CNET’s key takeaways
-
The Airdeer Smart Trash Can starts at around $120 and is available in multiple sizes on Amazon and Airdeer’s website, with proprietary bag refills included.
-
It’s the only trash can I’ve ever used that seals bags, making taking out the trash weirdly satisfying and completely mess-free.
As someone that writes about tech, I’ve tested plenty of smart gadgets. I’ve tweeted using my car, drawn blood for smart health tracking and place all manner of smart home devices around my house.
You’d think that after reviewing foldable phones, robot vacuums, and a ridiculous amount of AI nonsense, it’d take something truly cutting-edge to impress me. But nothing — and I do mean nothing — has impressed me quite like the Airdeer smart trash can.
Yes, really. A trash can. My job is to poke and prod at tech, and somehow, this sleek little bin has managed to become the highlight of my year.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.
A trash can that seals itself? Tell me more
The real genius here is the sealing system. This isn’t just a trash can with a lid that flaps open when you wave at it. Once full, the Airdeer seals the bag shut for you. It vacuum seals the bag. You lift it out, and you’re done — clean, compact, no mess. The lid then slams shut, preps a new bag and you’re ready to start again without even touching a roll. I haven’t tied a trash bag by hand in weeks, and I refuse to go back.
It’s surprisingly clever about it. If the trash is too full to seal, it tells you. No annoying error codes or flashing lights, just a polite heads-up. Most times, I just give the garbage a slight push down, and it manages to seal it anyway. There’s a ridiculous level of satisfaction in watching it do its thing, like your trash can is showing off.
But that’s not all; it’s got other features. You get a motion-sensor lid, inner lights to illuminate how full the can is, and a sleek design that actually looks good in a kitchen. Plus, it does an excellent job of scent containment. I filled mine with all my usual kitchen scraps and trash and still couldn’t smell a thing. I also appreciate that I don’t need to connect this gadget to Wi-Fi or download yet another app — and it’s still really smart. Though you will need to charge it via a handy USB-C port.
Despite all the tech that Airdeer crammed into this smart trash can, it’s still ridiculously easy to use.
The model I used was the 8-gallon version, which is ideal for smaller kitchens. It’s about 16 inches tall and weighs just under 7 pounds, so it’s compact enough not to be annoying. However, I wish I could go for a larger size. Airdeer told me there’s a 13.5-gallon version coming soon, which might suit bigger households better. For now, if you’ve got space, the 8-gallon will have to do.
There’s only one small catch — you can’t use standard trash bags. You’ll need Airdeer’s own bag refills, which come in a roll of 12 that slots neatly into the can. That said, it’s so stupidly simple to load that I don’t even care.
Even the sound it makes is minimal. A little mechanical hum here and there, nothing loud or annoying.
This bin has somehow made taking out the trash less of a chore and more of a moment. A genuinely cool, weirdly satisfying moment. If you’d told me six months ago that a bin would be the standout tech of my year, I’d have laughed. Now? I’m obsessed.
The Airdeer Smart Trash Can is available from $130, depending on the size. It includes a roll of proprietary bags, and refills are sold separately.
