The kitchen

Getting a countertop compost bin can help you turn food waste into nutrient-rich compost quickly and easily. These are the best countertop composters in ...

The filter lasts about six months before requiring a change and the bin's nontoxic design ensures no harmful chemicals will make their way into your compost. This compost bin features two buckets; the inner bin can be removed to discard compost and wash. To clean, slide the pail out of the wooden box and place it in the dishwasher. Everything you need to hang the bin is included, with straight-forward directions on how to install it on a door or hang it from a wall. This is not your typical plastic compost bin. The bin is made of high-grade 430 stainless steel, which is durable and rust-resistant. Its large size means you can pile up scraps all week long, and the powerful charcoal filters absorb odors for up to six months before needing to be replaced. The bins below come in a range of colors, shapes, and styles. Countertop compost bins generally come in stainless steel, plastic, or bamboo. We have bins in a range of sizes below, perfect for kitchens with very tight quarters, or acres of counter space. Technically, you could collect these items in any old bowl or bin, but without the proper set-up, kitchen compost will begin to smell and attract flies or other critters. If you’re keen to reduce waste and improve the way you manage your kitchen trash, a countertop compost bin is a great place to start.

But before you point out that rice is what saved me money -- not the rice cooker -- I want to explain why many people don't eat rice: It's hard to cook well, ...

I work from home most of the time, and that means we can do more family meals. So the rice cooker remains on our countertop, almost perpetually plugged in and chugging away at a new pot of rice -- or keeping warm a pot from a few hours ago. Two cups still provides enough for all four of the members of my family, even though the kids are eating a lot more these days. And it can do the same for you. But the most consistent method for me has come in an unexpected countertop device: the rice cooker. To make it work, we rented a tiny apartment, got on SNAP, hustled and ate rice.

In a time of increasing transportation costs, Art Schwaller has some advice: Ride a bike.

Kitchen designer Kate Gardham of Sticks + Stones says new owners Sandy and John bought the apartment with the intention of renovating and making it their ...

The sink is positioned on the island to maximise the view, even though Gardham says it was tricky with the plumbing constraints of the apartment building. “Changing to a galley-styled kitchen and removing two corner cupboards, so that they could access all the drawers front-on, was more practical. In the original kitchen these tasks were overlapping side by side, so dirty dishes would be stacked up where you wanted to land a pot after cooking. “They were after something with a bit of texture and colour.” They are no strangers to the local Takapuna restaurants and bars here, and like to dine out frequently.” In fact, Gardham says Sandy joked that she was more likely to store her sweaters in the oven like Sarah Jessica Parker from Sex in the City, than cook elaborate meals.