Best Tumbler Composters - Customer Complaints and Reviews

Composting is not a new idea, it's been with us for centuries. Composting is the decomposition of once living plant material to make a dark, earthy, crumbly substance that is a tremendous soil enricher.

There are numerous composting methods. Perhaps the easiest and most efficient is the tumbler composter.

Immediately below you will find a video showing how to construct a home made composter. If do-it-yourself is not your bag, below that, you will find reviews of some of the most popular, ready made composters. Within each review you'll see a brief description of the unit and comments by current owners.

I hope you find these reviews helpful.

If you'd like, feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

Steve

The Envirocycle Composter has a decent 7 cubic feet capacity. Aeration is accomplished through small openings in the drum. The lid is lockable, preventing entrance by small animals. The drum is ribbed for easier gripping while turning. One very nice feature of the Envirocycle is the 5 gallon liquid fertilizer (compost tea) collector that sits under the drum.

I found many favorable online reviews by current owners of the Envirocycle. On a scale of 1.0 to 5.0, the Envirocycle receives a 3.7.

One current owner said he was going to purchase a second Envirocycle to increase his composting capacity.

Another current owner wrote that he had seen a few slight criticisms of the unit. But, he said those citicisms were the result of neglecting basic preventive maintenance, not the result of poor product.

Sterling 463406 Roto Composter Jr. has a capacity of 7 cubic feet. It is made of 98% post industrial polyethylene plastic. According to the reports we read, it is very easy to operate and maneuver. The unit is also child and pet safe.

I found just few online comments by current owners of the Sterling. However those comments gave the Composter Jr. a rating of 4.0 on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0.

One owner said he was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the composter. It was much sturdier than he expected.

Another owner had a slight complaint, the vent holes in the side are so low that it drains water from the unit, making it difficult to keep the composting material moist.

The 7 cubic foot Achla Spinning Horizontal Composter is made from recycled plastic. Fins inside the drum hasten the composting process by breaking up the composting material as the drum is turned. The sliding door provides easy access, while the stand supports the drum at a very convenient height.

I found a number of online reviews by current owners of the Achla. Those reviews gave the unit a 3.7 rating on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0.

One current owner writes that the Achla makes the composting process very easy . . . almost not a job at all.

Another writes that the Achla has produced two loads of compost in about 6 weeks.

The lightweight ComposTumbler 08001 Back Porch Composter is a good choice when space is limited. The capacity is 5 cubic feet (37 gallons) and the unit measures 37 inches high x 31 inches wide x 26 inches deep. 4 interior mixing fins breakup the composting material as the drum is tumbled. Screened side vents let oxygen in and keep animals out. Compost tea drains out the bottom.

I found a number of online reviews by current owners of the ComposTumbler. Those reviews gave the unit a 4.0 rating on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0.

One current said they purchased their ComposTumbler about a year ago after a lot of research, and it's been a great purchase.

Another owner writes that the unit is the perfect size for the back porch . . . it fits in the corner and is easy to open, fill, and spin.

There were some comments that assembly was a bit involved, but there were also comments saying that assembly was a snap.

If you need a larger composter, the ComposTumbler 02001 Compact 12-Cubic-Foot Galvanized Metal Compost Bin may be what you are looking for. The capacity of the unit is 90 gallons. It measures 43 inches high x 42 inches wide x 33 inches deep and stands 12 inches off the ground. The same excellent parts and components as the 5 cubic foot ComposTumbler.

I found fewer current owner reviews on this model, but the reviews we did find gave the ComposTumbler 02001 an excellent 4.1 rating on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0.

One owner wrote the unit is easy to load, turn, and unload. He also wrote that it is easy to move around the yard, even if it is full.

Another owner writes that the model is well designed and the components are of good quality. He also said assembly was easy and straight forward.

We did read a couple of comments by long time owners who said some of the metal parts rusted through over time. They thought plastic might be a better choice for construction material.

The Lifetime 60021 is a 75 gallon, 10 cubic foot composter. Made with high density polyethylene and powder coated steel. A unique feature of the 60021 is an internal bar that doubles as a mixing aid, and also the oxygen aerator. The drum is double wall construction to add strength and stability, and also absorbs and retains more heat.

I found a fair amount of online reviews by current owners. These reviews produced a rating of 4.0 on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0.

One current writes that he is extremely pleased with many things, how easy the 60021 is to use, the size, and the sturdiness.

Another owner said he is happy with the unit and plans to add another.

We found a lot of comments concerning assembly. No real complaints about assembly, but quite a few owners mentioned it.

The RotoComposter is another large, 12 cubic foot composter. Measures 31 inches high x 36 inches wide x 28 inches deep. Made 100% from "pre-consumer" polyethylene plastic. Recessed hand grips on the side make for easy turning. The recessed handles also act as tumbling fins on the inside to aid in breaking up the material. The RotoComposter is also outfitted with 72 air breather openings to facilitate air circulation throughout the composter process.

I found only a few current owner reviews, however those few gave the RotoComposter a rating of 4.2 on a scale of 1.0 to 5.0.

One current owner wrote that she loved the fact there is no assembly required . . . just open the box and it's ready to go. She also said she is 5'3" tall and she can turn the unit easily.

Another owner writes that she is glad she added the RotoComposter to her gardening inventory She also said she liked the installation instructions...place base on ground and drop barrel on top.