The compost pail works as a convenient container to temporarily store your food scraps and other small organic matter so you will only have to deposit the scraps into your composter once a week or when the compost bucket is full. You can buy them in ceramic, bamboo, stainless, or plastic. Oh, and don’t worry about any smell -- any quality compost bucket has a replaceable carbon filter installed in the lid - just remember to empty it into your composter at least once a week. If you choose not to use biodegradable bags in your compost bucket, you will need to rinse it out once a week.