How to Choose a Composter

The Back Porch Compost Tumbler is a batch-style unit with wheels for easy transport.	Continuous composting is easy with the Pyramid Composter.
Make compost indoors, using a worm composter, such as the Worm Chalet.	Composters can be decorative, too: the Beehive Composter.

As the saying goes: compost happens. And it's true! Even with very little effort, attention or expense, it will happen eventually.

But with the right equipment—and a small amount of effort—you can create an abundant supply of compost quickly and easily in a small amount of space. This guide is intended to help you choose the right composter for your situation.

1. Do you want a batch or a continuous composter?

With a batch composter, you add all of your ingredients at once, turn it periodically and produce a "batch" of compost in four to eight weeks. A batch composter is the fastest way to create compost, but needs to be turned daily and checked for sufficient moisture. You also need to stockpile the materials in a separate area until you have enough to make a batch. For fastest results, shred or chop up the materials before putting them into the composter.

A continuous composter is a good choice if you primarily want to recycle kitchen and garden waste, and you are not concerned about how quickly you produce a finished product. You add the organic materials as you generate them, mix occasionally, and produce compost over time.

A kitchen compost pail makes it easy to collect food scraps.

If you generate a lot of organic material, you may want to use both types of composters, for the best of both worlds. While the batch composter is making compost, stockpile the next batch of materials in your continuous composter. When the batch of compost is ready for your garden, transfer the continuous pile into the now empty batch composter.

2. How much space do you need?
Our composters hold from 7 to 12 cubic feet of raw organic material. To determine the right size composter for you, it's important to know what you will be composting. If you are primarily composting kitchen waste a smaller composter will do the job. However, if you will be composting large quantities of leaves, grass clippings and garden waste, a larger composter may be for you.

Continuous composters are larger than batch composters because they take more time to produce the finished product. So, first determine whether you want a continuous or batch composter, then choose the right size composter for you based on relative size.

3. Do you want to create compost indoors?
If so, composting with red wiggler worms is the answer. Put the Worm Chalet (and Red Wiggler Worms) into your basement, garage or a spare closet and fill it with up to two pounds of kitchen waste a day. You'll get a continuous supply of nutrient-rich worm castings and a bonus of compost tea.