Worm bins may be tiered to ensure you always have somewhere to add material, or they may be continuous flow like the composters described above. A tiered worm composting bin like this dual-tray worm composting system directs worms to move between layers as compost matures, making harvesting easy. The Worm Factory left is another example of a tiered worm composter.
The Hungry Bin right uses the continuous flow model. Related: Worm Composting Basics for Beginners. Like the composters above, in-ground worm composters make use of worms to speed up composting. They also produce powerful garden fertilizer through worm tea and castings.
The beauty of in-ground worm composters is that they are directly exposed to the soil, so your worms—and the nutrients—can travel in and out with ease.
Gardening in and around a worm composter of this type gives plant roots exactly what they need with minimal work on your part. One of the most well-known digesters, the Green Cone , has double walls that heat up, which helps the oxygen cycle to the lower chamber.
Food waste digesters are connected to the ground below via the openings in the basket. Microorganisms pass through these openings and take care of 90 percent of your food waste. The remainder soaks into the ground below as liquid. These amazing inventions can process bones, leftovers, and even some pet waste. The Green Cone reduces your food waste to virtually zero using the power of microorganisms. Instead they chop and dehydrate whatever you put inside, transforming kitchen scraps into usable fertilizer.
They work very well in climates where winter composting halts due to cold temperatures: you can save up the processed waste and add it to your garden come springtime.
Save the odorless waste and pass on to friends or local farmers. The Food Cycler is made by the same company as the Vitamix blenders. The Food Cycler chops and dehydrates your food waste in 3 to 6 hours, transforming it into nutrient-rich fertilizer. Related: Complete Guide to Composting. What you compost will largely determine the size and type of your composter. For example, will you be composting mostly food waste from your kitchen? Or do you have a big yard full of grass clippings, shrub trimmings, and a pile of garden waste that you need to manage?
What will you do with your compost? Some people compost to reduce the amount of food waste they put in the trash. Others make compost for lawns or gardens, because compost is the single-best fertilizer you can add to your soil. Where do you plan to compost?
If you have limited to zero outdoor space you can still compost, but the type of composter you choose will be very different than a composter meant for outdoors. Some composters are ideal for apartment-dwellers or homes with a balcony or garage. Others require a larger outdoor space and access to the ground below.
Here are those three questions again, followed by the most common answers—and our recommendations. Kitchen waste is the easiest to compost. For composters designed to handle kitchen waste alone, look to a smaller model with good aeration.
This includes some enclosed bins , most tumblers , worm composters , food waste digesters , and countertop processors. The benefit of adding yard waste to your compost is upping the carbon content, which can help drive the composting process. Look at tumblers and continuous use bins bigger than 10 cubic feet.
I just want to deal with my food waste. Thanks for working to reduce your footprint. It will get rid of your food waste—including bones, pits, peelings, and everything in between—without leaving compost behind. These are particularly good in urban areas where they have withstood all manner of vermin. The SCD is an anaerobic composter, meaning it uses microorganisms that do not require oxygen to break down food scraps.
The 5-gallon airtight bucket has a handy spigot for releasing compost tea—a potent liquid fertilizer—as food scraps ferment. The compost tea is strong, so be sure to dilute it with water before fertilizing houseplants or outdoor containers. There were many things to love about this compost bin while testing.
The large size cut down on the emptying of the bin, and yet it could fit under the sink or near a trash bin. It also composted the material directly in the bin. Although the lid was cumbersome to remove and secure each time we deposited food scraps, the size of the bin made up for the inconvenience. The spigot for compost tea was also extremely handy and made it easy and efficient to water and feed indoor or outdoor plants. Worm compost bins are perfect for city gardeners whose space is limited.
A sunny windowsill or kitchen corner is the perfect spot for the Worm Factory The basic model features four stacking trays, but you can add more to handle additional compost materials if needed. It does, however, come with a few handy accessories, including mineral rock dust for nutrients, a thermometer, a hand rake, a scraper, worm ladders which help them move up through the compost , and worm bedding. This compost bin was extremely easy to assemble and left no questions about where to put parts.
The stacking trays allowed for different stages of compost to develop at the same time and made it easy to empty the compost into the garden. The handy spigot for compost tea was an extra bonus. The size falls between a large and small composter, making it ideal for those with smaller backyards who are still serious about composting. The Bamboozle Food Composter comes with extra charcoal filters to replace the existing one in the lid for odor control.
It can sit on the counter or under the sink and holds approximately 1 gallon of scraps. The square shape is unique compared to many other countertop compost bins, and its neutral colors charcoal or natural blend in well with a variety of decor to be discreet on a countertop.
While testing this product, we noticed the lid had a bit of weight to it that became cumbersome to keep lifting whenever we added waste to the bin. We tested the bin with and without a liner. While the liner made it easier to clean and use, the bin could just as easily be used without a liner. This bin is breakable, which makes using it with a liner preferable to minimize the need to move the bucket so often when emptying compost: Just pull out the liner bag.
For its design, ease of use, and price, the Utopia Kitchen Compost Bin is a versatile compost bin for both beginners and advanced composters to collect kitchen scraps before adding to an outdoor compost bin.
When looking for something larger than can accommodate both discarded food and dry leaves or grass clippings, the FCMP Outdoor IM Tumbling Composter was a close runner-up.
Each product was tested based on how easy it was to assemble, use, and clean. Using a rubric, we tested specifically for durability, how easy it was to empty and fill each compost bin, and how well any mechanisms worked, such as vents, filters, and spigots for compost tea.
We also tested for odor control as well as the value of each bin for the price. In the end, each bin was compared against the others based on its ease of use—this included assembly as well as daily use of the product.
We also evaluated the durability and eco-friendliness of the materials and the capacity of the compost bins and compared features, usability, and price to determine the best products. Simply add your lawn clippings, food scraps, old newspapers, and plain cardboard at the top and let it do the rest. You should start seeing rich usable compost in as little as a few months. The Aerobin also features a liquid reservoir at its base and a spigot so you can collect and use the concentrated leachate or compost tea as additional fertilizer — just remember to dilute it first.
Additional reporting by Karen Iorio Adelson. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Account Profile. Sign Out. Photo: retailer. Buy at Amazon. Compost Now. Good Ideas Compost Wizard Jr.
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