A food recycler can include a housing having a housing volume, a motor in electrical communication with a controller, a grinding mechanism in mechanical communication with the motor, a bucket having a bucket volume, the bucket being configured with the grinding mechanism contained therein, and a removable filter having a side wall, a top surface, a bottom surface and a filter material, wherein the side wall, the top surface, the bottom surface and the filter material are all made from a compostable or biodegradable material. A ratio of the bucket volume to the housing volume can be between 0.0717 and 0.2857, inclusive. The motor can be configured within the housing adjacent, at least in part, to the bucket.