“Once in a while you discover a device that can make a drastic change in your life. However I was more than a little surprised when my life changing discovery was a humble waste bin.  

Let me explain … for as long as I can remember I have been using swing top plastic bins in my kitchen. These are messy; the refuse bags don’t stay in place and because you have to use your hand to open the lid it is inevitable that some waste will splash on to the lid itself. This is hardly the most satisfactory or hygienic method to rid your kitchen of rubbish.  So when I was offered the Autobin for review I hardly viewed this as an earth shattering experience and I felt that within a few days it would look and behave like my old plastic one.  

Kitchen gadgets come and go … I’ve tried most of them; yoghurt makers, toasted sandwich makers, coffee grinders: but they all end up being quickly discarded as soon as the novelty wears off. They may do their jobs admirably but at the end of the day they have to be cleaned and this can result in a time-consuming chore. Now, this has not happened with the Autobin. Apart from its stylish chrome appearance looking rather tasty within my kitchen it sits unobtrusively next to a table and really does earn its keep without fuss or hindrance.  

The sensor controlled lid is quite simply a revelation. There is no longer a need to use your hands to open and close it so clearing debris from food encrusting plates can be a two-handed operation rather than a balancing act ensuring that everything ends up where it should … in the bin. The retaining ring on the bin also prevents the refuse bags from slipping and this has become a real Godsend. Apart from a quick wipe of the lid this is the only maintenance that I’ve had to do, unlike the plastic bin that was always having to be cleaned of coffee grouts and other unpleasant muck that had slipped from the bag to coat the inside walls of the bin.  

After sixteen months of uninterrupted efficient use, I awoke one morning to find that Autobin was not responding to my approach. I was distraught, thinking that good things do come to an end, but I quickly realised the fault was nothing more than exhausted batteries. A quick trip to the local shop and a few seconds installing them and I sighed with relief as my bin smiled in approval by raising its lid in gratitude. We were back in action.  

Hygiene issues aside … the Autobin should be mandatory in any kitchen if only to relieve the tension of having to do the bin’s job for it. Those rather helpful people at Ninestars UK informed me that the Autobin would change the way I think about my bin; it has, I will never consider plastic swing-top bins ever again.” 

Bob Bluffield

Author and food reviewer