
POWER & BATTERY LIFE
One decision you’ll need to make is whether you want to use batteries or an AC adapter to power your trash can. The Ninestar only offers battery power while you can purchase an iTouchless AC adapter separately. The adapter cord is 5ft 10in long which should be plenty long for most locations you’ll consider placing the garbage can.
Average garbage can sensor battery life:
- Ninestar DZT-50: 3-6 months
- iTouchless DZT13: 14-18 months
Advantage: iTouchless DZT13
PRICING
iTouchless DZT13
Ninestar DZT-50
Recommended Automatic Garbage Can
The iTouchless DZT13 (Buy Now) is our top pick for an automatic garbage can for your kitchen or other spots around your home. It provides touchless opening and closing of the trash can lid to reduce germs, outstanding design, and has the longest battery life you’ll find. The quick set up and intuitive operation make this a great garbage can for those looking to make life around the kitchen a little easier or simply avoid touching the garbage until it needs to be taken out.