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.
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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.
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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.
fred
I recently bought 4 of them (green ones) at HD. We also have 4 of and older vintage (2 green and 2 grey ones). I like the new covers better – but the lid and can (or bin) is now made of thinner plastic. Still pretty sturdy – but will see how they last.
KL
If you do any hot works or even throw away a lot of oily rags….beware.
fred
When I was a kid – there was a difference between trash cans and ash cans.
Both were made from galvanized steel – but the ash cans were heavier gauge and would tolerate still smoldering coal ashes
We had purpose-made oily rag cans in our shops:
http://www.amazon.com/Justrite-Galvanized-Steel-Waste-Safety/dp/B0076NILQE
Jason
Please don’t put any sort of oily rag in a non flameproof container. Linseed oil is notorious for self combustion.
fred
You are right about reports of self ignition of linseed oil soaked rags. As I understand it – this is not a completely or even well understood phenomenon (maybe Stuart know more) – but you do have a combination of ligno-cellulosic material (the rags) – a combination of organic compounds, mostly fatty acids like linolenic. linoleic and oleic in the oil, with a propensity for exothermic drying and polymerization reactions – potentially catalyzed into a runaway self ignition event. Hence – what you cite as the need for proper short-term storage and quick disposal of “oily rags”
Stuart
That’s exactly what I’ve read as well.
Certain oils dry with an exothermic reaction, and crumpled up rags don’t exactly breath well.
It’s my understanding that initial heat development helps to increase the drying rate, leading to a self-feeing process that causes temperatures to rise rather quickly.
If you work with oily rags a lot, there are products that you can buy for safe temporary storage (example via Amazon), and also safety practices.
Such bins have self-closing lids, and advise that they should be emptied daily.
I’ve heard that laying rags out flat to dry, or soaking them in water before drying them flat can help keep temperatures down.
AngryDrumGuy
It only took a few rags soaked in linseed oil for this to happen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Meridian_Plaza
David Martinez
I own 3 of Rubbermaid’s Brute garbage bins at my home and swear by them. My first encounter with then was way back in the mid 90’s where we used them with dollies to move lightweight but massive amounts of material. Easy to wash and maintain.
mike aka Fazzman
Been using these for years for chip bins in machine shops,they fit right under chip conveyors with the wheels on. things like coolants,cutting fluids and such dont bother them. We load them up with everything from plastics,aluminum,stainless etc
They are good and hold up amazingly for years. we dont bother with the lids so cant comment on them.
AngryDrumGuy
Bought the 32gal blue one a few months back for the garage along with the wheeled base. It glides smooth across the concrete and even doubles as a light duty work table by sitting an old butcher block on top with some wood rails screwed in the bottom to keep it from lifting or sliding.
The wheeled base is a must have if you’re not using it for at-the-curb trash (If you do, the can/base will probably grow legs, so bolt the base on and label the can/base as obnoxiously as possible.
Wheeled base
http://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-264000-Black-Twist-Round/dp/B00002N8AI/ref=pd_bxgy_328_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XPEAAMGW2137DPMEDKX
AngryDrumGuy
Also- cans without the “vent channels” can be easily fixed by either drilling some holes in the bottom (if you use bags) or putting an inch or bigger piece of pvc next to the bag before you fill it. The pipe won’t crush and prevents the bag from sealing against the can.
ShawnB
I’m surprised they haven’t added molded vent channels to a new model like they did the Slim Jim, but maybe it’s not as much of an issue for the larger cans.
Stuart
Yep, there’s that one, and I also linked to the “quiet” one in the post. Pricey, but they look as rock solid as these bins.
AngryDrumGuy
The base on mine gets beat up on a regular basis and is holding up well under the abuse!
mike aka Fazzman
These things with the base on can hold an insane amount of weight,they are well worth the price. The casters are very good.
Brian
TBH, this isn’t news. Brute trash cans are in every industrial shop in the country. I don’t know why they aren’t used more in home applications.
Matt J
I think the thing is that people convince themselves they can get by saving a whopping fifteen dollars on something as mundane as a trash can.
What they forget is that the better the can the less chance you get covered in undesirable things. It only happens to you once before you reconsider.
Jason
I have one I bought it as a home garbage can. The guys that go my garbage know how to destroy a garbage can.
Andy
Try the Toter “Atlas” can, it’s the toughest can out there. I’ve seen contractors flip it over and use it as a stand to reach ceilings, drop concrete blocks and demo debris in it, and it looks as good as new.
http://www.toter.com/assets/documents/products/Toter_Catalog_022106.pdf
Stuart
Thanks, will definitely keep that brand in mind! I came across Toter a few times in looking up what other sizes and colors the Brute bins are available in, but I didn’t recognize the brand. But I’m sure I’ve seen some of their larger rolling bins before.
Wayne Ruffner
We used these in school to mix our Green Gotdam. Not everyone can remember those parties.
Andrew
If you absolutely need wheels, wouldn’t it be better to just buy a wheeled trash can? I would think the combined cost of a trash can and dolly would be higher than a well made, wheeled, trash can.
Obviously if you skip the wheels your wallet will be better off, but if you do need them, you’ll have spent the same for a better product.
Matt J
I think the option of switching the wheels on and off is a big plus. Having them off discourages them from migrating around, and helps minimize tipping/miscellaneous kid problems. And of course on they’re very mobile.
Stuart
The wheeled bases for these are wide enough that I don’t think they make the bins less stable or easier to tip.
Stuart
Comparably sized bins with wheels have different shapes and seem smaller. Larger wheels take up a bit of the internal capacity, and smaller wheels are going to be slightly less functional.
Plus, all the ones I saw with built-in wheels are more designed for infrequent movement. You have to tilt the bin onto its 2 wheels, and move it to a new location.
Bins with smaller wheels seem to be easily toppled over by light winds, judging by how many empty ones I see lining the street.
Combine a Brute bin with a dolly, and it’s going to be more stable, and more mobile, and more easily mobile. You can move it in any direction. When you have just 2 wheels and a tilt handle, movements are not going to be as precise, taking more time and effort.
I think that the Rubbermaid dollies are more for semi-permanent use. Sure, you could take them off whenever you want, but I think they’re more about creating a mobile platform for active use, as opposed to taking a trash bin to the curb.
Remember, these are designed more for commercial and industrial use, and don’t seem to be as focused on homeowner/consumer use.
Nate 818
You can move a condenser or furnace with that base
ShawnB
The dolly base is made for moving the can around a garage or shop while you use it. The casters rotate effortlessly, so the can literally floats in any direction you push it, even with some weight in it.
Rolling trash cans usually have large fixed wheels and require tipping to move, which is better for pulling a long haul in one direction (like towards the curb).
The dolly costs almost as much as the can, but is built like a tank. The casters are on the smaller side, so best for hard smoother surfaces (they will work on rougher asphalt but it seems hard on the surface of the wheels).
Brien
I just bought one of these at the depot over the weekend. My previous one walked away on me. A testament to great garbage can.
a1an
I own 2 houses. One that has a pickup with the ~scoop lift~ from the truck.
We have a toter for this.
The latter, the truck comes around with a sanitation guy dumping the trash,
Picked up a toter to replace the previous trash can. Sanitation guy started taking 2 bags out of the trash bin and leaving the rest during pickup…….
We got the hint. Returned the toter and bought a brute.
FWIW, the toter 32 is around 20 lbs, IF memory recalls. The brute in comporable size is about 1/3 of that.
Nagiom
How do the Brutes hold up to being squished by the pincer on a garbage truck? We have a city provided tote for garbage and recycle, but must have our own for yard waste.
Zack
Someone in my area has posted a Craigslist ad for a “workbench” which is just a Rubbermaid Brute with a piece of plywood over the top.
https://boston.craigslist.org/sob/tls/5553330496.html
Chris
I was given one years ago, but If you’re really looking for a can that won’t fail you, even though they are hard to find, get the Toter Atlas can.
I have seen and used plenty of Brute cans, both the old and new style where handles were ripped off, torn, or the bottom had a hold in it from dragging it. The Toter cans are buy far superior, just really hard to find them, which is a shame.
I did a quick Google for them near me, none are, but it looks like they are even critter safe now.