Have you been toying with the idea of investing in an electric composter for your home, but you aren’t quite sure if it will be worth your while? Perhaps you would like to gain a little more knowledge as to the type of waste products that you can put into it? Or how much your energy bills are going to be affected by it? These are all important questions and we will address them in this article, so that you can make an informed decision as to whether or not an electric composter really is for you. Let’s take a closer look…

Should I get an electric composter?

Should you invest in an electric composter? It really all depends on whether or not you are going to use it. 

Do you want to reduce your carbon footprint and make the most out of your household waste? 

Would you like to create your own amazing fertiliser that you can use to grow your own plants and vegetables? 

If you have answered yes to these questions, then absolutely, you should get an electric composter. They are compact, handy, and fun to use! 

Another great benefit of having an electric composter is if you do not have a lot of space at home. Or perhaps, you live in an apartment and you only have a small balcony as opposed to a large garden space. In this case, an electric composter will provide you with the benefits of a traditional composter, without having to sacrifice to much space in your home. 

In fact, a typical electric composter is the size of a small trash can and can easily fit into your kitchen or outside on your balcony without getting in the way. 

What can you put in an electric composter?

The great thing about electric composters is that there is much in the way of household waste that you can put in them. Here are some examples of the types of waste that you can put into your electric composter: 

• Tree leaves
• Veggie food scraps 
• Grass clippings
• Coffee grounds
• Potato peels
• Banana peels
• Avocado skins
• Newspaper clippings
• Disease-free yard waste
• Cardboard
• Animal manure
• Wood shavings
• Sawdust

All that being said, there are some items that require more careful consideration before you put them into your electric composter. These are:

• Non vegetarian manure (i.e., from your cat or dog)
• Noxious weeds
• Coloured newspapers (some are coated with a thin layer of wax) 
• Food scraps containing animal products (fats and oils can attract pests) 

For the most part, you can put most standard household waste into your electric composter and it will be broken down appropriately. Once the composter is finished doing its job, your waste will be converted into a rich and nutritious fertiliser to help grow your own plants and vegetables. 

How do you use an electric composter?

The process of using an electric composter is actually rather straight forward. You have a sealable container or “drawer” that you can insert your food waste into. Once you are satisfied with your pile of compost, you can simply switch it on and allow it to do its thing. 

An electric composter’s usage is broken down into three phases: 

• Drying
• Grinding
• Cooling

Drying: Your average electric compost pile will reach an average temperature of between 120 – 170 ℉. This is the ideal temperature for killing weed seeds, pathogens, and plant diseases. 

The heat and aeration process is distrusted via gently turning encouraged by the unit’s gears, ensuring that each and every inch of the compost pile is sufficiently sterilised and methane free. 

The air is vented out of the back of the unit and pushed through carbon filters that successfully capture the nasty odours produced. This process is what reduces the overall volume of the food waste. 

Grinding: Following that, the grinding face begins, which is the technological equivalent of “turning” a traditional compost pile. Once the food waste itself has been reduced by up to 90% of the original volume, the gears turn the contents. This process breaks the food waste down even further into a power-like substance which can then be easily mixed into your soil. 

The finished product acts like a quick-release fertiliser which can easily feed your plants roots with all manner of helpful nutrients. 

Cooling: And finally, the cooling phase ensures that the electric composter’s tumbler is returned to room temperature allowing for safe handling. This is the point at which you can remove the container and distribute your fresh fertiliser accordingly. 

How much electricity does an electric composter use?

Contrary to what you might think, an electric composter doesn’t actually use quite as much electricity as you would imagine. In fact, your average electric composter uses somewhere between 150 – 200 kWh per year, for a four-person household. This is similar to that of a standard coffee machine. 

So, although it will certainly add to your energy bills, just think of how much money you can save by growing your own vegetables at home, with your very own free-fertiliser! 

Conclusion 

Should you get an electric composter? The answer is yes! Obviously, if you had no intention of using it, then you wouldn’t be here, reading this article. As such, the chances are that you can really enrich your life by having one. 

Not only can you reduce your carbon footprint and cut down the overall household waste that you produce, but you can actually turn it into something positive! Use your waste to create more free food and grow your own plants. It’s fun, efficient, and even a great way to educate your children about the cycle of life. Of course, should you decide to go ahead, you’ll want to invest in a premium quality composter, such as the Hass Food Waste Composter. If you are going to do it, do it properly.