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I live alone and really only have to put out trash every other week or so. But I do, of course because otherwise the trash will smell and attract ants (queue Archer )...
Does/can a trash compactor eliminate these problems? And is it worth it in general, or a PITA and waste of money?
Last edited by blktoptrvl; 11-12-2014 at 05:56 PM..
I think a trash compactor is one appliance that never got off the ground. I don't know anyone who ever had one, so if they were good, everyone would have one. If you can give up a lower cupboard for a slide out trash and recycle waste basket, you will really like it. If you don't have a garbage disposer, you should get one. Soft waste should not be put in the trash. Even when we had a septic system, we still had a garbage disposal.
Our community collects trash once a week, and recycle trash once every 2 weeks. This is plenty to take care of our needs (some weeks we don't put the can out).
If you have an ant problem, that is a separate problem. You might need a can of bug spray, or an exterminator.
We had one when we had two kids living at home, and it was very convenient. Until then our dumpster was always full. With the compactor we usually took it to the trash can (dumpster) once a week, before we pulled the dumpster to the street.
Now that it's just the two of us, I wouldn't bother with it. Our kitchen garbage can amounts to a small waste basket lined with a plastic grocery bag that hangs on the door under the sink, and we only take it out every 2-3 days.
One bad thing about the trash compactor is that the bags are fairly expensive. Plastic grocery bags are free!
We installed them in every house back in the early 70's. Then I built a house for my uncle and found out how worthless they really are. I haven't had a kitchen design call for one since. We're even seeing a delete on garbage disposals in the million dollar plus houses but huge upgrades on built in refrigerators. Starting to see more cooking fireplaces in kitchens too.
My MIL installed one when she and her husband re-did their kitchen. She loved it. She tried and tried to convince us to put one in during our last new build. We saw no reason for it. She was "disappointed" we didn't take her advice.
I work in real estate and seldom do we see trash compactors in kitchens. I think they are a thing of the past. Today most of us recycle so much and some of us put food scraps into a compost bin in the garden that we have really cut down on waste.
The compactors I have seen have been smelly.
There is also a decline in garbage disposals due to food bits clogging up septic sysytems and I believe some towns where sewer has come in do not allow them.
I had one in a condo for ten years and went from a non-fan to a real proponent. We found it a much better way to deal with trash and we are sorry our new house is not easily configured to allow an installation.
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