Composting is a great way of reducing food waste, but many of us don't have enough space for traditional composting methods like a compost pile or bin. Indoor composting can be a great alternative, but using a regular compost bin can be stinky and attract pests like fruit flies.
Thankfully there are some great compost machines on the market that make indoor composting a possibility even in the smallest of spaces. But what is a compost machine and how do they work? Let's take a look at what these neat little machines do and why you'll want one in your life.
Table of contents
First, let's start off with what precisely a compost machine is and how it works to break down your food waste.
What is a compost machine and how does it work?
A compost machine is a kitchen appliance that uses electricity to speed up the composting process. Unlike traditional composting methods, your food waste breaks down into nutrient-rich dirt in as little as a few hours instead of a few months. They’re great for beginners who are new to composting.
So how does it work? Compost machines create the ideal conditions for organic matter to break down while allowing helpful microorganisms to thrive. They stimulate and accelerate the aerobic decomposition process through three different cycles:
- Drying: The drying process helps heat up the organic waste and gives important microbes a head start on the decomposition process. It also removes water from the organic matter, creating the perfect environment for composting.
- Mixing: During the mixing cycle, compost machines mimic the hot-turning method used in traditional composting methods. Mixing helps aerate the organic matter, giving microorganisms the necessary oxygen they need to survive. During this phase, compost machines grind the food scraps into small pieces.
- Cooling: This final phase cools the contents of the compost machine down for safe handling. It continues to aerate and dehumidify the dirt allowing the decomposition process to finish.
6 best countertop composter machines currently on the market
Interested in getting a compost machine to start making your own nutrient-rich dirt to fertilize your plants? Well, you'll want to know which one is the best on the market. Here are 6 great compost machines currently available.
1. Lomi
The Lomi compost machine is a fantastic choice when looking at electric composters. It's a super high-quality, energy-efficient electric composter that turns your food waste into nutrient-rich fertilizer in a matter of just a few hours. You can also toss in a Lomi pod to add beneficial microbes to help break things down even faster.
Lomi has three modes to choose from so you can break down everything from food scraps to Lomi-approved bioplastics. It's a great way to compost items that you would not typically be able to put in your home composting.
Pela developed Lomi to help eliminate the world's waste. Not only is Lomi an energy-efficient kitchen countertop composter, but it also arrives at your door certified climate neutral. So you know your purchase is doing something good for the planet.
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2. Vitamix
You've undoubtedly heard of Vitamix for their kitchen blenders. While their blenders are the gold standard for smoothie-making ability, that doesn't mean their electric composter is going to be the highest quality as well. While the Vitamix Foodcycler FC 50 does break down food waste, the end product is basically just dehydrated and chopped-up kitchen waste.
Unlike Lomi, the Foodcycler doesn't add beneficial microorganisms to help break down your food scraps. So you actually need to further compost the end product before adding it to your plants. If you want to see how the Foodcyler stacks up to Lomi, we've got a detailed comparison of the Foodcyler vs Lomi here.
It is a cheaper option as far as electric composters go, but you are sacrificing capacity and durability. This could actually end up costing you in the long run since they don't offer a money-back guarantee trial period.
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3. Tero
The Tero compost machine works very similarly to the Vitamix Foodcycler, with a few differences. Like the Foodcycler, Tero doesn't add helpful microbes to help break down kitchen waste. This means your finished product is low-quality dirt like the Foodcyler.
There are some areas Tero does better than Vitamix. First of all, it has double the capacity at 4 liters. And, unlike the Foodcyler, Tero has a refillable carbon filter instead of replaceable carbon filters. So it doesn't create more waste to operate.
Tero is a more expensive option, with a similar price point to Lomi. That is for the base model and if you want more features, you'll need to spend an additional $100 for the Tero Plus version. The reviews, which are limited, aren't overly enthusiastic either. We have an in-depth article comparing Tero and Lomi if you want to compare the two.
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4. Reencle
Reencle is newer to the market and, unlike the previous 3 electric composters, this composter doesn't go on your kitchen counter. It sits on your floor, wherever you choose to place it, and even has a touchless opening so you can open it with your foot if your hands are full.
It also is constantly running. Although you can scoop finished dirt out whenever you want, you just have to sift out the remaining food waste. And even though it has a quite large capacity, it still only has the same daily food scrap capacity as Lomi.
It is an expensive machine with no risk-free or money-back guarantee. The reviews (they claim to have over 100,00) are nowhere to actually be found and their sales don't show that many units sold. You can check out our comparison of Reencle and Lomi here.
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5. Kalea
This is another floor composter that functions similarly to Reencle. Like Reencle, Kalea allows you to add food waste at any point, but since the food waste goes through vertical stages, the finished dirt winds up on the bottom. This means grabbing your finished dirt is more accessible than with Reencle.
While this composter has a much larger capacity than the other electric composters on this list, it means a longer cycle at 48 hours. This composter also doesn't add in microbes, so at the end of the 48-hour cycle, you're still left with low-quality dirt.
This is another expensive compost machine with no money-back trial. There are also no ratings for this composting machine. And unlike Lomi, Kalea doesn't offer free shipping, driving the cost even higher. We have an article on how Lomi and Kalea compare if you want to check that out.
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6. beyondGREEN
This is the first composter on our list that can be used both indoors and outdoors. What also makes this a unique option is that you can process kitty litter and yard waste in this machine. If you do choose to process kitty litter or pet waste, do not use the finished compost in your garden.
While it can process around 5 pounds of food and pet waste each day, it takes up to 2 weeks to do so. It does have a 4-gallon weekly capacity which is nice if you have a lot of yard waste to throw in with your food scraps. It's also relatively quiet since its motor only turns on for 15 minutes.
There is a limited warranty on this product, which you might need. One user said theirs exploded after 4 months of use! You also have to use sawdust and baking soda to help with decomposition and the smell many reviewers also mention. A smelly compost can attract animals and other pests.
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Our favorite kitchen compost machine: Lomi
While there are a few different electric composters on the market, none quite compare to Lomi. With Lomi, not only do you get nutrient-rich dirt that you can do so many things with, you get it in a fraction of the time of many of the other compost machines. It doesn't take up a lot of space on your countertop and fully breaks down your vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and bioplastics in a matter of a few hours.
Still not sure if you should buy Lomi? Just check out what Lomi users have to say about how it's changed their composting game. Whether you are looking to cut back on trips to the dump or want to reduce your carbon emissions, an electric composter like Lomi is a great way to have a positive impact on the planet.
Written by: Sarah Kendal