Best Trash Can Liner

You might not think much about the trash can liner you use, but the truth is that not all bags are created equal. Some of them are designed to be much stronger to help you avoid tears and messes—and that’s something you definitely want because you never want to deal with a garbage bag that’s leaking or that breaks and causes trash to fall all over your floor!

Whether you are looking for new trash can liners for your home or workplace, and whether you need small ones or really large ones, there are plenty of options out there. It is just a matter of looking into your options, weighing their pros and cons, and selecting the ones that will have the right features (such as the ability to stretch to avoid tears, odor control, drawstrings for ease of carrying the bag outside when it’s full, etc.). You can also find bags that are white, black, clear, or colorful, so that is something else to consider as well.

One thing you might notice when you start shopping for the best trash can liners, though, is that they can be quite pricey. So, in addition to looking at features, consider what your budget is, and check out how many bags you get in a package to figure out the value of a product. You might need to pay a bit more, but if it means getting a lot more bags that will last longer, you may actually end up saving money in the long run.

As you will see below, there are a variety of trash can liner products that you can choose from. Of course, you will want to find the ones that will properly fit your trash can in terms of its length and width. Beyond that, getting to know the difference between low-density and high-density bags is wise, as it can help you make the right choice—that’s why we cover that topic below as well.

Basically, once you start to look at trash can liners in a new way, you will see that they aren’t all the same after all. So, even though you might’ve just picked up any old pack of garbage bags in the past, you might begin to change the way you shop for this everyday item once you become familiar with the different features that can make them worth the extra money or not worth trying.

To shed some light on the differences between various types of trash can liners, and to help you find the ones that are right for your home or office, we have compiled the list of items below. As you will see, there are several brands that you can choose from, and each brand offers multiple options too. Ultimately, you might find that one of the following trash can liners is exactly what you have been searching for to make your life easier.

1. Editor’s Choice: GLAD Protection Series ForceFlex Drawstring Smell Shield

The nice thing about this package of trash can liners from Glad is that they are designed to prevent leaks. The bags are flexible, so they will expand even when you throw away items that are heavy or have sharp edges. Beyond that, these bags also help keep odors at bay. So, in addition to being tough to give you peace of mind when it comes to avoiding breaks and tears in the plastic, these bags also help ensure you won’t be overwhelmed by the smell of your trash.

Pros:

  • These trash can liners are designed to expand with flexibility to help ensure they won’t tear and leak.
  • These bags can help fight odors, and they also have a convenient drawstring to make it easy to close the bags tightly and carry them.
  • These are 13-gallon bags so they can hold a lot and can work well in kitchen trash cans.

Cons:

  • These trash can liners are a bit pricey compared to other options.

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2. Runner Up: Hefty Ultra Strong Tall Kitchen Trash Bags

Another 13-gallon option in the world of trash can liners is this package from Hefty, which is a well-known brand that has several products you can choose from. This is a good option if you want to get durable bags that are black so they will not show what’s inside at all. They are flexible and designed to expand to hold what you throw away. They can also help control odors, and they resist rips, punctures, and leaks. Plus, you can choose from scented and unscented options, depending on your preferences.

Pros:

  • These trash can liners are designed to control odor, and they feature a Clean Burst scent.
  • These are tough trash bags that are flexible and expand, so they are less likely to rip and tear.
  • These bags have a drawstring that is break-resistant for easy closure.

Cons:

  • These bags are scented, so if you don’t like products with fragrance, be sure to select an unscented alternative.

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3. Best Clear: Teivio 6 Gallon 220 Counts Strong Trash Bags

When you don’t want white or black trash can liners and would prefer clear ones, consider checking out this option. These bags are designed to be puncture resistant and leakproof, and they are made of high-density polyethylene. You can use these trash bags indoors and outside, such as when you need to pick up after your dog, and they are smaller in size, so they can work well in smaller trash cans as well.

Pros:

  • These clear trash can liners are high-density and can work in a variety of trash cans.
  • These bags are leakproof and puncture resistant, with round bottom sealing.

Cons:

  • The clear plastic will not hide the trash that’s inside these bags.
  • Some people might find that these bags are too thin.

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4. Best Multicolor: Hommaly 8 Gallon Multicolor Trash Can Liners

Want to add some color to your trash can? Then check out these multicolor trash can liners. They come in colors like purple, blue, green, yellow, and pink, and you also get clear bags in this package. Plus, these bags are designed to prevent leaks and they’re resistant to punctures as well. Featuring round bottom sealing, they are considered medium trash bags, so they can work well in the home or office.

Pros:

  • These trash can liners are designed to be strong to help you avoid messes and leaks.
  • Because of the multiple colors in this package, you can switch between them and make your trash can a little more attractive.
  • Some customer reviews state that these bags are a good option for cleaning up cat litter, so they might be a good choice for pet owners.

Cons:

  • These are smaller bags, so keep that in mind to be sure they will properly fit your trash can.

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5. Best Small: FORID Mini Drawstring Trash bags – 1.2 Gallon

A good option to consider when you want a really small trash can liner is this package of 1.2-gallon bags. They don’t have a scent, so they are best for those who prefer unscented trash bags. Also, they are thick and designed to avoid leaks and tears, and they have a convenient drawstring for closing them easily.

Pros:

  • These small bags are great for the smallest trash cans in your home, such as one you might have in your bathroom or bedroom.
  • These bags are designed to be durable to help prevent leaks.
  • The strong drawstring can help make it easier to lift, close, and carry the bag when it’s full.

Cons:

  • If you prefer thicker trash can liners, these might be too thin for you.

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6. Best Plant Based: Hippo Sak Tall Kitchen Bags with Handles

Do you want to take a more eco-friendly approach to your trash disposal? Then check out these bags from Hippo Sak. They are made from plants, not fossil fuel, and this is a USDA Certified Biobased Product. Plus, renewable resources are used to make these bags too, and they are 100% recyclable. Featuring large handles to make them easy to carry, these bags have a reinforced bottom and are built to be strong. Also, like other high-quality trash bags on the market today, these are designed to be puncture proof to help you avoid the problem of tears and leaks.

Pros:

  • These trash can liners are made from plant-based materials.
  • These bags are a great choice if you want to take a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to the products you use daily at home and at work.
  • The handles on these bags are wide and designed to be comfortable.

Cons:

  • These trash can liners do not feature a drawstring, so that might be a major drawback for some people.

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7. Best Compostable: Reli. Compostable Trash Bags 33 Gallon | 40 Count

Another great way to take an eco-friendly approach to your trash can liners is by opting to use those that are compostable. This package will give you 40 33-gallon bags that are 100% compostable in composting facilities. And they are also designed to be durable, flexible, and strong, with a star seal at the bottom, to help you avoid messes.

Pros:

  • This is an environmentally friendly choice because these trash can liners are compostable in municipal and industrial composting facilities.
  • These bags are designed to be leakproof and tear-resistant.
  • These bags are made from compostable plant materials.

Cons:

  • These trash can liners are more expensive than other options.

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8. Best Large: Plasticplace 95-96 Gallon Garbage Can Liners

Sure, there are a lot of options when you need trash can liners for your home or office, as there are small, medium, and large size bags that you can choose from. But what about when you need something for your outdoor trash can that you use on garbage pickup days? Well, when you are in need of extra large bags, these 95-96 gallon trash can liners are a good option to check out. They are black, so they are opaque and will not show what’s inside, and they are built to be strong and durable. You can use them to help keep your large outdoor trash clean as clean and free of odors as possible.

Pros:

  • These black trash can liners are thick and made of low-density resins.
  • These are extra large bags, so they can be a great option for your outdoor garbage can.
  • You can use these bags to hold a lot of trash, as they are durable and can help prevent messes.

Cons:

  • These trash can liners don’t have a drawstring.
  • Unlike other trash bags that stretch to fit a garbage can, these can be secured in place with a rubber band.

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Things to look out for:

As you search for the best trash can liners that will make things easier when it comes to getting rid of waste, keep the following in mind to help ensure you make the right choice. With these tips, you might quickly find the best product that will help you save money and get the quality you want:

First off, consider the seal of the trash can liner. This can be found at the bottom of the bag, and there are a few different types of seals. You might be able to figure out which type of seal is on a product by simply reading the label. For example, a flat seal may be a good choice if you want to avoid messy leaks, while a star seal might not only help prevent messes but also make it easier to get your bag into a variety of garbage cans.

Next, consider whether you want low-density or high-density trash bags. High-density options are better if you are not planning on throwing away heavy or sharp trash because they could be thinner and, therefore, tear and cause a mess more easily. So, as an example, if you need a trash can liner for your bathroom or your office, where you will be throwing out a lot of light paper products, a high-density bag might work well. On the other hand, if you need a trash can liner that will be less likely to tear, or one that will be tough enough to handle heavier objects, low-density products are typically a better way to go. Also, low-density bags might even be stretchy and flexible to accommodate a variety of waste.

In addition to being stretchy to fit a lot of waste and resist breaking, many high-quality trash can liners also have features that make closing the bags simple when you are done using them. Drawstring bags are popular because they help make it easier to close your trash bag when it is full and ready to be put outside for garbage pickup. So, these are certainly features that are worth looking for too.

Yet another thing to think about is the color of the trash can liner. If you have to follow local rules regarding the types of bags you use, you can simply search for the products that will meet those requirements. Otherwise, it is up to you to decide which one you want to go with. For instance, if you want to make it impossible for people to see what you threw away, you can use black trash can liners rather than clear ones. White trash bags might be opaque or slightly see-through, so that is something to consider if you prefer white bags. And there are also colorful garbage can liners that might be a nice way to make your trash can a little less boring.

Something else to think about: many trash can liners are designed to help keep odors at bay. That’s definitely a plus! And you are also likely going to come across several options that are scented as well. It’s up to you to decide if you prefer scented bags or if you would be fine with using a regular bag without any fragrance.

Of course, as you shop for trash can liners, you also need to know what size you need. If you aren’t sure, you can measure your trash can’s height and width. You might end up needing to try more than one size to figure out what really works best, but once you know what you need, you can always shop for that particular size.

Finally, if you want to do something better for the environment, you might opt to go with trash can liners that are made from plant-based materials. And there are also compostable and biodegradable options that are worth considering if you don’t feel good about using plastic products every day.

Photo credit: daizuoxin/Shutterstock

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