I just bought a nice white ceramic one off the internet. Comes with a cover and a carbon filter. Stainless handle. When we fill it, my 8 year old brings it out to the pile and dumps away. I really like it and don't find it heavy, even when filled.

I got the stainless steel one for Christmas - & DH bought lots of extra filters. It's wonderful - haven't needed to change the filter yet - and over the winter stuff sat in there for a very long time & got very very yucky - and we never knew (until we opened the cover).

All the Best, Tree

Irene:

I received as a gift the 1 gallon stainless steel compost pail from an online store.

I like the way it looks on my counter, is dishwasher friendly, and has a nice tight lid. However, it does not have a filter. But, since I empty and rinse mine daily, there hasn't been any smells or fruit flies.

Happy composting,

PJ

You need to find a plastic pail that fits inside the ceramic container. Easier to lift and easier to clean.

well i don't have a nice pail or crock, but one could use a cookie jar even. i keep a rubbermaid-type plastic bowl on the counter and in it I place a brown paper lunch bag. i put scraps in the bag, and just carry that out, the bag composts as well. the bowl is just to help the bag stand up.
laurie

I gave a lot of thought to what I wanted to use for my compost bucket.

I'm not a fan of plastic, but the stainless steel and ceramic compost buckets seemed costly.

I started looking at e-Bay and almost purchased an aluminum ice bucket for this purpose. However, instead I ended up purchasing a vintage blue enamel "bucket" with a lid from e-Bay. I think I paid a total of $14.00 for it with shipping and I like the way it looks. I line my bucket with a used plastic bag from the grocery store.

I reuse ice cream plastic buckets by using them for compost or as wash pails, etc. When they crack, they get turned into to the plastic recycle bin.

I agree that ceramic would be too heavy, and it could possibly break if dropped.

The top of line compost bucket that I would get if I were splurging, is the stainless steel one sold by Lee Valley. Its the ultra deluxe model.

But for me, right now, I'll keep using my recycled ice cream buckets.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fancy SS compost bucket

Thanks for the input...

The Lee Valley one is similar to the ss one I was considering at Gardeners.com (iirc). And not too splurgy for a gift (esp if it is for me, lol!) We don't buy buckets of ice cream - I'm a Breyers girl, and I don't think their containers would work too well. ;)

I'm thinking any child who gives composting gifts is one cool kid!

Lloyd

Lol - this was dh and my idea, not the kids'!

Kids? as in plural? as in more than one gift maybe?

wink, wink

Lloyd

My dogs buy me a mother's day gift every year. Its always amazes me how they always buy the perfect gift, something I've had my eye on, but couldn't justify buying for myself, so they buy it for me. ;-)

Hmmm, maybe my cats will be in a Mother's day gift-giving mood this year. They know my taste perfectly, so anything they got me I would love.

I have a nice looking ceramic crock next to my sink that works perfectly for me. It goes in the dishwasher and doesn't show fingerprints.

It came with a plastic ring around the lid to make it seal tightly, but I removed that so it's easy to open and close. I don't have problems with stink because I empty it every few days and more often in the summer. I didn't want to have to be buying and replacing filters. It isn't hard to carry out to my bins. It would break if I dropped it, but so far, so good. Sometimes when I have a lot of scraps, I put them in a stainless mixing bowl and take that out to the bin.

"doesn't show fingerprints."

I'm trying my hardest to figure out why that might be important...AHA...You're in the Witness Protection Plan! No? Maybe a CSI wanna be? Or, GASP, you stole it!

Lloyd

P.S. just kidding.

P.P.S. Don't ever turn your back on dem cats, they can't be trusted for nothing and they are always plotting something!

Oh. My. Word. I am extremely excited wondering what Ellen will get me this year---given how rotten she's been! I am thinking that this being her first year, of 11, giving me a gift, she's probably going to be lavish, although---I'm obliged to say---I'd be thrilled if she just "made me something"---even though I've determined that something purchased with cold, hard cash would please me more. I'm thinking a new camera.

She's taken up chasing cars, living with my neighbors, scorning me in public, and barking at me if I don't jump when she says, "Now!" She refuses to cower at my teeth baring, snarling dominance (a gesture I've been advised to adopt when dismissed), and she eats every fresh-from-the-toaster bagel my mother leaves untended. Sometimes I think that she rolls her eyes and makes a circular gesture beside her brain, while simultaneously pointing at me, when other dogs are visiting.

With filters and a nice case.

Lol on the showing fingerprints thing - I'm guessing that was aimed at stainless steel, since I know some people with ss appliances that complain that they get all smudged up with fingerprints all the time. I have to admit, I hadn't thought of that particular wrinkle.

Otoh, if I can ever convince my kids to bring the crock out to the compost, unbreakable is probably a good attribute. They pretty much drop everything...

Unbreakable is important for me because I am the Queen of Dropping of stuff. I've never had proper eye-hand coordination.

Annpat, you may want to rethink snarling at your dog, especially if you want her to get you a nice camera for mother's day.

Yes, the fingerprints comment was aimed at stainless steel. And my husband ;-).

DH + SS = mess

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered the brushed stainless steel one. I'll still be getting it late, but that's ok. I'm hoping brushed stainless won't show fingerprints too badly, and I won't worry about it nearly as much as the prettier one, lol. (Not to mention that it was cheaper than the ceramic one - bonus!)

I use an old enamel soup pot with lid; white enamel with red trim - goes with the rest of the junk...err decor in my kitchen.

I got one of those white enameled small 3 gallon step trash cans from Linens N Things. It sits right next to my other two trash cans like a little Mini Me and is PERFECT for when I have hands covered with apple peelings or such. I've been lining it with plastic grocery bags and carrying those out to empty in the pile, since I'm SO not washing out the funky pail, but I found some great 3 gallon biodegradeable liners online and I'm going to use those in the future so I can toss the whole thing in - especially nice during apple/peach season.

Wow, look at all the high class composters with nice looking containers. Who woulda thunk it? We normally use a plastic 5 quart ice cream container. We almost only buy Breyers, Ben and Jerrys, or the local custard. BUT we have gotten numerous plastic ice cream containers w/lids from the in-laws. Right now for some reason we have switched to the squarish container that cream puffs at Aldi come in. That works well, too, funny it is such fattening food that comes in nice resealable containers.

Don't the fancy materials in compost containers violate the 'blender principle' on the materials or energy consumption issue? Just trying to make trouble, don't mind me. If you need something fancy to compost in, your kitchen must look a lot nicer than mine!

Marcia

sfg_newbie,
We now have a Linens N Things in Bozeman Mt. It's 85 miles away but we go there on occasion so I'll look for the 3 gallon step can. Can you tell us where you found the biodegradable liners? It sounds like the the perfect solution to an unpleasant task.
Thanks for the great idea!
LeRoy

Windex and a clean rag / paper towel cleans stainless steel very easily. And, since it has ammonia in it, a used stainless steel / windex paper towel counts as a green.

ice bucket with lid

It's probably way late for this, but as I mentioned in another thread I got a nice pottery compost crock from Gardener's Supply. I think it cost $20. And I use Biobags to line it with. That way I don't have to worry about dumping the stuff out of the plastic bag. I just dump the whole thing into the compost bin. The Biobags are biodegradable.

For Biobags, try biobagsusa.com

Other places sell them, too.

Why are you lining the pails with bags? I am not sure I get that?

I see the OP has already chosen her compost pail of choice which sounds great BTW.

Thot I'd tell what we do in case anyone cares or can benefit. We use a 3.-something liter (about a gallon) Breyer's ice cream bucket which fits perfectly into a black and white enamel soup pot. However since we tend to be lazy most of the time we just shove the ice cream bucket into the corner kitchen garage out of sight. Or if not expecting company just leave it in or beside the sink. It's the perfect size for the two of us, we mostly fill it and empty it daily.

led_zep_rules - "If you need something fancy to compost in, your kitchen must look a lot nicer than mine!" Ha! I wish! :) I just like the looks of it. It also covers up the cat puke stain on the carpet quite nicely. :)

leroym33 - I got the BioBag 3 gallon bags from drugstore.com but I just checked and they are no longer selling them. :( You can do a search on eBay for "Biobag" and it should pop right up. Also, on the BioBag website (http://www.biobagusa.com/Consumer.htm) they list all the places online that you can get them. Also, the little mini can isn't offered online, but it looks like this tiny one in the picture, only in white - http://www.lnt.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2046991&cp=1331610.1334530&view=all&parentPage=family.

joepyeweed - I personally line the can with bags so I can just toss the whole thing in the compost bin. It's really helpful, especially during the summer and fall when I'm peeling zillions of apples and peaches and have to carry out a whole bunch of wet peels and cores. Plus, my can doesn't stink because there's no residue.

Question about the ice cream bucket .... is it sorta see-through?

I have ice cream buckets but you can kinda see through them ... they're not clear but they're not opaque either.

I got the stainless steel pail from Lee-Valley and its great. It cleans out well and is light for carrying out to the pile. Its much better than using a bowl or other container.

I also got one for my mom and she loves hers as well.

I would recommend the larger size because you can really fill it up with all your composting needs from the kitchen, no worries about running out of space.

Cheers,
Kyle

missa7, our Breyer's icecream bucket is white altho not sure what difference that makes.