Container in the kitchen for compost
 

I started composting about 2 years ago, after being given a compost bin by daz38 here on JT (Thank you!).
My problem was what to put the food waste in in the kitchen, before I take it out to the compost bin. I wanted a container with a tightclosing lid, but something that was easy to open, and preferably not horrible looking.
I finally found the perfect one, so even though this is shameless promotion for IKEA, I want to share it.

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/40193365/

This is just a big 4 litre food container, but ideal for food waste in a small household. It also comes in white, and it is nice enough to always have by the sink. The lid is transparent, so you see when it's time to empty it, and it has a rubber seal, so no smell escapes, and it doesn't attract fruit flies. You can put the lid on and off with one hand, which is great.

I am presently in the process of changing my mini compost bin in the kitchen too. It has a swing lid and pretty useless when scraping the plates as you need both hands to scrape and then you can't keep the swing lid open so I end up having to remove it and its a bit of a pain and usually end up with some mess on the floor. I was looking at one in Dunnes which is a mini pedal-bin which I think is designed for a bathroom. This is why I'm interested in your suggestion. I'm assuming you'd keep this on top of the kitchen counter when in use then whip it out of sight? It still needs two-handed plate-scraping and removal of lid though. Thanks for the idea, I will need to check out Ikea and have a little think about that.

I checked out the site you posted. Not bad looking. I too, compost but its only me and I took the cheap way out and use a plastic container that had Baby Spring mix in it. Work fine for me.

Tick Tock:
I keep this on the counter by the sink all the time, otherwise I'd forget to put things into it:-). That's also why I wanted something small and nice looking, and not something I have to put in and out of a cupboard.

I rarely put scraps into it, (I don't put meat in the compost) but for that I'd say one of those pedal bins would be better- We have one for our other kitchen garbage, and it really is a hundred times better than the swing lid ones. I hated cleaning the yuck off the top on the swing lid one we used to have...

Yep! That yuck isn't nice at all when it clings to the lid!! To be honest I am not composting due to problems with furry four-legged invaders so I had to give the idea up unfortunately. This bin I use is for filling my brown bin so I suppose I do compost, only from a distance....a very long distance! :-)

I use a big bisket jar I got for e2 in a second hand shop, lid has a rubber seal and it works a treat!

Mine is kept under the sink. Seeing that I usually eat a salad for lunch everyday it's a good place for it.

Composting bins etc
 

I've been told not to put potatoe peelings in the compost. Is this right? Is there a reason for it or is it untrue. Marhen

I have been putting them in my compost bin for a while now. I've never heard anyone say not to. It is a vegetable.

Cooked potato skins may attract rats. Raw ones may sprout, but just break off the shoots and they'll rot away. Check out www.stopfoodwaste.ie for advice on composting.

nothing cooked
 

Ticktock, i'd already smelt a rat when i read you were scraping your plates into compost bin!!!! NEVER put anything cooked in the compost and you'l have no four legged friends, problems

Nice to see this thread resurrected! As heyhey says, it's not a good idea to put cooked food in a normal compost bin, though rats may also be attracted to a bin as a nesting place.
Tricks for this kind of bin include placing the bin on top of a large square of guinea-pig or birdcage wire and wrap the wire up around the sides of the bin - this will stop rats from invading. Also, turn your compost often as rats don't like disturbance. Plant strong-smelling plants like lavender, cat-mint, garlic etc around the bin, sprinkle cayenne or other pepper around it.
There are other types of composting systems for food waste, do check out www.stopfoodwaste.ie for free advice from the Irish EPA-sponsored Stop Food Waste programme. I'm working on the programme, so anyone can PM me for further advice as well.