You can add kitchen scraps while Dry & Grind is running
Press and hold the lid button to unlock your bin and add more kitchen scraps right on top. Your bin may automatically add some extra Dry & Grind time for your new kitchen scraps.
How much power does the bin use?
It really depends on the amount of kitchen scraps in the bucket. On average, the bin uses about 1 kWh/day to dry and grind kitchen scraps from a family of four. Want to use less energy? Try limiting liquids by doing things like straining wet foods before adding the solids to the bucket.
How long is a Dry & Grind cycle?
Your bin’s Dry & Grind cycle should take somewhere between 6-10 hours (though it can be longer). That’s why we recommend running it overnight. Depending on the weight and estimated moisture of your kitchen scraps, it will adjust the length of your cycle. As a starting point, you can expect
- Won’t run if less than 0.22 lb mass add (about 2 banana peels)
- ~0.5 lbs of kitchen scraps will be a 5 hr cycle (or longer, based on the moisture of your scraps)
- 2 lbs, 6.5 hrs
- 4 lbs, 10.5 hrs
- 5 lbs, 12 hrs
Things that make your Dry & Grind cycle even longer
- Adding liquids or watery foods
- Adding kitchen scraps mid-cycle (especially towards the end)
- Resting items on the bin’s lid or back handle
You can see the amount of scraps you’ve added for the current cycle or upcoming cycle as well as the estimated time in the app.
Tips for shorter cycles
- Strain out liquids and check out the Food Library in the app for items that aren’t approved
- If you’re going to add new kitchen scraps while a cycle is running, do so at the beginning of the cycle vs. the end. Adding at the end means the bin may take 1-2 hours to grind the new kitchen scraps, before it can really start to dry it.
- Emptying the bucket more frequently, e.g. at half full instead of at the fill line.
- From time to time, reset your bin’s scale to ensure any bumps or nudges don’t affect the reading.
Can I stop a Dry & Grind cycle early?
It’s best to let a Dry & Grind cycle run until it finishes, since you can always add to it while the cycle is running. But if you need to stop a cycle for any reason, you can double-tap the lid button or hit “Cancel” in the app. If you do so, just know that your Food Grounds won’t be dry enough to send back to Mill and they may have more odor than you’re used to. Your bucket may also take some time to cool down before the automatic lock disengages.