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The 9 Best Kitchen Compost Bins in 2024

The 9 Best Kitchen Compost Bins in 2024

If you’re reading this article, you likely already know that composting is one of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to lessen your environmental footprint. Having a dedicated compost bin inside your home can make composting even more convenient.  Since many of the best “ingredients” for compost come from food scraps, we’ve rounded up 9 of the best kitchen compost bins.

Call them pails, caddies, or keepers — any one of these well-designed bins will make it less messy (and stinky) to collect kitchen scraps and leftovers for composting. Then you can add your scraps to a compost tumbler, a worm bin, or a traditional outdoor compost pile.

It’s time to get your hands on one of the best indoor compost bins, and get composting!

Our Top Picks

Just want an overview? Here’s a quick summary of our top 9:

OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost BinBest Overall: OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin
What it may lack in toughness, the OXO Compost Bin makes up for with flexibility and affordability.
Made by Design Compost BinBest Budget: Made by Design Compost Bin
Bottom line: this Made by Design Compost Bin is pretty basic, and pretty cheap.
Full Circle Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost CollectorBest Low-odor: Full Circle Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Collector
The Full Circle Compost Collector keeps the fresh air flowing with unique venting on its base.
Endurance Stainless Steel Compost PailBest Stainless Steel: Endurance Stainless Steel Compost Pail
While it’s a bit more expensive than most of the bins on our list, the tough Endurance Compost Pail is true to its name. 
Norpro Compost KeeperBest Ceramic: Norpro Compost Keeper
If you’re looking for a pretty ceramic crock to display on your kitchen counter, the Norpro Compost Keeper aims to please.
Bamboozle Stationary ComposterBest Bamboo: Bamboozle Stationary Composter
The Bamboozle Stationary Composter takes biodegradability to the next level. 
Polder Kitchen ComposterBest Silicone: Polder Kitchen Composter
If the potential messiness of composting has ever stopped you, try this ultra-flexible, easy-to-clean silicone Polder Kitchen Composter.
Compo 4 Easy-Fill Compost Bin Food Waste CaddyBest Door/Wall Mountable: Compo 4 Easy-Fill Compost Bin Food Waste Caddy
The Compo Food Waste Caddy is attractive enough to keep on your counter, but comes with mounting hardware if you’d rather tuck it away somewhere less visible.
MAZE Kitchen Compost CaddyBest Extra Large: MAZE Kitchen Compost Caddy
We love that the MAZE Compost Caddy holds so much, yet offers a slim profile — plus a slim impact on your wallet.
 

A Closer Look: Best Kitchen Compost Bins

Here’s a closer look at our top 9 kitchen compost bins.

1. OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin

The best kitchen compost bin overall

OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin

Brand: OXO | Size: 26.75 x 26.75 x 31.75 Inches | Capacity: .75 – 1.75 Gallons | Aeration: Loose Fitting Lid | Price: 💰💰

The OXO has all the best attributes of a kitchen compost bin, including a high degree of flexibility — without getting too complicated or expensive. The following reasons are why we believe the OXO is the best countertop compost bin around:

  • You can choose from two sizes: 0.75 gallon or 1.5 gallons, and it comes in a few colors.
  • It’s made of material fit for the job. Plastic certainly isn’t the most eco-friendly (or durable) choice for all situations, but it makes good sense for a compost pail. More durable materials each have their advantages, but at the end of the day, a plastic bin won’t break like ceramic, rust like stainless steel, mold like silicone, or eventually start to degrade like bamboo. 
  • It has a removable internal bucket. This makes the OXO easier to clean (you can just run the inside container through the dishwasher), and compostable bags fit better (if you choose to use them at all).
  • It’s affordable. Let’s face it: not everyone wants to spend more than 30 bucks on something that’s primarily designed to hold decomposing vegetables.
  • No odors
  • Sturdy handle
  • Easy flip-up lid
  • Looks nice on countertop
  • Lid loosely seals
  • Starts to absorb odors over time

2. Made by Design Compost Bin

The best budget kitchen compost bin

Made by Design Compost Bin

Brand: Made by Design | Size: 10.00 x 7.90 x 6.10 Inches | Capacity: 1.28 Gallons | Aeration: Carbon Filter | Price: 💰

If you’re new to kitchen compost bins, this easy-peasy option from Made by Design is a good choice. A slim, simple design, flip-top lid, carbon insert, and removable dishwasher-safe pail all combine to make a straightforward and budget-friendly countertop compost bin.

  • Uncomplicated
  • Nice medium size
  • Well designed to be out of the way
  • A little flimsy
  • Compostable bags are visible over the sides

3. Full Circle Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Collector

The best low-odor kitchen compost bin

Full Circle Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Collector

Brand: Full Circle | Size: 9.00 x 11.00 x 8.50 Inches | Capacity: 1.50 Gallons | Aeration: Bottom Venting | Price: 💰💰

The Full Circle Kitchen Compost Collector is a little different: instead of relying on carbon filters to prevent odors, it uses a vented bottom to circulate fresh air. According to reviewers, this works well — but it also means you absolutely need to use compostable bags with this bin, to avoid any leaks.

  • No odor
  • Pop up lid
  • Easy to clean, dishwasher safe 
  • “Just the right size for the kitchen”
  • Less messy/smelly than stainless steel
  • Broken parts
  • Latch feels flimsy
  • Air vents can attract pests
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4. Endurance Stainless Steel Compost Pail

The best stainless steel kitchen compost bin

best kitchen compost bins

Brand: RSVP International | Size: 7.00″ Diameter x 11.00″ Height | Capacity: 0.50 – 1.50 Gallons | Aeration: 2 Carbon Filters | Price: 💰💰💰

There’s a reason stainless steel compost pails are so common: they’re tough, simple to use, clean, and tote around. Plus they’re pretty and shiny! 

The Endurance Compost Pail comes in 3 sizes, from a half gallon to 1.5 gallons, so you can choose exactly which size works best for you. We also found this stainless steel model to be one of the most consistently highly rated compost bins on the market. 

  • No odor
  • Wide opening
  • Very well made
  • “Functional and beautiful”
  • Easy to clean/dishwasher safe
  • Initial expense
  • Lid is harder to clean
  • Rust can form over the long term
  • Standard compost bags tend to be too big or too small for this bin
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5. Norpro Compost Keeper

The best ceramic kitchen compost bin

best kitchen compost bins ceramic

Brand: Norpro | Size: 10.50 x 8.00 x 8.00 Inches | Capacity: 1 Gallon | Aeration: Carbon Filter | Price: 💰💰

We like the simplicity of this classic compost bin: just a nice ceramic crock that comes in a variety of colors, and includes a carbon filter to keep odors at bay. 

A couple caveats: reviewers really did not like the handle, which apparently slips off at inopportune moments. Also, because it is made out of ceramic, the Norpro Compost Keeper is breakable, so be careful with wet hands or soapy sinks. 

  • Just the right size
  • No noticeable odor
  • Different colors and patterns
  • Simple design, nice to look at
  • Breakable
  • Handle falls off
  • Actual volume is shy of a gallon
  • Lid is loose/doesn’t seal, which can lead to fruit flies
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6. Bamboozle Stationary Composter

The best bamboo kitchen compost bin

Bamboozle Stationary Composter

Brand: Bamboozle | Size: 9.50 x 8.00 x 8.00 Inches | Capacity: 1.20 Gallons | Aeration: Carbon Filter | Price: 💰💰

All of our best countertop compost bins are eco-friendly by their very nature, as they make composting easier and more convenient. But the Bamboozle Stationary Composter takes it one step further, since the bin itself is (eventually) biodegradable. 

Made from sustainable bamboo fibers, this stylish bin comes in 2 colors, and features an easy on and off lid with aeration holes and a carbon filter.

  • Good size
  • Nice handle
  • Attractive and stylish
  • Too expensive
  • Breaking or cracking after 6+ months
  • Not as long-lasting as stainless steel or plastic

7. Polder Kitchen Composter

The best silicone kitchen compost bin

Polder Kitchen Composter

Brand: Polder | Size: 7.90 x 7.90 x 9.80 Inches | Capacity: 1 Gallon | Aeration: Adjustable Top Vent | Price: 💰💰

Since the Polder Kitchen Composter is made of flexible silicone, it’s decidedly less messy to empty than a rigid bin, and easier to clean. 

Users love that once you remove the silicone container from the stainless steel frame, it’s easier to get all the contents out, and then pop in the dishwasher to clean— all without getting any ooky kitchen scrap residue on your hands.

  • Strong seal on lid
  • Doesn’t smell, even when full
  • Much simpler to empty than other bins
  • Doesn’t smell, even when full
  • Much simpler to empty than other bins

8. Compo 4 Easy-Fill Compost Bin Food Waste Caddy

The best door/wall mountable kitchen compost bin

Compo 4 Easy-Fill Compost Bin Food Waste Caddy

Brand: Joseph Joseph | Size: 4.72 x 11.69 x 6.81 Inches | Capacity: 1 Gallon | Aeration: Adjustable Top Vent | Price: 💰

This handy little food waste caddy is super flexible. You can either store it on top of your kitchen counter, or you can mount it inside a cabinet door, on the side of a wall, or anyplace else you’d like. When it’s time to empty the caddy, simply remove it from the mount and use the handle to carry it outside.

  • Flip-top lid
  • Love hiding it away in a cabinet or pantry
  • Wide-mouth rectangle design is perfect for scraping plates into
  • Standard compost bags tend not to fit/are visible 
  • 2

9. MAZE Kitchen Compost Caddy

The best kitchen compost bin

MAZE Kitchen Compost Caddy

Brand: Riverside Industries | Size: 10.70 x 16.10 x 5.50 Inches | Capacity: 2.40 Gallons | Aeration: None | Price: 💰

If you need a little more room for your kitchen scraps, this compost caddy may be the one for you. The MAZE Compost Caddy combines a whopping 2.4 gallon capacity with a surprisingly slim profile, which makes it perfect for use in a cabinet, cupboard, pantry, or under the kitchen sink.

It also features an extra-wide opening, perfect for emptying kitchen scraps off of a cutting board, from a food processor, juicer, etc. Best of all, even though the caddy holds more than average, it’s also one of the more affordable options on our list!

  • Lid snaps into place
  • Perfect for under the sink
  • Extra large but slim profile
  • Difficulty with compostable bags fitting properly
  • 2

How to Choose the Kitchen Compost Bin That’s Right for You

Before you narrow in on a kitchen compost pail, here are the top 3 things to consider.

1

Size

A majority of compost caddies come in at about a gallon, or a bit more. But think about how much counter space (or cabinet space) you have to play with, and how often you want to empty your kitchen compost bin.

2

To Bag or Not To Bag

Everyone has opinions about using compostable bags to line kitchen compost bins. On the one hand, using bags tends to keep the bin cleaner — and if you’re lucky enough to have a city composting service, bags do make that process much neater. On the other hand, if you’re a home composter, you may find that “compostable” bags tend to not break down very well. Also, if you produce a large amount of kitchen scraps, that’s a lot of bags! Some people find it easier to just use a kitchen pail without a liner and clean it more often.

3

Carbon Filters

Another slightly controversial item. Some love them and find they cut down on odors. Others feel like carbon filters are a disposable nuisance that just give fruit flies a place to breed. Depending on which compost pail you choose, you can experiment for yourself. 

Our Process

For this guide on best kitchen compost bins, our team spent 6 hours researching the most popular options from over 35 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about fifty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each kitchen compost bin. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 9 kitchen compost bins on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

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Further Reading

best worm composters
The 4 Best Worm Composters
How to Compost in an Apartment
Compost in an Apartment: Learn The Basics
How to Use a Compost Tumbler
How to Use a Compost Tumbler
What are the Benefits of Composting? Gardening
Benefits of Composting
Best Compost Tumblers
The 7 Best Compost Tumblers
How to Make Compost Tea
How to Make Compost Tea in 4 Easy Steps