Indoor bins for composting are definitely a good way to put your food scraps to good use, but that organic waste can take several weeks before it becomes compost. And while certain foods like meat and dairy are compostable, they can often create foul odors and attract pests.
With that in mind, a German startup has developed a smart bin that can turn food waste into a perfectly good compost in just 48 hours.
Called Kalea, the indoor compost bin is about the size of a kitchen garbage can and is designed to sit conveniently in the kitchen. As users generate food scraps — such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, and even small bones — they deposit those items in a lidded bin on top of the device.
When activated, the smart bin first shreds and dries the kitchen scraps which are then tumbled in a separate chamber. The humidity, temperature, and aeration in the second chamber work together to wake up the microorganisms already present in the waste. This enables the microbes to break down the material much quicker than in a regular compost heap, stink-free.
Users can then collect the compost from a removable bin at the bottom of the device and add it to their garden or planters.
In the case you’re interested, Kalea is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. A pledge of about $645 will get you one, when and if it reaches production. The planned retail price is $1,000.
