Ecotonix Green Cycler - Kitchen Compost Starter, Bin & Shredder, Platinum - Discontinued Item

We read all the reviews and liked the idea of speeding up the compost process. As others have said, this will chop food scraps, peels, etc into compost bin ready size (I would hesitate to chop pits) and is easy to clean and manage on the counter. All parts are plastic (except the cutting blades), but the handle is definitely robust and up to the task. The drawer is big enough to only need emptying every couple days, and we have not had any problem with odor or flies. The platinum model even looks nice on our granite countertop and blends in with the other appliances, and the suction cups are definitely strong enough to hold the unit steady while in use.

I really wanted to like this composter. I bought this for myself for Mother's Day. We have an outdoor compost container but it does not turn. I wanted to speed up composting process. The Green Cycler does not have sharp enough blades to cut most peelings. I even put in old celery that was starting to break down and it did not cut that up. It is a good idea, just in theory. I think I would be better off putting scraps in the Cuisinart to cut them up before putting in outside composter. It is attractive but also pretty big for counter top. I will be returning this item.

Much more work than expected. Needs cleaning after each use which I wasn't expecting. But overall does a good job of cutting up compost and should decompose much faster with this machine.

It is disappointing that this expensive tool turned out to be little more than a plastic box with a plastic handle with blades that don't actually cut up the things put in there as promised, like avocado pits. They actually advertize that it will easily handle avocado pits, though not peach pits, etc. Reality? Hardly scratch avocado pits and it feels like the crank handle is going to break off in my hand. I was going to buy 2 more for gifts for very "green" family members but not now. I'll keep it and continue to try to use it to help with recycling but I'm just shy of hating it, rather than rating it Okay.

I took a chance on this item and it works even better than advertised! Old compost bin took months to work. Now, with the scraps processed through the Green Cycler we have great compost in a week or so! And it is a breeze to clean - remove cartridge and rinse every few days and once a week it goes in the dishwasher.

I just don't think the quality and effectiveness of the Green Cycler lives up the the money it took to buy it and the counter space it takes to keep it. It is a big disappointment.It isn't sturdy enough to actually chop things up. The components are cheap and flimsy and food just jams in the blade, where you can feel the handle starting to bend. In order to prevent the poor quality handle from breaking, I have to chop up things before putting them into the grinding chamber. They go through the grinding chamber pretty much like they went in. I don't notice a difference - by time I chop things up small enough to go through this thing without breaking it, the food is actually small enough for the compost pile. So the Green Cycler is an unnecessary step.And clean up is a nightmare! Fibrous scrap produce gets wrapped around the blades and axle, making clean up a HUGE chore! There is no way to get it all out without painstakingly picking it out from between EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE DOZENS OF BLADES. If you try to put it into the dishwasher without first cleaning it, you will end up with cooked veggies stuck in the blades when the cycle is done. The directions claim that all components are dishwasher safe, and the grinding blades stand up to the heat well, but that is only AFTER you have manually cleaned all the debris from between the blades. I wouldn't dare put the rest of the unit in the dishwasher. The plastic is thin and I don't believe it would go through a normal heated cycle without warping. (update: 8/13/14 - Since the advertisements say that ALL PARTS are dishwasher safe, I decided to put it to the test and put it through a cycle on the top rack. Just as I suspected - it warped in the heat of a dishwasher. It only warped a little bit and is still useable, but the unit isn't as neat as it was before. I am taking this back for a refund.)HONESTLY. It is far easier to simply chop up your scraps and dump them directly into the compost bin. Cleaning a knife and cutting board takes seconds and it only uses up inches of your kitchen to store. This Green Cycler is a HUGE GIMMICK! Don't buy it. Don't buy it. Don't buy it!!!!!