Somewhere between overstuffing a trash bag and wrestling it out of the can without tearing it, most people have probably muttered a few choice words. Maybe you’ve done the suction dance—you know, the one where you pull, and the bag doesn’t budge, so you squat, tug, and swear while hoping nothing rips or leaks. It’s a universal struggle, and honestly, we’ve all just sort of accepted that taking out the trash is supposed to be annoying. But the makers of the Pulli Bin don’t think you should have to settle for that.
Pulli is a new startup that wants to make trash day feel less like a chore and more like a one-handed, mess-free win. Their first product is the Pulli Bin, a stainless steel trash can that looks sleek but doesn’t just sit pretty in the corner. It’s designed to solve some of the most aggravating pain points of taking out the trash—with clever design decisions that make you wonder why no one’s done this sooner.
So, What’s the Deal with the Pulli Bin?
Let’s start with the part that makes it stand out: the front-opening doors. Instead of hauling a heavy, overstuffed trash bag up and out of a deep bin, Pulli lets you open the front, slide the bag out like you’re pulling a file from a cabinet, and go about your day. It sounds simple—because it is—but it also completely sidesteps the usual fight between you and gravity.
The entire concept came from a moment of real-life irritation. The founder, who previously worked at Alphabet (yes, that Alphabet), noticed their family struggling with an overflowing trash can and realized how common this problem really is. That one moment snowballed into a full-on redesign of the household trash can—one that doesn’t rely on you having both the biceps of a CrossFit champion and the dexterity of a contortionist to remove a bag.
Built for the Way You Actually Use a Trash Can
The Pulli Bin isn’t just a one-trick pony with a clever door. It’s been built with long-term usability in mind. The outer shell is made of stainless steel, which not only looks modern in just about any kitchen or office setting but also holds up well to the kind of daily abuse a trash can inevitably endures.
It’s impact-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about dents if someone kicks it open while half-awake at 6 a.m., and it’s designed to be easy to clean because life happens—and sometimes that life involves coffee grounds, soup drips, and mystery goo.
The Pulli Bin is compatible with standard 13-gallon trash bags, so you won’t need to hunt for custom liners or pay extra for proprietary ones. That alone puts Pulli in a different league compared to some of the so-called “smart” bins that feel like they’re gatekeeping garbage.
Here’s how it works, step-by-step. You throw away your trash like usual, using either the foot pedal or the manual lift tab on the lid. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like touching lids (understandable), the pedal’s there to keep things touch-free. If you do lift the lid manually, it’s soft-close, so no loud clangs when it shuts—and it even locks into place while open, so it won’t bonk you mid-use.
When it’s time to take the trash out, the process shifts from frustrating to kind of satisfying. You lift the Pulli Bin’s cover, the front doors unlock at both the top and bottom, and the bag is now yours to pull straight out. No more reaching down into a black plastic void and hoping for the best. Just grab the drawstrings (or the top of the bag) and pull it towards you like you’re opening a cabinet. That’s it.
Stuff It, Smash It, Pack It In
One of the more relatable features is that Pulli knows you’re going to try and cram more into the bag than you probably should—and it’s okay with that. The Pulli Bin’s locking doors keep things securely in place even when you’re on your fifth layer of takeout containers and coffee cups. You can press, push, and pack things in without the fear that the doors are going to pop open or that you’ll regret your life choices when it’s time to take the bag out.
And if you’ve ever had the joy of discovering a slow leak after you’ve already made a trail through your kitchen, Pulli’s got you covered. The doors are sealed to contain any spills, and there’s a built-in drip collection base that keeps any liquids from spreading beyond the bin. When it’s time to clean, just wipe it out. No weird crevices or sharp plastic ridges to scrub around.
Who Is Pulli For?
Honestly? Pretty much anyone who’s ever taken out the trash and thought, “There has to be a better way.” The Pulli Bin is a great fit for families with kids, roommates who tend to overfill the can and then pretend they didn’t notice, or people who live alone and don’t want to play tug-of-war with a bag of leftovers.
If you’ve ever been on kitchen duty in a shared workspace or an Airbnb where the trash can was more decorative than functional, this bin makes cleanup actually manageable. It’s also helpful for older adults or anyone with back pain or mobility issues since it removes the need to do a deep bend-and-lift motion just to remove a trash bag.
In short, the Pulli Bin takes one of the most overlooked frustrations in your home and turns it into something that feels intentionally designed rather than just “good enough.” Is it flashy? Not really. But that’s the point. It does the job it’s supposed to do—and it makes you wonder why it took this long for someone to rethink the trash can.
The Bottom Line
The Pulli Bin is proof that sometimes, the smartest ideas aren’t the ones that connect to Wi-Fi or talk back to you—they’re the ones that quietly make your day just a little easier. For $169, you’re getting a product that actually solves a problem you probably deal with weekly, if not daily. And even though it’s just a trash can, it might just be the most satisfying thing you interact with in your kitchen.
Just don’t be surprised if you start side-eyeing every other trash bin you see.
The Pulli Bin is available now on Kickstarter with 10 days left to go and early bird pricing starting at $169. It ships only to the U.S. for now, with deliveries expected in September 2025.
