X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Tidy recycling with the Mode All-in-One

A new appliance from Mode keeps bottles, papers, and cans contained until recycling day.

Michelle Thatcher Former Senior Associate Editor, Laptops
Tech expert Michelle Thatcher grew up surrounded by gadgets and sustained by Tex-Mex cuisine. Life in two major cities--first Chicago, then San Francisco--broadened her culinary horizons beyond meat and cheese, and she's since enjoyed nearly a decade of wining, dining, and cooking up and down the California coast. Though her gadget lust remains, the practicalities of her small kitchen dictate that single-function geegaws never stay around for long.
Michelle Thatcher

Typical order of operations for gathering recyclables: Place empty paper grocery bag next to trash can. Fill bag with paper, bottles, and cans, but procrastinate on carrying it to the building's recycling bin. Accidentally kick the overstuffed bag, spewing bottles and cans across the kitchen floor. Run through a full vocabulary of profanities while cleaning up the mess and grumpily taking recyclables downstairs. Repeat.

Typical order of operations with the Mode All-in-One Recycling System: Crush cans and plastic bottles in the mechanical compactor, which drops them into the 8-gallon bin. Add glass, metal, and other non-crushables via a bypass lid; place newspapers, magazines, and junk mail in the separate 5-gallon paper bin. When alerted by the Recycle Day Reminder, take the recyclables down to the building bin. Consult the Eco-Track system to see how much you've recycled. Feel smug.

I know which one I'd prefer. The Mode All-in-One Recycling System is made of stainless steel, includes a charcoal filter to reduce odors, and stands 30 inches tall. Priced from $250 to $300, it'll be available at the end of the month from Frontgate, Amazon, and other retailers.

via The Green Head