Lomi Countertop Composter Evaluate

I’m not going to say countertop, electrical composters have change into my beat right here at Severe Eats, however the Lomi Composter is the second I’ve reviewed (to be clear, there aren’t many on the market—the opposite outstanding one is the Vitamix FoodCycler.)

Lomi’s manufactured by Pela—a licensed B company that makes eco-friendly telephone instances, amongst different issues. To check the Lomi, I used it for a interval of six months, like I did with the FoodCycler. I threw meals scraps into it each day, ran it as wanted, cleaned it periodically, and have become pissed off with the lid extra instances than I can rely. Nonetheless, all-in-all, huzzah! I did actually just like the Lomi…with some caveats.

What’s the Lomi and How Does It Work? 

The Lomi is all-white and modern-looking, so far as countertop composters go. It really works by making use of warmth to meals scraps to interrupt them down over a interval of hours after which dries them out, so that you get an finish end result that appears like dust however Pela calls “fertilizer.” The Lomi has three modes, which have completely different functions:

• Eco Categorical: With this mode “waste shrinks significantly, and is ideal for including to your compost or inexperienced bin.” Per the manufacturer, this takes three to 5 hours (I discovered this to be true, although suppose 5 hours is extra correct). 
• Develop Mode: This takes 16 to twenty hours and leads to a “nutrient wealthy natural fertilizer” that may be “blended into soil (1:10 ratio) and added to houseplants, gardens, and even your garden,” Pela says. (This mode operates on the lowest warmth setting of all three to “conserve microbes.”)
• Lomi Accredited Mode: This takes 5 to eight hours and “can break down Lomi Accredited merchandise and packaging (comparable to bioplastics) into dust that may then be positioned in your inexperienced bin,” in line with the corporate. 

If you happen to’re like me and your metropolis doesn’t provide green bins and also you don’t have an outside composter, the develop mode might be the higher possibility. The Lomi additionally comes with activated charcoal to assist mitigate smells and LomiPods, which appear like little tablets and are supposed to add vitamins to the ultimate fertilizer and velocity up composting. 

The Good

The Lomi completely floor and dried each single meals scrap I threw into it. Spent lemon halves, avocado shells, banana peels, espresso grinds, butternut squash seeds, onion peels, and extra had been no match for the Lomi. And the sorts of meals that shouldn’t go into the Lomi (i.e. liquids, nut shells, fruit pits) make sense, not like the Vitamix FoodCycler that, perplexingly, cannot deal with gadgets like citrus peels. The Lomi additionally has handy charts here that define what ought to and shouldn’t go into it—and a few meals which might be higher suited to Lomi’s completely different modes. 

The Lomi additionally has a half-liter bigger capability than the FoodCycler and may deal with a most of three liters of meals. I discovered it took me about two days to fill after I was cooking loads, and three to 4 days after I was cooking a little bit (it occurs). 

I additionally favored its trendy look and appreciated its streamlined design that consisted of a single-button management panel with icons that denote the mode and a progress bar that exhibits you what stage the Lomi’s at (drying, mixing, cooling). And its charcoal inserts successfully contained smells.

The Unhealthy

I alluded to the lid above, as I discovered its design irritating at instances. With the lid, you twist to lock it down and onto the Lomi, and there are indicators on the facet of the lid to point out which positioned is unlocked versus locked. Nonetheless, the lid was finicky and hard to lock at instances, requiring exact alignment for it to shut correctly. Typically, it took me a number of tries. And it wasn’t simply me: I watched a handful of others battle to proper it too. 

It’s additionally price noting that the Lomi is big. In contrast to the FoodCyler that comes with a separate compost bin lid so you possibly can home the cumbersome machine physique elsewhere and simply hold the bin in your kitchen, the Lomi would not have this. As an alternative, the entire machine has to remain in your countertop. And measuring about 18 inches lengthy by 13 inches extensive by 12 inches excessive, and weighing about 20 kilos, it eats up a variety of house. 

One closing con is its worth: the Lomi is about $500, and its refill pods and charcoal are $50. The pods and charcoal final 45 cycles, the corporate says. Under no circumstances is the startup or upkeep price what I’d name reasonably priced. 

The Verdict 

The Lomi works exceptionally properly at its meant goal. I favored that it has three modes for these seeking to compost for various intentions and suppose it’s price shopping for with some caveats (measurement, worth). That’s, in case you have a variety of countertop house and are comfy investing the startup price (in addition to within the refill pods and charcoal), you’ll probably be very pleased with the Lomi.  

Key Specs

• Dimensions: Roughly 18 inches lengthy by 13 inches extensive by 12 inches excessive
• Weight: About 20 kilos
• Said capability: 3 liters
• Shortest said run time: 3 hours
• Longest said run time: 20 hours 
• Care directions: Wipe down exterior and lid with a moist fabric (lid shouldn’t go within the dishwasher); compost bucket is dishwasher-safe
• Value at time of publish: $500

FAQs

The place do you purchase the Lomi composter? 

The Lomi composter is obtainable instantly from the retailer, as properly as Amazon. 

How lengthy does the Lomi take to compost? 

This is dependent upon the mode you counsel on the Lomi. The quickest mode, Eco Categorical, takes three to 5 hours. The slowest mode, Develop Mode, takes 16 to twenty hours. 

How a lot is a Lomi composter? 

The Lomi itself is about $500. The refills for its charcoal and Lomi pods are about $50 and can final 45 cycles, in line with the corporate.