Open wastebaskets are the easiest to drop things into, but sometimes end-users will want a lidded trash can—for appearances, for odor control, or for keeping children and pets out of the garbage. The Frisbee trash bin, designed by Frédéric Perigot, has a removable liner bin with a handle. That's a design that will appeal to some, but others will find it hard to manipulate. The lid, shaped like a Frisbee, is "ultra-flat"—pet owners will note that this provides yet another space for their cats to curl up.

Bendan Ravenhill's previously-seen Dustbin uses a detachable dust pan as the lid; a long-handled brush attaches to the side with rare earth magnets. This design would work well for end-users who never know where to store the dust pan.

Patent Ochsner has bins with two interesting options. The first is a dust pan which slides into place on the lid—another way to keep the dust pan close at hand. The second option is a wood seat, with a cushion as an additional option, making this a dual-purpose product especially good for those with limited space. But an end user whose trash can regularly holds smelly items might find this a poor choice.

The Eva Solo Waste Bin, designed by Claus Jensen and Henrik Holbæk of Tools Design, gets clever with the lid. The lid can be opened from any direction, and it can also be removed and used to carry waste to the bin. The bin was also designed to make it easy to replace a liner, and keep it firmly in place; it has a rubberized metal ring which the liner folds around.

Sensor cans, such as this one from Simplehuman, allow the lid to be opened with just a wave of the hand. While for many people a foot pedal will be equally convenient, this design will work better for others, including those using wheelchairs. It does, however, require batteries, and at least one end user was frustrated when none were included with the product. Another design feature: As with the Eva Solo can, this one is designed to hold liners tightly while still making them easy to replace; in this case, it's the trim ring that holds the bag in place.

Sometimes the end-user wants to make it harder to open the can, to keep children or pets out of the garbage, for example. This trash can from Simplehuman has a slide lock to help with that.

Of course, size and shape are always design considerations. Some garbage cans are slender, to fit in spots where others cannot. Rectangular cans could use paper grocery-store bags as a liner, for end users who prefer to avoid plastic. And size can range from fairly large to something small enough to sit on a kitchen counter.

Some end users will want to keep their trash cans inside a cabinet for aesthetic reasons, or to keep them away from children and pets. While a regular trash can could be used, a door-mounted one might take less space; it would also provide easier access. This one from Simplehuman can be mounted by just using the hanger; for a cleaner look, it can also be screwed into the door. (Apartment dwellers may prefer the less permanent, non-door-damaging solution.)

The Janibell trash can has a lid that opens when you open the cabinet door—a nice feature. It also has an intriguing continuous liner system, which eliminates the need to find new liner bags all the time (until the roll needs to be replaced) and allows the end-user to take out any amount of trash in a cut-to-size bag. However, getting down low enough to go through this bag-changing routine won't be comfortable for all end users.

The Glam Can was originally designed for outdoor use; it attaches to things like balcony or fence rails using wrap ties. A later design added the optional mounting bracket kit, so it can also be attached to walls. It has a locking lid, which would be essential for outside use, as anyone who has dealt with raccoons and garbage cans can testify.