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What’s the best-looking garbage disposal you’ve ever seen? It feels like a silly question, but that’s the point—the appliance’s aesthetic, let alone its function, have yet to really evolve. Well, until now. Composer, a start-up that launched at the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas this month, is looking to shake things up. Its three-step system can be installed in any sink that can connect to a generic garbage disposal, but this one is a whole lot quieter, prettier, and more effective than the one in your parents’ kitchen.
The Composer One is certainly much easier on the eyes than its competitors: The appliance itself is available in a matte white, forest green, or orange finish, while the accompanying on-off lever comes in brushed brass, stainless-steel, or matte black. But it also sets out to solve a few issues we’d come to accept as par for the course. First, the lever is designed to fit into a standard air gap hole right next to the faucet (goodbye forever, hard-to-reach wall switch). Then, when the motor starts whirring, there’s no jump scare—the stainless steel drain seals tight to dampen sound. Lastly, an automatic flush feature moves ground-up food waste along without you having to run the water simultaneously.
But we’d argue the biggest pro is the Composer One’s refillable enzyme chamber, which naturally breaks down leftover food waste, helping you avoid buildup and clogged pipes down the line. And if there ever is an issue? Motion-sensor lighting is built into the appliance, so you’ll never have to fumble with your iPhone flashlight to see what’s going on in your cabinet.
Composer even argues its product is better for Mother Earth. “Garbage disposals are a climate solution hiding in plain sight,” cofounder Kevin Meissner, said in a press release. How? As the brand explains it, food scraps that enter the landfill via your trash can inevitably contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, whereas Composer-processed food waste has a chance of being turned into energy at your local wastewater plant (the process is called anaerobic digestion, if you’re curious.). Finally, a chic—and innovative—garbage disposal isn’t an oxymoron.