Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville Review & Comparison: Why Consider Buying This FoodCycler As An Alternative To Traditional Compost Bins?

I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Read more

For people who don’t have enough time or space to compost the natural way to replenish their home garden, alternatives like the Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville can come in handy.

While these models do not, in fact, create compost but they do make dried food chips that you can combine with soil in smaller amounts to nourish the soil. But, at the end of the day, they are not cheap alternatives. Both the Vitamix Foodcycler and Breville FoodCycler are expensive to buy and maintain.

But which is better?

Both the Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville turn food waste into dried compost. You can fruit and vegetable peels, chicken and meat scraps, eggshells, tea, or coffee grounds in the bin. And both are indoor-friendly kitchen appliances that do not emit any odor. You can install it under your kitchen sink, where you usually keep the garbage bin. And they process food waste in less than 6 hours per cycle.

There is no better pick for you between both opponents. They are equally user-friendly, fast, and very easy to use.

Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville: Comparision Chart

Table could not be displayed.

Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville: Differences

Both the Vitamix Foodcycler and Breville lend support for composting in a home-friendly manner. A great alternative to messy composting when you want to repurpose food waste that takes up more room and is bound to end up in a landfill.

So it’s a tie between both opponents (1-1) for your daily composting needs.

1. Controls / Programmability

The Winner: Breville Foodcycler

Breville Foodcycler Programmability
Breville Foodcycler Programmability

+Eco-Friendly Mode

With the Breville, you get the option to convert food waste into something called “eco-chips.” These are eco-friendly food scrap chips that can be added to the soil for quick fertilization.

Compared to the Vitamix Foodcycler, this mode is more eco-friendly. But the downside of it is that it requires more energy which some of you may find ironic.

If you add around 2 liters of food waste in the bucket, which is the Breville’s capacity, it converts that into around 0.34L eco-chips. So the quantity of food scraps is significantly reduced. And so it takes care of the need to throw away food scraps in the garbage when you want to compost them but the manual composting process gets too messy.

The Vitamix offers the same kind of functionality but without the added beauty of producing eco-friendly chips at the push of a button.

+Processing Modes

The Breville Foodcycler features the 1,2,3 processing mode while the Vitamix offers only one which is the effective composting mode. The Vitamix is a better, indoor-friendly alternative to composting for apartment dwellers. You don’t need a garden to compost nor take any extra processing steps to fertilize and nourish plant soil.

The Breville performs various functions, so 3 different ways you can process food scraps at the touch of a button.

Firstly, it produces dried food scraps in 4 to 6 hours. You can add dried food scraps to the soil, they are just as nourishing and beneficial for plant growth.

Next, you can grind up food scraps. This can be done after drying to eliminate odor which makes the Breville indoor-friendly and hygienic.

The last processing step is cooling so once the composting is done, the compost feels like grains of soil, not unpleasant or sticky, or smelly at all.

In this manner, the Breville Foodcycler is more advanced and responsive for daily composting. It retains no odor after processing.

And while the Vitamix Foodcycler makes dehydrated food scraps that you can add to the soil to boost plant growth, the Breville makes sterile eco-chips. So the compost quality based on the various stages of processing is more temperature-controlled and safe to use.

2. Utilities

The Winner: Vitamix Foodcycler

Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50 Utilities
Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50 Utilities

+Power Consumption

I want to talk about how much energy both composters use per cycle. According to my research, because of the eco-friendly mode of the Breville, it is more demanding than the Vitamix.

The Vitamix uses 0.8 kWh per cycle which translates to around 0.10-dollars to make one batch of compost with a 2L food scrap capacity.

According to the manufacturer, the Breville uses the same 0.8 kWh per cycle. But users have complained about the Breville’s energy costs being higher and hence more difficult to maintain in the long run.

Based on the performance testing, the Vitamix Foodcycler costs you not less than $100 per year to use. This, coupled with the cost of the replacement filters, which require replacing every 4 months depending on use, will cost more than $100 or so.

This makes the Breville more expensive to maintain, including the cost of the parts, replacement filters, and overall cost of the machine. The Vitamix, on the other hand, comes with carbon filters that are more efficient so it’s relatively cheaper.

+Warranty

The warranties of both the Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville are worth considering. But the Vitamix’s is a year-long which gives it an edge over the Breville when you consider both their costs.

While the biggest drawback to home composting systems is their cost. They are not cheap alternatives to composting, especially in comparison to the manual composting way.

Automatic composters cost more because they accelerate the process from 48 hours to 4 to 6 hours. It is a luxurious price to pay for maintaining an “Ecological Footprint” at home.

So the higher warranty is a blessing because you don’t have to pay for an entire year for parts that get damaged.

Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville: Similarities

1. Compact, Seamless Unit

The first thing you’ll notice about both the Vitamix Foodcycler and Breville is that both are portable and compact machines. They process food scraps inside a removable bucket and lid that you can easily disassemble by lifting out of the main unit.

There’s barely any assembly required out of the box. The control panel on both machines is straightforward and responsive. It also features a filter change indicator with a cooling, grinding, and drying light.

So you know what the machine is doing as it is doing it.

There are no distinctions between the Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville – both are subtle and offer quick performance at the touch of a button.

2. Carbon Filter

Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50 Carbon Filters
Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50 Carbon Filters

Both machines use carbon filters to process food scraps quickly and effectively. They do not make compost as natural compost is made. But you can easily add processed food scraps to the soil without overcrowding the soil.

The carbon filter comes with a separate bucket and lid to trap odors quickly. Both machines have two lids that reduce thick odor from releasing from the food waste. The carbon filter bucket lid also ensures smooth and moisture-free operation by storing the food scraps at room temperature which reduces the probability of odor.

You shouldn’t buy a composting system for indoor use when it does not feature a carbon filter. It’s the safest material for processing food scraps. And it keeps the environment around the machine free from harmful chemicals and gases.

3. Versatile Use

You can add all types of food waste into the Vitamix Foodcycler and Breville. This includes vegetable peels, ground coffee, loose tea, eggshells, fruit peels, meat scraps such as bones, etc. In fact, studies show that Vitamix and Breville can also handle starchy waste such as bread and rice but not in excess amounts.

If you have other ingredients like sauces or soup or wet ingredients, adding starchy food like pet food, rice, bread is not a problem at all.

What you should add to a composter like the Vitamix Foodcycler vs Breville are bones of beef and pork, candy, gum, and oil.

4. Quick Cleaning

Vitamix FoodCycler Quick Cleaning
Vitamix FoodCycler Quick Cleaning

Both machines come with dishwasher-safe parts which is literally the best thing for home users. The last thing you want to do is wash the bin in the common kitchen sink. Even though the food waste has been dried and turned into scraps.

And because of the fast processing time of both machines, you don’t even have to deal with the smell of sludge from the scraps. The final texture of the food is dry and easy to remove from the bucket. Because of the drying process, the interior of the bucket stays mostly clean and not at all damp. Even hand-washing it won’t feel disgusting or unpleasant.

I wouldn’t advise you to wash the bucket in a dishwasher every time you use it. A simple hand wash after use and before adding a new batch should suffice. Once there is more than enough debris collected on the sides of the interior, that’s when putting it in the dishwasher makes sense.

Deep-cleaning will keep the machine hygienic, safe, and easy to use and maintain for a long time.

Quick Rundown of Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50

No products found.

Pros
  • As quiet as a standard dishwasher.
  • Large 2L capacity so it’s easier to store.
  • Compatible with veg and non-veg food scraps.
  • Second lid for the carbon filter to eliminate odor.
  • No sludge or damp mess after processing.
  • It takes no longer than 8 hours to compost.
  • Nutrient-rich compost for home gardens.
  • It takes up less energy than a washing machine.
  • Not as expensive as the Breville FoodCycler.
Cons
  • It’s not a budget-friendly pick.
  • It does not, technically, produce rich compost.

Quick Rundown of Breville FoodCycler

Pros
  • Faster composting time for 2L of food scraps.
  • Quiet operation with carbon filter lid bucket.
  • All the parts are easy to disassemble for cleaning.
  • The ‘Eco-Chips’ do not release methane gas like landfills.
  • Quick and portable benchtop storage.
Cons
  • The filters need changing every 3-4 months.
  • Expensive to maintain in the long run.

Product Videos

Related Articles to Vitamix Foodcycler Fc 50

  1. Vitamix Foodcycler FC-30 vs FC-50 Review: For Indoor, Home Use, This Vitamix FoodCycler Does Wonders To Your Food Waste Without Taking Up Too Much Space

References

5/5 - (1 vote)