Winner of this year’s coveted CES Best of Innovation Award for Eco-Design and Sustainable Technologies, the Zera Food Recycler takes a week’s worth of your food and transforms it into ready-to-use, homemade fertilizer. WLabs, Whirlpool’s eco-friendly spin-off corporation, has created a revolutionary kitchen recycler that simply outperforms composting on every level imaginable.
According to WLabs’ Indiegogo campaign which has raised $437,815 in funding, the average family produces “over 400 pounds of food waste per year,” which translates into approximately 20% of space in landfills. From producing methane – a harmful greenhouse gas to taking up much-needed space in overflowing landfills, food waste is becoming an epidemic and has a direct impact on global warming.
With that being said, Zera can “recycle a week’s worth of food waste within 24 hours through a fully automated process.” By simply pressing a button or connecting to Zera’s intuitive companion app, users are able to grind up 95% of their food (minus bones and pits) and turn it into soil for plants, gardens, lawns, etc. WLabs’ kitchen recycler “reduces food waste by over two-thirds its original volume” and makes instant fertilizer in 24 hours.
When comparing the features of the Zera Food Recycler to Composting, there really is no competition. If reducing your carbon footprint in a convenient, hassle-free way interests you, and it should, look no further than Zera’s Food Recycler. Compared to the month-long composting process that requires manual labor, Zera makes ready-to-use fertilizer in just 24 hours by pressing a button. Since the average residential compost is unable to compost meat or dairy, Zera takes everything except bones and pits. Finally, the Zera Recycler does not attract pests and wildlife, unlike composted food waste. This means you can sprinkle your fertilizer throughout your backyard without worrying about raccoons snacking on last night’s dinner.
Here’s how your Zera Food Recycler works:
Step 1: Slide open the lid and place the entire Zera Additive Pack inside, then continue to add food daily until full (large, 7-day capacity bin).
Step 2: Slid the lid closed and press the start button or start the device remotely using your Zera mobile app. Let the transforming process being.
Step 3: The end result: ready-to-use, homemade fertilizer in 24 hours. Remove the output bin, and spread it on your lawn, garden or outdoor potted plant.
Zera’s iOS/Android compatible app allows users to control the recycling process remotely. Whether you want to pause/stop a cycle or simply want notification when the 24-hour transformation process is complete, Zera’s app keeps you informed every step of the way. From activating the child safety control locks to filter replacement notifications, monitoring your kitchen recycler is as simple as grabbing your smartphone.
With an estimated ship date scheduled for October 2017, the Zera Food Recycler is one of the most disruptive eco-technologies patents to hit the consumer marketplace in quite some time. As WLabs so eloquently explains on their website: “Zera enables households to realize the rewards of doing their part to reduce landfill waste.”
I have been following this product for some time. It has been funded 827%! but still no product . You can pre-order, but the delivery date keeps getting moved further out. I am getting skeptical that it will really ever be available.
Good to know!
It’s very good product. But in india the cost very high.
Interesting product. This is not a review but a question: I am curious to know the cost of ownership in terms of the expendable supplies for a year (additive packet, filters). Can’t seem to find much info on their website or the Internet.
Interesting product. This is not a review but a question: I am curious to know the cost of ownership in terms of the expendable supplies for a year (additive packet, filters). Can’t seem to find much info on their website or the Internet.
I’ve worked in horticulture/agriculture for years and I’m skeptical about how this machine could compost food in 24 hours. Composting happens when bacteria breaks down organic material. This process takes time. The material first needs to be populated then the bacteria needs to grow then break down the material. Think about how long it takes to grow a culture in a lab and that’s under optimal conditions with medium specifically designed for the purpose of growing that type of bacteria or fungi. Coir and baking soda are not bacteria. I’m sorry but I just don’t see how this could work.
I’ve worked in horticulture/agriculture for years and I’m skeptical about how this machine could compost food in 24 hours. Composting happens when bacteria breaks down organic material. This process takes time. The material first needs to
When is it available?
You can no longer pre-order it says the program is closed. But it says will be available at 1199 instead of the 699 during the preorder. But sounds like it is still not completed despite the fact the website shows summer of 2017 and it is spring of 2018.
I was not trying to give 5 stars but the star rating will not let me change it.
You can no longer pre-order it says the program is closed. But it says will be available at 1199 instead of the 699 during the preorder. But sounds like it is still not completed despite the fact the website shows summer of 2017 and it is spring of 2
Does this machine create any smell during their operation?
It seems so simple in the video, doesn’t it? It seems to turn all of those moist, kitchen scraps into (what looks like) dried coffee grounds and then drops them into that little container without ever getting a speck on the sides!! Neat and tidy, huh?!
The only problem is believing that it will really be able to do what they’re saying it will do as easily and efficiently as they want to make it appear. Why? Well, compost is formed from ingredients that maintain a C/N ratio somewhere between 25:1 and 30:1 . . . which is just a technical way of saying that you have to have more of the dry, brown, carbonaceous matter than moist, green, nitrogenous matter to make compost because the compost comes primarily from the digestion of the carbonaceous material with the nitrogenous matter providing the protein and reproductive wherewithal of the bacteria doing the decomposing. And kitchen scraps are heavily into the moist, green nitrogenous end of things.
I think they’re gonna try to use that additive to get the carbonaceous part, employ the aerator to keep the whole thing aerobic (and not stinky), and provide electrical heat to dry it all out because there won’t be enough mass for bacterial activity to provide it, but I question how effective that will really be, how much harm it will do to the planet, and what it’s gonna end up costing you — over and above the initial $1200 purchase price.
My advice? Wait and see! It appears to be a l-o-o-o-o-ng way from being ready for prime time!!
It seems so simple in the video, doesn’t it? It seems to turn all of those moist, kitchen scraps into (what looks like) dried coffee grounds and then drops them into that little container without ever getting a speck on the sides!! Neat and tidy,
Worms are cheaper
I think it’s interesting that the Zera additive packet price is never discussed, and yet one is “necessary” every week! The cost MIGHT be phenomenal!
This company 2UFlashlight is selling it on Facebook for $39.99
I take it that it’s fake?
Does anyone actually own one of these? Does it really work?
Heya Guys, I have just ordered my food recycler, A friend has bought the CHLOE version of this and I have seen it in action, so yes indeed it does do what it says it does! I hope zeta is as good!
Ship my best are now selling them off for under $40 and I’m still not buying because I can’t find price or availability of the product you have to mix with it or the carbon filters to ireadicate smells.
I can see that it generates the heat to dry everything out and blades to chop it all down. I’m trying to find out about the clean up too.
If anyone can help I’d be grateful because I think the concept is great.
Ship my best are now selling them off for under $40 and I’m still not buying because I can’t find price or availability of the product you have to mix with it or the carbon filters to ireadicate smells.
I can see that it generates the heat to
This is advertised in some places as a Whirlpool product. Why is it not on the Whirlpool site? If it is over 800% funded what is going on? Time for people to get back their money because by now it should be available. Also it is on FB advertised for $59. Beware. This stinks.
This is advertised in some places as a Whirlpool product. Why is it not on the Whirlpool site? If it is over 800% funded what is going on? Time for people to get back their money because by now it should be available. Also it is on FB advertised for
I’m a product designer and have noticed something very interesting – although this was crowd funded and initially Whirlpool branded, it is now available at several sites for – sit down for this; $40.00 Yep, that’s right, $40. I’ve tracked the seller activity back to Korea and Taiwan, which I would guess are the shops that handled the tooling for the various parts when it looked like this was a real project. I thought about ordering it just to see if it would actually arrive, but the reviews above have me guessing that a sort-of working unit would indeed arrive but that it might not work for long and that I’d never find any Zera packs & filters to keep it running. I’m guessing those shops are just trying to make back the investment that probably wasn’t paid for by Whirlpool once the project was killed. Here’s where I found it; [URL removed: ###skying.icu/products/###]
I’m a product designer and have noticed something very interesting – although this was crowd funded and initially Whirlpool branded, it is now available at several sites for – sit down for this; $40.00 Yep, that’s right, $40.
I went to order one of these after seeing it on Facebook, went through all the process of form filling but came up blank when proceeding to check out. It would have been nice for them to put something up to say they no longer available or whatever the reason it wouldn’t continue
I went to order one of these after seeing it on Facebook, went through all the process of form filling but came up blank when proceeding to check out. It would have been nice for them to put something up to say they no longer available or whatever th
Has anyone actually used one ?
As the food scraps have been added over a week it is quite possible for the recycling process to be only 24 hours. The additives are coir (coconut fibre) and baking soda to provide roughage and speed up composting process which makes sense. The coir would possibly soak up much of the liquid from the compost (wonder if shredded paper would work as well). Most of the bacteria needed to decompose the scraps is already on the skins. I am keen to get my unit and use it. Currently I put my scraps (no meat) in a small bucket and tip into a large compost bin every week – think this unit will be a much more efficient way. Not sure how the compost ends up dehydrated – maybe the chopping up with blades during the processing aerates it to dry. Curious to experiment with unit.
As the food scraps have been added over a week it is quite possible for the recycling process to be only 24 hours. The additives are coir (coconut fibre) and baking soda to provide roughage and speed up composting process which makes sense. The coir
Just bought one for xmas 2018 for $39.99, marked down from $109.99
Absolutely thrilled with it for $40… but would have considered it criminal theft at over a $1000
Who set that ridiculous initial price? I feel embarrassed for anyone who wasted that much money for such an effective but still very, very simple unit.
It does work as advertised… just not worth more than a hundred bucks… TOPS.
Just bought one for xmas 2018 for $39.99, marked down from $109.99
Absolutely thrilled with it for $40… but would have considered it criminal theft at over a $1000
Who set that ridiculous initial price? I feel embarrassed for anyone who wasted
I love the idea and the convenience however seems like everyone else has produced like items and they still don’t have a release I think they may never come out with it not worth spending money on something that has yet to release already 2 years later. I see that someone has purchased one would love to know where can’t find it online any where
I love the idea and the convenience however seems like everyone else has produced like items and they still don’t have a release I think they may never come out with it not worth spending money on something that has yet to release already 2 yea
I ordered one 1/3/2019 and I have not received it yet 3/30/2019. Funny thing is I can’t find a telephone number to contact them not even my bank could find a contact number. So at this point I believe I got scammed. 🙁
I have been using the unit for over a week now. Works well but why can’t you add the resulting product mixed in the soil? The filter is soooooo hard to get out. The bag of additive got stuck so that the packaging was left in the unit. The mixture did fall into the bin. One last thing, the resulting mixture is like a powder. Not sure it will work in a spreader. Tried it in a small hand held unit and it never came out. Seems that the mixture was not dry enough.
I have been using the unit for over a week now. Works well but why can’t you add the resulting product mixed in the soil? The filter is soooooo hard to get out. The bag of additive got stuck so that the packaging was left in the unit. The mixtu
The wait is over. Drum roll please. Received mine 3 weeks ago. I have run over 6 loads. Everything you can imagine from the usuals to tea bags and meat, citrus, dairy, and even food packaging that says compostable. I have taken pictures, videos, documented everything. It’s amazing. Actually I would say it’s shocking. It literally breaks all the composting rules that many of you said could never be broken. It does in 24 hours what doesn’t seem possible. I followed the directions, the guidelines, the additive, small medium and large loads. Citrus, meat, dairy, literally all kinds of stuff, moldy, wet, dry, and it worked…like magic. Like the kind of magic that can’t be real. I grew up on farm. I have composted for 50 years. This defies logic. I am not lying or trying to sell these, but I have to say it was way beyond worth waiting for. And it’s soooo funny to read all the nay sayers, all the doubting, all the skeptics. No this not a joke or something you buy for cheap. Those of you who bought something else are sadly mistaken and you are well aware you were taken in by someone nefariously riding the Zera band wagon. It’s real, it works, and what you end up with is the richest, fluffiest compost imaginable for mother earth, the worms the plants, the vegetables, the fruit trees, the flower beds. The only setback was I over filled it and hand to move some of the finished product around in the main compartment after letting the unit cool down for a day.
The wait is over. Drum roll please. Received mine 3 weeks ago. I have run over 6 loads. Everything you can imagine from the usuals to tea bags and meat, citrus, dairy, and even food packaging that says compostable. I have taken pictures, videos, docu
I would give the Zera 4 stars but the customer service 1 star. I love the food recycling though it is NOT compost! You have to add it to your compost. But it does do a remarkable job of turning all food waste into almost a cocoa powder looking product. Don’t put a whole banana peel in there, despite the video they show. Anything fibrous like that has to be cut up into smaller pieces or it tangles in the blades. I’m not giving it 5 stars because I’m having trouble with the dust filter. It doesn’t snap in place and came loose during a cycle and ground up. The dust filter is not one of the products listed online that you can buy a replacement for. I emailed them twice and finally was able to reach someone by calling the headquarters of Whirlpool. But it still took a month to get a replacement so I couldn’t run it for a month and the food in there was rotting all that time. The stench was unbelievable when I finally got the new filtr and ran it. Stunk the next time too, but now seems better. But the dust filter is very loose and I have to be so careful not to knock it off when adding food. I’m still afraid it will come off again and I won’t notice until too late. Wish they would let you order replacement online. I ordered new airfilter after the rotting episode and got email that it had been shipped a week after I’d actually recieved it. So Yeah, a 1 star for customer service.
I would give the Zera 4 stars but the customer service 1 star. I love the food recycling though it is NOT compost! You have to add it to your compost. But it does do a remarkable job of turning all food waste into almost a cocoa powder looking produc
i received mine via UPS. I moved to a place where using it isn’t possible so it’s still in a box
I’m going to change my rating from 4 star to 1 star. It’s stopped working and this would only be my 5th time running a cycle. The troubleshooting guide is not telling me what is wrong. I unplugged it and plugged it back in a few times trying to reset it but it is frozen. Says control is locked and the cycle is complete but I havent run it yet. It won’t run and it won’t lock the lid so it can run. Another stinky mess. Don’t buy this.
I’m going to change my rating from 4 star to 1 star. It’s stopped working and this would only be my 5th time running a cycle. The troubleshooting guide is not telling me what is wrong. I unplugged it and plugged it back in a few times tr