Kitchen Compost Bins We Love in 2025

Before you spring for a special vessel, compost expert Cassandra Marketos recommends experimenting with what you have on hand. Anything works: mixing bowls, takeout containers, old jars, buckets, repurposed bags. Try that test bin in a few locations, like by your sink, in the fridge or freezer, by the trash, or on your counter. Here are some tips to help you find just what you need.

Consider how you eat. How much you cook at home, and what you tend to eat, will determine what size and style of vessel works most seamlessly for you. A vessel with about a 1-gallon capacity and at least a 6-inch opening is a good starting point: It’s big enough to be practical and user-friendly and small enough so you take it out regularly (anywhere between every night to once a week), which will deter odors and mold. The more often you take out your unfrozen compost, the less it will smell.

Consider the fridge or freezer. If you know you won’t be emptying your kitchen scraps frequently, or if you’re finding odors to be a problem, try freezing them until you’re ready to drop them off at a community garden or farmers market. Crowley also suggested using the fridge.

Look for a simple and smooth bin, with a fully removable lid. We recommend a pail with smooth surfaces, with very few nooks and ledges, and that is made of a single material, such as stainless steel. These features all help you get a quick and deep clean. A removable lid also makes it more likely that the pail will fit in your dishwasher or sink, no matter the shape of your faucet.

Consider a filter. If you want extra odor protection, a bin with a charcoal filter can be effective, as long as you still empty it regularly. Ali Greer and Eric Tomassini, who run Avenue 33, a regenerative farm in Los Angeles, suggest a filter if you’re not emptying your bin more than once a week or if your kitchen gets really hot. Most charcoal filters can be hand-washed and reused before they’re replaced.

Skip the bag liner. Some bins are designed to hold a compostable liner. But you don’t need to line your kitchen food-scrap bin with anything.

Waste less, stink less. The best way to manage your kitchen compost collection is by collecting less of it. The less you throw away, the less moisture and sugar in your bin that can make a great habitat for mold and unpleasant odors to bloom. We have lots of tips for how to cut down on your food waste.