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It’s also a relatively simple way to reduce landfill waste.
The Spruce
We includedindoor countertop bins, outdoor tumblers and barrels, and vermicomposters.
We then used the finished compost in our own gardens.
The best options don’t create a strong odor and can be stylish additions to your kitchen decor.
PHOTO: The Spruce
Black+Decker recommends cranking the composter five to 10 full rotations at least two or three times each week.
The composter has air vents to help speed up decomposition, but it still effectivelykeeps out pestsand rain.
Plus, we never detected unpleasant odors, nor did insects or rodents manage to pull up the contents.
The height and large opening made it easy to add food scraps to the Black+Decker 40-Gallon Composter.PHOTO: The Spruce
Note that we did find assembling the composter to be a lengthy process involving two people.
Multiple aeration holes speed up the decomposition process but don’t allow pests or excessive moisture to enter.
After three months of use, we found that the compost was about halfway ready to be used.
We set the finished box in a mostly sunny area on a property in New York.
The manufacturer recommends turning the pile every couple of weeks to improve airflow and speed up decomposition.
We were able to use some of the compost in our tomato planters after three months.
You will need a rubber mallet handy, however.
We love the Bamboozle Compost Bin.
While testing, it was the perfect addition to our kitchen countertop (we tested the saffron color).
It’s made of biodegradable bamboo fiber and has a wooden handle for easy lifting.
The container comes with two filters, which the manufacturer recommends replacing every two months withnew filters.
We just occasionally noticed greasy smudges on the lid that needed to be scrubbed off.
PHOTO: The Spruce
Keep in mind that this is a great way to collect kitchen scraps for your outdoor composter.
If you want a way to create compost indoors quickly, ourbest indoor composterwould be a better option.
Although we were concerned about odor from this open composter, that wasn’t much of an issue.
PHOTO: The Spruce
However, it could attract insect or animal pests in some areas.
We recommend placing it in a discreet location in your yard.
However, occasionally the lid would close before we were done, or open if we walked by.
The Greenes Fence Co. Cedar Wood Composter has an open design which makes it easy to fill and turn.PHOTO: The Spruce
You will need toreplace the filterafter a year.
This kit has four stackable trays.
We love that it doesn’t emit a noticeable odor, which also makes it a great indoor option.
We recommend keeping them in an area that gets a moderate, consistent temperature.
We loved how easy it was to add our food scraps and other materials.
The insulated walls and lid keep the waste sheltered and don’t affect the decomposition process inside the bin.
We filled the bucket to capacity about every four weeks, but this can vary based on your household.
The kit comes with a 2-pound bag of Bokashi starter, but you canpurchase morefrom the manufacturer as needed.
We also wished the instructions were included instead of only being available online.
We evaluated each composter on its design, capacity, odor, quality, and value.
We evaluated the ease or difficulty of adding scraps and mixing the decomposing compost.
Luckily, there is a wide range of sizes available.
So a location that gets some sun, but not too much, is ideal.
This model is insulated as well, making it ideal for colder climates.
Some plastic compost bins are made of recycled plastics, or are decomposable.
Steil says, Outdoor composters really shouldn’t smell bad at all.
They should have either a pleasant earthy smell or an absence of smell.
That’s a lot of green material.
PHOTO: The Spruce
But if you mix it with more of the brown stuff, it will not smell nearly as much.
And that would be the same idea with some of these indoor collection bins, too.
Introducing things like shredded newspaper or even some coffee filters work well for balancing the green materials.
The Bamboozle Compost Bin has a small capacity and is easy to fill at the top.PHOTO: The Spruce
Coffee in general can help because thats a carbon-rich source.
She adds that starting to compost can take several months before it’s ready to use.
According to Steil, it’s also important to avoid constantly adding more scraps once your composter is full.
Doing so doesn’t allow the compost to ever fully break down.
Instead, he recommends composting in batches, allowing each batch to completely decompose before starting a new batch.
Your compost pile does not have to be directly on the ground to effectively decompose.
This results in a nutrient-rich soil blend, says Phillips.
Check your composter weekly to determine whether or not you oughta add water.
Ideally, the contents of a composter should be moist but not soggy.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was researched and written byMichelle Ullman, who is a writer specializing in home and garden products.
For this article, she updated the list with composters and compost bins that we recently tested.
PHOTO: Amazon
Our Experts:
Composting At Home.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
North Carolina State University Extension.
The Geobin 246 Gal. Compost Bin has a large capacity and opening, so it’s easy to fill.PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
The Reencle Home Composter comes with a compost starter to help break down food scraps quicker.PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: Amazon
The Worm Factory 360 Composter includes a spigot for accessing nutrient-rich compost tea.PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: The Spruce
The Exaco Aerobin 113 gal. Composter has a durable lid that held up well over multiple storms.PHOTO: The Spruce
PHOTO: Amazon
The SCD Probiotics All Seasons Composter’s kit includes starter mix to help speed up the process.PHOTO: The Spruce
The Miracle-Grow 18.5-Gallon Tumbling Composter was hard to assemble, but is a great smaller option.The Spruce
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The Reencle Home Composter allows you to both collect food scraps and compost them.The Spruce
Wood bins have a more natural look, but many do not include a cover, or turning mechanism.The Spruce
