Our compost receiver runs front to back not side to side. It's in a drawer that lies just at the side of the pull-out cutting board so that the pan is at 90 degrees to the edge of counter. I can run my hand across cutting board and send all the organic debris into the receiving pan. We had to cut into the front and back of the drawer in order to slip the long, narrow buffet server pan in (we got thicker plywood than we'd initially planned.) We dump the pan contents into the lidded compost bin frequently--don't want fruit flies.

Our pullout trash unit is below this drawer so that I can dump chicken bones and gristle bits and such directly from cutting surface into it.

Previous to the cutting and fitting of the official compost receiver, I was using an old long, thin, short baking pan from the 1930s. You could use a brownie pan I bet. Or a cake pan. You might even find a silicone one that doesn't rust.

Big issue for us is to be careful so there's no splash onto the other contents of the drawer (garlic press, microplane, scissors, pizza cutter, other items used in connection with chopping/cutting station).

ha! I've deliberately been designing around a drawer that will fit a steam pan for my compost! Yeah, I have some of those very shallow drawers in my original cabinets. Same size as yours. Steam pans won't fit, but maybe a really small shallow roasting pan will? You can maybe try Ikea? Maybe one of their shallow serving plates / bowls (rectangle) will fit?

Originally I was planning to get a 2-drawer base cab for compost on top bottles and cans on the bottom, but I think I can actually re-use one of my old cabinets (with new drawers / drawer fronts) and convert the bread drawer to a compost drawer, the 2 shallow drawers for towels, and convert the two bottom cabs into pull-outs for paper and bottle and can recycling. It actually fits the dimensions I need for my island and it will be near the door for easy dumping. Perhaps you have a bread drawer to convert?

That link to the original thread is old, so I'll ask this here instead:

I'm DEFINITELY planning to have my compost in a steam pan in a drawer. I can't stand having it on the counter (currently), and I don't want in in a cabinet either. My original plan was to have a cut-out in the counter where it can just fall right in, and then I can open the drawer and carry the pan outside. Originally I was going to use a Bain Marie in the counter, but that will fill up too quickly - I need a large pan.

My question is, is it worth having the hole in the counter or is it just better to open the drawer and brush it in? My theory was that with the hole it would have better airflow and less smell. We use an old Blue Bunny ice cream container right now, but my Aunt had given us a compost pail with a lid - that thing STANK to HIGH HEAVEN! Much less smell with air flow.

If this cabinet goes along the wall then the only benefit to the hole is airflow, however since I might be able to reuse an old cabinet in the new island that means that two people can work at that counter - one person next to the sink, the other on the family room side (where the drawer would face). That means that the person on the sink side can just push stuff into the hole rather than opening the drawer on the other side. From the end of the sink to the cabinet face is only 25" (the depth of the cabinet / counter - the side of the cabinet will be next to the sink and have a towel bar), so if the person was cutting next to the sink they'd only have to take one step to reach the drawer on the other side.

So, is having a hole in a counter a convenience or does it get in the way because you have to work around it? If I put in a hole I will not use a lid on the pan; if I don't put in a hole I will definitely put a lid on the pan.

Thanks.

natschultz - Good for you for planning ahead! I only discovered the nifty idea of putting the compost in the drawer AFTER ordering my cabinets. Actually, the particular drawer as regularly sized deep enough to work, but I had to adjust the depth of the drawer because of my huge Kohler Stages 45 sink. In-drawer compost is such a great idea, and I'll keep hunting for the proper sized pan... everywhere I go! I am sure I will find it some day.

i wonder if those who know composting are being too discreet and polite for the time being. As far as I know, a shallow pan is not good for composting and you may as well use that shallow drawer for yet another flatware drawer.

To collect organic matter prior to getting it into a real composting container, one can use a medium large plastic bag in any other deeper drawer.

Hth.

Davidro, in my case there's a couple compost buckets under the sinks; the in-drawer bit is a receiver that keeps me on task when chopping, etc. No intention of leaving the stuff there for very long. Compost heap is in garden in yard. Others are discussing a receiver that remains in the drawer with a lid--I assume they hike to garden with it when full? Some preps can fill a compost container quickly--squash, corn on cob, pie apples for freezing, etc. If the washwater for veg is full of sand and dirt I pour it into compost bucket--starts the decomposition process.

I am planning on a DEEP compost drawer / pan! I also will not keep anything else in that drawer and I will probably line it with a cheapo vinyl tile that I can take out and wash. I'll be using a stainless steel pan that will not rust. Yes, I do go out to the garden when it is full - even in the winter with 3 feet of snow on top of the compost bin! We will probably put a covered porch out back (major flooding problems since the addition), and then I will place a smaller temporary compost bin right outside the door in the winter time. That is why I am seriously considering putting the compost / recycling cabinet on the island end - it is just steps from the door.