Finding the Best Composter (or, ‘How We Learned to Ignore the Smell and Love Our Eisenia Fetida’)

First of all you may be wondering: “What are eisenia fetida?”  They’re redworms, my new buddies living in the composter in my kitchen – and no, they don’t smell, though I had to do quite a bit to convince my partner of that it would be fine to keep a vermicompost bin inside the kitchen of our tiny Washington DC apartment (I’ll get to that later). 

I must admit, the Worm Factory 360 that my mother in law got us is quite the conversation starter.  Last night, after pizza and beer on the roof of our apartment (in the wonderful DC spring), the conversation turned to the worms downstairs.  I ended up showing friends the composter and raving about how wonderful it was to reduce the amount of waste we are producing each week.

One couple just purchased a new rowhome, and have renters living in the other part of their house.  As such, the conversation turned to whether it would be appropriate to have a vermicompost bin and keep it outside for both groups to use.  I had to give my honest opinion:  I don’t think it would be good to keep a Worm Factory 360 outside, especially because DC gets so hot.  But there are other types of compost bins they can use, including rotating composters.

The interest from visitors - both to my apartment and to this website – made me realize it was time for a post on how to find the best composter for your particular space.  I’ll tell you a bit about the pros and cons of each type to help you make your decision.

I’ll be linking to Uncle Jim’s and Amazon.com, my two affiliates, and I ask that if you find this information useful and decide to buy a compost bin, you click over to that site to purchase your composter and support Grown in the City!

Commercial Vermicomposters
This is the type that I have.  Many companies are now producing vermicomposters, but after some research, the one I think is best is the Worm Factory 360.  As I said, it took me quite some time to convince my partner that it wouldn’t smell in our tiny DC apartment (“The smell” is one of the most cited reasons for not wanting indoor worm composters).  I can happily report that after several weeks of composting, there is no detectible smell, and the worms are making quick work of the waste.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Pros: Very easy setup, fast production of worm castings (once it’s fully set up, the worms can eat up to 1/2 lb of food per day).  You can compost year round if you keep it in a climate-controlled room like your kitchen.
Cons: Higher setup cost than DIY (expect to pay around $100-$120 for a bin and worms)
Ideal For: People with small spaces, apartment dwellers, those who need castings quickly.
Recommendation: Worm Factory 360 (from Amazon or Uncle Jim’s Uncle Jim’s – with Free Shipping).

DIY Vermicomposter
Emily Oaksford has done a good job of covering Do It Yourself Vermicomposters, so I recommend you head over to the posts linked above to see how her friends built their own compost bin for their worms.

Pros: Can use recycled/inexpensive materials in construction fast production of worm castings (once it’s fully set up, the worms can eat up to 1/2 lb of food per day)
Cons: Need a larger or outdoor space 
Ideal For: People with a back yard, people who like DIY projects.

Rotating Composters
You can put one of these into your back yard, and compost by giving a few turns a day.  These are also known as “tumbling composters” because the material gets tumbled and rotated as it composts.  These are great for people with backyards and lawns, as the grass clippings make great compost.   Just make sure you have “brown” material such as leaves or paper scraps, or the compost won’t be usable – it will be a mushy mess.

Pros: Can handle a lot of raw materials, and you don’t have to worry about keeping the worms alive.  This also produces “hot compost” that usually stops vegetable seeds in your compost from germinating.
Cons: Highest setup cost (expect to pay upwards of $150 for a quality composter).   The tumbling composters can attract bugs such as gnats.  It’s also been said that city rats can gnaw their way through plastic tumblers, so it’s good to go with metal to be safe.   In places that have winter (like the northeast), your compost may freeze, or stop composting, leaving you with only a few good months for “cooking” compost.
Ideal For: People with a big back yard with a lot of leaves/grass clipings to get rid of, those who want to share a bin with neighbors (they can be kept outside)people who like DIY projects.
Recommendation:  Based on thoughts from Mother Earth and reviews on Amazon, I recommend the Tumbleweed 58-Gallon Rotating Compost Binbecause it’s metal, and gets generally positive reviews.  It’s also available from Uncle Jim’s, if you like supporting small businesses here: Tumble Weed Composter.

Bokashi Composters
Bokashi composters are the one type that seem to me like an “As Seen on TV” type scam, but after research, it turns out that they actually work!  Bokashi composting uses a grain-based, microbally-injected bran material, in a sealed container, to anaerobically break down food waste.

Pros: Can be used in very small spaces, and can handle the meat and dairy waste that other types of composters cannot.  There are claims that it is “odorless”, but I have yet to try it out for myself.  It’s also the cheapest composting system out there.
Cons: After the compost is finished in the bokashi composter, it still has to be “aged” by putting it in the soil (or running it through a vermicomposter).
Ideal For: People who have meat products to compost and people who have extremely small spaces.
Recommendation: All Seasons Indoor Composter Kit with Bokashi from Amazon.com.

And don’t forget your Red Wigglers  (from Uncle Jim’s) if you end up going with vermicomposting.

When it came down to it, we went with the indoor vermicomposting with our lovely eisenia fetidas.  Here they are, chowing down on all of our veggie scraps and junk mail:

 

So there you have it – composters for every price point and living situation.  Each have pros and cons.  When it comes down to it, composting is definitely worth it – it’s just a matter of finding the best composter for you! 

Let me know in the comments about your composting adventures!

Tags: composting, worms
Posted in Do It Yourself