4smile 300 Litre Garden Composter Bin Composting Waste Box Recycling Eco Storage, Plastic, Black

Used to have a cone-like composter, but had to leave it behind during one very stressful move. Based on what I didn't like about the previous one, I decided to go for one of these, which more or less resembles a traditional wooden composter, just made in plastic. I am very, very happy I left the conical one behind. Having a hinged lid makes it very easy to manoeuvre with your hands full. That's usually my case. With the conical one, I had to leave stuff on the ground, remove lid, find somewhere to rest the jolly lid on, get stuff, tuck it in, then put lid back on again. With this, I just push it up with my elbow and wait for it to shut itself. Pleasure. The lower lid is also a joy to operate. With no-longer-loved conical bin I had serious trouble to remove the equivalent lid, as it was flimsy and the bin's contents - a.k.a. 'rich earth called compost' in Grandpa Pig's words - pushed it hard enough to make it a nightmare to remove. This one you just lift. You don't even have to find a spot for it, as THERE IS A SOCKET for it in the upper part of the bin. There you go, a compost heap with brains. I've put some bricks lining the inner and outer borders so rodents don't find it trivial to get in. I also discourage them by not putting any cooked food inside, just decaying brown and green stuff. There are some vents to let CO2 out/O2 in - also making it faster than no-longer-loved conical bin - but just small enough for little arthropods, not rodents or birds. I am very happy with it and would recommend to anyone. For reference, my garden is the size of half a tennis court, and we're a family of four plus a cat.

As my garden area has been substantially reduced by my new extension, I needed a small compost bin which would fit discretely into the garden. This Eco Compost Converter has more than filled the bill. It's easily put together without the need for any fancy tools, though do take care when putting together. The instructions are minimal and I managed to put one of the pieces upside down. Once you've clicked the pieces into place it doesn't seem possible to unclick them without cracking the plastic, which is what happened to me. The plastic is pretty flimsy and once put together the bin sits on top of the soil as there isn't a base, so make sure it's in a sheltered area as I'm not sure it could withstand a high wind. Although I haven't had this long enough to have produced any useable compost yet, when it comes to getting at it, the slide-up hatch at the base should make this a simple operation. Although I wouldn't class this as aesthetically pleasing, it blends in very well with the garden planting. Admittedly, my bin is in a darkish corner but the colour, which is a dark fir green with the lift up hatch in a slightly lighter green plus a black lid, manages not to stick out too much like a sore thumb. I'm very pleased with this bin which does what it's supposed to do and is very reasonably priced compared with others available on the internet.

I highly recommend this compost bin to anyone looking to compost in a small space, especially if you have a concrete yard. Just place it in a shady spot, add a layer of soil / compost or even cardboard to the bottom of the bin, and mix in browns/greens often. The locks on the top are a great feature, especially if you have pets or other animals / pests that might try to get into the compost bin. They also help to keep the lid secure during windy weather. Overall, I'm very happy with this compost bin and I would definitely recommend it to others. It's sturdy, easy to assemble, and makes composting a breeze. Edit: 1 Year update, working well and no physcial damage or breaks! Zero rodents too which I was worried about being so close to my doors/windows, make sure to top up with cardboard/browns after adding lots of greens to keep away fruit flies. Don't fret though when they eventually do show up, it's a good sign!

Delivery: ordered on Sunday night and delivered on Wednesday morning. Packaging: clever design means the sides and lid fit snugly between the front/back in transit to make a neat, compact and light package. Well protected by bubble-wrap and an outer package. Assembly: a bit light on assembly instructions which are limited to two diagrams on the label. However, putting it together is not rocket surgery. Line up the tabs on the side pieces with the slots in the front/back and give a firm push/tap. Clips together with a satisfying snap. Someone else has mentioned the lid hinge pins. They are not a design I'm wild about but they do, in the main, work - seven of the eight pins on mine survived my attentions. Finished article: the assembled bin feels strong and fairly rigid while being moved into position. Place it on a firm surface eg paving stone, or, if you want the worms to have direct access, just place it on level soil. My bin now contains a few inches of compost from the old bin and feels stable and strong. It's also a neutral gray/green which merges well into the garden foliage. We shall have to see how it fares when full of garden waste and how quickly the contents compost down but I'm very impressed a week after receipt.

The lid needs to be modified as it is very hard to put on. It needs some adjustment to help put it on as a couple of the little pieces has broken off in attempting to put the lid on. Instructions very basic but the main body was easy to put together. Seems to be fairly sturdy once assembled, have not used it yet though so no idea what it is like.