Bin cages: pros and cons
PROS
They are great for hamsters and other rodents, such as gerbils, fancy mice, but maybe not fancy rats. Fancy rats need more ventilation than bin cages can offer.
Bin cages are affordable and can be stacked if more than one pet is in the home, or an extension is added to the original cage.
Bin cages can be larger than standard cages, and much easier and more lightweight to handle.
They allow for more substrate to be added than bar cages, and it means more digging fun for your pet, and no substrate messes outside of the bin cage.
Bin cages are easy to travel with, just pick it up and place it in the car.
CONS
They're a bit of an eyesore.
They're frail and easy to chew through if the wrong one is bought (one with hard edges the hamster can sink its teeth into) or a non dwarf hamster is put into a bin cage (Syrians are kind of highly destructive).
They can take up space quickly if more than one rodent pet is in the home.
Unless it is a clear bin cage, you can't see your pet through the cage as well as in other conventional cages.