Image via WikipediaCompost Bin Review
Evaluating reviews of compost bins
A compost bin, or composter, is any sort of container used to store organic waste while it breaks down into compost for the garden. Although composting can be done in a simple open pile, a compost bin helps keep organic kitchen and garden scraps neatly contained and away from pests. Some composters are no more than basic boxes, while others include special features that have the ability to more rapidly break down organic matter.
Related SearchesConsumerReports.org, normally the most authoritative source of information on any kind of product, has not reviewed compost bins since July 2004. This report is no longer available online, but the ratings of the four composters tested can be found on the magazine's Greener Choices blog. However, at least one of the models listed is no longer available. Nonetheless, the ratings of the other three models are useful, as are the general guidelines this article offers on how to choose a compost bin.
We found only one other side-by-side comparison of different compost bins: the Gaiam Compost-Off. Employees from Gaiam, a retailer of natural products for the home, asked their followers on Facebook and Twitter to nominate their picks for the best compost bins available. Then, over the course of six weeks, Gaiam employees tested the top composters under field conditions to see which performed better. However, this source compares only two models.
The bulk of our information on composters, therefore, comes from user reviews. In addition to Amazon.com and Epinions.com, we checked reviews of composters from several retailers that deal in garden products, including Gaiam, Gardener's Supply Company and CleanAirGardening.com. We also found a few single-product evaluations for specific models, along with a variety of buyer's guides that evaluate compost bins by design, if not by brand and model. The most helpful of these is a field test conducted by the staff of Mother Earth News magazine that compares seven compost tumblers against open compost piles. Although this article is several years old and does not provide any ranking of the compost bins tested, it offers useful descriptions of different types of compost tumblers and a few advantages and disadvantages of specific brands. In addition, The Wall Street Journal offers a short article testing four kitchen countertop models: two actual composters and two pails for collecting food scraps.
For some compost bins, we found disagreements among reviewers. For instance, one major testing organization criticizes the Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler
(*Est. $180) for inconvenience and poor composting. Yet testers from the National Home Gardening Club give the Tumbleweed compost bin high marks, including a perfect score for performance. Conversely, the Garden Gourmet (*Est. $75), which the same testing organization, gave good-to-excellent marks, receives only average reviews from users.
(*Est. $180) for inconvenience and poor composting. Yet testers from the National Home Gardening Club give the Tumbleweed compost bin high marks, including a perfect score for performance. Conversely, the Garden Gourmet (*Est. $75), which the same testing organization, gave good-to-excellent marks, receives only average reviews from users.It's also important to note that one product that earned several favorable reviews, the Smith & Hawken Biostack, is no longer available. Smith & Hawken, a subsidiary of Scotts Co., went out of business in 2009. The Smith & Hawken brand was acquired by Target, but so far, the new parent company has not made the Biostack available for sale.
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