What Is Bokashi? (And Why It’s Not Compost)
Bokashi is a fermentation process, not a composting process. It’s important to understand that distinction up front, because it changes what you expect from the output — and why bokashi is so different from everything else on this site.
Developed in Japan in the 1980s, bokashi uses a specific mix of microorganisms — typically lactobacilli, yeasts, and photosynthetic bacteria, known collectively as Effective Microorganisms or EM — to ferment food waste in an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment. The bin is sealed throughout the process. No air goes in. No smell comes out. The scraps are preserved rather than decomposed.
The output — called “bokashi pre-compost” — looks largely the same as what went in, just pickled. It’s mildly acidic and not yet ready for plants. But when buried in soil or added to a compost heap, it breaks down rapidly and releases an extraordinary flood of nutrients. Plants going into soil amended with bokashi pre-compost tend to visibly accelerate within weeks.
Bokashi accepts food that no other system will. Meat, fish, dairy, cooked meals, bones, citrus — all of it goes in. No other method on this site handles the full range of kitchen waste, which makes bokashi a perfect companion system to a wormery or electric composter that can’t handle these foods.
How Bokashi Works — Step by Step
Add food scraps
Add kitchen waste in layers. Any food type — including meat, dairy, and cooked food.
Sprinkle bokashi bran
Add a layer of bokashi bran (EM-inoculated wheat or rice bran) after each addition to activate fermentation.
Seal and wait
Close the bin airtight. Drain the liquid (bokashi tea) every few days via the tap. Repeat for 2–4 weeks until full.
Bury or compost
When full, bury the pre-compost in garden soil or add to a compost heap. It’ll fully break down within 2 weeks.
The liquid that drains from the bottom tap is called bokashi tea — a highly concentrated microbial liquid. Diluted 100:1 with water, it’s an excellent plant fertiliser. Undiluted, it can be poured down drains to act as a natural drain cleaner. Never throw it away.
Full Comparison Table
| Model | Capacity | Bran Included? | Tap? | Two-Bin? | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Bokashi Organko 2 | 16L | ✓ 1kg included | ✓ | Single | 9.1 |
| 🥈 SCD Probiotics | 2×5 gallon | ✓ Bran included | ✓ | ✓ Twin set | 8.6 |
| 🌿 Maze Bokashi | 19L | Extra cost | ✓ | Single | 8.0 |
| 💰 Full Circle Scrap Happy | ~10L | Extra cost | ✓ | Single | 7.6 |
1. Bokashi Organko 2 — Best Overall
“The Organko 2 is the electric composter of the bokashi world — it takes a category that’s historically been dominated by utilitarian plastic buckets and makes something genuinely nice. The seal is excellent, the tap works beautifully, and it comes with enough bran to get you properly started.”
Designed by a Slovenian company called SKAZA, the Bokashi Organko 2 is the most thoughtfully engineered bokashi bin we’ve tested. The 16-litre capacity is comfortable for a couple to a small family. The lid seals with a proper click-close mechanism that creates a genuine airtight environment — critical for effective fermentation and for keeping any odour contained.
The drainage tap at the base is smooth and reliable — no dripping, no wrestling with stiff plastic. It includes 1kg of bokashi bran, which is enough to get your first full bin completed. The pressing plate (used to compress scraps and exclude air pockets) is included in the box, which isn’t always the case with cheaper bins.
We ran it for eight weeks across three full cycles. The fermentation was consistently effective — a pleasant, mildly sweet-sour smell when opened (normal for bokashi) and zero odour when sealed. The output buried in our raised bed accelerated plant growth noticeably within two weeks of application.
Specifications
- Capacity 16L
- Dimensions 30×30×35cm
- Material Recycled plastic
- Bran included Yes — 1kg
- Liquid tap Yes
- Press plate Included
✓ Pros
- Excellent airtight lid seal
- 1kg bran included
- Press plate included
- Smooth, reliable tap
- Best aesthetics in category
- Made from recycled plastic
✗ Cons
- Single bin only (buy two for continuous use)
- Premium price vs budget options
- Bran refills are an ongoing cost
2. SCD Probiotics All Seasons Indoor Composter — Best Twin Set
“Here’s the thing nobody tells you about bokashi — once you fill a bin, it needs to sit sealed for two weeks while you have nowhere to put your scraps. That’s why experienced bokashi users always have two bins. SCD’s set solves this problem from the start.”
The twin-bin setup is the most practically designed system on this list. While Bin 1 is full and fermenting, you’re filling Bin 2. When Bin 2 is full, Bin 1 is ready to empty. You rotate continuously, never getting stuck with a week’s worth of kitchen waste and no bin to put it in.
Each bin holds approximately 5 gallons (roughly 19L) — generous capacity for most households. The bokashi bran included in the set is SCD’s own formulation, which tested well in our trials — consistently effective fermentation with no failed batches across six cycles. The taps function well and the lids seal adequately, though not quite as impressively as the Organko’s click-close mechanism.
For serious, committed bokashi users who want to integrate it as a permanent kitchen system rather than an occasional experiment, this twin set represents better long-term value than buying two Organkos separately.
Specifications
- Quantity 2 bins
- Capacity each ~19L (5 gal)
- Bran included Yes
- Liquid tap Yes (both)
- Press plate Not included
✓ Pros
- Twin bin — no downtime
- Large capacity per bin
- Bran included
- Best long-term value
- Good quality EM bran
✗ Cons
- Lid seal less refined than Organko
- No press plate included
- More storage space required (two bins)
3. Maze Bokashi Bin — Most Eco
“The Maze does everything a bokashi bin should do, without any frills. It’s well-made, it seals well, and the rectangular shape makes it much more kitchen-friendly than round bins. No bran included though — factor that into your budget.”
Australian-designed and made from recycled plastic, the Maze Bokashi Bin is a no-nonsense rectangular unit with a 19L capacity and a solid tap. The rectangular form factor is genuinely more practical than round bins in most kitchens — it fits neatly under counters, into cupboards, and alongside other kitchen appliances without wasting space in the corners.
The lid seals adequately for effective fermentation, though we found it slightly less airtight than the Organko 2 over extended cycles. Bran is not included, so budget an extra £8–15 for a good quality EM bokashi bran when purchasing. We’d recommend SCD Probiotics Bokashi Bran as a pairing (reviewed below).
Specifications
- Capacity 19L
- Shape Rectangular
- Material Recycled plastic
- Bran included No
- Liquid tap Yes
✓ Pros
- Made from recycled plastic
- Rectangle — space efficient
- Large 19L capacity
- Mid-range price
✗ Cons
- Bran not included — extra cost
- Lid seal slightly less airtight
- Press plate not included
4. Full Circle Scrap Happy — Best Budget
“If you’re not sure bokashi is for you and don’t want to spend £40+ finding out, the Scrap Happy is the sensible experiment. It works. It’s not the most elegant thing in the kitchen, but at this price, that’s not the point.”
The Full Circle Scrap Happy is a compact, affordable bokashi bin that does the basics effectively. Smaller capacity than its rivals (~10L), it’s better suited to a single person or very low-waste household. The lid seals reasonably well and the tap functions without problems. No bran is included.
The main limitation is capacity — you’ll be filling it quickly if you’re cooking regularly, and with only one bin you’ll face the downtime issue mentioned above. But as a low-cost entry point to see whether bokashi suits your lifestyle, it’s perfectly adequate. If you like it, upgrade to a twin Organko or SCD setup.
Specifications
- Capacity ~10L
- Bran included No
- Liquid tap Yes
✓ Pros
- Lowest price on this list
- Simple, reliable mechanism
- Good for trialling bokashi
✗ Cons
- Small ~10L capacity
- No bran included
- Build quality basic
Best Bokashi Bran UK 2026
The bran is as important as the bin. Bokashi bran is wheat or rice bran inoculated with Effective Microorganisms — it’s the ingredient that actually makes fermentation work. Low-quality bran means sluggish fermentation, white mould growth (fine) that tips into problematic black mould (not fine), and inconsistent results.
🥇 SCD Probiotics Bokashi Bran
Our top pick for bran. SCD have been working with EM cultures for years and their bran formulation is consistently active — fermentation kicks in quickly and we’ve had zero failed batches using it. Available in 1kg bags from Amazon UK.
🥈 Bokashi Organko Bokashi Bran
Designed to pair with the Organko bin but works in any system. Good microbial activity, consistent results. Slightly more expensive per kilo than SCD but reliable quality.
🥉 Homeacct Bokashi Bran
Solid results at a slightly lower price point. A good option if you’re using high volumes of bran and looking to reduce ongoing costs without sacrificing too much on quality.
❌ Avoid: Unbranded Amazon Bran
Several very cheap unbranded bokashi brans appear on Amazon at very low prices. In our testing, EM activity was inconsistent — two out of three batches showed poor fermentation. The bran is false economy. Stick to named brands.
The Ultimate Combo: Bokashi + Wormery
If you want to squeeze every last drop of value from your kitchen waste, this is the setup: a bokashi bin handles everything — meat, dairy, cooked food — and once fermented, the pre-compost goes straight into your wormery as worm food. The fermentation process breaks the food waste down to a state where worms consume it explosively fast, and the resulting worm castings are even richer than usual.
It’s the most sophisticated and productive urban composting system you can run in a flat, and once established it costs almost nothing to operate. The bokashi bran is the only consumable. Everything else is biology doing its thing.
Running a wormery alongside your bokashi bin? Fermented bokashi pre-compost is worm superfood. Mix it 50:50 with fresh bedding material and add to the top tray. Your worms will process it faster than almost any other food source. See our Best Wormeries UK guide — and buy your worms from Wormi Vermi, our Huddersfield worm farm.
The Verdict
The Bokashi Organko 2 is the best single bin you can buy — the airtight seal, the included bran, and the build quality are all best-in-class. For households that want to run bokashi properly from day one, the SCD Probiotics twin set is the smarter long-term choice — two bins means no downtime, ever.
Whatever bin you buy, pair it with good quality bran. SCD Probiotics’ bran is our recommendation — it’s the difference between consistent, reliable fermentation and frustrating inconsistency. And when your first batch of pre-compost is ready, bury it in a pot or raised bed and watch what happens over the next fortnight. It’ll convert you permanently.