Top 4 Compost Tumblers For Home & Garden Waste

Proudly marketed as “the most beautiful composter in the world,” this tumbler is arguably more aesthetically pleasing than your average compost maker. But don’t be fooled by its attractive exterior; this tumbler is more than just a pretty face! This compact compost tumbler has been designed to fit right in among your garden without looking unsightly like many of its competitors.

In spite of its small stature, it does hold an impressive 35 gallons of compost. This would easily accommodate most weekend gardeners’ needs, but anyone who gardens full time or professionally would likely require something larger. The standout feature of this product is its dual compost making ability. It simultaneously makes compost, as well as compost tea. Compost tea is the liquid that drips from the bottom of many compost tumblers, as a byproduct of the compost production process. This is problematic for two reasons; first, it can be very messy when dripping down onto your floor, and secondly, it’s a shame to waste the compost tea as it is an incredibly nutrient dense liquid fertilizer.

The Envirocycle compost tumbler collects the compost tea in a separate compartment from the compost, so you can fertilize plants with it. The fact that no messy liquid is dripping from the tumbler also makes this an ideal product to compost with on a balcony or in a small garden terrace, making composting more easily accessible to everyone irrelevant of their outside space.

Users of this product report an overwhelmingly positive experience, with a particular focus on the excellent customer service delivered by this company. Users are impressed with the solid build quality and expect it will stand the test of time. It is easy to use straight out of the box with no assembly required, and even newcomers to composting find this unit simple and effective to use.

This dual compost tumbler from Good Ideas features two separate compartments for composting. This means that you can have two batches of compost running simultaneously; while one section is full of waste and being transformed into compost, the other section is still available to have food scraps and other waste added to it. If you find it an inconvenience to only have one compost batch going at a time, this could be a feature that benefits you.

The unit also features a reservoir to collect liquid compost tea. Each compartment of this produce holds over 40 gallons of compost, making this a high volume compost tumbler. It is made in the USA from food-grade BPA-free plastic.

Most users of this tumbler say it is easy to rotate and operate and comes with helpful instructions for those who are new to composting. One feature appreciated by many users was the tumblers ability to be rolled across the garden to be emptied once the compost was ready to use, preventing a messy compost removal. Some users did note that the compost tea reservoir was not easily accessible, and the whole unit had to be elevated on concrete blocks in order to be able to access the compost tea.

The FCMP tumbling composter has a 37-gallon capacity, which is split into two separate containers for dual composting. This means one section will still be available for adding waste to, while the compost in the other section continues to “cook.” The benefit of this is always having somewhere to put your organic waste and also having a continuous supply of fresh compost. The tumbler features deep fins to help separate any clumps, and aeration holes to help air flow. It is constructed from recycled polypropylene, which is BPA-free and UV-treated, so it won’t deteriorate in sunlight. The legs are made from galvanized steel to offer a sturdy base and prevent rusting.

Users of this tumbler experienced difficulties assembling it. It is advisable to have two people assembling the product, and you’ll need to set a few hours aside and have plenty of patience. Once the tumbler was assembled, users mostly found it to be a great product. Its compact size is perfect for small families or people living in apartments. The fins on all sides of the tumbler make for great ergonomic handles, making the tumbler easy to turn over.

One of the problems that users ran into was the small size of the opening hole, making it difficult to load waste into, and difficult to get compost out. Another issue was the sliding door over the opening, which for some people got frozen shut during winter, rendering the tumbler useless for a whole season. Some users liked the fact that this tumbler isn’t airtight and allows for greater aeration and for some liquid to leak out, while others found this a problem because rainwater got into the tumbler, making the compost a soggy mess.

This 60-gallon composting tumbler features 20 ventilation holes for increased airflow, which is necessary for faster decomposition. The barrel has wide openings at both ends to make loading and emptying an easy process. The interior of the tumbler is ribbed, which adds to the products sturdy construction and also helps with breaking up the contents of the tumbler when it is being turned. Powder coated steel legs offer a stable base and are resistant to corrosion. A two-year manufacturer guarantee backs up this tumbler.

User feedback for this tumbler is quite varied. Some users are fans of its hefty size, and in particular like the large opening holes that make using the unit so much easier than those with small openings. However, some users were disappointed by the construction of this product, in particular, the skinny legs that aren’t adequate to hold the weight of the barrel when it is full of wet waste. Some users experienced cracks in the plastic after a few uses, while others found the lids wouldn’t stay on, leading to decomposing food scraps being spilled out onto their garden. One thing that most users did agree on was how difficult this unit is to assemble. It takes plenty of patience and time, though for many users this was not a deal-breaker.