TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: In the organic waste composter, an evaporate discharge outlet with outlet pipe work and a condenser located within the pipe work are provided at the upper end of the vessel. The organic waste composter has a separate waste feeder unit having a waste mincing mechanism. In the organic waste composter, an auger extends between an outlet of the mincing mechanism and the waste inlet of the processing vessel, the auger is gently inclined upwards from the outlet of the mincing mechanism to the waste inlet of the processing vessel. The stirring mechanism involves a powered central shaft extending vertically along the vertically orientated vessel with several vertically spaced agitators. In the organic waste composter, at least one of the agitator is in periodic alignment with the waste inlet of the processing vessel. The free end of at least one agitator sweeps out a circle proximal to the internal wall of the vessel. The angle of the main plane of at least one agitator is inclined to the horizontal to urge the composite waste material generally upwardly in the vessel. In the organic waste composter, a cowl is located above the waste inlet of the processing vessel. The width of the cowl equals or exceeds the diameter of the solid waste inlet opening. The waste mincing mechanism is located at or about the lower end of the feeder unit. The feeder unit comprises a bin with at least the lower portions of at least some of the walls of the bin tapering towards the waste mincing mechanism in the lower end of the feeder unit. The waste mincing mechanism is located in a vertical wall of the feeder unit. The waste mincing mechanism comprises a rotatable slicer disc having a circular base plate having protruding elements situated around perforations in the base plate to form a passage through the base plate. The protruding elements are provided with a sharp leading edge around the perforations pointing into the direction of rotation of the slicer disc. In the organic waste composter, at least one stationary counter-blades are positioned perpendicular to the slicer disc; at least one additional counter blades with a sharp edge facing the slicer disc are positioned on the reverse side of the slicer disc; a screen filter and one end of the auger are located below the mincing mechanism; and a collector box is located below the screen filter and a liquid waste discharge pipe gently inclines downwardly from the collector box to a liquid waste inlet at a base of the vessel. In the organic waste composter, a heating unit is located below a base of the vessel, and a second heating unit is located proximal the top end of the vessel. The heating unit comprises a metal plate having at least one aperture containing at least one heating element. The heating unit is controllable by a control unit. In the organic waste composter, temperature sensor units are provided in the vessel at various locations and the temperature sensors provide data to the control unit. The control unit has unit for adjusting the power output of the heating unit in response to feedback from the temperature sensor units. The unit for injection of preheated air for composting waste is provided by at least one pipe extending from outside the vessel through the vessel wall and being coupled to at least one horizontally positioned rod which are hollow and perforated.