[Ice]

I'm thinking of buying one as I find turning my dalek ones a real pain.  Does anyone have one and if so, how good/bad is it please?  Have this one in mind.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=110&storeId=10151&partNumber=7205451&Trail=searchtext>COMPOST+BIN

[Kleftiwallah]

Waste of time, energy and space!       Cheers,   Tony.

[Ice]

Waste of time, energy and space!       Cheers,   Tony.

Is that based on experience or just an opinion?

[Mazzie]

As a kid my nan had three and swore by them!  They really do make good compost but i guess it depends on what you put in to them more.

[Gandan57]

I realised where I`d been going wrong for years when I watched Monty Don shred all his composting material with a lawn mower before putting it on the heap.

[Ice]

That's interesting that your nan liked them.  I'm looking for something that will save me from having to turn the compost with a fork as I find that hard on the poor old back with a dalek type.  Yes, I know I'm old and feeble.

[yorky]

I have no experience of them, but the one in your link does'nt have a very good customer review. Both the people who gave feedback seem to have had trouble turning the drum.
If you can get one that is easy to operate, then I would say that in theory they are a good idea.

[Ice]

Thanks yorky, I see what you mean.  Oh well, I'll keep looking for one that is ok.  My dalek bins are now redundant and I need to find something to use.

[joyfull]

this website might be of use to you Ice:-

http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/compost-tumbler.html

[Ice]

this website might be of use to you Ice:-

http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/compost-tumbler.html

That was very useful, thank you.  After reading that I would guess that people that had problems had not been putting the correct balance of greens and browns in.  Anything that aerates without forking over would suit me down to the proverbial ground.

[Mazzie]

That's interesting that your nan liked them.  I'm looking for something that will save me from having to turn the compost with a fork as I find that hard on the poor old back with a dalek type.  Yes, I know I'm old and feeble.

Well my nan is only 5 foot and managed to turn all hers (when us kids didnt fight her for the job ) until she was 75.  I seem to remeber she had extra holes drilled into them so they didnt fill with too much gunk and a bucket to collect it which she used as a feed. 

I can only advise on my 10 year old point of view but i know she loved hers and she was/is an avid veggie grower 

[Ice]

I believe that these days the design is better, which would take that into account Mazzie.  I am now convinced that most of the problems flagged up are caused by not using them correctly.  Might just order mine now.

[Jabberwock]

My husband  made his own tumbler using an old blue barrel and I have to admit that I was pretty sceptical about it working but hand on my heart I can honestly say that it works like a dream.  There is no handle on his, just a metal pole running through the body of the barrel which sits on a wooden frame and we turn it just by spinning the barrel every now and then.  I was amazed how quickly it can produce usable compost compared to our bins and it definitely makes our life a lot easier and I wouldn't be without it now.

[waddecar]

This one seems to have good reviews
http://www.kedel.co.uk/compost-tumblers/compost-tumbler-the-dark-destroyer/action/reviews/

[Runwell-Steve]

I have one that is similiar to the one in the previous link, it is pretty antique but works really well.

I'm sure if you forked over your compost heap every other day it would have the same effect, but I can't be bothered.  I just turn it over a couple of times whenever I go down the plot and it soon turns my kitchen and brewing waste into lovely compost.

Spent hops and grains make wonderful compost.