If you're new to composting you'll want the very best compost bins on the market.
You don't want your initial experience to be marred by cheap equipment and poor engineering.
A compost bin gives you a place to mix your compost to the perfect blend of carbon and nitrogen.
Without a compost bin you'll always struggle to achieve the perfect compost.
There are four main types of composters (compost bins) to choose from!
- Continuous Composters
This type of composter (as the name suggests) is one where you pop waste in as it arises, and it keeps composting all the time. These are best for lazy gardeners who don’t want to get too involved in the process but want to do their bit for recycling. This is ideal for food scraps, kitchen scraps, yard waste, etc.
- Batch Composters
You have to put in a little work with these composters, they’re designed to be rotated on a regular basis by the gardener to keep the compost aerated. Once you start the process, you don’t add any more material. It takes 4-8 weeks to deliver a finished batch. You get a nice rich compost from this design. - Indoor Composters
If you want to keep your compost indoors due to space issues or if you want to fill it with worms to speed things up – then this is the way to go. They’re sealed to ensure they don’t smell bad too. - No effort Composters
Basically, a box you throw the raw materials in and then hand over to a company to do the composting for you.
Once you know what you’re looking for then it becomes much easier to choose a composter that suits your garden and your needs. With the help of our friendly local vermaculturists we've narrowed down the choices for you. Happy composting!
The VermiHut 5-Tray Worm Compost Bin
We appreciate that some of you will flinch when you hear the word “worms” and we totally understand but worms and the worm factory inside speed up the composting process and thus, the best composters and compost bins are the worm-based ones.
The The VermiHut 5-Tray Worm Compost Bin is our top choice because it balances quality with value and we really like the odorless design which is essential because it’s designed for indoor use.
You can use it for food waste, organic waste of most kinds (it's best not to compost meat, mind you), grass clippings, kitchen waste, coffee grounds, etc.
The large capacity creates ready to use compost from worm composting at a rapid rate. It really is our best compost bin for those looking to use their compost pile on their garden.
It’s also designed to try and prevent the compost bin from becoming a grow bin for fruit flies and that’s really important to us too.
You can check out the VermiHut 5-Tray Worm Compost Bin online.
Worm Farm Compost Bin from Hungry Bin
This is also a worm composting option and if money’s no object then the Worm Farm Compost Bin from Hungry Bin is the compost for you.
It can consume an incredibe 2 Kg (4.4 lbs) of waste a day! It's a fantastic place to chuck food scraps and food waste to make usable compost, fast.
There are no smells whatsoever and there’s no tap to get clogged up on it, either. The finished compost can easily be dropped into compost bags or placed directly on the garden.
At this price you expect quality and everything is really well made and backed with a lifetime warranty which we really liked, it's a big win compared to most compost bins.
We don’t think you can go wrong with this compost bin which is going to suit all but the very largest of families.
You can check out the Worm Farm Compost Bin from Hungry Bin online.
The Exaco Trading Co. ECO-2000 Plus Kitchen Compost Waste Collector
Our cheapest option is also our laziest option.
The Exaco Trading Co. ECO-2000 Plus Kitchen Compost Bin Waste Collector is basically a small starter kit to collect waste suitable for composting.
This can be used like most countertop compost bins or if you want to you can store it outdoors in a garage or the like. It's the best indoor compost bin for those with limited space.
If you don’t want to compost it yourself – you just take it to a drop off centre to be processed.
Because of the lack of fly controls built into this – we’d recommend you freeze everything before you put it into the composter as it should kill of any fly eggs in the waste.
We also found you could make great compost tea in this bin. (Compost tea is a nutrient rich liquid that plants love).
You can check out the Exaco Trading Co. ECO-2000 Plus Kitchen Compost Waste Collector online.
Large Compost Tumbler Bin
If you’d rather the compost stayed outside and that you did the work rather than invite worms into your life – then skip the indoor compost bins because this large tumbling composter is the ideal choice.
It’s very sturdily made, and we found that it’s very simple to rotate even when full (our tester is not a professional weightlifter but rather an average sized woman).
You can check out the Large Compost Bin online.
Garden Composter Bin Made from Recycled Plastic
This is a bit of a beast and can contain a very large amount of compost but it is a “fill once and forget” process, that means there's a long wait between the moment you put the compost materials inside and the time you create compost.
This means that you may need 2 or 3 of them if you want to keep your garden with a steady supply of compost year round.
This, in turn, means it might be more expensive than the price tag first suggests.
You can check out the Garden Composter Bin Made from Recycled Plastic online.
Redmon Green Culture 65-Gallon Compost Bin
This is a low price and decent quality outdoor compost bin.
It’s not the biggest bin around which means it’s going to be better for couples or singles than for whole families but it is well-made and ought to stand up to the rigors of the weather while producing great compost.
You can check out the Redmon Green Culture 65-Gallon Compost Bin online.
Envirocycle The Most Beautiful Composter in The World
They say it’s beautiful and it is.
However, the trade off is that it’s also one of the most expensive composters that we’ve ever seen too.
If you’re prepared to pay a premium for style – it’s going to make everyone in your neighborhood very jealous of your composting habit.
You can check out the Envirocycle The Most Beautiful Composter in The World online.
Final Thoughts
Composting is the best eco-habit you can get into.
It hugely cuts down the waste you send to landfill and ensures that your garden is kept in tip-top condition. A win-win.
Fortunately, it’s also very easy to get into composting and all you really need to invest in is a composting bin. If you're not sure you know how to do thisyou can refer to our free guide to composting at home!
For more tips and tricks related to living your best sustainable life don't miss our guide to natural living and our guide to sustainable living.
