When it comes to home decorating, we tend to focus on the big, flashy elements. This is due in no small part to the fact that seeing is believing, and the items we consistently see being advertised as being integral to home decorating are all manner of different countertops, furnishings, and other eye-catching items. At the same time, however, a home is, at its core, a marriage of form and function. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the kitchen, and no kitchen is quite complete without a top-of-the-line trash compactor. Still, the question remains – what kind of features do the best trash compactors on the market today offer?

1. A Compact Form

No one wants to have a hulking, whirring mass taking up much of their kitchen space. That’s why the best trash compactors are just what they should be – compact. You’ll be able to shop for differently-sized compactors and find one that best fits the size and shape of your sink for easy installation. Ideally, your compactor should fit under the sink without taking up much space. For further information, Rotoble Compaction has many resources available on their website.

2. A Built-In Sanitation and Freshening Component

When you make use of a compacting unit, food often gets lodged or otherwise sticks to the sides. What’s more, these items can sometimes sit there for days, even weeks at a time if left unchecked. Naturally, in such a state, your compactor and, indeed, your sink area as a whole can start to smell a bit rank. As such, you’re going to want to combat that with built-in sanitation and freshening components. These allow the compactor to keep itself nice and clean. Not only does this allow particles to move more easily through the unit, thus increasing overall functionality, but it likewise helps avoid any odour issues.

3. Top-of-the-Line Compacting Force

For all of that, the actual compacting force of a compactor itself is still one of if not the single most important factor to consider. Different types of compactors are built to exert different degrees of force. Among smaller compactors, a compacting force of 2000 lbs. is quite respectable, while for larger ones, you’re going to be looking for something more in the area of 4000 to 5000 lbs.

4. Anti-Jam Features

With all of those moving parts, it should come as no surprise that one of the biggest concerns facing trash compactors is the potential for something to get jammed somewhere. You never want to find yourself in the unenviable position of having parts of a powerful compacting unit be stuck together, with no idea as to how or if they can be dislodged – or indeed, if that can even be safely done. That’s why the best compacting units on the market today feature anti-jam technology. This means that their components are specifically designed in such a way as to make it next to impossible for them to jam, and they also occasionally include sensors which can work to keep parts from jamming via computer command.

You will thus want to keep all these factors in mind during your compactor-buying considerations.