Are you wanting to ‘green’ your kitchen? Or maybe to transform kitchen waste into food for your garden? A countertop compost bin would be the go.
Is metal or plastic better for compost bin? The metal option may rust, but if stainless steel, will probably last you longer than the plastic. The prime advantage of plastic over metal compost bins is the price. But then there’s also the ceramic option.
Here I compare ceramic, stainless steel, and plastic countertop compost containers.
Pros and cons of ceramic compost bin for kitchen waste
Ceramic includes porcelain, terracotta, and clay designs.
Ceramic compost bin benefits
- Natural material
- Attractive
- Won’t rust
- Sturdy
- Easy to clean
- Resistant to odors
- Fully recyclable ware
Downside of ceramic compost crocks
- Fragile if dropped
- Can chip
- Not as lightweight as others
Stainless steel countertop composters pros and cons
The best countertop composter in this range is one with a charcoal filter to eliminate odors.
Benefits of stainless steel composters in the kitchen
- Sturdy
- Easy to clean
- Won’t crack if dropped
Disadvantages of stainless steel compost bins for kitchen
- Clanging noise
- Can rust from the acidic wastes, but this depends on the quality
- Not as resistant to odours
- Not recyclable
Plastic kitchen compost caddies
Good things about plastic compost caddies in the kitchen
- Less expensive
- Lightweight
Not so good things about plastic kitchen waste bins
- Can crack
- Hard to shift stains
Best kitchen countertop compost bin
The best kitchen counter compost bin in ceramic is one that’s designed to limit odours and resist staining. And then there’s the price and the appeal that might matter to a lot of folk. Here are four countertop bins to compare each made of different materials.
Ceramic
Ceramic compost bit with charcoal filter
available at Amazon
Stainless steel with charcoal filter
Stainless Steel Compost Bin 1.3 Gallon-Includes Charcoal Filter
available at Amazon
Plastic
Cheap countertop compost bin, plastic but BPA free
available at Amazon
Bamboo
Bamboo is a natural product and recyclable. This one has a modern look and the beauty of it is that it is lightweight and sturdy, it shouldn’t break if dropped.
Bamboo Kitchen Composter with carbon filters
available at Amazon
How to use a kitchen compost bin…
- When you’re preparing meals, put the peelings and other waste from fruit and vegetables straight into the kitchen compost bin.
- You can also put bits of paper, used coffee grounds and tea leaves from the teapot into the bin.
- Some say to put used teabags into the compost, but I find the material of the bags doesn’t break down that well (It might depend on the brand).
- When full (or within a day or two), empty the bin into your garden compost bin or bury the contents in the garden to provide food for the microbes that benefit the soil for plant growth.
FAQs
Does a kitchen compost bin need air holes? No, a compost bin in the kitchen does not need air holes but the benefit is that they help keep foul odors at bay — Important if you don’t plan on emptying it daily. The downside of air holes is that the openings allow in fruit flies.