HOTOR Car Trash Can with Lid - 2 Pack, Car Accessories for Interior, Leakproof Vehicle Garbage Can with 30 Attached Trash Bags, Multipurpose Organizers and Storage for Home, Office, Black

What it is and why I tried it

I spend a lot of time in the car, and the small bits of daily debris—receipts, straw wrappers, snack packets—tend to accumulate fast. I wanted something compact, tidy, and easy to clean that wouldn’t eat up legroom or swing around on a strap. The HOTOR car trash can (sold as a two-pack) hits that brief on paper: a rigid, leakproof mini bin with a push-to-open, auto-closing lid, sized to drop into a cup holder or door pocket. After a few weeks of use across my front cup holder, driver’s door pocket, and even my desk, here’s how it performed.

Setup and fit

Each bin arrives as a small, rigid cylinder with a removable flip lid and a sleeve of disposable liners. At 8.1 x 3.6 x 3.6 inches, it’s essentially the footprint of a tall travel mug, so it feels familiar in a cup holder. The body is slightly tapered and sits securely in standard center-console holders. It also slots neatly into wider door pockets without rattling much; I added a thin strip of foam tape along one side to eliminate any remaining wiggle in a wider pocket.

Because it’s self-contained and rigid, it also works in seat-back pockets or between seats without collapsing. On my desk, it’s the rare “car accessory” that doesn’t look out of place—more like a small, matte black desktop bin with a discrete lid.

One trade-off is obvious: if you dedicate a cup holder to it, you’re giving up a drink spot. Drivers with only one or two cup holders might prefer the door-pocket placement, which is where I kept mine after the first few days.

Capacity and everyday use

This is a small trash can by design. Think of it as a home for pocket-litter and lightweight waste: receipts, tissues, straw wrappers, snack bags, gum packs, tea bag wrappers. It comfortably handles a solo commuter’s worth of small trash for a few days to a week before I bother emptying it. If you regularly toss bigger items—fast-food boxes, cups, or half-finished bottles—this isn’t the right format.

The lid opening is wide enough to accept folded napkins and snack wrappers without catching. Bulky or rigid shapes can wedge in the aperture; if that happens, I pop the lid off (it lifts straight off) and drop the item in, then snap the lid back. Overfilling will prevent the lid from auto-closing, which is a good cue to empty it.

I like having the second bin. I kept one in the front for general trash and moved the other to the rear to catch back-seat odds and ends, but it’s equally handy as a small organizer for masks, wipes, or charging cables.

Lid and odor control

The push-to-open lid is the standout feature. It’s springy without being stiff, so I can nudge it with the back of my hand and drop in trash one-handed while driving. It closes with a muted snap and seals well enough to contain odors from everyday waste. For soggier or smellier items—like a damp tea bag or orange peels—the lid buys me time without perfuming the cabin. If odor control is critical, a tiny adhesive charcoal deodorizer inside the lid takes it a step further.

A small caveat: the lid attaches via plastic tabs that are meant to be easily removable for cleaning. That’s convenient, but it also means a sideways bump or twisting force can pop it off. It clicks back on without damage, though repeated rough handling could wear the tabs. Treat it like the hinged lid on a cosmetic jar—sturdy enough for daily use, not indestructible.

Cleaning and liners

Between the waterproof ABS body and the smooth interior, cleaning is simple. I’ve rinsed both lid and canister under the tap and wiped them dry without any water spotting or staining. The included disposable liners are cut to fit and make emptying painless. I stretch a liner over the rim, press the lid on, and the bag stays put until it’s full.

Two minor usability notes:
- The liners are white, which makes the bag edge visible on the black bin. It’s a purely cosmetic nitpick, but I ended up swapping to black quart- or 1–1.5-gallon bags to make the setup visually disappear in a dark door pocket.
- There’s no internal retainer ring, so you rely on the lid to trap the bag. It works, but if you overstuff the can the bag edge can peek out. The fix is simple: empty it before you reach the brim.

Because the bin is leakproof, you can skip liners entirely for dry trash. I’d still use a liner if you expect damp waste—it makes cleanup faster and keeps the lid hinge tidy.

Build quality and design

The ABS plastic feels more rigid than I expected at this price, with a matte finish that disguises fingerprints. The diamond-textured pattern gives it a bit of visual interest without shouting “trash can.” Seams are clean, the base sits flat, and the lid action has remained consistent after a few weeks of daily presses.

I don’t baby my gear, but I also don’t expect a glovebox item to survive a stomp. This strikes a smart balance: tough enough to toss between seats, firm enough not to deform in a cup holder on a hot day, and simple to reassemble if the lid pops off. For a small utility piece, that’s exactly what I want.

On the road and at the desk

Beyond the car, I found a few nice uses:
- Desk: It’s a perfect size for wrapper-and-staple duty without taking over the workspace.
- Bathroom vanity: Cotton swabs and floss picks disappear under the lid.
- Workshop: It holds small offcuts, zip ties, and paper shop towels.

The compact form factor makes it easy to repurpose one bin while keeping the other in the vehicle.

Value

You’re getting two bins and a starter pack of liners. The two-pack matters—one for the front seat and one elsewhere—or as a spare if you prefer to rotate and wash. Compared to larger hanging bags, the HOTOR option trades capacity for tidiness and stability. If you need a big catch-all for family road trips, you’ll quickly bump into its limits. If you want an always-there, low-profile solution for everyday trash, this offers excellent value.

What I’d change

• Hidden liner system: A small inner lip or retainer ring would tuck the bag completely out of sight.
• Stronger lid detents: The current removable design is convenient, but a slightly tighter snap would reduce accidental pop-offs without making cleaning harder.
• Optional black liners: They’d blend better with the black bin and door pockets.

None of these are dealbreakers, but they’re the most noticeable quirks after regular use.

Who it’s for

• Commuters who produce small, frequent trash and want a tidy, one-handed solution.
• Drivers who dislike hanging bags and prefer a rigid, cup-holder-friendly container.
• Minimalists who want an unobtrusive, desk-worthy bin that doubles for car use.

Who should look elsewhere:
- Parents or rideshare drivers with high-volume trash (you’ll want a larger, seatback-mounted bag).
- Anyone protective of limited cup-holder space with no good door-pocket alternative.

The bottom line

The HOTOR car trash can solves a mundane problem with a simple, well-executed design. It’s compact enough to live in a cup holder or door pocket, the flip lid works smoothly and contains everyday odors, and the leakproof body makes cleanup straightforward. Capacity is modest by intent; treat it as a daily tidy-up tool rather than a fast-food-bin replacement.

Recommendation: I recommend it for drivers who want a compact, discreet trash solution that stays put and is easy to maintain. It’s not the answer for bulk waste or family road trips, but for everyday debris, the two-pack offers smart flexibility and a cleaner cabin with minimal fuss.