The Best Compost Bins of 2023

Each year I get excited for spring: the warm weather, the opportunity to start planting seeds, and the beginning of compost season. Composting was a natural next step after I simplified my buying-and-recycling routine. Saving items from takeout orders to throw into my compost pile cut my trash in half. I’ve grown to love the process, including finding a balance of materials, watching the pile break down, and the resulting fresh soil with the cleanest, earthiest smell.

There are a lot of composters on the market, and the process can be scary for people who haven’t done it before. That’s why we tested nine compost bins to see which one was best. The traditional outdoor Redmon Compost Bin (available at Amazon) is our choice for Best Overall thanks to its large capacity and ease of emptying. If you're looking for a smaller option for countertop use, the Epica Stainless Steel Compost Bin (available at Amazon) is the Best Indoor Bin to keep your kitchen neat and odor-free.

We tested all kinds of composting systems for beginner and expert composters alike. Whether you want an indoor or outdoor composter, or want features like handles, tumblers, secure closures and more, you’ll find the right one for your yard here.

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Other Compost Bins We Tested

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How We Test Compost Bins

The Tester

I’m Liv Birdsall, a plant mom and gardener living in Columbus, Ohio. I love sustainability and finding ways to reuse, recycle, and repurpose as much as possible. I began composting a few years ago when I wanted to expand my efforts to live a more sustainable and Earth-friendly lifestyle.

What was once a single-container system has grown into a multi-bin compost process that gives my kitchen scraps a second (or third!) life and provides me with nutrient-rich soil for indoor and outdoor use.

The Tests

We tested all nine bins over a period of two months. We set up the outdoor bins where they would get similar amounts of direct sunlight and equal exposure to the elements. The indoor bins were placed on the countertop and on the floor beside the garbage bin. Each week, we rotated the indoor bin locations to equalize any effect location may have had on daily readings.

Scraps added to the bins varied, including: vegetable skins, fruit from kombucha flavoring, junk mail, banana peels, coffee grounds, dead leaves from our lawn and garden, pulp egg cartons, loose leaf tea, dryer lint, paper napkins, expired veggie broth, moldy bread, and more.

I used a thermometer to record the bin’s interior temperature daily. The indoor bins were often warmer than the outdoor bins. Since heat helps break down compost, the indoor bins scored well in our rankings, but your results may vary by climate.

What You Should Know About Buying Compost Bins

How to Start a Compost Bin

Composting is affordable and approachable, especially if you have outdoor space. Indoor composting is possible too, but takes a few more steps and a closer eye. To begin composting you only need a few things: *a bin *green materials (recently-dead plant life with some color and nutrients remaining, food waste, flowers, manure) *brown materials (old, dead plant matter like dried leaves and sticks, cardboard, newspaper, etc.)

I also recommend purchasing gloves, a garden trowel, and at least one empty 5-gallon pail to make turning your pile and emptying your bin easier.

How to Use a Compost Bin

A compost bin is pretty easy to use. First, decide the type of composter you need. An indoor bin will be more convenient, but will likely be smaller and slightly smelly.

An outdoor bin is open to fresh air and ventilation, but will take up space. If you have a few square feet of flat ground in sunlight, even if indirect, you’re all set.

To get started, you’ll add green and brown materials to your bin, aiming for a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3. So for all the kitchen scraps you add, you’ll want to add double or triple the amount of yard waste, cardboard, newspaper, and other brown materials.

I prefer outdoor compost bins because heat is a large factor in compost breakdown. Placing a bin in direct sunlight will help speed up the breakdown process, and fresh air helps the materials aerate and disperses odors.

Turn your compost bin every couple of weeks. It is possible to turn it too often, so be mindful. When the compost is a uniform brown with no visible bits of scraps, it’s ready to use.

The best months for compost align with the gardening season: late March to early October, depending on where you live. The warmer weather and sunlight will speed up the composting process and result in nutritious soil you can use in your garden or even indoor plants.

What to Put in a Compost Bin

Before you actually put anything in your compost bin, do some research. We have a great, in-depth guide to start composting, but you can also check with your local composting programs.

Generally, the following are acceptable green materials: fruits and vegetables (including skin/stalks/seeds), garden scraps, nutshells, flowers, stale bread, and wine or beer.

And these are acceptable brown materials: grass, leaves, cardboard tubes, newspaper, hair, sawdust, coffee grounds, tea bags, pulp egg cartons, coffee filters, cooked pasta, paper napkins, dryer lint, and tissues.

However, if you are composting at home, some “acceptable” items won’t break down for you.

Steer clear of fish and meat because the smells will attract wildlife, and you typically need a more controlled compost pile, like a municipal composting location, to decompose properly. Also, eggshells and avocado pits don’t break down for me. I don’t know if it’s a matter of heat or tumbling, but I no longer include them to avoid having to pick them out of the soil down the line.

Avoid adding weeds, grease, cleaning products, stickers (including produce stickers), plastic tea bags, plastic-lined cartons or cups, and oils to your compost bin. These products will slow the composting process, and plastics will never break down. If you leave a banana peel in the bin for months, the produce sticker attached to it will be there long after the peel is gone.

As companies convert to more sustainable packaging and materials, you’ll likely encounter more items that are compostable. While many of these things will break down, they may not do so in backyard bins. Heavier-duty compostables like mailers or bin liners need high heat and larger machines to break down. Check into local compost programs or municipal recommendations for options near you.

What is a Kitchen Compost Bin—and Do You Need One?

A kitchen compost bin typically holds compost before it goes outside. It usually has a filter to contain smells. I keep my indoor bin on my counter near my cutting board to easily transfer scraps.

Once the bin is full, I empty it in my main bin outside. During warmer months, I spray it out with the hose and let it dry in the sun, otherwise I let it soak in the sink with some dish soap and give it a thorough rinse and dry.

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