Customer Reviews

RSVP Compost Pail

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a great product. I purchased it 6 months ago and I a still very happy with it. Looks great on the counter and makes composting much less of a chore. It's large enough to hold about a weeks's worth of vegetable scraps for our family of 3 (and we eat a good amount of vegetables). When emptied 1 -2 times per week the contents of the pail remain odor and fly free. Even when we accidentally forgot to empty the pail before leaving on vacation for two weeks, we returned to an odor free, fly free kitchen. (The carbon filters did a great job of keeping the odors in the pail, and after a quick wash with the garden hose all was good again). Another great feature of this design is that the pail is made of one piece of stainless steel. There are no seams to break or leak, so I expect that this pail will last for years and years. I don't use a liner in the pail and after 6 months of continuous usage there are no signs of corrosion.


I'd like to address a couple of comments from the negative reviews.

1) This pail is certainly not designed for actually composting anything. It's designed to be an interim storage container. For easy composting in a small space I recommend the worm factory. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HWX8PY

2) The holes on top are a great design feature, they let air in which is very important for preventing bad odors. In the presence of oxygen, decomposition will have an earthy smell. Without oxygen you will have anerobic decomposition. Anerobic bacteria are the culprits that produce those very bad sulferous odors.

3) Fruit flies can occur as a result of eggs that are present on the skins of fruits and vegetabls that are placed in the pail. In my experience the flies CANNOT get past the carbon filters. To solve the problem of fruit flies, simlply empty the bin frequently (2x per week is enough) or, microwave vegetable matter before putting it into the bin. If you do notice flies in your bin, empty it, remove the filters and rinse them off to remove any fly larve then wipe the inside surface of the lid clean before replacing the filters. This should solve the fly problem.

I bought this compost pail eight months ago, and am very happy I did. I have reduced the amount of weekly trash and in combination with a composter in my postage-stamp-size backyard, have set up a system where I'm making great compost for my potted plants, my little garden, my house plants. The compost pail, which sits on my kitchen counter, is virtually odorless (I haven't changed the filter yet--I just periodically rinse it).

The only reason I'm giving it four rather than five stars is that now, in the warmer months, it's attracting fruit flies. Every time I lift the lid a little swarm of them (5 or 6) flies out. They fly right back in, however, for it's Paradise Hotel for them. I don't think the charcoal filter does anything in terms of keeping them out. I may try a bit of mosquito netting and see if that helps.

As a noveau environmentalist, I'd advise against what the other reviewer suggests: don't use a plastic trash bag! That kind of defeats the purpose, for plastic is a big environmental problem. This pail is small and easy to clean. I just dump the scraps into my composter, then rinse the pail with water that I pour into the composter thereafter. If you're fussy, you can wash it with a bit of dish soap in the kitchen sink. Mine, thanks to coffee grounds (worms love 'em), fruit and veggie peelings, actually never gets at all funky.

Generally it's recommended that you not put any animal byproducts or grains in your compost--among other things, those are what usually makes things smelly and can also lead to disease or to strange things sprouting up in your soil.

I find this compost pail to be well-suited for everyday use. The metal is thicker than the picture tends to indicate, and the handle is sturdy. The top has more of a plug shape than a lid shape so the pail is easy to cover and uncover with one hand. The screws holding the handle on are #2 Phillips screws and are quite strong and tight on my pail. The gallon size will take my two adult household a week or more to fill up. As others have suggested, a biodegradable trash bag may be a good addition to cut down on cleaning. A little on the expensive side for a counter top miniature trash can, but it beats the mixing bowl with a plate for a lid I was using.

As one reviewer mentioned, this is a great product except for the fruit flies. But for me this summer it was not just a few fruit flies making their home inside this bin, it was over a hundred (I live right by a lake which I'm sure doesn't help). They go through the holes in the top, around the charcoal filter, and right into the pale. I wouldn't be surprised if they're reproducing in there, there's certainly enough food to sustain it. Anyway, hundreds of fruit flies in your kitchen is absolutely gross. They don't just live in the pail, they maintain a nice suburban sprawl all throughout your sink, kitchen cabinets, etc. When you pick up the lid you can see dozens of flies squashed around the edge. I understand the point of an open container is to aerate the compost so it can start decomposing right away, but the fruit fly infestation just isn't worth it.

First, I admit to being too lazy to empty my kitchen scraps often, so, with that said, rest assured this great little container REALLY WORKS! NO SMELL whatsoever! Looks great! Really... I leave it on top of my counter near my stainless containers of flour, sugar, coffee beans. I know that might sound gross at first, but once you start using this you will understand how it is perfectly reasonable (even for me - a person who loves uncluttered counter tops - appliances are just unacceptable, but my little matching compost pail is okay - go figure!).

DEFINITE RECOMMENDATION (and I've even given one as a gift - long story short: I've gotten more thanks for this than any other gift I've ever given her).

I don't know what the difference is between this brand and the Norpro but they look the same, cost the same, and this one comes with an extra filter. I like knowing that I am reducing landfill material as well as creating great compost. My food disposal doesn't get all clogged up either. I am extremely happy with this product and have no issues with it.

This is a nice looking item but its use should depend on the volume of organic matter you produce and frequency of use.
If you cook and compost everyday or maybe even every other day, you wont need the charcoal filters because the smells will not have time to be generated. Also daily use caused screws to be loose, both handle screws and also the one on top of the lid (No locking washers!) and I lost 2 of them in the large outside bin. These screws seem impossible to replace. So it looks good, but not really practical. I use it as a nice, expensive can, lined with a plastic bag.

Great compost container, cleans up easily and contains odors. Looks great even when out. My only wish is that it was a little bigger. I previously had a plastic container but it was difficult to wash and remove odors.

I had become accustom to having a bowl of scraps sit on my kitchen for several days before taking it out to the compost pile. This is a clean, stylish accent to my kitchen. I love it and would buy it again. Probably will for that matter as I think it is a great gift for friends who garden!

What a great product. It fits great under the sink and stores much. I only have to empty it to the outside compost bin 1-2 times a week. There is no smell due to the filters in the lid.