When a kitchen is designed, the hob, fridge and sink are discussed first. The bin is usually remembered at the end and squeezed into whatever space is left under the sink between the trap and the pipes. The lid does not open fully, the bin hits the pipes, there is no room for sorting, and the bin bag ends up standing in a corner. Yet the bin is used several times a day, sometimes dozens of times, and its position directly affects how the kitchen works.
Position: close to the work zone
The bin is needed most where vegetables and food are prepared, between the sink and the chopping area. If it is far from that zone, peelings and packaging pile up on the worktop first and are carried over later. The most practical place is therefore the unit next to the sink or under the sink itself.
Putting it under the sink has its own difficulties:
- the trap, water pipes and sometimes a water filter occupy the middle of the cabinet;
- dishwasher hoses may pass through the same space;
- because of the risk of leaks, the cabinet base must be water-resistant.
For these reasons some designs move the bin system to a separate drawer unit beside the sink, leaving the space under the sink for services and cleaning products.
Pull-out system or door-mounted bin
The simplest solution is a bin fixed inside the door whose lid lifts as the door opens. It takes little space but holds little and does not suit sorting.
A more convenient option is a system that pulls out like a drawer. When you pull it, several containers come forward together, open from above. The advantages are:
- you can close the drawer with your knee or foot while holding vegetables in both hands;
- several compartments are available at once;
- containers are easy to lift out and wash;
- some models have a small shelf at the top for bags and cleaning products.
In handle-less kitchens, a push-to-open or electric opening system can be added to the bin drawer, which is especially handy when your hands are dirty.
Sorting: how many compartments
The number of compartments depends on the household's real habits. If the family does not sort waste, a three- or four-bin system wastes space. On the other hand, a family that collects plastic, paper and glass separately will not manage with one large bin.
A typical split might be:
- a small container for food waste, emptied often;
- a main container for general household waste;
- a compartment for plastic and metal packaging;
- a compartment for paper and cardboard, sometimes a narrow space at the side of the cabinet.
Glass is heavy and bulky, so it is often more practical to keep it separately on a balcony or in a storeroom.
A sorting system does not end at the kitchen cabinet. Think about where the plastic and paper go once the compartments are full: somewhere near the front door, a balcony or the building's container area. Without an intermediate storage spot, the kitchen compartments fill quickly and the system is abandoned after a few weeks. Matching compartment size to how often waste leaves the home is what makes the system actually work.
Size and volume
The size of a bin system is set by the width and depth of the unit. A narrow unit fits one or two compartments, a wide one three or four. When choosing, compare container volume with how often the family takes the rubbish out. Small containers fill fast and need emptying often, while oversized ones let food waste sit too long and cause smells.
Bag size matters as well: a standard bag that fits the container opening easily makes daily use simpler.
Hygiene and odour
The carcass and base of the bin unit should be moisture-resistant and all edges sealed. The gap between the containers and the cabinet should be reachable for cleaning. Lidded systems reduce odour, but they need to be designed together with the opening mechanism. Emptying and washing the small food-waste container often is the simplest answer to smells.
Zaferoglu Mebel's kitchens use hardware from brands such as Blum. Saying how many streams you separate your rubbish into and how often it goes out lets the bin unit's width and number of containers be chosen properly.
