Anyone have a trash compactor in your home?

[Gilligan]

How well do they work? Do they stink? Can you put food in them? I am buying a home that has one but it is broken. I could replace it or turn the space into a cabinet. :confused:

[BajaMike]

How well do they work? Do they stink? Can you put food in them? I am buying a home that has one but it is broken. I could replace it or turn the space into a cabinet. :confused:
I have one and I love it......Costco sells the bags. Mine has never been smelly.....I don't put food in it (most goes down the garbage disposal).
If I do put food in it I take it out within 24 hours. For paper, cans, bottles, other stuff, you only have to take it out about once a week. It's great!
:idea:

[Gilligan]

So if you put food in it and smash it. Does the food get stuck on the machine or do you put food in a separate bag or something? :confused:

[franky]

BajaMike: You should be recycling those cans and bottles:eek: .
Trash compactors are the greatest invention since the napkin. Once you own one, you will always have one. Food no problem, heavy bags. I wouldn't put free liquids or a big pot of mash potatoes in it though. Lasts about a week unless I put sea food in it then a couple days (smell). FIX IT!!!

[HokeySon]

How well do they work? Do they stink? Can you put food in them? I am buying a home that has one but it is broken. I could replace it or turn the space into a cabinet. :confused:
love it. I put everything in it: wife is more careful. Doesn't stink, but for a long while we used the special air freshner canisters that Kenmore makes for them.

[Baja Big Dog]

The best form of enterainment, putting a large wine bottle (empty) in and waiting for the explosion!!!:D
These things are the best!

[EmpirE231]

trash only has to be taken out about once a week...we put any trash in there except for glass bottles, or major leftover food... but we do throw in scraps from the plates... just not too much or it will stink up.

[RitcheyRch]

I dont have one but my Parents do and they love it.

[SummerBreeze]

it compacts the trash into a nice SQ.
no stinky

[Gilligan]

I still do not understand how you keep the food off the smashing mechanism? :confused: I am assuming it smashes down on top of the trash?

[blown65]

Love ours, get the bags like someone else mentioned at Costco. We've had ours for about 12 yrs now.

[USCFAN]

We have one and love it. Just have to make sure not to put to much food in that can spoil before empting it. The smell can get pretty bad.

[jbtrailerjim]

I've had one for years and couldn't imagine going without one now. I don't put any food in it. Yes, food will get stuck on the ram dealio and start to stink after a while. I only have to empty mine every other week.

[Gilligan]

I've had one for years and couldn't imagine going without one now. I don't put any food in it. Yes, food will get stuck on the ram dealio and start to stink after a while. I only have to empty mine every other week.
Thanks. Will just use it for bulky items.

[Outnumbered]

They work great. Don't put food in them and they wont stink. I also don't put glass in it just to be safe so you don't get cut when removing the bags.

[Boatcop]

I still do not understand how you keep the food off the smashing mechanism? :confused: I am assuming it smashes down on top of the trash?
If I have to put anything sticky (like food scraps) in mine, I keep a stack of old newspapers next to it, and throw the newspapers on top, so the smasher doesn't get messy.

[One Particular Harbor]

A couple of comments and a suggestion:
1. We love our trash compactor. As others have said, we end up taking the trash outside to the can much less often (about once a week) as a result, the outside can is almost never full.
2. The bags do get heavy when they're full and one of the things we like abouot our KitchenAid is that the canister that the bags sits opens up if you need it to get an extra-heavy bag out. But, most of the time, my wife can handle taking the bag out, so its not too bad.
3. We don't put anything really messy or that is likely to splash up on the "ram" in the compactor (if it's soft foodstuff, it goes in the garbage disposal or straight outside).
Getting foodstuff on the "ram" is where the stink comes from for a lot of people as this food begins to decay. One of the tricks we use, if we're ever worried about what we're compacting, is to place an old magazine or catalog on top of the trash before we compact. My wife gets a new catalog of some sort about once a day, so we keep a stack of them under the sink, just in case. Keeps the ram pristine.
OPH

[ChumpChange]

How well do they work? Do they stink? Can you put food in them? I am buying a home that has one but it is broken. I could replace it or turn the space into a cabinet. :confused:
Generally when buying a house, the seller will pay for a home warranty. After a month or so, call the warranty company and have them repair it. It will cost about $40 for the service call. If they can't fix it, they'll replace it.
If they ask if it was working when you purchased the house, say yes. If you have the house inspected and it is noted as not working, just know that you are not obligated to ever show the warranty company the inspection. Tell them you don't have one.
There you go. Either a fixed or new trash compactor.

[termiteguy]

Generally when buying a house, the seller will pay for a home warranty. After a month or so, call the warranty company and have them repair it. It will cost about $40 for the service call. If they can't fix it, they'll replace it.
If they ask if it was working when you purchased the house, say yes. If you have the house inspected and it is noted as not working, just know that you are not obligated to ever show the warranty company the inspection. Tell them you don't have one.
There you go. Either a fixed or new trash compactor.
when i bought my house the dishwasher did not work did the same thing got fixed it for free:D