Are compost tumblers any good & worth the money?

[Andrea G]

I have 2 compost bins at the moment which I bought about 4 years ago - they are of the wooden board kind. However these are now coming to the end of their useful life - they are starting to rot themselves and are difficult to take the fronts off to mix the compost. We also have a small rat problem in the bins.
I have been looking at maybe buying a compost tumbling bin but I wonder if they are really worth the investment?
Does anybody have experience of this type of composter?

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'd say not worth the money, Andrea - in my view, they take up loads of room, aren't big enough and when they are full they are a beggar to 'tumble' - esp. if the contents are wet.

You can easily get hold of pallets (for free!) and replace your rotting boards on your existing bins.

Turning the bins regularly will help the contents rot down evenly, and discourage the rats (although compost bin turning is one of my least favourite jobs!)

[Andrea G]

Thanks for that Hazel. I had hoped that a tumbler might put less strain on my back which seems to complain a lot more than it used to but I hadn't considered the weight of a full tumble!! I just need to put 'heap turning' onto the list of things to do regularly then (& perhaps enlist the help of 'im indoors ). I also read in another post about burning something on top of the compost heap as rats are scared of fire so might try that as well.

[CaroltheCarrot]

I bought a tumbler as I thought it might be easier,its not! I can only fill it a third of the way or I cant tumble it as its gets so heavy.
Its now an ornament at the top of the garden

[patriciathorney]

Metal compost tumblers have always been available to market. You can try those, since they are expected to last long than those of the wooden.

[perkin]

I was just the other day looking at the big ComposTumbler ones - 635L capacity. I've also got a homemade pallet-sided compost heap which has hosted rats however frequently we seem to turn the pile. I was hoping that this would solve the rat problem as well as make the bottom end of the garden a bit tidier than an open heap. Has anyone used these tumblers specifically?

[taff]

i just got one from freecycle, and am seeing how it goes. It's half full, easy enough for me to turn but then i am a strapping so and so.
I still have pallet compost bins but I'm hoping to make it quicker in the tumbler so I can use it throughout the summer a few times rather than twice out of the pallets.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I just acquired a used one free. It's half full of weeds already. If it's no good, it will get freecycled short shrift.

[rustylady]

I certainly wouldn't pay the price for a new one. My Daleks and wooden (home-made) bins work fine. And no rat problems. I can't understand why you get rats if you only compost green/brown stuff.

[Glutton4...]

I was just the other day looking at the big ComposTumbler ones - 635L capacity...Has anyone used these tumblers specifically?

Yes. I posted about this recently. My Dad has had one for about 10 years. It's a little high, if you're short like me, and it can be a bit of a struggle to turn if it has been stuck in one position for a while. However, it makes very good compost, very quickly, and for a small garden would be ideal, in my opinion. Assuming you can afford the darn thing in the first place! A few turns a day, is far less hassle than turning over a pile or bin - I know, that's what I have, and I usually delegate!

I would advise putting a waterproof cover over it, as the metal parts will rust. My Dad's has been under cover, and is only now showing signs of rust.

[jacob marley]

I made one a few years ago and one thing i did was drill some holes in the bottom to let the juice run out it is good plant food when mixed at about 10 to 1 with water 2 ways to use the tumbler just the job..jacob

[Two_Sheds]

I had hoped that a tumbler might put less strain on my back

I've got a bad neck and no use of my left shoulder, so I can't lift anything heavy or cumbersome. Daleks are perfect for me. To empty, I just rock the thing back & forth until it loosens, then lift it up and off the contents.
Resite the dalek, spread the good stuff around, refill the dalek with anything not composted and off you go again.

I've finessed my technique this year: due to lack of time I've not been spreading the compost, I've just been leaving the cone shaped compost where it is, and planted trailing squashes in the top

[Bren In Pots]

Just wondering do you still put worms in tumblers ?

[Two_Sheds]

I don't put worms in any composter - they find their own way in. Earthworms are no good anyway, they don't eat compost. You need the little red brandling worms

[zazen999]

Jeanie - that's not your company in your signature it is? Norty norty.