Sale Price:
$449.98
Compost Tumbler, 4 Rollers, Shaft Handle
The Sun-Mar 400 Autoflow 102 Gallon Compost Tumbler is a continuous composter with an 11 bushel (100 gallon) capacity. It's almost twice the size of the Sun-Mar 200, and is ideal for kitchen scraps and garden cuttings from medium-sized gardens.
The AutoFlow system allows material to continuously "flow" or move through a special double-drum setup. Heavier material settles to the bottom. Lighter, decomposed material finds its way to the top and eventually enters the inner drum.
Using the flow system, finished composed is "forced" out when you open the port and rotate. Dispensing compost is simple! Sun-Mar has revolutionized garden composters.
Filling the Composter - Just slide the feed-port open, add waste, shut the port, and rotate the drum. The input height is 33" on the 400 so it is easy to add new material.
Rotating the Drum - Whether it is the 200 or 400, the drum rotates easily on its bearings. On the 400, use the geared-down shaft handle to turn the drum.
Removing Compost - When the compost drum is more than half full, unscrew and remove the output port, rotate the drum, and compost will drop into a bushel basket or other container. To remove compost when the drum is less than half full (before it has traveled back along the inner drum), open the feed port and rotate the drum.
Assembly - Install the shaft assembly then just snap the cradle onto the drum bearings and you're ready to go. The optional rollers can be snapped into the cradle base making the composter easy to move on a hard surface.
Dimensions
42L x 28W x 36H inches
Material
UV-Stabilized Polyethylene
Warranty
1-Year Parts Replacement
Cubic Feet
13.6
Brand
Sun-Mar
Weight (lbs.)
60
Gallon Capacity
102
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 7 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
50%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
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Reviewed by 7 customers
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Best Uses
Comments about Sun-Mar 400 Autoflow 102 Gallon Compost Tumbler:
We put kitchen wastes and some yard wastes in it. It does not feed the composted material into the exit tube very well so the hopper gets overloaded and falls out of its supports. If you want a composter, keep looking.
Pros
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Best Uses
Comments about Sun-Mar 400 Autoflow 102 Gallon Compost Tumbler:
I gave the composter over one year to work, and it has never performed well. Once full it is very difficult to spin. The flimsy handle broke within one year, and now the tumbler has completely separated from the base. So we will scrap it and try another composter. While one of the more expensive composters it has been a real disappointment.
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Best Uses
Comments about Sun-Mar 400 Autoflow 102 Gallon Compost Tumbler:
A great product for handling kitchen waste because of the continuous flow design. A very solid product that is easy to turn thanks to the crank mechanism. To insure success with this unit I suggest you chop up the materials you add, keep the compost moist and well mixed.
Pros
Cons
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Comments about Sun-Mar 400 Autoflow 102 Gallon Compost Tumbler:
Attractive, easy to assemble, easy to make good compost. Rodent resistence is a big plus for denser neighborhood settings.
The only real problem is the hand crank. It feels insufficiently strong to turn the full tumbler without breaking. In fact, a neighbor's broke almost immediately, so I turn my drum by simulaneously reaching around and pulling on the barrel and turning the crank. In a drier climate -- and if I weren't composting a lot of wet kitchen waste for a family of 4 -- this probably wouldn't be an issue.
Overall, I'm very happy with this composter.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Sun-Mar 400 Autoflow 102 Gallon Compost Tumbler:
After 3 months of using the Sun-Mar 400 garden composter I find I am not entirely happy with the product. The cover for the outflow port is hard to close all the way, or open once closed. The material placed in the bin tends to ball up, and the material that collects in the center core for finishing dries out quickly resulting in hard medium sized balls of organic matter. Spraying water into the center core chamber is frustrating, as it all just pours out again. The handle on the crank also sheared off after 3 months of use, which is not at all a durable feature.
It is easy to load material into the composter, easy to turn with the functioning crank, and easy to add water to the outer part of the bin as needed.
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Q1: Does autoflow mean we'd have a continuous supply of compost? How long does it take to get our first full inner drum?
A: The autoflow system allows material to continuously "flow" or move through a special double-drum setup. Heavier material settles to the bottom. Lighter, decomposed material finds its way to the top and eventually enters the inner drum. The first production will take approximately 2 - 3 months depending on the amount of worm food you put into it.
Q2: How big is the opening on the top?
A: The opening is 10 1/2W x 12L inches.
Don't see the answer you need? Ask a Product Expert! The answer will be emailed to you and then posted here.
Hayneedle.com response:Thank you for your review! Please note that in order for this compost tumbler to rotate properly we recommend that it be filled no more than 50% to 75% full of compostable material. If you have any questions about the compost tumbler please contact our Customer Care Center where a representative will be happy to help you.