Like most people in Birmingham, we don’t have a food waste collection and also don’t have a garden. This makes composting difficult, almost out of the question. Last autumn, I heard about the Bokashi kitchen composter, so I gave it a go.

What is it?

It is a relatively small, air tight bin, which can fit on a kitchen counter or in a cupboard. The bin uses a bran-based material called Bokashi which helps with the fermentation of the food waste. Each time you put food waste in the bin, you put a little bit of Bokashi in too. You can put all of you food waste in, including fish, meat, dairy and cooked foods.

At the end of the fermentation process, the waste can go into the regular composter. The process also creates a liquid, which can be used as a plant feed or even to help keep sinks, toilets and septic systems fresh.

Does it work?

There is an obvious draw back to this product. If you don’t have a garden or a regular compost bin, then the end result will likely end up in the bin anyway.

We don’t have a garden but knew someone who lived a short distance away who welcomes our extra compost. The fact that it is largely odour-free and compact has meant that we could to compost at home and transport it elsewhere.

It also means that we can compost more, reducing the amount of waste which might otherwise end up in a bin bag.

The process should not produce bad smells, at least when the bin is closed. If you do get bad smells, it means something’s not right. Don’t worry if it does go wrong occasionally. It did for us the first time, but it’s been fine since.