WIRED tested the new Reencle Essential, a more affordable kitchen composter that features minor updates and a lower price tag compared to the original Reencle Prime model. The new unit provides the same user-friendly experience and bacterial breakdown process as its predecessor while costing $150 less.
Design Changes and Daily Use
The new Reencle Essential maintains a similar performance to the Prime model, but introduces updated aesthetics, a larger shovel, and manual operation. Unlike the original version, which featured an automatic opening and closing sensor, the Essential requires users to press a button to open the lid and manually close it afterwards. WIRED reported that the manual lid and button quickly became dirty during testing, and family members frequently forgot to close the lid, triggering a constant beeping alarm from the machine.
Bacterial Decomposition vs. Dehydration
Kitchen composters often promise ready-to-use compost, but many alternatives on the market simply grind and dry food scraps into a soil-like material that must be heavily diluted before garden use. In contrast, the Reencle system utilizes thermophilic bacteria, such as Bacillus and Actinomycetes, to break down waste into a biologically active substance. WIRED noted that while competing bacterial machines tend to be bulkier, more expensive, and noisier, the Reencle units operate quietly without disruptive 24/7 fan noise.
The Reencle Essential is currently available alongside the original Prime model, offering consumers a more budget-friendly option for indoor food waste processing.
