Advice on Wheelie Bin Selection

Advice on Wheelie Bin Selection

When it comes to the good old wheelie bin, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to finding the perfect one for you. It all depends on what you need it for, the kind of rubbish you tend to throw away, how much of it there will be, and how you are planning to keep your bin safe and secure.

Size

The size of the wheelie bin is likely to be the first thing you look for when choosing a new one. For some, bigger is better, and although there are some great large bins out there, they may not be suitable for you – so before you opt for the biggest one you can find, do some planning.

One important question to ask yourself is how often is this bin going to be emptied? A bin that is emptied weekly doesn’t need to be as large as one that is emptied fortnightly. Of course, for some a large bin is simply not a consideration due to storage space, so this also needs to be considered. How much room do you really have? A large driveway or front garden where a bin can be kept nice and neatly out of the way is lovely, but not everyone has access to an area like this, and a bin that is too big in a small space will simply get in the way. Don’t let it be the reason you have to park on the road rather than your own drive! So, think of the recurrence of collections first, and then work out what size bin you can store safely.

Of course, the amount you throw away is another important point. The best way to find out exactly what your rubbish levels are is to monitor your waste before you commit to buying a new wheelie bin. Make a note of how many black bags of rubbish you fill between collections, and do this two or three times. This will give you an average number of bags. How many black bags can you fit into the bin you were considering? If the numbers work out, then that’s the bin for you. Although do bear in mind that you don’t want the lid to be half open at any time, so if you are considering two bins, both of which will fit in your storage area, both of which will work size-wise, but one is a tad bigger, opt for the larger one. It will give you a bit of wiggle room.

And what about moving the thing? A huge bin that is full of bags is going to be heavy. Are you going to be able to drag it down to the road when you need to? If you definitely need a big bin but you aren’t sure about moving it, a better idea might be two smaller ones.

Type

There are many different types of wheelie bin out there on the market, each one fulfilling a slightly different role. Choosing the right one is important.

Wheels are something to think about. Some bins have two wheels and need to be tilted and then pushed or pulled using a handle. Some bins have four wheels, and although these tend to be larger, they don’t have to be tilted at all. What is your storage area like? How about the path leading to the road? Is it nice and smooth (four wheels might work well here) or bumpy and uneven (two wheels could be ideal as you can manoeuvre the bin around potholes with greater ease)?

So choosing a wheelie bin does have a lot more to it than you might initially think, but get it right and that bin will last you for years.