Have you decided that the compost tumbler is your best option over enclosed bins, rolling bins, and worm bins? Surprisingly, there are different types of compost tumblers to choose from.
You will want to select the one that best fits your specific needs. Here are the four main types of compost tumblers to choose from:
1. Center-axle Mounted Drums: This kind of tumbler is fixed on a frame over the ground, and an upright mounted barrel rotates around the central axle like a Merry Go Round.
Operating this tumbler is simple; all you have to do is spin the drum. Some have doors on both of the ends, which makes loading and unloading easier. Most of these units are mounted close to the ground, which requires a smaller wheel barrow for unloading.
Giving it its name, the central axle is responsible for mixing the materials. A few examples of center-axle mounted drum tumblers are the Tumbleweed, the Green Machine, Yardiac tumbler, and the Urban Compost Tumbler.
2. Base Mounted Rolling Drums: Unlike the center-axle mounted drum, these tumblers are mounted parallel upon ground-level bases. Some contain rollers, whereas others have rounded points that hang the drum to let it spin.
The base mounted rolling drums with the rollers are much easier to turn. For models that don’t have rollers, steps can be molded to the body, so that you can turn it with your legs.
Some models can be removed from the base and set up-right to load, but unloading it using a wheel barrow can be difficult. For these types it is better to roll it to the garden area and dump the contents.
Examples of base mounted rolling drum tumblers to buy are the EZ Composter, Eco-Cycle Base Tumbler, Step-down Composter and the Compost Mixer.
3. Rolling Spheres: Rolling spheres, true to their name, are huge molded balls of plastic that are filled with the composting material and then rolled around the yard.
They are easily filled, because they lie on the ground, but might be harder to empty. Because these models are not true spheres, like a basketball, moving them around in the direction you want can be difficult.
They tend to roll in whichever direction they please, because they have sides like a dome. However, if you have a large space, it can be fun to roll them around.
If you’re in an urban area, the neighbors wouldn’t be too pleased if your compost container kept rolling into their yard.
If you’re looking to buy this type, Large Batch Composter and the Bio Orb are good brands.
4. Crank-operated Drums: Considered top of the line models of compost tumblers, they are more expensive than the other types of tumblers.
Crank-operated drums are built with a parallel mounted drum fixed on a raised frame.
Most crank-operated drums contain internal baffles, which are responsible for mixing the composting material. Loading the material can be difficult, because of how high above the ground these units sit.
On the other hand, unloading one is easy, because the compost pours out. Brands to consider are the Mantis ComposTwin and the ComposTumbler.
Now that you know the various types of compost tumblers there are to choose from, you are able to make the best, well-informed decision. Whichever tumbler fits your needs and preferences, you will not be disappointed in any of the recommended brands.
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