Do you need to do anything at all?

Here's the bit that actually matters: when a Reencle goes a while without food waste, the microbes don't die. They self-inactivate, which just means they go dormant rather than dying outright, per Reencle's vacation mode guidance. If the unit is travelling with you to a new address, that's really all you need to hold onto. No drying the chamber, no removing the microbes. That whole process belongs to a different situation, one we cover separately further down, and it has nothing to do with moving house with a working unit.

The day before moving day, power down

Reencle keeps this part simple. Power off the unit, unplug it, close both lids securely, and leave the microbes exactly where they are inside the machine, following the same Help Centre relocation steps. This shutdown is meant for extended absence or relocation specifically, so it's not something to do on a whim.

Moving the unit itself

Once it's powered down and both lids are shut, it's just another appliance going in the van, and the microbes are travelling inside the sealed chamber rather than in some separate tub you have to remember. Worth knowing what you're actually lifting, though. A Reencle Prime weighs 9 kg and measures 30 cm deep by 33 cm wide by 47 cm high; a Reencle Gravity Pro weighs 11.3 kg and measures 52 cm high by 31 cm wide by 34 cm deep. Neither one needs two people on its own, but decent lifting technique still counts. General manual handling guidance from the HSE applies here, the same as it would for any similarly sized appliance.

Moving day, what actually goes where

Think of the Reencle as an appliance with moving parts, not a bag of kitchen odds and ends. Given the dimensions above, it travels best upright rather than on its side. Always box it too, so the casing doesn't pick up dents or scratches in the van. Skip leaving it in an unheated van overnight in cold weather, same as you would with anything else that doesn't like temperature extremes. Load it somewhere it won't end up crushed under heavier boxes, and get it off the van early enough that it isn't the last thing sitting in a cold hallway.

Settling in, powering the unit back on

Once it's in its new spot, plug it back in and switch it on. Reencle's own guidance says to give the chamber 2 to 3 hours to warm up before you do anything else, then ease food waste back in, starting around 300 g rather than loading it up to full capacity on day one, per the same Help Centre guidance. Build up from there towards the Prime's normal daily capacity of 0.7 kg optimum and 1 kg maximum, or the Gravity Pro's 1 kg recommended and 1.5 kg maximum. If this is your first time running the unit at all rather than just restarting it after a move, our guide on what to expect in your first month with your Reencle covers the same gradual build-up in more detail.

If the unit is going back for repair, not just moving with you

This is a different scenario, and it's worth keeping the two apart. If the unit itself is going back to Reencle for service or repair, rather than travelling with you to a new home, it needs to ship empty. That means a different procedure entirely: drying the microbes using the Dry function over 2 to 3 days (or, on models without a Dry function, keeping the lid closed so the unit's own heat circulation lowers the humidity), then storing them in a sealed bag or container somewhere cool, dark, and dry, away from sunlight and heat. Reactivate them later with 500 ml of water and a wait of around 6 hours before feeding, starting with soft scraps, per Reencle UK's guidance on storing and reusing Reencle microbes. Reencle says dried, stored microbes can last many months, dormant but alive, though it doesn't give an exact maximum storage time, so it's sensible not to leave them longer than you have to.

What about the tenancy?

If the composter has been plugged in and used on a rented worktop, the usual end-of-tenancy cleaning expectations for kitchen appliances, and the surface and socket area around them, apply here too, the same as they would for a kettle or a toaster. This is ordinary tenancy housekeeping, nothing specific to owning a Reencle. If you're weighing up whether an electric composter suits a rented flat in the first place, our guide on Electric Composter for Flats: What You Actually Need to Know Before You Buy covers worktop space and socket placement in more detail.

Lift it like any other appliance

There's no composter-specific lifting guidance published for the Reencle, so general manual handling advice fills the gap. The HSE's guidance on manual handling at work covers assessing the load, keeping it close to the body, and avoiding twisting while carrying, all relevant to shifting a 9 kg to 11.3 kg appliance around during a house move. It's a genuinely independent UK source, separate from Reencle's own instructions, and worth following on moving day alongside the power-down steps above.

Will my Reencle microbes die if I don't use it during a house move?

No. Microbes self-inactivate, meaning they go dormant rather than dying, when they aren't fed food waste. For a normal house move, Reencle's own guidance is to power off the unit, unplug it, and close both lids, leaving the microbes in place inside the machine rather than removing them.

Do I need to buy new ReencleMicrobe after moving house?

No. Reencle's microbes regenerate themselves under normal use and don't need replacing after a standard move. A ReencleMicrobe top-up costs £65.00 if it's ever needed for another reason, but a house move on its own isn't one of them.

Can I move the Reencle unit with the microbes still inside?

Yes, for a normal house move. Reencle's relocation guidance is to power off the unit, unplug it, close both lids, and leave the microbes inside rather than drying and removing them. The dry, remove, and store procedure is a separate process, only needed if the unit is being shipped back to Reencle empty for repair.

How long can dried Reencle microbes stay in storage?

Reencle doesn't publish an exact maximum. Its own guidance says dried, stored microbes can last many months, dormant but alive, but gives no stated cut-off point. This only applies if the unit is being shipped for repair; a normal house move doesn't involve drying or storing the microbes at all.

How much does the Reencle weigh for moving day planning?

The Reencle Prime weighs 9 kg and measures 30 cm deep by 33 cm wide by 47 cm high. The Reencle Gravity Pro weighs 11.3 kg and measures 52 cm high by 31 cm wide by 34 cm deep. Both are manageable for one person to carry, following general manual handling guidance.

The bottom line

A house move doesn't have to disrupt your Reencle. Power it down, move it, power it back on, and you're back to composting within a few hours.

And the scraps? Even the tidiest move leaves its own trail of kitchen waste. There's the veg peelings and coffee grounds from the first proper meal in the new place, plus whatever was left in the fridge clear-out before you left the old one. Rather than binning it while you're still surrounded by boxes, it can go straight into the Reencle once the 2 to 3 hour warm-up has passed, starting with a small amount around 300 g. One less thing to think about while everything else in the new kitchen is still finding its place.