Top 5 compared
The best compost bins
Peelings and lawn clippings in, crumbly compost for the garden out, with less going in the bin.
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The top 5 at a glance
A compost bin keeps kitchen and garden waste together while it rots down. A static bin is the simple kind: fill it from the top as the scraps come, then dig finished compost out from the bottom while the newer layers carry on rotting above. The RHS advises standing one straight on bare soil, where worms can get in, and turning the heap now and then to work in air, which stops it stalling and turning smelly.
A tumbler takes the work out of that turning: the drum spins on its stand to mix everything without a fork, and with two drums one batch can finish while the other fills. Standing on a frame rather than the soil, it can go on a patio or paved corner.
What matters
- Room for the garden’s waste, not just the kitchen scraps.
- A footprint with room in front to open the hatch.
- A wide hatch or doors at the bottom, for getting compost out.
- A lid that clips down or fits snugly against the wind.
#14smile Garden Composter (300 litres)
£20–£30
A light bin that clips together in minutes without tools; its lid fastens down and a small hatch at the front lets out the finished compost. Being dark, it absorbs the sun’s heat, which helps keep the heap warm. The tumbler Outsunny outscores it but holds 160 litres, about half this bin’s room, and no bin here sells more than this one.
What owners say: Reviewers put it together quickly and report decent compost from a bin that doesn’t spoil the look of the garden; the thin bottom door and the lid clips are the weak points, with some finding them flimsy or awkward.
A closer look: There’s no base, so it sits straight on the soil; where rats are a worry, lay a square of fine wire mesh underneath before clipping it together. Slide the front hatch out gently, as the plastic is on the thin side, and take compost from the bottom while new scraps go in at the top.
- Clips together, no tools
- Dark plastic soaks up sun
- No base, sits on soil
- Ventilation holes
Best for: Sunny corners on bare soil
- Type
- Static
- Capacity
- 300L
- Footprint
- 61 x 61cm
- Loading
- Top, clip-down lid
- Emptying
- 1 front hatch
#2Outsunny 160L Dual-Chamber Compost Tumbler
£50–£75
Two drums on a steel stand, each with its own sliding door, so one batch can rot down while the other is still being filled. Spinning a drum mixes the contents without a fork or getting your hands in, and 16 air holes keep it breathing.
What owners say: Owners find the drums stay solid and steady as they spin, and one owner fits three mower boxes of grass plus a fortnight of vegetable peelings in it; putting the frame together and how easy it is to use day to day divide them.
Heads up: Set aside some time for the frame and have a second pair of hands if you can, as several owners found the assembly fiddly.
A closer look: Fill one drum, then leave it to finish while the other takes the new peelings, and give both a few turns whenever you’re passing. Outsunny puts compost at one to three months this way. Standing on its own frame, it also suits a patio or paved corner where a bin couldn’t sit on soil.
- Spins to mix, no fork
- Compost in 1–3 months
- 16 ventilation holes
- Steel stand, plastic drums
Best for: Small gardens and patios
- Type
- Tumbler, 2 drums
- Capacity
- 160L
- Footprint
- 71 x 65cm
- Loading
- Sliding door, each drum
- Emptying
- Through the same doors
#3SAKUSEI Garden Compost Bin (300 litres, SAKGB300)
£20–£30
A 300-litre black and green bin that snaps together without tools, with a hinged lid that flips up for loading and a lower door for digging out the finished compost. Thick ribbed panels stiffen it, and vents on every side let the air in.
What owners say: Owners say it’s compact for what it holds and goes up without a single tool, though not everyone finds it sturdy once it’s up, and one had the lid come away when lifted.
A closer look: About 60cm square at the base, it fits the end of a narrow garden or the gap beside a shed. Snap the panels together where it’s going to stand, on bare soil, and turn the lower door towards the path so it’s easy to reach with a spade.
- Snaps together, no tools
- Thick ribbed panels
- Vents on every side
Best for: Narrow gardens
- Type
- Static
- Capacity
- 300L
- Footprint
- 60 x 60cm
- Loading
- Top, hinged lid
- Emptying
- 1 lower door
#4Blackwall Compost Converter (330 litres)
£47.00 RRP
Blackwall’s converters are made in the UK from recycled plastic, and this one arrives in one piece, so there’s nothing to put together. Scraps go in under the windproof lid and finished compost comes out of the wide hatch at the bottom.
What owners say: Owners describe it as roomy and robust, and like that there’s nothing to assemble; the tight lid takes some getting off, and a few wish it came with a base.
Heads up: The lid is a snug fit so the wind can’t lift it, which means it can take a firm pull to get off at first.
A closer look: Stand it straight on bare earth so worms can find their way in; on paving or decking, Blackwall sells a base plate separately. At a metre tall and 80cm across, it wants a corner with room in front to open the hatch and get a spade in.
- Made in the UK
- Recycled plastic
- Arrives in one piece
- Base plate sold separately
Best for: A classic bin, no assembly
- Type
- Static
- Capacity
- 330L
- Footprint
- 80 x 80cm
- Loading
- Top, windproof lid
- Emptying
- 1 wide front hatch
#5VonHaus Slatted Compost Bin (360 litres)
£49.99 RRP
The biggest here at 360 litres, with slatted sides that let air through, a lid shaped to catch rain and keep the heap damp, and a hinged door at the bottom on each side. Ground anchors hold it down in the wind.
What owners say: Owners are pleased by how much it swallows, more than they expected, and find the instructions clear; others call it flimsy, and lining up the lid is a common niggle.
A closer look: Peg the anchors into bare soil before the first load goes in, while it’s still light to adjust. The lid needs a little lining up, so seat one corner first and press it down all round, then lift either side door to reach the oldest compost at the bottom.
- Slatted sides for air
- Lid keeps the heap damp
- Ground anchors hold it down
Best for: Lots of waste, in windy spots
- Type
- Static
- Capacity
- 360L
- Footprint
- 69 x 69cm
- Loading
- Top, rain-catching lid
- Emptying
- 2 hinged side doors
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #14smile 300L | #2Outsunny tumbler | #3SAKUSEI 300L | #4Blackwall 330L | #5VonHaus 360L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best tumbler | Biggest capacity | |||
| Picked Rating | 8.6 | 8.8 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.2 |
| Price | £20–£30 | £50–£75 | £20–£30 | £47.00 RRP | £49.99 RRP |
| Type | Static | Tumbler, 2 drums | Static | Static | Static |
| Capacity | 300L | 160L | 300L | 330L | 360L |
| Footprint | 61 x 61cm | 71 x 65cm | 60 x 60cm | 80 x 80cm | 69 x 69cm |
| Loading | Top, clip-down lid | Sliding door, each drum | Top, hinged lid | Top, windproof lid | Top, rain-catching lid |
| Emptying | 1 front hatch | Through the same doors | 1 lower door | 1 wide front hatch | 2 hinged side doors |
| Best for | Sunny corners on bare soil | Small gardens and patios | Narrow gardens | A classic bin, no assembly | Lots of waste, in windy spots |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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