Compost Bin Buying Guide

Compost Bins: a Heap of Help

Nature knows how to make compost. Dump your scraps in a pile and they'll decompose. But it's unsightly and slow. A dedicated compost bin speeds the process by allowing the right amount of air and water into the pile, and by keeping it contained and warm so nature can get to work. Everyone agrees, compost bins look better.

Larger compost bins and tumblers are ideal for people with plenty of room in their yard, and lots of kitchen and yard waste. Bins hold a lot and they produce a lot, requiring only a fresh turning of the pile now and then to distribute the dirt.

Worm Composters: Wiggle Room

Don't get squeamish: you're not inviting worms to dinner. Worms are already in your yard. You're just putting them to work for you. They cheerfully produce the richest compost available, and worm bins like Cascade's Worm Factory and Tumbleweed's Worm Farm take up less space than regular compost bins, so they're ideal for apartment dwellers and those with smaller yards. You can even use them indoors.

Just remember that you're lording over little, wiggly life, so use worm composters in weather that's livable: not freezing, not searing hot. In cold climates, bring them in during winter months. You don't have to worry about worms getting out and scurrying around. They're in worm heaven. They think you're crazy for not climbing in the bin too.

Compost Tumblers: You're on a Roll Now

When you roll raffle tickets around in a barrel, then pick out the winner? Compost tumblers from companies like Envirocycle and Good Ideas are like that: a barrel on its side that's easy to tumble on its axis. The most common cause of compost failure is not turning the dirt. Tumblers make this small chore as easy as falling off a barrel. They mix in the right amount of air for bacteria to work, and most have wheels on their frame so you can take the glorious black results right to your garden area.

Because they help you turn the dirt, you get faster results. Compost tumblers are generally smaller than regular bins because they have to hang in a frame. That's perfect if your needs are small or you don't have room for a full bin.

Rolling Compost Bins: a Turn for the Better

A great compromise between bins and tumblers: spherical compost bins that roll. They sit on the ground, so they can be bigger than tumblers. They roll, so you can distribute your dirt without getting too intimate with it. Skip the wheelbarrow: when you're ready to use your compost, just roll your sphere over to the garden.

Rolling compost bins require enough yard space to roll around in. Use up compost regularly, so the sphere doesn't get too heavy.

Kitchen Composting: the Scrap Heap

Most people who compost keep a little bin in their kitchen. They throw in bio-scraps while they cook, then occasionally dump the bucket outside in the yard bin. But why go outside? Or what if you don't have an "outside?" Kitchen composters like the NatureMill and SCD Happy Farmer do all the work right under your sink, turning your coffee, tea bags, egg shells and vegetable scraps into rich black compost, perfect food for your plants. To speed the process and minimize any odor, most use add-in ingredients, filters and even little heaters to keep your newly invited organisms at a happy temperature.

Kitchen composters are super convenient, and usually super small. Perfect for apartment dwellers, they aren't enough for someone who's hoping to fertilize a big fat vegetable garden.