Finding appliances for your kitchen can be a challenge, especially with all of the brands out there! Whether you’re searching based on price, features, or aesthetic options, how do you know how to choose the right one? Here are some tips for choosing a trash compactor for your home that will fit your lifestyle and your budget.
Choosing the Right Trash Compactor for Your Home
Trash compactors can save you time and blend into your cabinetry
Image via: BHG
Home trash compactors for well-stocked kitchens have been available and in use for a long time, but only recently have they become so popular as a must- have component in the technologically advanced kitchens found in today’s homes. The typical home kitchen trash compactor processes about six bags of unprocessed trash into a smaller, bag weight approximately 30 lbs. And, as everyone knows, that daily task of taking out the trash that can drag on, until some fed up soul just decides to take care of it once and for all. A trash compactor for the household takes that daily chore and happily transforms it into a weekly gig that is bound to make everyone in the family sit up and smile. Some new models feature access doors that swing out, for easier than ever access to the compacted trash.
How The Trash Compactor Works
With a convenient location in the kitchen, you basically treat a kitchen compactor just as you would a traditional trash receptacle, and only when the volume of trash in it reaches a specific level, do you then perform a compression. To compress trash, you simply touch a start button, which prompts a flat plate to power down. This plate is what serves to compress the trash. Once full resistance is met, the plate will automatically respond by lifting back up automatically. Some compactors are designed for the metal plate to remain in the down position, keeping everything compressed. This entire process takes around 45 seconds, and generally, once you depress the start button, you can walk away and let it do its thing; not having to lord over it while it’s hard at work. Not all trash compactors are equal, in terms of power. This can represent space savings and time savings, in households that choose a more powerful model.
A Few Notables Regarding Operation Details
It’s important to exercise care when you are in the process of reloading a new bag into the compactor. If you are not careful to fully seat and align the bag within the container, you could wind up with ripped sides of the bag, and a bit of an unpleasant mess. A fully compacted trash bag will at first require some getting used to, as it’s surprisingly a lot heavier than most people imagine it will be. Look for bags that include a handy carrying strap, which you position under the bag during the loading of it into the compactor container. This can make “taking out the trash” a whole lot easier on the appointed trash schleper. The volume of weight comes from the capability of a trash compactor to take around 10 regular sized kitchen trash bags, full of trash, but not yet compressed, and smashes it all down into one single compactor bag. Certainly makes sense, right? So much compressed trash should be so heavy! One thing to keep in mind is that the addition of wet garbage will definitely develop pretty foul odors as it decays. There are different ways to circumvent this issue; one being to simply leave out the wet trash contributions.
Choose a trash compactor for your kitchen style
Image via: Kitchen Ideas
Important Selection Considerations for your Trash Compactor
First, make sure you have enough space for a compactor, and then take precise measurements. Compactors, in general, come in widths of 12 to 15 inches, and heights of 34 to 35 inches. Next, look at differences in power you’ll have, and other less critical but convenient features. Learn what each model entails in the way of maintenance and supplies needed. Trash compactors start out at a price of around $550, and go up to around $1,500.
- Power Options: Power ranges in trash compactors are between 1.4 cu. ft., and offer a compacting force between 2,000 and 5,000 lbs. Typically, the price is commensurate with the volume of power, or force the unit exerts. The more powerful the force, the louder the performance of the compactor. Learn to read the ratings in the store. A compaction ratio of 6:1 means it can effectively compact or reduce six bags into the size of one. Keep in mind that the higher the ratio. the heavier the bag will be to lug out to the trash. Take care to know how many lbs. you can safely lift, before you buy.
- Looking at Modern Compactor Features: Performance, convenience and safety are the focus of all compactor designs. Everything else is less critical, but can make a difference to you. The toe kick is what you kick with your foot to open the compactor. Look for a model that includes this convenient feature. An improvement in newer designs is made with built-in air freshener compartments and charcoal filters that combat odors. Households with small children appreciate removable key-knob controls, and anti-jam sensors will sound should you overfill the compactor.
- Use and Maintenance: Your trash compactor should be maintenance-free. The compartments that extend out further are the easiest to clean. Some compactors require the use of proprietary bags, while others are designed to accept regular bags. Exceptions to “compactible” items are organic foods, for which you can use the garbage disposal, and items you recycle. Not only will a trash compactor alleviate the need to carry out the trash on a daily basis, but it will provide a nice way to conceal your kitchen trash and give the area more space. There’s no difficult procedure to install a trash compactor. Just plug it in. Once you press the “start” button, no one will be able to open the unit, which is a great safety feature.
- Environmentally Helpful: If every single household in the U.S. had a trash compactor, landfills everywhere could be reduced by 80 percent.
Compare models to fit with your lifestyle of your family
Image via: Saving Land
Top-Selling Trash Compactors to Consider:
To help get you started, here are some trash compactors with the best ratings:
The Electrolux Icon EI15TC65HS, $969.99
The Broan Elite XE, $907.36
The GE Profile Series GCG1580RSS, $1065.30
The Gladiator Garage GACP15XXMG, $917.88
The Jenn-Air TC707S, $1149.99
The Maytag MTUC7500ADM, $819.00
The KitchenAid Architect KUCS03FTSS, $1034.10
The Whirlpool TU950QPXS, $849.60
If you’re ready to shop for appliances look to these helpful tips for choosing a trash compactor and let us know what tips were helpful!
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I agree that you would want to consider the maintenance needed for a trash compactor. It would be good to consider this because it would show if it will be right for you. My sister needs a trash compactor, so she’ll have to consider the maintenance.