Choosing the Right Compost Crock for Your Kitchen

This is the era of reduce, reuse and recycle. We’re all trying to be mindful about throwing away less stuff that’s just going to end up in a landfill. Separating our paper, plastic and our glass has become a basic part of many people’s routine. 

But what about food waste? It’s not recyclable in the classic sense but it can definitely be reused. With some time, those old eggshells, orange peels, coffee grounds, and old lettuce can become rich nutritious soil for your backyard garden. 

But saving old rotten kitchen waste isn’t the most appealing of chores, unless you have what’s called a kitchen compost crock. But where to begin? We’re about to tell you everything you need to know about buying the right compost crock for your kitchen. 

How to Choose a Compost Crock

We’ve done the legwork for you and before we start throwing products at you it’s worth giving you a quick primer on the kinds of things we looked for in kitchen compost bins. 

• Odor Control: This may be the single most important element in any indoor compost ceramic crock. Most of the kitchen composters we looked at have odor control elements to keep your kitchen free of the food odors of spoiled vegetable scraps. 
• Kitchen Sized: We looked for compost bins that can sit easily on your kitchen counter. A countertop compost bin is both space saving and easy to use.
• Weight: You may carry compost crock outside quite often, a lighter crock would be more convenient for daily usage.
• Cost Conscious: We don’t want you to have to break the bank to do the right thing with a kitchen compost pail, so we’re always looking for great products at a great price. 
• Looks: Just ensure the compost crock can fit in your kitchen decoration.

5 Best Kitchen Compost Crocks Reviews

So let’s get into it. We scoured the internet and looked through dozens of compost pails to help find the perfect countertop composting bin, and here are our top 5 picks. 

#1. EPICA Stainless Steel Compost Bin

We love the Epica just for looks alone. This elegant compost bin holds a healthy 1.3 gallons worth of kitchen scraps so you won’t be making treks out to your outdoor composter with your vegetable trimmings all the time. It cleans easily and is dishwasher safe. This stainless steel compost pail will resist rust so this compost bin is built to last. 

Also the activated charcoal, airtight lid will keep any sour food smells inside the composting bin, and out of your kitchen. It also comes with replacement filters and picking them up online is easy. It comes at a great price and the pail ships quickly so you’ll be in the composting business in no time, without any significant hit on your pocket book. 

Pros

• Stainless Steel
• Activated Charcoal lid
• Dishwasher Safe
• Comes with Replacement Filters

Cons

• Sharp Edges
• Carbon Filter Doesn’t Stop Smells

#2. BelleMark Kitchen Compost Bin

We love the look of the BelleMark Compost Bin. It has an antique feel and looks more like a bread basket than a place to put old food scraps. It’s crafted with acacia wood which is a sustainable lumber so everything about this composter is about saving the planet, and your garden. 

The secure stainless steel lid locks in place so no smells will hang around your kitchen. It’s also big, with a 1.6 gallon bin for your food waste. It’s dishwasher safe and the stainless steel bin slides easily out of it’s wooden box and right into your dishwasher. 

It’s more pricey than the Epica but we really like the look of this composter.  It can even add a homey feel to your kitchen if that’s the vibe you’re going for. 

Pros

• Looks Great
• Dishwasher Safe
• 1.6 Gallon Container
• Made With Sustainable Wood

Cons

• Box Comes Apart
• Wood Cracks Easily
• Expensive 

#3. OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin

The OXO is all about ease of use. It has the largest bin of all the products on our list so far. It has a whopping 1.75 gallons of space for your food scraps. And when it’s ready to empty all that organic material into your out compost bin the lid pops right off to make it easy to empty. Using a compostable bag will help make the process even easier.

It’s plastic but still has a simple elegant feel. And despite its size it doesn’t take up much space. It’s easy to clean and dishwasher safe. And if you’re really into being environmentally conscious, 1% of it’s annual sales go to environmental nonprofits. 

It’s one of the lowest priced bins we considered.  But in this case cheap doesn’t mean low quality. This bin does the job of holding your food scraps just as well as any stainless steel bin. 

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Easy to Clean
• 1.75 Gallon Tub
• Odor Control

Cons

• Odors Seep Into Plastic
• Lid Doesn’t Close Tightly
• Plastic Breaks Easily

#4. Cooler Kitchen Oversized 1.3 Gallon Kitchen Compost Bin

We love this compost bin because it looks like the cookie jar that used to sit on our grandmother’s kitchen counter. It’s not but it does have a homey old-timey feel that will fit right in to many homes. 

One of the things we like about this bin is the inclusion of an inner bin made of polypropylene that is easily removable for emptying and cleaning. The vented lid has an active charcoal filter that fits tightly onto the outer metal rim to keep out smells and flies. The plastic inner bucket is dishwasher safe and this bin is big enough to hold at least a day’s worth of food scraps. 

It’s not as cheap as some of the other products but it’s not the most expensive either. It’s a large bin with some nice features and might be worth investing the extra few bucks. 

Pros

• Polypropylene Inner Bucket is Dishwasher Safe
• Active Charcoal Filter on Lid
• Inner Bucket Removes Easily
• Inexpensive

Cons

• Product Rusts Easily
• Inner Bucket Can Develop Leaks
• Handle Breaks Easily 

#5. Dullrout Compost Bucket 

This thoroughly modern looking compost bucket sits easily on your countertops but has plenty of space for all your food scraps. It’s not the largest capacity bin on our list but the stainless steel and black plastic combination may be a perfect match for some of your other appliances. 

The airtight lid opens with the push of a button and keeps smells inside without the help of an activated charcoal filter. Both the stainless steel and plastic bin are scratch resistant and sturdy so this bin will stand the test of time. The prices is in the mid-range of the products we’ve looked at but we like the simplicity and modern design of this compost bin. 

Pros

• Stylish
• Airtight Lid Mean No Filters
• Scratch Resistant 
• Compact Size

Cons

• Small Bin
• Inner Liner Retains Odors
• Lid Isn’t Airtight

FAQ

If you still have some questions about starting the best compost pile right in your kitchen, we have a few answers to help you out. 

How Does a Compost Crock Work?

A compost crock or compost caddy works by collecting your food scraps and starting the process of turning that organic material into soil for your garden. Think of it as step one in the composting process. Put a day’s worth of organic waste in the bin and nature will start breaking down those food scraps into a compost heap right away. 

At some point you’ll have to move those scraps into a larger outdoor bin so keep that in mind. 

Can You Put Ceramic in Compost?

The short answer is no you can’t. Ceramic doesn’t have any plant or animal matter so it won’t break down. 

What Will Make Compost Break Down Faster?

Consider keeping your scraps warm as a way to jumpstart the composting process. Not hot, just warm to allow the food to decay quicker. There are also organic activators that add microorganisms to your compost to help that food turn into dirt more quickly. 

Outdoor composting typically involves a worm bin, but this isn’t necessary with the modern advancements in composting. 

Doing the Right Thing

We hope that we’ve given you the information you need to make a purchase that’s going to help you do your part to stay green. There are so many options out there, the only wrong choice is to do nothing and continue using those plastic bags for your food scraps! Happy Composting!