Trash compactors compress your trash. It uses a ram and a motor and a series of gears. As you fill the bin with trash, the more it compacts. It keeps you from taking the garbage out; let's say from once a day to maybe once a week. A quality compactor unit is characterized by horsepower, the stronger the better. As for the motor and gears, metal gears versus plastic gears and chain drive versus belt drive are also differences to consider. Trash compactors take special bags that are thicker and can take the pressure of broken glass and the sharp edges of cans while being compressed.
