When we moved to the new place, there was a Rubbermaid Roughneck trash bin left behind, ready for us to use. There’s nothing wrong with it, except for the small handles and cracked bottom. Even new, Roughneck bins are a little light duty.
I needed some more bins, better ones, and picked up a pair of Rubbermaid Brute garbage bins. I’ll be ordering or picking up another one this week, for recycling. And maybe a small 20 gallon bin as well, for misc project purposes.
The Roughneck bins are okay, but there is a huge difference in quality. My father used to have Roughneck bins, and they lasted him a long time before cracking and falling apart.
The Rubbermaid Brute garbage bins are commercial-grade, with numerous advantages.
First, the handles are larger and more comfortable. This makes a huge difference when dragging a full can down the driveway, and an empty one or two back up.
The new Brute containers have a cinch hook, for securing the slack of a garbage bag. 30 gallon bags/liners don’t fit these 32 gallon bins, they’re simply not wide enough. You’ll need a 32 gallon liner, maybe 33 gallon capacity, at the least.
It’s also a lot easier to pull a bag out of these Brute bins, since the sides have “ventilation” channels.
Speaking of which, there’s a new lid style that’s designed to channel rain away from the center, avoiding the situation where there’s a pool of standing water. I’ve found that these lids are a little deformed, but they have strong latches and larger release handles.
And as shown in the second image, above, Brute bins also have better handles on the bottom. The base also accommodates Rubbermaid rolling dollies. There are 2 dolly styles – standard, and “quiet.”
Rubbermaid says that these Brute bins will last a long time, even in “the most extreme commercial environments.” They are “guaranteed to never fade, warp, crack, or crush.”
These are waste containers, but can also be used for many different applications. In commercial environments, they’re also rated for use as food storage containers.
You can buy a bin, with lid, for around $30. If shopping online, you can usually find the bins for around $30, but without a lid, which costs an extra $10.
$30 to $40 for a Brute bin is a lot more than the $12 to $15 you’d pay for a Roughneck. And a Roughneck bin will be fine for a lot of users. But if you need the superior ergonomics and features, the Brute is the way to go.
Buy Now(Brute bin via Amazon)
Buy Now(Brute lid via Amazon)
It’s uncertain as to whether you get the older style or newer style lid. You cannot always go by the product listing picture. If you have a preference, buy a bin and lid combo in person.
Do you have a different favorite garbage bin in 30-35 gallon size?
2 weeks in, and I’m already convinced that Rubbermaid’s Brute garbage bin is the best in all the land.