If you are interested in recycling your household waste, but only have a small yard (or porch) do not despair: there are compost bin models out there that will work well for you.

Small compost bin models are perfect for those who wish to compost household organic waste and do not have much yard waste that they need to compost. Most of these compost bin models rely on the hot composting method, which means your compost will be finished in just a matter of weeks. 

Many of these models can also be used to make compost tea, which you can use to nourish a wide variety of plants, including houseplants.

Here is a nice selection of some of the best selling small compost bin models currently available:

Envirocycle Composter

At just 30 inches high and two feet wide, this compost bin will fit almost anywhere.  You can put it on a balcony, in a garage or your yard or garden.  It is a tumbler compost bin, meaning that you can spin the compost bin, which helps with assuring your composting process is quick and complete.  This model was build specifically to handle kitchen waste and small amounts of yard waste.  It also costs under $150, making it one of the most popular compost bin models on the market.

The Back Porch Compost Tumbler

This compost bin is only 37 inches high, and has wheels making it very portable.  Yet is also can hold up to 37 gallons of compost material.  Another tumbler compost bin model, the Back Porch ComposTumbler is very well aerated to help with the composting process, but also screened well to keep small animals out.  It comes with a five year warranty, and costs just under $200 if you buy it from Amazon.com.

The ECOmposter

Now this is an interesting looking compost bin.  The manufacturers claim that they spent five years research compost bins to come up with the design for this model.  The ECOmposter is made of recycled plastic, and will produce compost in as little as four weeks.  It is 32 inches high and wide, and costs about $250 (this compost bin is only available in the United States, unfortunately).

For more information about garden compost bin models, including five reasons you should consider using a tumbler compost bin, please return to the Composting Bin Home Page.

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Creating rich compost quickly and rapidly is a goal of many gardeners and home owners.  In order to do this, you will need to turn your compost pile frequently, even daily.  But this can be a hassle if you are turning a large compost pile in your backyard, and for this reason, you may want to consider investing in a tumbling compost bin.

Most tumbling compost bin designs have a crank handle that allows you to turn the compost quickly and easily.  You will be able to turn your compost daily, and with some models you will be able to have rich compost for your garden in a matter of weeks (instead of months or years, as with ordinary methods).

Below you will find some of the top tumbling compost bin models you can purchase.  All of these models have received positive customer reviews:

The Achla Spinning Composting Bin

The Acha Spinning (or Tumbling) Compost Bin is both affordable and easy to use for home owners.  It is priced under $200 and made entirely from recycled plastic.  It does have a fairly small capacity compared to some models, however, only about seven cubic feet.

The Mantis Tumbling Compost Bin

If you are looking for a larger model and have the cash (around $500) this may well be the best tumbling compost bin on the market.  It can hold up to 30 bushels of organic materials, yet still remains easy to turn and use!

The Tumbleweed Composter

This model is the most affordable of the three tumbling composting bins featured here, costing under $180 and with slightly more capacity than the Acha spinning composting model.  Some may find the vertical model not as easy to use as a horizontal model, however, so you should keep this in mind when shopping for the tumbling compost bin that is right for you.

Regardless of what kind of composting bin you ultimately end up purchasing, by making the decision to recycle your organic household waste and turn it into rich garden compost, you have made a choice that will benefit both your garden and our environment!

For more information about composting bins, please return to the Compost Bin Home Page. 

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If you are establishing a compost pile or using a composting bin for the first time, you are likely to have questions about what can and cannot be put into your compost heap.

One of the fundamentals of having a good compost pile is creating a balanced mixture between “brown” and “green” organic matter.  Brown materials are items such as dead leaves, straw, dried grass, while green materials involve items such as green (undead) yard waste and most kitchen scraps.

Besides creating a balanced compost pile, you also need to know what can and cannot be composted properly.  Here are lists of items you can put in a composting pile or bin, items you should not put in a compost pile, and those that you should use with caution in a compost bin or pile.

What Can be Put into a Composting Bin or Compost Heap

Most yard waste (grass clippings, leaves), vegetables, and fruits, coffee grounds, tea bags, corn cobs, and egg shells.  You can also put in cardboard or paper, sawdust and hay and even clothing made from organic materials like cotton or wool.

What You Should NOT Put in your Composting Bin or Pile

Avoid adding dairy items, meat and eggs.  Animal and human feces.  Weeds with loads of seeds in them (especially if you will be using the compost later on in your garden), or noxious in nature.  Also do not use compost heaps to dispose of used oil or overly oily food products.

What Items to Use Sparingly or with Caution

Citrus fruits, wood ashes, evergreen needles.

If you have the right balance of materials in your compost heap (brown and green) and the proper materials to compost (see the lists above) you will be well on your way to creating beautiful, rich compost for your garden.

For more information about how to make compost quickly and efficiently using methods such as using a tumbler composting bins, please return to The Composting Bin homepage.

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If you are interested in building your own composting bin rather than purchasing an (often expensive)  manufactured model, there are many different approaches you can take.

A homemade composting bin can be quite simple or very elaborate, depending on the time, effort and money you are willing to put into the project.  You may also want to check regarding municipal codes for compost piles before you get started building your own compost bin, just to make sure you stay within the law for your compost heap.  There may be some local regulations that you need to keep in mind when building your homemade composting bin.

When planning for your composting bin, you should remember that for the composting process to be most effective the compost pile should be at least three feet in width, height and depth. Be sure you have adequate space when planning the composting bin construction and location.  You should also keep in mind the number of composting bins you might need according to level of materials needed to be composted and the method of composting you are using (hot versus cold).

One of the simplest and most affordable ways to construct a homemade composting bin is to use wire fencing.  If you can find some welded wire fencing that is over three feet in height, you can purchase about ten full feet of the fencing and turn it into a simple composting bin by wrapping it in a circle and attaching the end with metal ties. (You will want to be able to easily remove the ties so you can remove the metal fencing from around the composting bin once it is full, so do not weld or otherwise permanently attach the ends together).

You can also make an easy composting bin from recycled wooden pallets.  You can often pick these pallets up for free at warehouses and stores.  Three or four pallets can be tied or nailed together (you may want to leave one side open for easier access), and if you have even more available, you can build multiple composting bins next to each other for even more composting bin space.

Another option for creating a homemade composting bin system is using concrete blocks set on each other as so to make a bin shape.  If you stagger the blocks, the heap will be better aerated, and like the wooden pallet system, this can easily be expanded into multiple composting bins if needed.

These are just a few simple suggestions, and there are many other easy and affordable ways to create a home composting bin.  If you are interesting in more information about composting bins for home use, including some recommendations of manufactured models, please return to the Composting Bin Home Page.

Would you like to learn how to make the World’s Best Compost? If so, you should learn about colloidal humus, and how to make this amazing compost at home. Click here for more information!

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If you are interested in a composting bin system for your home, you can either purchase a manufactured bin or create one yourself.  Below you will find some important resources for selecting which composting bin type will work best for you and your family.

Build Your Own Composting Bin Information

How to Build a Composting Bin – Excellent instructions from the University of Missouri on how to build three different types of composting bins.

Worm Composting Bin Plans - Another public service site in Washington state offers information on a variety of different composting bins plans.

Ready-Made (Manufactured) Composting Bins

Here is a selection of some of the most popular and best working composting bins currently on the market:

Bosmere Garden Compost Bin 11-Cubic Foot Capacity #K767

Envirocycle Composter – Compost Tumbler

Achla CMP-05 Spinning Horizontal Composter

Mantis 4000-00-02 ComposT-Twin Composting Bin

Earthmaker Aerobic Composter, 120 Gallon

For even more information about the best compost bin plans and products, please return to the Compost Bin Home Page.

Related posts:

1. Top Tumbling Compost Bin Selections
2. Best Compost Bin Models for Small Spaces