5 Best Garden Composters That Will Make Your Life Easier
When it comes to keeping a garden, composting is one of the most important tasks that you can undertake. Not only does composting help improve the quality of your soil, but it also helps reduce the amount of waste your household produces. If you’re looking for the best garden composter on the market, look no further! In this blog post, we will discuss 10 of the best composter’s currently available and what makes them so great. We’ll also provide some tips on how to choose the right composter for your needs.
1. Best Overall: FCMP Outdoor IM4000 Tumbler Composter
This 37-gallon tumbling composter is perfect for those just learning about composting and who may not have the yard space or time to maintain a traditional pile. With only minimal care, you can produce potent fertilizer for your garden in no time. Just remember to turn it five or six times every few days and you’re set!
This composter is unique in that it only takes two weeks to start harvesting compost, as opposed to the six to eight-week window of most other models. In addition, this model has two compartments so you can have a continuous supply of fertilizer.
Another great feature is the solid construction. It’s made of heavy-duty BPA-free plastic and a steel frame that won’t corrode.
Features
- Dimensions: 28 x 30 x 36 inches
- Capacity: 37 gallons
- Material: Plastic/galvanized steel
- Chambers: 2
What We Like
- Large size
- Easy to use
- Two chambers
What We Don’t Like
- Assembly can be daunting
2. Miracle-Gro Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler
This tumbler-style composter from Miracle-Gro is a dual-chamber model that is designed for smaller-scale composting operations, making it perfect for households of around two or three people. The two chambers allow you to makeup two batches of compost at the same time – fill up the first chamber and leave it to start composting while working on filling up the second chamber. This will give you a constant supply of fertilizer for your flowers and vegetables.
Not only is this an efficient way of making compost, but it also cut the time down to four to six weeks in comparison to traditional methods. Moreover, the materials are high quality and delicately put together–you can tell that it was meant to last for a while. There aren’t many parts that look like they would give out unless the composter experiences extreme circumstances; meaning, you could probably use this unit for multiple years.
This product dissuades pests with secure fixings, and it comes with an online instruction manual for easy assembly that even those less confident with do-it-yourself jobs can follow. Nevertheless, some people might find assembling a little difficult. If you’re one of them, consider asking for help from somebody else.
Features
- Dimensions: 23.5 x 25 x 29.5 inches
- Capacity: 18.5 gallons
- Material: Alloy steel
- Chambers: 2
What We Like
- Ample capacity
- Aeration system ensures oxygen
- Separates new additions
What We Don’t Like
- Assembly can be confusing
3. Worm Factory 360 Composting Worm Bin
The Worm Factory is a vermicomposting system that employs live worms to help with processing food waste, and gardeners adore it. According to the manufacturer, half a pound of worms can process up to a quarter pound of compost per day. It comes with four trays but can be expanded by purchasing more trays – up to six high; which reportedly makes this one of the largest vermicomposters on the market. Additionally, each tray allows worms easy access to travel to new levels as new compost material is added.
There’s also a collector tray on the bottom with a spigot for draining out the “worm tea,” which you can use as liquid fertilizer. However, we recommend using this composter outdoors only, even though the manufacturer says it is suitable for kitchen use because of an odor-inhibiting system. The startup ingredients can leave trace elements around the kitchen, so it’s best to play it safe and keep this one outside.
Features
- Dimensions: 17.95 x 17.95 x 14.95 inches
- Capacity: Not listed
- Material: Recycled plastic
- Chambers: 4
What We Like
- Vermicomposting system
- Expandable design
- “Worm tea” collector
- 5-year limited warranty
What We Don’t Like
- Somewhat small capacity
4. Geobin Compost Bin
The GEOBIN Compost Bin is perfect for those who need a lot of capacity since it can hold up to 216 gallons! Additionally, this composter is quick and easy to set up. Not only that, but you can also adjust the size as your compost grows. made with thick plastic, it’s durable against any type of weather condition. You also have the option to reinforce it with zip ties or by tying garden stakes. The ventilation holes are placed strategically to help improve airflow and speed up decomposition
Setting up is a breeze with two people, one to hold and the other to clip the pieces together. When your compost is ready, easily harvest it with the quick closure keys.
Features
- Dimensions: 48 x 48 x 36 inches
- Capacity: 216 gallons
- Material: Plastic
- Chambers: 1
What We Like
- Easy to set up
- Durable
- Can buy more to make bigger
What We Don’t Like
- Takes up a lot of space
5. SCD Probiotics All Seasons Indoor Composter
Bokashi composting is one of the newest advances in the field, and it’s perfect for those just starting. Bokashi—Japanese for “fermented organic matter”—composting simply refers to adding an inoculant to food scraps to speed up decomposition. With this method, you empty your table scraps into a 5-gallon bin, sprinkle some of the included Bokashi starter material on top, and close the lid tight.
This Bokashi composting system from SCD includes a 5-gallon bin, which is smaller than average outdoor composters. However, it still contains all of the necessary elements for Bokashi composting: a tight lid and spigot to drain off the “Bokashi tea”–a liquid that forms during the composting process and can be used as fertilizer for houseplants.
We recommend using this product outdoors, even though the manufacturer says it’s for indoor use. The anaerobic Bokashi process (not using oxygen) can cause more odor. Also, we’ve noted that some foods take a lot of starter material to break down completely, such as meat and fish.
Features
- Dimensions: 12 x 12 x 18 inches
- Capacity: 5 gallons
- Material: Recycled plastic
- Chambers: 1
What We Like
- Easy to start composting
- Built-in spigot
- Produces “compost tea” for plants
- Results within 2 weeks
What We Don’t Like
- The resulting material must be re-composted
Which Type Of Composter Is Right For You?
The most crucial decision you’ll make when opting for a composting system is selecting which kind best suits your needs – and there are three primary types.
A). Stationary Composters
Stationary composters are the most classic type of composter. As the name implies, you set them up in your backyard (they’re almost always used outdoors) and then don’t move them again.
With this type, you add food scraps at the top, turn the pile occasionally, and harvest finished compost from the bottom when it’s ready.
The advantages to stationary composters are that they hold more material, are easy to use, and provide a steady supply of compost as needed. However, they usually take longer than tumbling composters to produce the finished product.
B). Tumbling Composter
Tumbling composters make the process of turning your compost much simpler– all you do is turn a handle to rotate the drum. This method is significantly faster than other types of composting, and under ideal conditions, you can have usable compost in only weeks. The main downside to tumblers is their size; they are smaller than stationary bins, so you have to wait until the entire batch is done before using any of them.
C). Worm Composter
The third type is composters which have live worms. They work quickly and efficiently, but there are some items- such as citrus fruits, garlic, or meat products -that shouldn’t be put in them. Most worm composters can be used indoors too.
