10 Compost Bins to Reduce Waste
10 Compost Bins That Practically Double as Home Decor
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Composting is an easy way to reduce waste in the kitchen. Even if you try to maintain a zero-waste kitchen by making sustainable lifestyle swaps like plastic bags to reusable ones or make recipes that use most of your leftovers, composting can still add up in terms of how much food you can divert from landfills. For context: Americans kept more than 25 million tons of compost from becoming trash in 2018, per the Environmental Protection Agency. That's 0.42 pounds per person per day! Just imagine how much we could prevent from going to the landfill if even more of us got involved.
Composting is often misunderstood for being smelly or taking up too much space, but modern innovations ensure doing so can be odor-free and even stylish. There are plenty of small, streamlined compost bins that are a great fit for those with small kitchens, not to mention large options that'll account for the whole family. Ahead, we've rounded up our 10 favorite compost bins of 2023, including budget-friendly options, styles that look like decor at first glance, and innovations that clip to your trashcan for a neat, streamlined look. Keep scrolling for an up-close look at each.
1 Best Budget Compost Bin
Utopia Kitchen Compost Bin ($20, originally $25)
This compost bin is a top-rated option on Amazon and the most affordable on our list. The durable, stainless-steel design features everything you could possibly need in a reliable compost bin: a charcoal odor filter, a handle for easy transportation, and a vented lid. Oh, and it comes in eight (!) different color options, plus two sizes: one gallon and 1.3 gallons.
2 Best Hanging Compost Bin
Simplehuman Compost Caddy ($50)
With more than 10,000 five-star ratings, it's no secret that this compost caddy is one of the best around. It is fingerprint-resistant and has a removable inner bucket to make dumping and rinsing a breeze. But the best part is that it neatly attaches to the side of rectangular and slim trash cans to keep it out of sight. The only downside is that it's exclusively designed for pairing with Simplehuman trash cans (maybe take this as a sign that it's time to get one?).
3 Best Bamboo Compost Bin
RSVP International 0.75 Gal. Kitchen Composter ($49, originally $51)
This composter is surprisingly lovely looking and made from bamboo, which is an excellent option for those interested in sustainable materials. It has a smooth inner plastic basket that makes emptying easy, and it even comes with a refillable charcoal filter to eliminate odors. Shoppers rave about it, too. One person left the following review: "My husband opened the lid the other day and said, 'Wow! It doesn't smell bad!' That's the truth!"
4 Best Ventilated Compost Bin
Joseph Food Waste Caddy With Odor Filter ($36)
This food-waste caddy will look like a chic lunchbox on your counter. It has a replaceable odor filter and a ventilated design that allows air to enter and circulate inside the caddy, which helps to reduce moisture-causing odor. It comes in three colors: blue, gray, and white.
5 Best Steel Compost Bin
Oval Stainless Steel 1.6 Gallon Countertop Compost Bin ($38, originally $42)
This sleek compost bin is made from stainless steel that'll look great in any kitchen, and it comes with a special coating to prevent rust. And you don't have to worry about it emitting a smell: there's a built-in filter compartment to add odor-absorbing packets. It has a bevy of positive reviews, too. One shopper said the "oval shape also makes it easier to simply scrape food cuttings into it directly from a cutting board."
6 Best Ceramic Compost Bin
Chef'n EcoCrock Counter Compost Bin ($38, originally $40)
This compost bin comes in two styles: white ceramic (pictured here) and stainless steel. Both options hold 0.75 gallons of scraps and feature a removable inner bucket with a handle that makes "emptying into our larger outdoor compost a lot easier," writes one of many satisfied reviewers. Many love the ceramic vessel, which one shopper said "is well designed" and looks like a "storage container on my kitchen counter," not a compost bin.
7 Best Plastic Compost Bin
Oxo Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin ($23)
At 0.75 gallons, this compost bin will be a slim and sleek addition to your countertop. It comes in white and charcoal, and the lid flips up when it's time to fill it up and is removable, simplifying the emptying process. It also comes in a 1.75-gallon option, which one shopper deemed "good for a five-person family." If you want one that fits on your counter, stick with the 0.75-gallon size.
8 Best Modern Compost Bin
Rosti Modern Compact Compost Bin ($25)
This compost bin is objectively stylish thanks to its minimalist design and angled silhouette. Bonus: it's dishwasher safe, so you can make sure it's nice and clean in between compost batches. Choose from two colors: blue (pictured here) and white.
9 Best Short Compost Bin
Exfoil Kitchen Compost Bin With Lid ($37)
This 1.6-gallon compost bin is made of bamboo and stainless steel, and its design is meant to double as a piece of decor. It's practical, too: a great height (six inches) for those who don't have a ton of vertical space on their kitchen counters. It even has nonslip grip pads on the bottom to keep it in place.
10 Best Freezer Compost Bin
Full Circle Scrap Happy Food Scrap Collector ($29)
This silicone compost bin has a wire rim that attaches to the drawers below your countertop so you can seamlessly sweep scraps straight in. The benefit of leaving them in the freezer is that you don't have to worry about odor (though all of the compost bins on this list should have you covered in that department).
