Composting is a great way to reduce what ends up in landfills while also nourishing your garden.
Yet it can be a messy process. When done poorly, it invites pests into your home and creates an imbalanced heap of noxious liquids and gases that are tough to neutralize. Putting a compost bin in the kitchen is a great start, but it's important to have a system in place for disposing of the contents.
Even an old paint bucket with a lid will do the trick inside, but the real chore starts when you empty it. For urban settings, many community gardens will regularly collect compost, and some cities are employing citywide composting initiatives. The urban composter doesn't need much more than an indoor bin and a larger, sealed outdoor bucket. Below are some options that don't require too much do-it-yourself work, contain the associated sights and smells, and work within most budgets.
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The 3 best compost bins of 2022
Best compost bin overall: SCD Probiotics All Season Indoor Composter, $57 available at AmazonFit for composting just about anything, the SCD Probiotics fits under your sink and jumpstarts compost anaerobically, meaning you can seal it and it won't smell.
Best budget compost bin: OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin, $31 available at AmazonOXO's Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin seals tightly and keeps smells in better than most we've tried, and the 1.75-gallon model is perfect for a medium household.
Best discreet compost bin: Bamboozle Portable Compost Bin, $50 available at Food52With its matte finish and natural bamboo handle, guests will be none the wiser that Bamboozle's Compost Bin contains your food scraps.
