The best compost bin will allow you to make your own soil improver right there in the garden. Of course, it’s true that you can put your garden and kitchen waste out for your local authority to take away, but how much better to use it to make compost yourself – and it’s so simple to do.
The benefits? Compost will improve your garden’s soil, plus making your own ensures your waste doesn’t have be transported from your home, so it’s an environmentally friendly move. What’s more, it’s a task you can achieve in all but the very tiniest of gardens.
So which are the best compost bins you can buy? Read on to discover our great selection. And if you’re after other essentials for a lovely plot, check out our best lawn mower guide for more great buying advice.
The best compost bin 2022
This 300 ltr capacity compost bin is easy to install as it’s a click-together design.
Recyled recycler
Although it’s made from plastic, this bin may appeal to your green conscience as the material is recycled. It’s weatherproof, of course, and UV resistant, too.
Heat up
It’s designed to develop high heat inside which helps make good compost more quickly.
Open house
This design has a door in the base which makes getting fresh compost out to put on to the soil easy.
If you want a compost bin that will blend in, this could be the design for you because it’s made from wood.
Made to last
The softwood used for this compost bin has been pressure treated so it’s protected against rot and fungal decay for 15 years.
Subtle addition
If you aren’t a fan of plastic compost bins, this is a discreet alternative, so long as you don’t mind slower results.
Easy build
It comes as a flat pack, but the boards slot together to make it up, and it doesn’t take long to do.
Like the idea of getting worms on the job? This compost bin is ready to welcome these hard workers.
Worm compost
You will need to add worms to this design, along with your organic waste. The worms can then be left to get on with their task.
On tap
You can drain off the liquid fertiliser you’ll get from this bin through the tap. Easy-peasy.
Kitchen waste
This design works well on your kitchen plus some of your garden waste, but you’ll likely want an ordinary compost bin as well to deal with woody and tough material.
This design won’t take up too much space but it will deal with both kitchen and garden waste.
Greener choice
OK, it’s black, but you know what we mean. This bin is made from plastic but from recycled materials.
Easy access
A built-in door means it won’t be a struggle to get compost out and on to the soil once it’s ready.
Stacks up
It’s designed to stack on top of another composter, so you can make more without taking up extra room on the ground.
This tumbler bin will create both solid compost and liquid fertiliser, too, if you want.
Innovative design
This model calls itself the most beautiful composter in the world, and while our research is extensive, we can’t claim to have seen everything in order to make that call. What we can say it that it’s a neat design.
Solid or not
The system has a tumbler drum with a compost tea maker base. In other words, the drum will make solid compost while you can get nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser from the base as well.
Eye catcher
Hot pink? It would certainly grab attention, but you can go for more conventional black if you prefer a quieter finish.
This practical design won’t bust your budget and will sit unobtrusively in a shady part of your plot.
Just enough
A 260 ltr capacity makes this design ideal for small to medium gardens, turning leaves and grass together with kitchen waste into useful compost.
No base
This design doesn’t require a base, and siting it on the earth will permit drainage and aeration and create access to soil organisms.
Eco option
Like some of our others picks, this compost bin is made from recycled material – in this case polypropylene.
How to choose the best compost bin
Compost is good for your garden, and composting at home makes dealing with waste easy, but which bin you select will depend on how much garden waste you’ll create, the room you have to accommodate your bin and, as ever, what you can spend.
Material
Choose between plastic and wood. A plastic design is usually better for a small to medium-sized garden because of its shape, and there’s a choice of capacities of plastic bin. Many are made from recycled materials.
Base
Site your compost bin on bare soil if you can. If the only place you can put it is on paving, you might want to get yourself a base to improve ventilation and drainage, or opt for a design that’s made for use on a solid surface.
Bin capacity
For compost newbies, a bin of 200 to 300 litre capacity can be a good starting point, but take into account whether you have a lawn and the amount of planting as you may require less capacity. Big garden owners will likely want to size up from there.
Very small garden? A wormery compost bin could be a good solution.
Head over to our guide on how to compost for more expert advice.
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