Further to my article on making your own compost, I wanted to find the top 5 compost tumblers on the market that you might want to consider. I’ve selected a variety of different designs but ensured that these all had dual chambers, were durable and easy to use.
Of course, for a compost tumbler to work effectively, it needs to be turned on a regular basis. The common recommendation is to turn the tumbler six times at least once a week. I normally do this every time I add some more kitchen or garden scraps to one chamber. This allows for adequate aeration inside the chambers and helps to speed up the decomposition.
It’s also important that the compost tumblers have tightly closing lids. Not only does this secure the contents but also stops rodents and other pests from getting into your compost.
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Lastly, I selected compost tumblers that were reasonably priced. Bear in mind, that these tumblers will last for many years, so they’re definitely a good investment. I’ve had my own tumbler for around 6 or 7 years now and it’s still going strong.
1. FCMP Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler 37 Gallon
I selected this tumbler because it is very similar to the one that I have and use constantly. This model is relatively basic but very efficient.
It’s made from 100% recycled resin or polypropylene. Like many tumblers, it’s only available in black.
The tumbler has two chambers with a lid that slides from side to side. There’s a plus marked on one side of the lid and a minus on the other side. This allows you to mark which side you add more material to and which side is composting and should be left alone.
There are aeration panels on the sides and you just turn the tumbler manually. The slots all around the drum allow you to get a reasonable handhold for turning it when needed.
The manufacturers of this unit suggest that you turn the tumbler for around 5 to 6 rotations every 2-3 days. Doing this will produce compost in the least amount of time. In fact, if you can place this tumbler in a sunny spot in the garden and follow these instructions, you can have compost ready in 2 weeks. Of course, this is based on you adding a variety of materials including kitchen scraps, dry leaves and grass clippings to get a good mix.
2. Vivosun Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler 43 Gallon
This is a slightly different design but it still has two chambers. It’s also made from polypropylene with a galvanized steel base. This ensures durability even when constantly out in the weather.
The two chambers are accessed through separate “doors” that slide from side to side. These doors don’t have any markings on them, so you’ll have to remember which side to add scraps to. Alternatively, you could just mark them with a piece of red electrical tape so that you don’t have to rely on your memory.
This tumbler also has deep slots around the drum that allow you an easy grip when rotating the tumbler. Plus, there are aeration holes in the side of the drum.
As a bonus, you get a free pair of gardening gloves with digging claws when you purchase this tumbler.
3. Miracle-Gro Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler 37 Gallon
This has two chambers but these can be turned individually or locked together to turn at the same time. This is particularly useful if you find that the drum gets too heavy to turn comfortably on a single drum, dual-chamber model. The sliding lids are different colours and interchangeable, so you don’t have to remember which side you can add scraps and garden waste to.
The tumbler is made from recycled plastic and has a powder-coated stainless steel frame, making it durable and weather-resistant.
I particularly like the design of the dual chambers on this model because a single drum tumbler can get quite heavy to turn when one side is full.
You also get a bonus of a pair of heavy-duty gardening gloves with this unit. And, if you go through gardening gloves as fast as I do, that’s a nice bonus to get.
4. Miracle-Gro Large Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler 55.4 Gallon
I’m so impressed with the design of the Miracle-Gro compost tumblers, that I also wanted to include this larger model in my list. This is for the serious gardener as it has a total capacity of 55.4 gallons. That’s a lot of compost!
It features the same separate dual chambers as the smaller model, plus you get a free pair of heavy-duty gardening gloves as well.
5. Maze Dual Chamber Compost Tumbler 48 Gallon
I included this compost tumbler because it’s made by Maze who are the manufacturers of my basic compost tumbler and I know that their products are excellent quality and made to last.
I particularly like the addition of a little colour and a handle on the side that allows you to turn the drum with less effort. The slide-on, slide-off door has the same markings as my tumbler so you always know which side to add fresh material to.
I also like the rounder design of the drum as I think this would be far easier to turn than the hexagonal models.
It also appears that Maze has made the frame a little higher so that you can easily fit a garden cart underneath. This makes harvesting the compost from the “cooked” chamber so much easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compost tumblers are highly effective at producing compost much faster than static compost bins. This is because you’re constantly mixing the material inside which also helps to incorporate more air to speed up the composting process. Of course, you do have to remember to spin the tumblers frequently if you want compost fast.
Ideally, you want to turn your compost tumbler for around six rotations every three or four days. I find it easiest to just rotate the tumbler as soon as I add new material to it.
The reason these tumblers have two chambers is so that you can continue to add materials to one chamber while the other one is curing and producing nice rich compost
Final Thoughts
Compost tumblers are perfect for busy gardeners who want to create their own rich compost in as little time as possible. The rotation of the chamber increases the rate of the composting process. Plus, the two chambers allow you to continue adding your kitchen scraps and other organic material when the first chamber is full and curing.
