garbage – Backerjack

As noted in classic Sunny Delight commercials and ads for the Keurig 2.0 brewer, we must always be prepared for the possibility that a random mob might barge into our homes demanding something to eat or drink. That’s not the time to find out a shopping trip is called for. As a result, a number of products have sought to save us from prolonging consumption interruption by reminding us to reorder or automatically doing so.

While some of these products focus on goods while they’re in the process of depleting, GeniCan steps in at the end of their lifecycle. A barcode scanner that clips onto a kitchen garbage can or recycling bin, GeniCan adds disposed items back into a shopping list under the assumption the owner would like to order that item again. For products without a barcode, the GeniCan incorporates voice recognition for less automated list building.

The Premise. Composting has become more and more popular as people realize how much food they waste. Many opt for traditional composting, taking all of their food and storing it in a container and then bringing it out to the garden to decompose naturally albeit very slowly. Others live in cities or towns where a green bin is provided to pick composting up, but there are few places that offer this service.

The Product. The compact Food Cycler offers the chance to compost food responsibly without having to wait for the results. This home composting tool is about the size of a wastebasket and is green and white. You simply put the food into the basket inside, close the lid and hit start. The food heats up and decomposes in three hours. At the end, the composted material comes out crispy and dry, perfect for using in the garden.

The Pitch. Food Cycler’s Indiegogo campaign features an all-too-cheery woman scraping would-be leftovers into the product’s pail. At the end, the composted food comes out, showing backers how well the product works. The rest of the campaign details tons of pictures of the Food Cycler as well as scads of environmental facts. The goal is set for $40,000 in the 31-day run on Indiegogo.

The Perks. In order to enjoy this home composting device, backers will have to donate $399 on Indiegogo. The only other reward tiers that Food Cycler offers are below $399 and don’t get backers the product. Current estimated availability is set for May 2014.

The Potential. Composting is definitely becoming a common trend among homeowners. The question is, are people willing to pay up to $400 to compost their food when they could potentially be doing it for free? While odors can be odious and composting the old-fashioned way takes a while, many are willing to spend their time instead of their money. If not, there are cheaper options on the market similar to the Food Cycler such as NatureMill products. These products are still expensive, but not quite as expensive as the Food Cycler, though they do take longer to break food down. All in all, the Food Cycler will ultimately need to figure out a way to lower its cost before having a chance on the market.