The Smart Home Appliance HGTV Is Getting Behind (And If You Need One In Your Home)

The humble trash can has long been a simple object that none of us ever gave much thought to. However, as smart technology continues its creep into every part of our lives, it is not a surprise to see it reach super simple objects like trash cans. And one such product making waves right now is the Airdeer Automatic Trash Can. This sleek, smart little guy is here to make one of the least pleasant household chores a completely hands-off experience. The smart appliance has also been featured on the HGTV Instagram page, thanks to all of its convenient features and cute design. So let's take a look at what it has to offer to see if it is worth buying.

The Airdeer Automatic Trash Can has a built-in motion sensor that lifts the lid, which you can activate by either waving your hand or bending your knee. Once the bag is full, a single touch of a button tells the trash can to seal it, so you can then take it out. And the best part is that once you do remove the sealed bag, the can pulls out a fresh liner from a hidden compartment and replaces it in for you. Beyond this, it uses convenient voice prompts like "start packing" and "packing complete, please take it out" to help guide you through certain functions, so it is a little easier to use. These nice features all come together to show how thoughtful, smart design can make everyday tasks a little easier and more convenient.

If you are wondering where in your house would be the best place to put the Airdeer Automatic Trash can, its features make it a solid choice for any high-traffic areas in your home. The kitchen is an obvious choice, since it has a touchless lid that stops the spread of germs from messy hands during food prep and cooking, and its auto-sealing feature is great for stopping food waste odors. However, it is on the smaller side, measuring 11.1 x 9.6 x 16.2 inches and holding just 15 liters (roughly 4 gallons). This is much smaller than the average kitchen trash can, which measures anywhere from 12 to 16 gallons. While this smart trash can will work, there is a more ideal size for a kitchen garbage can.

Given this, it may be better suited for smaller spaces (like a home office or bedroom). We also recommend using it in a bathroom, where its features are best put to work. It operates quietly, comes with 120 refill bags, and has a long-lasting battery that can run for months on a single charge, so you will not have to worry about placing it near an outlet. You can even move it in between rooms, as needed. With its already clean, minimalist design, you will not need any DIYs to hide the trash can in your bathroom.

The Airdeer carves out a unique little niche for itself by focusing on the convenience of self-sealing and self-changing bags. Similar options from brands like iTouchless and Simplehuman boast touchless lid operation, stylish designs, and other types of features, like an activated carbon filter for odor absorption. However, these still require the user to manually tie and replace bags — the nastiest part of the chore. And despite that, both iTouchless and Simplehuman still run at about the same price point, ranging from $60 up to $200. The Airdeer totally eliminates this step. It is even slightly taller than its direct competitor, the Townew Smart Trash Can, by about 1 inch, offering more space on top of the comparable cost.

While it does carry a higher price tag than a traditional trash can, the Airdeer is an excellent investment for anyone who cares about hygiene and convenience. It is also great if you want to automate tasks like sealing the trash bag once it is full and putting in a new bag, which can help prevent trash bag leaks. If you prioritize these features and want to skip some of the worst parts about taking out the trash, the Airdeer Automatic Trash Can is a top-notch pick and absolutely worth buying, especially when compared to similar smart trash cans.