Gladiator Modular Garage Trash Compactor

Last updated: October 30, 2019


With a 1/3-horsepower motor, the Gladiator Modular Garage Trash Compactor can crush even your toughest containers and food items. You'll get 2,200 pounds of force per square inch when you fire this compactor up, plus anti-jamming capabilities. Since it weighs 150 pounds, you'll need to rely on the wheels to get your garbage to the outdoor trash cans for pickup.

We looked at the top Trash Compactors and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Trash Compactor you should buy.

Product Details

Key Takeaway: This Gladiator Modular Garage Trash Compactor easily crushes garbage to one-fourth its original size.

In our analysis of 160 expert reviews, the Gladiator Modular Garage Trash Compactor placed 10th when we looked at the top 10 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

Now you can have all the benefits of a trash compactor without taking up valuable kitchen space. This Gladiator 15 in. compactor features rugged Gladiator brand styling, and casters for easy mobility. It is perfect for minimizing the volume of trash, decreasing the number of trash bags used, and reducing the number of trips to the curb. Amazon.com The Gladiator GarageWorks GACP15XXMG Modular Garage Trash Compactor provides all the benefits and convenience you’re looking for in a heavy-duty compactor, without taking up valuable space. Featuring rugged styling, and complete with casters for easy mobility, this compactor minimizes the volume of trash to cut down on trash bags used and minimizes trips to the curb. Strong Enough to Reduce Garbage by 75 Percent The Modular Garage Trash Compactor offers a 1.4-cubic-foot capacity, and it can be used to compress trash and recyclables, including aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and paper products. It creates a cleaner environment by keeping garbage and odors contained, and is an alternative to packing everything in trash bags. To dramatically reduce shop trash and handle heavy-duty compacting, this handy garage appliance comes equipped with a 1/3-horsepower motor with a compression ability of 2,200 pounds per square inch. You’ll get a 4:1 compaction ratio and approximately 75% less garbage volume. User-Friendly, Portable Design Complete with a Touch Toe drawer opener that lets you open the compactor via a foot pedal, the Modular Garage Trash Compactor has a bin that opens smoothly on rails, even under the weight of heavy loads. The compactor also includes solid rubber casters, which increase the overall stability of the unit and make it easier to move. The front casters lock with a simple push, and the swiveling rear casters let you move the unit easily around your garage. Operation is simple thanks to the On/Off/Start key. And to help maintain smooth, trouble-free compacting, this unit has an automatic anti-jam feature that allows the compression ram to automatically reverse to prevent jams when the door is opened during operation. The Modular Garage Trash Compactor is backed by a one-year limited warranty. What’s in the Box GACP15XXMG Trash Compactor with hammered granite cabinet finish and manual.

Our Expert Consultant

Vicki Liston 
Home Improvement Expert

Vicki Liston writes, produces, and narrates “On The Fly…DIY,” an award-winning home improvement and DIY show of unique project tutorials for the casual DIY’er.

Home improvement and all things DIY have been Liston’s passion since she bought her first house in 2007 and she started making video blogs in 2014. She’s performed hundreds of DIY projects, from small ones to major, wall-smashing renovations and can teach you how to make a trendy DIY barn door for cheap. The proceeds earned from “On The Fly…DIY” are donated to no-kill animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Expert Reviews


What reviewers liked

Freestanding unit that can be moved around. Durable, heavy-duty machine. Good at compacting tough materials.
The Garage Compactor GACP15XXMG is easy to use: You open it with a toe kick and can slide the bin out. When you open the drawer, a switch turns the machine on or off, and it takes a minute for the ram to fully compact trash. It has a 4-to-1 compression ratio – it can compact four bags of trash into one.
There is perhaps no better trash compactor out there than Gladiator’s GACP15XXMG Modular Compactor, at least not in terms of practicality. Equipped with an automatic anti-jam feature, this compactor will ensure that you won’t experience any delays when performing compacting tasks, no matter how big the job may be.
Conveniently mobile with plenty of power. Capacity could be greater, and the design won't suit everybody, but its durable and does what it's supposed to do without fuss.
This portable unit is meant to live in your garage. Keep this wheeled trash compactor in place by stepping on the front casters, instantly locking it so you can be sure it won't rattle around.
This handy machine comes with a few more conveniences. It has an automatic anti-jam setting and a 1/3 horsepower motor for added crushing strength. This compactor comes with wheels as well. This makes it easy for you to move it from one room to another.
The Gladiator GACP15XXMG is advertised as a garage trash compactor. Besides its exterior design the model is quite similar to regular models. It comes with a 1/3 HP motor that can apply plenty of force to obtain a compaction ratio of 4:1. In terms of capacity it has enough room to store 1.4 cubic feet of trash for extra mobility the model comes with four caster wheels.
It’s among the best trash compactors and is also very strong. It will handle different kinds of trash quite well. To add on to the good built, it has a good practical capacity to suit the home kitchen, restaurant, garage, office and many other areas.
Unlike some other best trash compactors on our list, the Gladiator GACP15XXMG has pretty neat mobility equipment, such as the wheeled cart with lockable front and swiveling rear casters, which enable you to conveniently use the unit to load it with garbage.
Its capacity of 1.4 cubic feet is about the same as most built-in trash compactors. Although this model is simple, it has an anti-jam feature, a sturdy design, and offers ease-of-use and affordability. If the versatility of a portable and affordable trash compactor appeals to you, the Gladiator GACP15XXMG should be a top option.
The device can compress trash at a 75% rate, which is an improvement over a lot of these other trash compactors we found on the market. It has a capacity of 1.4 cubic feet and a 1/3 horsepower motor, delivering immense power to ensure your trash is compacted the way it should be. Casters are included to provide a more portable operation, making it easier for the machine to be moved from one location to another, without having to carry any heavy equipment.
No trash compactor is easier to move and maneuver than Gladiator’s 15-Inch Freestanding Trash Compactor. Its four heavy-duty rubber wheels allow you to take the item from the kitchen to the pantry and then to the garage without breaking a sweat.
There is a total of one cubic foot volume in this trash compactor which is fully portable. You can use it for compressing trash anywhere in your home or in your garage and you can easily move it around on the strong rubber casters with a locking mechanism it uses a small but powerful 1/3-HP motor to provide a compression of 2,200 pounds of force per square inch. It will reduce waste to around a quarter of its original volume.
This compactor is portable and very easy to use. It is very easy to move as it comes with a solid rubber wheel.
- The Z9
It has been equipped with the advanced anti-jam feature and also this compactor ensures that you won’t face any sort of delay during the performance time no matter how much the task is to perform.

What reviewers didn't like

Industrial look may not fit in with your kitchen. Small
This item weighs just over one hundred and fifty pounds.It’s not as stylish as some of the others.
A little noisy. Trash can be difficult to get out.
View our Trash Compactor buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

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