The 10 Best Composting Bins
Updated by · How we research
Tumblers, open bins, worm trays and kitchen caddies compared on size, pest-proofing and price. The Miracle-Gro Dual Chamber tumbler suits most small backyards. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
A kitchen caddy doesn't make compost. It only holds scraps until they reach a backyard bin, a worm farm or a city drop-off, so most homes that compost end up with two containers. Tumblers suit small yards and people who will spin them every few days, while open bins and rings handle a big garden's leaves slowly and cheaply.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Editors:
The Miracle-Gro Dual Chamber keeps the top spot, because its split drum fixes the problem most beginners run into: you can't keep tossing fresh scraps onto a pile that is trying to finish.
Six older picks are gone. The Jora JK270 and the Yimby Tumbler are no longer sold as they were, the Worm Factory 360 and the Enviro World FreeGarden Earth couldn't be found in stock, the Good Ideas Wizard Jr. asks a lot for one chamber, and the Utopia Kitchen 0051 gave way to the Epica Stainless Steel, which does the same job with better odor control. New picks cover what readers search for: the Vivosun Outdoor Tumbler for a smaller budget, the Redmon 65-Gallon and the Geobin for cheap open composting, the RSI Maze Two Stage for big gardens and the Simplehuman Compost Caddy for a tidy kitchen. The OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean moves up to its larger size.
Outdoor tumblers get almost no independent testing in the U.S., so we leaned on a British gardening magazine's months-long trial of 14 bins, a side-by-side kitchen bin trial and the EPA's home composting rules on pests and what to keep out.
Earlier notes
July 15, 2021, by Christopher Thomas:
We made just a single change to the Wiki this time around, but it was an important one. Our previous #1 from Envirocycle is no longer available, so we've replaced it with the Miracle Gro DC140. From a longstanding name in gardening products, this rock-solid option has two chambers to maximize efficiency and ensure that nothing makes it to your garden without being completely decomposed.
July 20, 2020, by Karen Bennett:
The newly added VermiHut Plus is a popular option among those who practice vermicomposting, or keeping worms that turn your food scraps into rich fertilizer. Like the Worm Factory 360, this model contains a series of trays and features a drain spigot, but it also sports a convenient handle on top that provides you with easy access. Its tightly fitting lid also ensures good moisture control while keeping out fruit flies and other pests. It replaces the compact Chef'n Eco Crock, which provides too limited of a capacity for many busy households. The Envirocycle E20C remains in our number one spot, as its quality and design are tough to beat. While it’s made of hard-wearing materials, its low profile helps it to look unobtrusive in any backyard setting. You can choose a neutral black one, or one that’s a bright pink to suit your personality. It rotates easily and is made of food-grade, rust-free, and UV-resistant materials.
For a couple of low-maintenance choices, look to the Jora Tumbler JK270 and the Yimby Tumbler, which are designed in the convenient tumbler style that eliminates the need for your having to manually stir the contents. Each contains two chambers, so you can designate one for fresh waste and the other for materials that are further along in the process. Both are situated on sturdy stands, which makes them easy to turn and also keeps them off the ground and within reach of many critters. For an indoor choice that will look great on virtually any countertop, check out the Utopia Kitchen 0051. It can contain several days’ worth of waste at a time, and its charcoal filters help prevent unpleasant odors from forming. This highly portable choice features a comfortable carrying handle, and its stainless steel build is resistant to scratches and chips.
If you’re new to composting, know that all compost piles need three components: Brown materials like dead leaves, branches and twigs, green materials like grass clippings and vegetable and fruit scraps, and water. Other compostable materials include eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, nut shells, cardboard, paper, shredded newspaper, fireplace ashes, wood chips, dryer lint, and hair and fur. Items that are not safe to compost include coal or charcoal ash, dairy products, fats and grease, meat or fish scraps, and pet waste. Some of these materials can produce problems like odors and the attraction of rodents and flies. Since compost can become a breeding ground for potentially dangerous pathogens, always wear gloves when handling compost, as well as a dust mask to avoid inhaling any dangerous spores that can becoming airborne when you’re turning the materials.
April 15, 2019, by Tina Morna Freitas:
We included both indoor countertop choices and large outdoor models for all stages of the composting process. For those who compost their kitchen scraps, a collection container is necessary for controlling smells and keeping out pests. The Utopia Kitchen 0051 is the top countertop choice for controlling smells with its charcoal filter and for it's attractive design that cooks will be happy to leave out, thus ensuring consistent usage.
When evaluating the outdoor compost bins we looked for models that provided adequate aeration (especially in the non-tumbling choices) and tough enough construction to stand up to pests. The Envirocycle E20C continues to be the top choice for virtually indestructible design and the ease of turning.
Special Honors
FCMP Outdoor FCMP Outdoor makes tumblers from recycled, sun-resistant plastic in Canada, including a two-chamber model that The Spruce named its best outdoor composter. Its tumblers had no price on the main marketplace we track at the time of checking, so buy them from the maker or a garden retailer that has them in stock. fcmpoutdoor.com
Tumbler, Open Bin Or Worms: Match It To Your Space
Collect scraps in a kitchen caddy and take them to a city or community drop-off, or keep a worm bin indoors.
Start with where the scraps come from and where the bin will go. A tumbler is a sealed drum on a stand. It suits a small backyard with kitchen scraps and some garden waste, and it mixes the pile with a few turns instead of a pitchfork. Pick one with two chambers, like the Miracle-Gro Dual Chamber, so you can keep feeding one side while the other cures. A full drum gets heavy, and a British magazine's long trial found single-chamber tumblers hard to turn when loaded, while crank or geared models were easier (Gardeners' World).
A stationary bin or an open plastic ring holds far more for less money and swallows a fall's worth of leaves, but it works on its own schedule. Without turning, expect finished compost in months. The EPA notes that a bin can sit in sun or shade, as long as it's easy to reach year-round and drains well (EPA).
No yard at all? Collect scraps in a kitchen caddy and take them to a city or community drop-off, or keep a worm bin indoors. Worm bins use red wigglers, not garden earthworms, and the worms do best between about 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (EPA).
What Goes In, And What Stays Out
Compost needs a mix of browns and greens. Browns are dry leaves, shredded cardboard, plain paper and wood chips. Greens are fruit and vegetable scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds and crushed eggshells. The EPA suggests roughly two to three parts browns to one part greens, kept about as damp as a wrung-out sponge (EPA). Bury each load of kitchen scraps under a layer of browns to cut smells and flies.
Keep out meat, fish, bones, dairy, fats and oils, pet waste and cat litter, diseased plants, weeds that have gone to seed, and treated or painted wood. Glossy paper and produce stickers don't belong either. Most "compostable" cups, forks and bag liners are made for industrial facilities and won't break down in a backyard bin (EPA).
A hot pile, roughly 131 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit, breaks down fast and kills most weed seeds and germs, but a small home pile often stays cooler (EPA). If the bin smells sour, it is too wet or short of air: add browns and turn it.
Kitchen Caddies, Smells And Pests
A caddy only has to hold a few days of scraps, so size matters less than how it handles smell and cleaning. A charcoal filter in the lid helps, but filters wear out and need replacing every few months. Pails without a filter work fine if you empty them often, especially in summer. In a side-by-side trial, a filtered steel pail controlled odor best, while a plastic pail with a stay-open lid won on value (Compost Magazine). Take filters out before a caddy goes in the dishwasher, and a sheet of newspaper in the bottom soaks up liquid.
Outdoors, animals are the bigger worry. The EPA recommends a bin with a lid and, ideally, a floor, with no gaps wider than about a quarter inch, and burying food under browns (EPA). Open rings and lidless piles aren't sealed, so keep food that draws animals out of them. Some cities and homeowners' associations limit where a bin can sit or what type is allowed, so check local rules before you buy.
How we researched this
We compared 16 tumblers, stationary bins, worm bins and kitchen caddies from 13 brands, using makers' specs and warranty terms, the EPA's home composting guidance, Gardeners' World's long-term trial of 14 compost bins, Compost Magazine's daily-use comparison of kitchen bins and published buying guides. We checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and found none. No independent U.S. test of outdoor tumblers turned up, so speed claims are labeled as makers' claims.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a compost bin take to make compost?
Anywhere from a few weeks to many months. Makers of tumblers claim four to six weeks in warm weather with a good mix and regular turning. A stationary bin left alone usually takes several months, and cold weather slows any pile.
Should I get a tumbler or a stationary bin?
A tumbler suits a small yard and someone who will spin it every few days. A stationary bin or ring holds more for less money and suits a big garden with lots of leaves, but it is slower unless you turn it with a fork.
Can I compost in an apartment?
Yes. Collect scraps in a kitchen caddy and take them to a city or community drop-off, or keep a worm bin in a closet, kitchen or balcony that stays mild.
What should never go in a backyard compost bin?
Meat, fish, bones, dairy, fats and oils, pet waste, cat litter, diseased plants and treated wood. They attract animals or carry germs a home pile may not kill.
Will a compost bin smell?
A healthy pile smells like soil. A sour or rotten smell means it is too wet or short of air. Add dry leaves or shredded cardboard and turn it.
