Composting food scraps is a great way to help the environment and the garden. Whether you're new to it or an old hat, finding the perfect kitchen compost caddy will be high on your list of priorities. It's a great way to easily store your food scraps until it's time to add them to your larger bin or tumbler.
The great thing about having a kitchen compost caddy is that it's a convenient spot to store your food waste. Maybe you're cooking off and on all day and don't want to run to your larger compost bin every time you need to add scraps. That caddy is an easy way to store things until it's convenient to transfer the scraps.
With that said, you may not like storing food scraps this way. One of the cons of using a kitchen compost caddy is that each time you remove the lid, there may be an odor. If you spill things on it, it might attract fruit flies.
How Do I Stop My Kitchen Compost From Smelling?
The best way to stop your kitchen compost from smelling is to empty it regularly and wash the bin before refilling it. You can also add a handful of paper scrap to the bottom of the bin. This will absorb excess moisture and can be dumped into the kitchen compost along with the food scrap. Some compost bins include a carbon filter in the lid to help eliminate the odor.
Where Should I Put My Compost In The Kitchen?
Many people like to keep the compost caddy near the area where they chop fruits and vegetables. This makes it easy to transfer your food waste from the cutting board to the bin. If you don't want it on the counter, you might consider storing it under the sink. If you have a tiny kitchen and you can remember to remove it, some people even store the compost caddy in their ovens. It's a pretty airtight environment to keep pests away and smells tamped down.
Read more: How Often Should I Turn My Compost Tumbler?
Can You Put Cooked Food In Compost?
You can put cooked food into your compost but only if it hasn't been cooked with fats. Steamed vegetables, rice with no oil, and things that have no butter or meat products are all safe for your compost. The tricky thing with cooked food is that many of them do contain fats.
Can You Put Compost In The Freezer?
Yes, you can. It won't start breaking down in the freezer, but if you want to calm down any odors and be able to save more before transferring it to a larger bin, this may be good for you. You can even freeze them in paper grocery bags and put the entire thing in the larger bin once you're ready to move it.
Read more: When to Add Compost to Your Garden?
Some Of Our Favorite Compost Bins For The Kitchen
Now that we've gone over some of the basics of kitchen compost caddies, check out some of these great options!
Sleek Stainless With Filter
This sleek stainless compost bin includes a replaceable charcoal filter in the lid. The one-piece molded bin resists rusting and makes for easy cleaning. At 11" high with a 7" circumference, this 1.3-gallon capacity bin will fit in most kitchens easily. Both the filter and the bin may be cleaned with simple soap and water.
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Good Grips Easy Clean Compost Bin
This 7" x 7" x 7" bin has a lockable lid to trap odors in. Its smooth plastic walls make for easy cleaning and a handy handle means transferring your compost will be a breeze. The lid is removable, which makes emptying the contents easy.
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Farmhouse Style Compost Bin
You don't want someone lifting the lid off your compost bin looking for the cookies. There's no confusing what's inside with this white metal rust-proof coated bin. A handle makes it easy to carry to your larger bin and the pull-off top comes off with a tug. It comes with the charcoal filter that integrates into the lid along with 2 extra filters.
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EcoCrock Compost Caddy
This contemporary compost caddy looks like a tiny seedling pot and is made of ceramic. It holds 3.3 quarts of compost and includes 2 disposable charcoal filters to help with odors. It has a great design and a lot of practicality all in one.
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Polka Dot Ceramic Compost Caddy
If you want to keep your kitchen in style as well as cook your compost, then consider this fun compost caddy. Polka dots cover the surface of this portable caddy. Place a charcoal filter inside to keep odors down.
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Under Counter Compost Bin
This clever under-counter compost bin is for those who don't want it on the counter. Simply mount it to the inside of your cabinet and open the door when you need to dispose of scraps. The tight-fitting lid snaps securely into place to help with smells. The bucket lifts off the hanging bracket when you're ready to empty.
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Easy Empty Compost Bin
This silicone bin slips onto the metal stand for the counter. When it's time to empty it, the flexible silicone makes it easy to push all of the contents out without touching a thing. Then you can pop it in the dishwasher before you fill it again, which really helps to keep odors down and from permeating into the bin.
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Double Bucket Compost Caddy
The thing that makes this compact caddy so great is it has an interior bucket. The interior bucket can be lifted out to empty and be cleaned without the main bucket ever being touched by your food waste. It comes in both grey and white and holds a gallon of waste.
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Composting Caddy
If you don't want to fool with a larger composter (or maybe don't have space), there are all-in-one machines available that allow you to compost your kitchen scraps. This one takes you from scraps to soil amendment in just a three-hour cycle. It uses less electricity than a microwave and is completely odorless.
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Bamboo Kitchen Composter
This stylish kitchen compost caddy is made of bamboo fibers and has a bamboo handle. It's dishwasher safe for easy cleaning after emptying and comes with a charcoal filter to help with odors.
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To Compost Caddy Or Not?
If you love to garden and love to have healthy plants, composting your food scraps is an easy way to enrich your soil. Remember when purchasing a compost bin for your kitchen to find something easy to clean, with a filter, that looks great and is the right size for your space.