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This bestselling, Hulk-like can crusher — down to $20 — flattens water bottles and more to save room in your recycling bin

Keep the empty seltzer and beer cans from overflowing at your next cookout — 15,000+ shoppers approve of this nifty gadget.

Calling all soda- and seltzer-sippers! (Or maybe you're the opposite of me and chug a lot of water — good for you.) No matter your warm-weather drink of choice, there's a good chance your recycling bin is overflowing with metal cans and plastic bottles. And if you're tired of having to empty it multiple times before trash day, we've found a solution: the No. 1 bestselling McKay Can Crusher. With just a pull of a lever, this heavy-duty press flattens aluminum cans and plastic bottles down to a fraction of their original size, saving you time and lots of space in the bin. Speaking of making things smaller: It's down to just $20 (from $28) for an early Amazon Memorial Day deal. Snag it before your summer cookouts become engulfed in empty beverage vessels.

(Want even more savings? Be sure to check out our roundups of the best Amazon early Memorial Day deals and the best early Memorial Day sales overall.)

Is it normal to have a "crush" on a kitchen gadget? Because we're going gaga over this space-saver.

$20 at Amazon

Our trackers tell us that this metal manipulator is down to its lowest price since January — plus, just think of how much money it'll save you on bin liners. (Not to mention, it'll keep the kids and grandkids entertained, which is priceless.)

The McKay Can Crusher is large enough to accommodate standard 16-ounce cans, though it makes short work of 12-ounce cans too. And it won't just save space in your recycling receptacle — it'll also take up little room in your kitchen, since it comes with wall-mounting hardware. (Don't worry, reviewers say installation is quick and easy.)

To use, all you do is place your empty can or plastic bottle on the ledge, pull the cushioned-grip handle down and bam! You've got a drink container that's been shrunken to as small as 1/8 of its original size. And as if that weren't enough, it has a built-in bottle opener to make popping caps off a piece of cake.

someone using the can crusher
This popular can crusher might be practical, but it's also extremely satisfying to use. (Amazon)

At over 15,000 perfect ratings strong, the McKay Can Crusher is what we'd call an Amazon hit.

"Before the can crusher, we were putting uncrushed aluminum cans in trash bags and the bags would fill quickly. We were using lots of plastic trash bags, which didn't make recycling sense," shared one im-pressed shopper. "We installed it in less than five minutes ... We still haven't filled up one trash bag, and before the can crusher, we would have already filled at least two!"

"[This] can crusher is great!" gushed another happy buyer. "I'd assumed it would be flimsy and not very sturdy, but to my surprise, it is heavy metal and very sturdy. ... Will make it much easier to recycle cans this summer!"

Little ones enjoy using it too. "The grandkids love crushing cans!" exclaimed a third enthusiast. "Strong and long-lasting."

Several users had the same note as this reviewer, who said, "The handle stayed upright for the first month of crushing every day, then gradually got loose and now hangs down, but we still like it and use it constantly."

"My only dislike: At the very end of crushing a can, it seems like [the] area where the handle connects could be reinforced a little more," wrote a final fan. "Other than that, it's great and easy to use, even for kids. (Note: Squeezing the can a bit first will make it easier to crush.)"

Choose from eight colors, from this bright red to blue, green, yellow, black and white. 

$20 at Amazon

And while you're at it, check out this other No. 1 bestselling space-saver.

Tired of having to clear a path to get to soda or beer at the back of the fridge? No more! Here's a sleek solution for an overcrowded fridge. It fits up to 10 standard-sized cans, and when you remove the one at the front, another one automatically rolls down to replace it. By stacking the cans atop one another, you're making better use of shelf space (and freeing up more room for snacks — major win). 

"This piece is really durable and easy to clean, both pluses when you have kids!" exclaimed one happy parent.

$10 at Amazon

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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