Nazhura Compost Tumbler Bin Composter Dual Chamber 43 Gallon Variation (Black)

I purchased this compost bin as I wanted to do more with my kitchen scraps than simply throwing them away or tossing them down the disposal. When I got it, it came in a nice cardboard box, and I thought it would take only a few minutes to assemble. I was wrong. It took me between 90 and 120 minutes to put it together!!!!! Over 50 screws needed to be aligned and tightened to their respective nuts, as well as aligning the plastic panels and divider. I really did not expect that when I purchased this compost bin. That said, once I had everything assembled, I brought it outside and started filling it. First I put in my kitchen scraps (vegetable scraps, egg shells, etc., but no meat products) and then added some leaves. As suggested by multiple sites related to composting, I added about 50-60% brown matter (leaves, twigs, etc.) to 40-50% kitchen scraps. I found the doors to be a little small, and as such, getting the leaves and kitchen scraps inside was a bit messy, but not terrible. As this will be a long period of time before any real compost is developed, I do not have any idea how good/bad this compost bin is, other than my initial findings. I will update this review in the coming months once I get my first batch of real compost out.

This is my first foray into composting, and I'm really excited to get started. I like the tumbling, dual chamber design of this model, and I think the size will be perfect for my household. When I first opened the box, I thought the individual plastic pieces seemed a bit flimsy, but by the time I had it fully assembled I was very pleased with the finished product. All pieces fit together seamlessly, and the unit has a nice balance between being sturdy but also lightweight. It also looks nice, for now (though months of sitting in my backyard might make the plastic fade or warp, though I don't really need it to be pretty, I need it to do its job). I see mixed reviews regarding assembly. I found it very easy to assemble, but if you are struggling or worried, here are a few notes... (1) Some of the small nut and bolt sets require you to hold the nuts in a very limited amount of finger space. I have small fingers so this wasn't a problem for me, but if you are having a hard time I would recommend having a small socket wrench available. (2) At first glance, it seems like the middle divider should fit snuggly against the outer panels, but if you pay attention to line up the arrows, you will see that it deliberately leaves a small triangular gap at each panel. I believe this feature must allow for better air flow through the unit. Once you accept that this is part of the design, the divider panel is easy to place and work around. (3) The first panel you put into place is the one with doors, and then you place the remaining seven identical panels. I suggest working around the barrel in one direction, so the very last panel you place is next to the door panel. If you work in both directions, the last panel you place will be on the opposite side of the barrel from the doors, making it very difficult to place the last bolts without the help of a second person to hold the nuts from the inside. (Unless you have very long arms with more joints than the average human being.) (4) There are two long bolts used to attach the cross bar to the frame on the very last step. These bolts are slightly larger around and have matching nuts that are slightly larger as well (though they look the same at first glance). For some reason, these nuts are just mixed loosely in with all the smaller ones, so when you come across them and they don't fit the smaller bolts, set them aside for the final step. The set comes with a small screwdriver which I found adequate enough for the small bolts, but I used a set of pliers to hold the nuts for these larger bolts because I was having trouble getting them to secure by hand. As a final note, I noticed that one of the two sliding doors has a small embossed plus sign on it. I think the intent is to use this door to designate which side of the composter you are actively adding material to, since you should alternate sides every six weeks or so. When the six week period is up, you would simply slide both doors out and swap their positions. I think this is a neat feature, but the plus sign doesn't really stand out much, so I painted mine with some green enamel paint to make it more obvious. Obviously, it will take several months of practical use to really get an idea of how well this thing will work. But I'm very excited to try it out!

Why did you pick this product vs others?: This product came in promptly and in good condition. I have two of these compost tumblers. I find it easier to have one composer I am actively putting scraps in while the other finishes composting. They are a little tricky to put together at first. The second one was a much easier. I used to build my own composters using 55 gallon barrels. They were good, but hard to move and just not as user friendly. These are not as big, but much easier to use. They are pretty sturdy and easy to tumble, so composting is easier. I can also move them around in the sun or closer to my garden when I want. The added gloves are nice. I use them to garden. I've had mine a few years now and they are still going strong. I certainly would recommend these.

Basic compost bin. Not hard to assemble but so many screws and instructions are tiny and not that clear (e.g. the one time they use words to explain they tell you to do something that is impossible). I don’t see this lasting year over year but it should work for a small starter compost bin.

The product is good, but the instructions are bad and installation of the center divider is tricky. Comments: 1) If assembled correctly, I don’t think spinning the compost bin should be difficult as some have stated. It could be that the hole in the center divider is offset because of improper installation, causing the divider to rub against the side of the center rod. 2) The nuts for the bolts that secure the horizontal rod to the stand are NOT caps, as at least one reviewer stated. You just have to use pliers to hold the nut and force the screw beyond the resistance that you will feel. 3) The center divider- I’m not sure how to explain this but theirs a trick to installing it. I kept getting space between the edges of the divider and the panels, and the gap for one of the divider edges was so large that it wouldn’t reach the groove to hold it in place. I figured out that the little protrusion on each of the 8 edges of the divider is meant to fit into a particular position in the groove. If you get all protrusions into the right spot in the groove, then the divider will be secure. Took me FOREVER to figure this out. The instruction on this were non-existent.