The 7 Best Can Crushers
Updated by · How we research
Lever, bin and air-powered can crushers compared on can size, hands-free ejection and build. The Dial Industries Easy Pull leads for everyday soda cans. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A good crusher squeezes an empty can to about a fifth of its height, so one recycling bin holds several times as many before the next trip to the curb. That saves space, not money. These picks suit kitchens, garages, bars and break rooms, and the first thing to check is whether your cans are regular, tall or jumbo.
Editor's Notes
October 27, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Dial Industries Easy Pull takes the top spot. It drops each crushed can out on its own, and complaints about it wearing out are rare next to the steel lever crushers. The old leader, The Crusher 77701, can't be bought right now, while the KitchenCraft Stand, Pardecor Masher, 7Penn Smasher, Zing Industrial and Basic Industries Multi Crush no longer turn up for sale anywhere we looked. The ProForge 7199's old link now leads to a different foot crusher. The Commercial Zone CanPactor stays on.
The McKay Metal Can Crusher is back after being dropped in 2020 because its handle fell apart. That complaint still comes up, and its write-up says so, but the all-steel build and low price earn it a spot. We passed on the Dial Industries M92: a magazine that holds a stack of cans is a smart idea, but too many owners report its nylon arms cracking.
No outlet has run a durability test on can crushers, so the deciding evidence was the pattern in thousands of owner reports on loose handles and cracked parts, checked against the makers' own specs.
Earlier notes
July 30, 2021, by Christopher Thomas:
We removed a generic model that appears to have disappeared completely from the market, but otherwise haven't made any changes to the Wiki today. The Crusher 77701 is still the most popular and most durable choice, and is especially nice to use thanks to its enclosed design that minimizes the risk of splashes. For something a little less conventional, consider the Commercial Zone CanPactor, which is built into a garbage can, or the KitchenCraft Stand, which is foot operated and can make things really easy as long as it's properly mounted.
February 10, 2020, by Sam Kraft:
The Commercial Zone Can Pactor was removed due to lack of availability. We also dropped the McKay Smasher from the list because the handle tends to fall apart, even if it has been subjected to relatively light use.
A couple notes on the KitchenCraft Stand: its freestanding, foot-operated design makes it stand out from the rest of the pack, and its ability to smash tin cans (like dog and cat food containers) is a definite plus as well. It’s not perfect, but it’s a nice alternative to wall-mounted models.
The MasterCrush Recycler — a new addition to the list — is one of the few options available that goes above and beyond crushing normal-sized cans. This versatile model can handle 32-ounce cans and plastic bottles as well.
Special Honors
Troyer Brothers Monarch Bars, breweries and restaurants that outgrow a hand crusher can look at the Monarch, an automatic machine made in Indiana. The maker rates it at up to 1,080 cans an hour, it takes 12- and 16-ounce cans, and it plugs into a standard outlet. Its stainless steel cabinet stands on legs and weighs over 100 pounds, so it's a fixture rather than a gadget. troyerbrothers.net
Start With The Cans You Actually Drink
For the jumbo sizes you need a tall unit such as the MasterCrush Heavy Duty, which lists 12 through 32 ounces and also handles steel food cans.
Can size rules out more crushers than anything else. Most soda comes in 12-ounce cans, but beer, seltzer and energy drinks often come in 16-ounce tallboys, and some brands sell 24- and 32-ounce cans. The Dial Industries Easy Pull and the Commercial Zone CanPactor take 12-ounce cans or smaller only. Steel lever crushers like the HomeBuddy, McKay and Grizzly Living take 12- and 16-ounce cans. For the jumbo sizes you need a tall unit such as the MasterCrush Heavy Duty, which lists 12 through 32 ounces and also handles steel food cans.
An air-powered crusher has its own limit. The ATTEC lists a can no wider than 2.8 inches and no taller than 7 inches, which covers regular and tall cans but not the biggest ones. If your household mixes sizes, buy for the largest can you go through every week.
Volume matters next. A one-can lever is fine for a six-pack a day. A bin with a crusher in the lid, like the CanPactor, holds more than 400 flattened cans, which suits an office or a busy kitchen better.
Lever, Bin, Air Or Motor
Wall-mounted levers are the cheapest and most common type. You drop in a can and pull a handle down. Steel models hold up to tall cans; nylon models like the Dial Industries Easy Pull add an automatic drop so you never pick up the crushed can, and pinch stops near the hinge. Bob Vila's roundup covers several of each.
A crusher bin, such as the CanPactor, puts the lever on top of a trash can, so crushing and storing happen in one motion. It's the tidiest choice for a shared space, but it takes floor room.
Air-powered crushers use a cylinder driven by a shop compressor, usually at around 90 to 120 psi by the sellers' numbers, and flatten a can in a second or two. They're fast but need the compressor, a hose and a regulator. Electric countertop crushers exist too, but the ones sold to homes come from little-known brands with short track records. For a bar or brewery, a commercial machine like the Troyer Brothers Monarch runs on a standard outlet and is rated for up to 1,080 cans an hour. Foot-stomp crushers need no mounting, but cans tend to slip out of them.
Mounting, Safety And What Your Recycler Wants
Most complaints about wall crushers come down to the mount: a loose handle or a bracket pulling out of drywall. Screw the plate into a wall stud, or use the anchors that come with it, and check the bolts now and then. Rinse cans first, both for wasps and for sticky residue.
Crushed cans have sharp edges, so wear gloves if you have to handle them, or pick a model that drops them out on its own. Keep children away from lever pivots, foot crushers and anything air-powered or electric. When we searched the CPSC recall database for can crushers and the main brands on this list, we found no recalls.
Finally, ask your hauler. The EPA notes that not every community collects every kind of recyclable, and rules on flattened cans vary. If you return cans for a deposit, keep them whole: redemption machines need to read the barcode.
How we researched this
We compared 16 can crushers, read the makers' specs and the Commercial Zone and Troyer Brothers product pages, read Bob Vila's roundup, analyzed patterns across thousands of owner reports, and searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database for can crushers and the main brands.
Frequently asked questions
Is a can crusher worth it?
It is if your recycling bin fills up fast. A crushed can takes up about a fifth of the space, so you empty the bin far less often. It won't earn you much money unless you collect a lot of scrap aluminum.
Can a can crusher handle 16-ounce or bigger cans?
Many steel wall crushers take 12- and 16-ounce cans. The Dial Industries Easy Pull and the CanPactor take 12-ounce cans only. For 24- and 32-ounce cans, you need a tall model such as the MasterCrush Heavy Duty.
Should I crush cans I return for a deposit?
No. Redemption machines and many collection points need to read the barcode, so keep deposit cans whole and crush only the ones going in the recycling bin. Check with your local redemption center if you're unsure.
Where should I mount a wall can crusher?
Screw it into a wall stud at about elbow height in a garage, pantry or utility room. Drywall alone can pull out under repeated pulls, so use the included anchors only when there's no stud.
Can I buy a can crusher at a home center?
Yes. Many home centers and hardware chains stock wall-mount lever crushers much like the steel models here. Before buying, check which can sizes the box lists and how the handle attaches to the wall plate.
Do can crushers work on steel food cans?
Most home crushers are made for thin aluminum drink cans. Steel food cans are much stiffer, so use a heavy model that says it handles them, such as the MasterCrush Heavy Duty.
