Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel Compost Bin Review

We purchased the Utopia Kitchen Stainless Steel Compost Bin so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Have you been thinking about composting but just don’t have space to do so? A countertop option, like Utopia Kitchen’s Stainless Steel Compost Bin, could be the answer. The tiny tool is small enough to be stored on your kitchen counter and its stainless steel design promises durability. The addition of a charcoal filter — which traps the odor of produce scraps gone bad — is just icing on the cake. Read on to see how this little canister can help you lead a planet-friendly (or at least friendlier) life. 

Performance: Just as expected!

The composting process is pretty straightforward; you just pile a bunch of organic matter — like produce scraps and grass clippings, coffee grounds and eggshells — on top of each other, turn it regularly, and wait until it turns into something that looks and smells like soil. Using the Utopia Kitchen Composting Bin is much of the same; you scrape the remnants of your cutting board or acai bowl into the canister and you wait till it fills up completely. Once full, you can carry it out to your larger compost pile or, if you don’t have a larger pile, you can let the contents run their course and use the small yield for plant soil. Either way, the handle on the bin makes carrying it and dumping it a breeze, keeping your composting woes to a minimum. 

As far as how long it’ll take to fill the 1.3-gallon bin, that depends on how much compostable food waste you generate. We found that it took two people — who go through a lot of fruits, vegetables, and coffee grounds — about a week to fill up. If you have a large family, you’ll probably have to empty it every few days. For a countertop compost bin, we think that’s pretty great.

Design: Sleek and functional

As far as aesthetics go, this compost bin is made of beautiful stainless steel. It’ll look perfect on just about any countertop, especially since its lid is rounded, giving it less of a utilitarian feel. Many compost bins don’t prioritize outward appearance, so we appreciate this one’s style.  

The handle on the lid is easy to pull off with one hand, making it simple to dispose of your food scraps. However, if you’re not careful, the handle can get pretty grimy. Of course, that’s to be expected when you’re dealing with food scraps. 

If you’ve ever composted before, you know how quickly your food scraps can start to smell (and attract unwanted pests like flies). Thankfully, you won’t have that issue with Utopia Kitchen’s composter. Despite the fact that the bin has holes in the top for aerating your compost, it also utilizes a charcoal filter which traps stinky smells.

Ease of Cleaning: No issues here

As the surface of the compost bin is smooth, there are no nooks and crannies for food to get stuck in. Utopia Kitchen recommends washing it with warm soapy water, just like you would any other dish. The lid, however, has a few metal slats for storing the charcoal filter. We found it a little difficult to clean between them. It’s just the lid though, and food shouldn’t be getting up there anyway, so it’s not a huge drawback.

As for washing your charcoal filter, the manufacturer recommends soaking it in warm soapy water, rinsing it, and then air-drying it in the sun weekly. Your filter might end up a little softer, but we found it worked just as well post-wash.

Price: A winner

Let’s just cut to the chase: this thing is cheap. Even better? It’ll last. Though the Utopia Kitchen Compost Bin has an MSRP of $31.99, you can often snag it for even less. Given its stainless steel build, charcoal filter, and surprisingly sleek aesthetic, it’s an absolute steal. 

Competition: Lacks style and filter

OXO Good Grips Easy Clean Compost Bin: At $19.99, this is a slightly cheaper, slightly smaller countertop compost bin. It doesn’t have an air filter, but it does seal completely shut to block out odors. Unfortunately, even in the beginning stages of composting, your food scraps need air to start breaking down. This bin doesn’t offer that feature, so while you’ll be saving a couple of bucks, you’ll be hindering the the progress of your compost. It’s worth the mention because of its removable lid and color options (white or black), but we have to say that Utopia Kitchen’s compost bin is definitely higher quality.

Full Circle Scrap Happy Food Scrap Collector and Freezer Compost Bin: This is a fun little tool that’s great for meal prep cleanup. You can hook it to a drawer below your countertop workspace, and then all you have to do is push the leftover scraps into the bin. The best part? You can stick it in the freezer to avoid bad smells, and once you’re ready to empty it, you just turn it inside out. This is much smaller and cheaper than Utopia Kitchen’s compost bin, but it does offer a convenient way to clean up after cooking. Retailing for roughly $15, we’d say it’s worth it, especially if you pair it up with a bigger countertop compost bin like Utopia Kitchen’s offering.