Kitchen Composters and Food Recyclers
Europe has always been at the forefront of recycling. Consumer waste recycling has been in place for decades, while the USA is just now catching up.
Recycling in the USA can be more difficult than expected, but options are increasing rapidly.
We have a small garden and wanted to recycle some of our waste as compost. We bought a couple of composters from Costco, but in our dry climate, things progressed slowly and got quite messy—both for us and our neighbors—even though they were placed outside by the fence.
Then came The Mill, which promises a food recycler that sits right in the kitchen. I was skeptical but decided to give it a try. While expensive, it no longer requires a subscription for the charcoal filters, which last about 12+ months. When it's time to replace the filter, you can buy it through the app for about $60. The bin that holds all the food and compost is really heavy. It feels sturdy and ready for anything.
Unlike traditional composters, The Mill (like the FoodCycler) doesn’t provide compost but instead produces dehydrated and ground food waste. You can mix it with some soil, and then use it in various parts of your garden.
There are other food recyclers out there, including the new version of the Vitamix FoodCycler, which now has a capacity closer to The Mill’s. Personally, I prefer The Mill because it’s as tall as a trash bin. We placed it next to our regular trash bin, hidden beside the kitchen island. We didn’t want something sitting on the counter, and having the bins together makes everything much more convenient.
The GEME Home Composter is an interesting one. At 19L capacity (massive!), industrial grade filter (no need to change it!), and accepting liquids and bio waste (e.g. cat litter) this is a very interesting model! You’re supposed to take away from the bin instead of emptying like with the Mill and FoodCycler. The GEME Home Composter also makes real compost, where others are more like “nutrient boosters" (dehydrated and grinded food waste).
The Mill comes in two versions, with the 2nd-gen offering a 3-year warranty (compared to the 1-year for the 1st-gen) and including a charcoal filter that lasts over 12 months. They previously required a subscription for replacement filters, but now you can buy them for around $60.
Using our referral link will get you $200 off (until offer expires).
The Vitamix FoodCycler Eco 5 has nearly the same capacity as The Mill (5L vs. 6.5L) but is priced at about half and is also about half the height. Vitamix offers carbon pellets for the filter that need replacement every 3 months and cost around $25.
The GEME Home Composter is the only true composter among these options. With a massive 19L capacity, it features an industrial-grade filter that doesn’t need replacing and can handle liquid and bio waste. If you have pets and plenty of space, this is a great choice
