This Countertop Composter Curbs My Food Waste and Creates Plant Fertilizer

Eight years ago, I vowed to find ways to minimize my waste. Working as a production assistant in the fashion industry at the time, I grew hyper-aware of how much clothing was incorrectly recycled and sent to landfills. (The fashion sector is the third most-polluting industry, right behind fossil fuels and agriculture.) I wanted to become more mindful of any waste I created — be it clothing, food, water, energy, plastic, or paper. I've slowly made improvements in every area, but food has been the hardest one to tackle.

I'm not alone — according to the Environmental Protection Agency, food waste makes up 24 percent of landfill materials. And this is a big problem because when food waste languishes in landfills, it creates methane gas. Without getting too science-y, methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and a large contributor to global warming.

In an effort to decrease my own carbon footprint, I've been testing the Lomi Electric Composter ($300, originally $379), a smart composter that turns food waste into natural fertilizer, right from its spot on the kitchen counter. Lomi was designed to make composting easy so more households could curb their food waste.

After testing the machine for three weeks now, saying Lomi is impressive is an understatement. Ahead, read all about the experiences that I — and my plants! — have had with Lomi and how this device has completely changed how I think about food waste.

About the Lomi Electric Composter

What I Like About the Lomi Electric Composter

I'm a big fan of fresh meals and I like to grow my own herbs and vegetables — something that proves difficult in my New York City apartment. Much like my houseplants, these plants need lots of sunlight and good soil. I've been so impressed with how quickly Lomi can turn all of my food waste from the week into healthy fertilizer that I can "feed" to my plants. Since using the device, my plants and small herb garden have never looked better — a result of being enriched by the compost that Lomi generates. And while it might seem unappealing to compost on your countertop, the airtight lid and included pods (more on those later) prevent the composter from becoming odorous (or swarmed with fruit flies!).

Most importantly, Lomi simplifies the waste-reduction process — a journey that can be very confusing and can cause overwhelming guilt when you don't get it right. With Lomi, you learn exactly what can and can't be composted. For example, coffee grounds, eggs, eggshells, fruit scraps, peels, and loose-leaf tea all get the green light for going into the composter. A full list is available on the Lomi website and in the app.

If you don't use it for plants, you can easily discard the soil into your green bin or take it to your community's composting drop-off. The point is, the Lomi composter takes all of the guesswork out of composting, while simultaneously teaching users how to properly discard — and reuse — food waste.

How to Use the Lomi Electric Composter

First, place the machine on a flat countertop. Next, add in the activated charcoal pellets and install the refillable filters to prevent odor. Finally, plug it in and download the corresponding app to finish setting up. The entire process will take you less than 10 minutes.

Once you've placed the 2.5-liter device on your countertop and added your food scraps and compostables, you'll have the option of choosing between three modes: eco-express, grow, and Lomi-approved mode. The eco-express is the quickest way (three to five hours max) to break down your food scraps, utilizing high heat to kill the microorganism. The grow mode takes 20 hours to complete and is great for those who want nutrient-rich compost. The brand recommends adding in a pod during this cycle. The pods are made of a proprietary blend of probiotics that help improve the speed of degradation, reduce smell, and better the soil output. Lastly, there is the Lomi-approved mode, best for composting bioplastics and compostable packaging (I like to add in scraps of paper here). Each mode breaks down food scraps to 20 percent of its original form.

Keep filling Lomi with contents below the overflow line and watch it work its magic. When you're ready to clean it, simply throw the bucket into the dishwasher.

What to Consider Before Trying the Lomi Electric Composter

Although the Lomi can break down most things, it doesn't accept butter, cooking oils, pits, or bones from chicken, beef, and pork. The machine also comes with a hefty price tag and the need for new charcoal pellets every few months.

Where Is the Lomi Electric Composter Available?

You can get the Lomi Electric Composter on Amazon, Williams Sonoma, The Container Store, Walmart, and the Lomi website.

Rating:

★★★★★Natasha Marsh is a freelance writer who writes about fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Prior to freelancing, she held styling staff positions at The Wall Street Journal, Burberry, Cosmopolitan, British GQ, and Harper's Bazaar.