We have a small galley style Kitchen with very little extra space to maneuver.   We love this trash can as it is compact and we don't have to fight with the lid like we have had to with previous plastic versions!  The pedal for the lid is "stiff" enough to keep our critters out of it yet "loose" enough that it doesn't need a lot of force to open.  The only thing we have found is that we tend to really fill out trash bags in the past and if this one is "packed" full, it can be difficult to get out.  Not because of the lid but because the "hinging" location of the arms that hold the trash bag secure protrudes just a little bit in the bag space and can catch the bag on the way out.  When we use a little more care removing the trash bag itself, or don't pack it as full, we don't have any problems with it.  We actually went out and bought a matching smaller one for our bathroom!