We've had a KA compactor for about 10 years. Everything else in our kitchen is ultra high end, so I researched to see if there was an upgrade available. As a public service this is what I found.

Broan and Electrolux make a superior compactor, that looks to be the same model. It has these advantages:

well-built

quieter

stores bags

Programmable compaction - you can set it to compact at 4am every day and keep the stuff compressed for two hours to press it down.

Odor suppression.

The Broan at least has dimples on the bottom of the compacting plate to break up things like bottles.

However, it is just not designed for normal use!

It is designed to compact stuff you have already put in a trash basket.

To use it, you open a hinged door, reach down and pull out the basket, which is on rollers. You put in a napkin, or whatever, push the basket back in, and then close the door.

No one wants to bend down every time they throw away a candy wrapper.

My contractor was here, and we took a look at the KA. One annoyance I had not noticed is that for some time the bin has not been rolling out when the foot release is pressed.

It turns out that the thing holding the roller had come off. Contractor applied some WD40, 3 in 1, and then reattached the slide part that had come off the side of the machine. Now, at least, the bin pops out when the foot latch releases it.

I'm still waiting for Miele, Gaggenau or Bosch, or anyone, to produce a high end compactor that is usable in a high end kitchen.

Even artisinal and gourmet ingredients produce garbage, as do takeout and caterers and home chefs. Even people with staff have limited space to store the trash, and when space goes for 4 figures a sF, and the place you might put the trash has been exquisitely designed --are you listening high end manufacturers. Please rescue us from KitchenAid!