Sometimes we have an appliance in our midst for so long that we can no longer see the potential for change; we just accept its flaws as part of life, mostly because these things don’t really have a huge negative impact on our lives, they are just kind of annoying. However, new technology can iron out these imperfections, like how car keys have evolved from physical keys into remote sensors and how we can now pay for things with just a tap of a card. It’s these sorts of changes that simplehuman have put at the heart of their creations, “everyday tools to help people become more efficient at home,” and it’s only once you own one of these ‘reimagined’ products that you will realise how annoying the old versions were.

The 58L dual compartment rectangular sensor bin comes with voice and motion control, in short, this bin is cool - James Bond would own this bin! It comes in eight designs: Brushed Steel, Rose Gold, Dark Bronze Steel and Black Stainless Steel, both available in either dual or single compartment. The dual compartment means, unsurprisingly, there are two compartments inside the bin, evenly splitting it half and half, making it ideal for separating recycling and general waste. Both compartments can be individually removed for ease of emptying. You have the choice of either plugging it into the mains or, if that doesn’t work, with your choice of location, you can use 6 AA alkaline batteries.

Now for the clever tech: You can open the bin by waving your hand across the infrared field, which is located both above and in front of the bin; you just whip your hand across lid and it will open automatically. We experimented, and it can also be opened by stepping close to the bin and even wiggling your butt near it. The other option is even more futuristic: The voice activation allows you to say, “open can” and the lid will automatically pop open. You still need to be quite close to it, but it makes getting rid of you rubbish stress free when your hands are full or dirty. The lid opens smoothly & quietly and the motion sensor can tell when you are near by and the lid will remain open until you leave, so no unexpected closures. If you want to keep it open for longer, you can simply lift the inner lid to lock it up. There is a handy compartment in the back to store bin liners, whilst the stainless-steel construction helps prevent the spread of germs and fingerprints.

We fell in love with this bin (there’s a sentence I didn’t expect to say), being able to open it without having to touch a dirty surface, leave dirty fingerprints all over the lid, or juggle an arm full of recycling when opening the bin. It looks like a premium product and acts like a helpful kitchen assistant! RRP £249.99

Current Cheapest Price

5 out of 5

Pros

Motion or voice activated

Clean attractive design

Dual compartments

Bag storage compartment

Automatically closes

Mains or battery powered

8 designs available