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The best compost bins in 2026, as tested and reviewed by our team of experts
- Alex David
- , Jane Moore
Published: Wednesday, 13 May 2026 at 11:17 am
Find out which compost bins came out on top in our review, and the differences between each type
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Compost is nature's gift to your garden, a rich blend of nutrients that not only nourishes your plants but serves as an ideal fertiliser, organic mulch, and soil improver. Making your own compost is a rewarding and sustainable practice that allows you to recycle garden and kitchen waste to provide your plants with the essential elements they need. Simply put your garden waste and some kitchen waste into a compost bin, and it will break down over a year or so to reveal fresh, home-made compost. If you're looking for a compost bin for your garden, they come in a range of shapes, sizes, and prices.
Whether you have a large country garden or a small outdoor space in the city, there are compost bins to suit all tastes and requirements. To help you choose between the hundreds available on the market, we've tested several to provide a broad range of compost bins to inspire your next purchase. We've also got some useful information regarding the different materials that compost bins can be made of, how to choose the best compost bin and what to put in your compost bin.
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Best compost bins to buy at a glance:
Our 3 top-rated compost bins
- 4.5 stars: Our best compost tumbler – Maze 180 litre RRP £99
- 4.5 stars: Our best compost bin for versatility – Green Johanna 330 Litre Food & Garden Waste Compost Bin RRP: £144.99
- 4.5 stars: Our best large compost bin – Suttons Modular Wooden Compost Bin RRP £199.99
Also recommended: compost bins
- 4.3 stars: Our best budget compost bin – Blackwall Green Compost Converter RRP £42.99
- 4.3 stars: Our best compost bin for speed – HOTBIN 200 litre composter RRP £225
Our expertise
We tested a range of different types of compost bins, using them in the garden for a year to follow the composting process and help you find the right one for your garden. Each bin has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to design, ease of use, compost quality and value for money. From 2026, you’ll only see newly awarded Best Buy badges on compost bins that score 4.5 out of 5 or higher. Anything rated 3.5 or above will still feature in our ‘Best of the rest’ list.
Jump to best compost bins:
- Best compost bins in 2026
Jump to compost bin advice:
- What materials are compost bins made of?
- How to choose the best compost bin
- What to put in a compost bin
- Trouble-shooting - what to do if your compost doesn't look quite right
- How we tested
The 3 top-rated compost bins in 2026
1: Maze 180 litre compost tumbler
Our best compost tumbler
RRP: £99
Our rating: 4.5/5
A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£185.99) and B&Q (£185.99)
Our best compost tumbler: Maze 180 litre
Reasons to buy:
- Good height above the ground
- Two chambers
- Geared crank and handle system
- Locks in position
Reasons to avoid:
- Tall/hard to hide in garden
Featuring a three-year warranty, this is a well-made and thoughtfully designed compost tumbler featuring two chambers for a rotation of compost making, large opening doors for easy filling and emptying, and a geared turning mechanism. The sturdy handle and gearing marks the Maze tumbler out from the rest, as they make turning the tumbler incredibly easy, even when full. I liked the fact that this gearing also locks the tumbler in position, making it very easy to position the chamber for emptying and likewise filling, and the ground clearance is good at 35cm to the base.
The Maze Tumbler has two chambers for a rotation of compost making. Image: Jane Moore
It’s tall at 109cm which makes it easy to fill and empty, but a slight drawback for me is that the height combined with the bright green trim make it stand out rather too much in the garden. The UV protected barrel holds 180 litres of material and is sturdily made from 90% recycled plastic, with a powder-coated zinc frame that features extra leg bracing, giving it increased stability. Although it took an hour to assemble, I loved the fact that the step-by-step instructions were clear, with the different parts well labelled and actual size pictures of the relevant screws. Jane Moore
- Buy the Maze 180 litre compost tumbler from Amazon (£185.99) and B&Q (£185.99)
2: Green Johanna 330 Litre Food & Garden Waste Compost Bin
Our best compost bin for versatility
RRP: £144.99
Our rating: 4.5/5
A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£134.99), B&Q (£144.99) and The Range (£139.99)
Our best compost bin for versatility: Green Johanna 330 litre hot composter
Reasons to buy:
- Compost food and garden waste
- Made from 100% recycled plastic
- No need to pre-mix waste
- Good capacity for price
Reasons to avoid:
- Can't harvest compost when the winter jacket is on
The Green Johanna 330-litre Hot Composter is well designed, has a good capacity and works effectively for all types of food and garden waste. The bin is very easy to use. You tip the waste in and don't need to pre-mix, although stirring it from time to time helps add more air and speeds the composting process. Finished compost can be harvested from two wide hatches at the base of the bin, on opposite sides, so it’s easy to shovel it all out.
In a very small garden, it would be possible to have this as the sole composting bin. The Green Johanna is solidly made from 100 per cent recycled plastic and comes with a three-year warranty. Alex David
Read the full Green Johanna 330 Litre Hot Composter review
- Buy Green Johanna 330 Litre Hot Composter at Amazon (£134.99), B&Q (£144.99) and The Range (£139.99)
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3: Suttons Modular Wooden Compost Bin
Our best large compost bin
RRP: £199.99
Our rating: 4.5/5
A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£169.99) and Suttons (£199.99)
Our best large compost bin: Suttons modular wooden compost bin
Reasons to buy:
- Simple, tool-free assembly
- Insulated cover sits directly in the compost
- Planks slide out for easy filling/ access
- Accessed from any side
- Extends with additional three-sided modules
Reasons to avoid:
- Cover lets in some rain
This traditional wooden compost bin has a huge 573 litre capacity. Made from sustainably sourced Scandinavian softwood, the planks easily slot into upright grooves on the corner posts, and the bin can be accessed from every side. Thanks to its plastic cover, it produces the highest internal temperature of any of the wooden bins on test, guaranteeing fantastic compost. However, you should note that this cover lets in a little rain. Alex David
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Read the full Suttons Modular Wooden Compost Bin review
- Buy the Suttons Modular Wooden Compost Bin at Amazon (£169.99) and Suttons (£199.99)
Also recommended: compost bins
Blackwall 220 Litre Green Compost Converter
Our best budget compost bin
RRP: £42.99
Our rating: 4.3/5
A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.
Available from: B&Q (£59.99), The Range (£49.99) and Robert Dyas (£55.99)
Our best budget compost bin: Blackwall Green compost converter
Reasons to buy:
- Low price
- Made from 100 per cent recycled materials
- Optional base plate to site on hard surface
- Long warranty
Reasons to avoid:
- Thin, non-ventilated construction
- Slowest to compost
- Only one access hatch
The Blackwall Compost Converter consists of a one-piece cone-shaped body made of recycled plastic, with a snug-fitting removable lid and a single hatch. It's very quick to set up - just stand it on the soil, and you're good to go. It's a great option for those who want a simple and affordable compost bin. However, because of its thin sides, it was one of the slowest composters on test, so if you want results quickly, you may want one of the other models featured here. Alex David
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Read the full Blackwall Compost Converter review
- Buy Blackwall Compost Converter at B&Q (£59.99), The Range (£49.99) and Robert Dyas (£55.99)
HOTBIN 200 litre Composter
Our best compost bin for speed
RRP: £255
Our rating: 4.3/5
A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.
Available from: Crocus (£279.99), Thompson & Morgan (£254.99) and Dobies (£245.99)
Our best compost bin for speed: Hotbin Mk 2 composter
Reasons to buy:
- Quickly composts food and garden waste
- Self-contained and comes part assembled
- Achieved the highest temperature in our test
Reasons to avoid:
- Waste needs pre-mixing
- Made from virgin materials
- Cam straps make compost access awkward
If you want quick compost, look no further than the Hotbin Mk. 2 Composter. A good option for small spaces, it has a built-in carbon filter to absorb smells, a temperature gauge on the lid and a tank in the base to collect the liquid produced during composting. That said, all waste needs mixing before going into this composter, and it can be a little tricky to access the compost. Alex David
Read the full HOTBIN 200 litre composter review
- Buy the HOTBIN 200 litre composter at Crocus (£279.99), Thompson & Morgan (£254.99) and Dobies (£245.99)
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The best of the rest
Although some models didn't quite achieve a Best Buy award, they still have various features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest.
Outsunny 160L Compost Tumbler
RRP: £59
Our rating: 4 out of 5
A star rating of 4 out of 5.
Available from: Robert Dyas (£54.99)
Outsunny 160l Compost Tumbler
Reasons to buy:
- Good height above the ground
- Different colours available
- Two chambers
Reasons to avoid:
- Small chamber doors
- No lock positions
A nicely made, reasonably priced compost tumbler that’s compact, yet holds up to 160L of compost material in two separate chambers. Having two chambers is invaluable in a smaller garden like mine as you can just fill one at a time, creating a cycle of making compost rather than just filling and emptying, then starting again. At 92cm tall, with 32cm to the base, it’s a good height above the ground, which I liked as it makes it easy to fill and to tumble, as well as allowing room for a receptacle for emptying. The chamber doors are completely removeable for ease of access, although they are rather small which I initially viewed as something of a drawback.
The Outsunny 160L Compost Tumbler is well made and reasonably priced. Image: Jane Moore
At only 22.5cm long by 13.5cm wide, I had to chop all my garden waste up quite a bit to get it in, but that tends to lead to much better compost, so perhaps it’s a plus that gets you into good habits. It took 50 minutes for two to assemble. It’s straightforward, although there are a lot of parts and screws. A screwdriver is provided, but you need a spanner too. With an array of colours to choose from, it’s a good choice for the smaller garden and has a one-year warranty.
- Buy the Outsunny 160L Compost Tumbler from Robert Dyas (£54.99)
Hozelock EasyMix 2-in-1 composter
RRP: £134.99
Our rating: 4/5
A star rating of 4 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£110.40) and Wickes (£129)
Hozelock EasyMix 2-in-1 composter
Reasons to buy:
- Smart and compact, made from 90 per cent recyclable plastic
- Takes both food and garden waste
- Easy to fill and empty
- Tank to collect/dispense liquid
- Makes compost quickly if regularly turned
Reasons to avoid:
- Lots of assembly
- Heavy to turn when fuller
- Needs regular attention for fast composting
- A household would need more than one composter
- High price
This compost bin is a ‘tumbler’ type, designed to enable the frequent turning and mixing of waste material, and produces compost much faster than a traditional compost bin due to the high level of aeration. It’s smart and well-made, from 90 per cent recycled plastic, and its vermin-proof design enables the composting of both food and garden waste. Thanks to its compact size of 60 x 50 x 65cm, it’s also easy to site almost anywhere. Both adding and emptying waste is straightforward, as the hatch is large and opens and locks smoothly with a chunky knob. There are also plenty of grip points to rotate the drum with relative ease, although once the tumbler is around two-thirds full, this becomes quite hard to do due to the weight. One of its best features is that when the compost is ready, you simply roll the drum off the base to a convenient emptying place in the garden. The nutrient-rich liquid that drains during the composting process is also collected in a tank, which clips onto a garden hose, allowing this useful plant tonic to be easily dispensed when watering.
However, while this bin is clearly solidly made and the product of a carefully thought-out design, there are drawbacks. The cost is high in comparison to the amount of waste it can process and the subsequent amount of compost produced. Another is that it needs ‘tending’ to tumble the waste: not in itself an arduous task, but to produce compost rapidly, this does need regular attention, ideally daily. The air vents do allow small flies to enter, and during warm weather, these fly out in clouds when the hatch is first opened, so opening it and standing back for a minute is advisable. Any garden waste, such as stems and woody material, isn’t suitable to use in this compost bin if the aim is to produce compost in a period of weeks. However, the chief drawback is that this can’t be the only composting solution because the waste needs to be left for a period of a month or so without adding fresh material. This, therefore, necessitates either having two of these composters or an alternative composting solution. It comes with a three-year warranty. Alex David
- Buy the Hozelock EasyMix 2-in-1 composter from Amazon (£110.40) and Wickes (£129)
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Lacewing Easy-Load Wooden Compost Bin
RRP: £84.99
Our rating: 4/5
A star rating of 4 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£62.98), Primrose (£54.99) and The Range (£62.99)
Lacewing easy-load wooden compost bin
Reasons to buy:
- Good size capacity for the price
- Removable front makes it easy to add waste and harvest compost
- Long warranty
Reasons to avoid:
- Drill required for assembly
- No lid or cover
- Waste composted more slowly at the front and top
The simple construction of this wooden compost bin allows for a whopping 718 litres of volume. It's made from slats to allow air circulation around the compost, and the front ones are removable, making filling up the bin much easier and allowing lots of room to get at the compost when it’s ready. However, I found that these wide gaps meant that it composts relatively slowly. Made from pressure-treated pine, the slats have a smooth, planed finish and are guaranteed against rot for 15 years. Alex David
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- Buy Lacewing Easy-Load Wooden Compost Bin from Amazon (£62.98), Primrose (£54.99) and The Range (£62.99)
Harrod Horticultural Slot and Slide Wooden Compost Bin
RRP: £199
Our rating: 4/5
A star rating of 4 out of 5.
Available from: Harrod Horticultural (£210)
Harrod Horticulture slot and slide wooden compost bin
Reasons to buy:
- Very sturdy construction
- Planks slide out for easy filling/access
- Accessed from any side
- Extends with additional three-sided modules
Reasons to avoid:
- Lots of assembly and requires a powered screwdriver
- Screws for lid rails too short
Producing some of the best and fastest compost on test, this composter is for serious gardeners. It's designed to be modular, so you can add multiple units for extra capacity, and it's very sturdy as it's made of sustainably sourced wood with aluminium fittings. The planks slide out smoothly, so it's easy to add waste and remove compost. However, the lid isn't included, and this composter needs a lot of assembly with power tools, so if DIY isn't your bag, you may want to look elsewhere. Alex David
- Buy the Harrod Horticultural Slot and Slide Wooden Compost Bin from Harrod Horticultural (£210)
Garantia 400 Litre Thermo-King Composter
RRP: £94.99
Our rating: 3.8/5
A star rating of 3.8 out of 5.
Available from: Crocus (£94.99), Homebase (£87) and Robert Dyas (£86.99)
Garantia 400 litre Thermo King composter
Reasons to buy:
- Insulated and vented sides
- Two-part hinged lid for easy filling
- Made from 100% recycled plastic
- Optional base plate means it be sited on a hard surface
Reasons to avoid:
- Multiple lugs make assembly and hatch replacement tricky
- Connectors don't feel very durable
This plastic compost bin has a great 400-litre capacity. On test, its foamed plastic walls and carefully designed ventilation system helped it handle this volume quickly, producing excellent compost. It's made from 100% recycled materials and includes a wide two-part hinged hatch for easy filling. However, it's a little tricky to assemble. Alex David
- Buy the 400 Litre Thermo-King Composter at Crocus (£94.99), Homebase (£87) and Robert Dyas (£86.99)
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Thermo Compost Bin Komp 420
RRP: £208.88
Our rating: 3.8/5
A star rating of 3.8 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£183.82)
Thermo Komp 420 compost bin
Reasons to buy:
- Insulated and vented sides
- Hinged lid, easy to fill
- Compost accessed on any side
- 100% recycled plastic
Reasons to avoid:
- The assembly hard to align single-handedly
- Comparatively high price
With a robust, sectional design and made from thick recycled plastic, this bin is easy to access thanks to a wide hinged lid. Insulated and vented sides help it compost quickly, and it's available in a range of sizes, from 250L to 700L (pictured). However, we found that it's fiddly to assemble without help, and it comes at a relatively high price. Alex David
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- Buy the Thermo Compost Bin Komp 420 on Amazon (£183.82)
Aerobin 200L Composter
RRP: £199.99
Our rating: 3.8/5
A star rating of 3.8 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£199.95) and Water Butts Direct (£199.99)
Aerobin 200L composter
Reasons to buy:
- Compost food and garden waste
- Produced compost in a reasonable time
- Finished compost easy to access
Reasons to avoid:
- Waste needs pre-mixing for high temperatures
- Leachate tank hard to access
- Made from virgin materials
I liked this high-tech compost bin, which, thanks to its internal ‘lung’ to circulate air and a rigid recycled plastic outer shell, produces compost quickly. It's easy to access, but the bin needs a regular supply of ready-mixed waste to maintain temperature, as well as a drainage hose, which isn't supplied. The leachate tank is also tricky to access. Alex David
- Buy the Aerobin 200L Composter from Amazon (£199.95) and Water Butts Direct (£199.99)
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Forest Garden Beehive Composter 250L
RRP: £189.99
Our rating: 3.5/5
A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.
Available from: Amazon (£160.99), B&Q (£154.99) and Robert Dyas (£198.99)
Forest Garden Beehive composter 250L
Reasons to buy:
- Durable, with an effective lid
- FSC wood
- Long anti-rot warranty
- Looks good
Reasons to avoid:
- Lengthy to build
- Needs a prop to hold up the lid
- Hard to harvest from the hatch
- Slow to make compost
This attractive wooden, beehive-style compost bin makes a stylish feature in the garden. Made from FSC pressure-treated softwood, it arrives flat-packed, and took our tester a lengthy two hours to slot together and build. It has a hinged lid and a hatch at the base for accessing the compost, and tools, including a drill and screwdriver, are needed to attach both of these. The bin holds 250 litres of compost, although this is more accurately 230 litres when you allow for a gap at the top for air circulation. It’s easy to add material, as long as you’re strong enough to lift the lid with one hand. I fashioned my own prop to hold the heavy lid up while I worked, and it’s a shame that, given the price, one isn’t included with the bin, as it makes a massive difference to ease of use. It’s also awkward to harvest compost from the hatch as material needs to be regularly turned, and so you end up turning and using the compost at the top.
The quality of compost was as you would expect with a cold composting system of this size, and it took 18 months before I had a good crumbly mix. The bin is well aerated, and the secure lid prevents compost from getting soggy from the rain. The bin is also open at the bottom, so it’s ideal for placing directly on the soil, but this does mean that rodents can burrow up into the compost. The bin feels very durable once built, and it comes with a 15-year anti-rot warranty, which, as the wood is in direct contact with the damp ground, is reassuring. The build quality and looks of this bin are its best features, but it’s not for gardeners who lack strength or don’t want to spend time putting it together. Alex David
- Buy the Forest Garden Beehive Composter 250L from Amazon (£160.99), B&Q (£154.99) and Robert Dyas (£198.99)
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Also tested: compost bins
Draper 180 litre compost tumbler
RRP: £123.90 (ex VAT)
Our rating: 3.3/5
A star rating of 3.3 out of 5.
Available from: Homebase (£141) and Robert Dyas (£104.99)
Draper Compost Tumbler
Reasons to buy:
- Easy and quick to assemble
- Large size
- Compact upright style
Reasons to avoid:
- Little clearance
- Heavy to tumble when full
- Nasty prongs within chamber
This 180L compost tumbler is easy to assemble and, with its wide opening hatch door, easy and quick to fill. Standing at 81cm tall, its upright style makes it a good compact choice for smaller gardens. However, that upright position did make it difficult to turn when full – it required quite some effort. This tumbler also needs to be positioned on a flat surface as there was only 10cm ground clearance when I turned the barrel to mix material.
The Draper Compost Tumbler is easy and quick to fill. Image: Jane Moore
The chamber is easy to empty by simply tipping the barrel into position, locking it in situ, and unloading the compost onto the ground, but the single chamber limited me to making one batch of compost at a time. There are some plastic prongs inside the chamber that aid with mixing and aerating the material, but these worried me as they could become hidden within the compost material and then cause injury. This tumbler has a sturdy polypropylene barrel and stand, with an unspecified metal handle and central pivot, and a one-year warranty. Jane Moore
- Buy the Draper Compost Tumbler from Homebase (£141) and Robert Dyas (£104.99)
If you're new to composting or would like more practical tips and information, see our guides on how to make compost and how to make a composting trench. We also have a handy trouble-shooting video on common problems with composting. For tested tools to help with the process, check out our guides to the best spades, electric garden shredders, border forks, gloves, wheelbarrows and best cordless mowers.
What materials are compost bins made of?
Compost bins come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are made using different materials:
- Plastic compost bins: Ideal for a small space, the plastic sides and lid retain moisture and heat to encourage rapid decomposition, as well as blocking out light to stop weeds from growing. This type of bin should ideally be placed on grass or earth.
- Wooden compost bins: Typically 1 square metre, but the biggest wooden bins can produce hundreds of litres of compost. They're often modular, so you can fit several together and cycle compost throughout the year to ensure a steady supply. Usually open to the elements, you can also increase their efficiency with a wooden lid or plastic cover.
- Hot compost bins: Insulated with a close-fitting lid, these are designed to allow decomposition at a much higher temperature and therefore higher speed than other composters (30-90 days, compared to around six months). They also result in a finer compost. Roughly the size of a wheelie bin, they need to stand on a hard surface.
- Wormery bins: These work similarly to compost bins, but are slightly different. They're designed for the small-scale composting of kitchen waste, and use tiger worms to break down material instead of decay. These specialised worms mix and break down the compost quickly and produce a nutrient-rich liquid for use as a fertiliser. Compost worms can also be added to larger bins. However, not all waste is suitable for a wormery, so you’ll still need a compost bin too.
For more info, check out our expert tests of the best wormeries or read our guide on how to set up a wormery.
You can also make your own compost bin using wooden pallets or corrugated iron. Enclosing the sides will retain heat, which speeds up the rotting process – the larger the pile, the more heat. The ideal minimum size is 1m x 1m and, if possible, make more than one, so it's easier to turn the compost. For more help, take a look at our advice on how to build a compost bin and our guides to the best multi-tools, best cordless drills and best hammers, should you attempt to build your own.
How to choose the best compost bin
When choosing a compost bin, consider the size of your plot, the design of your garden and the amount of compost you'd like to produce.
- Where will it go? Location is likely to influence your choice of bin. A site in full or part shade is best for successful composting. Most bins need to be placed on soil to achieve good drainage and boost microbial action, but the Aerobin and Hotbin must be on a level, hard surface. If you want a cheaper compost bin but only have hard surfaces, look for a model with the option of a base plate to create good drainage and aeration
- Which design is best? If you only want or have room for a single bin, choose a design where finished compost can be easily harvested from the bottom so you can keep filling from the top. This applies to all the plastic composters in our trial
- How fast is compost produced compared to the work involved? Composting in traditional (non-insulated) bins takes 6-12 months on a ‘fill and forget’ approach. You can speed up the process by emptying out, turning and refilling to incorporate air and up the temperature, but obviously, this takes time and effort. The easiest is two bins, so one rots while the other fills. A lid or cover will help retain heat and moisture, and keep out excess rainfall, so cover open bins with a piece of plastic or old carpet. Material and thickness also influence compost speed by retaining more heat. Wood is a good insulator, while thin plastic has the poorest qualities. Highly insulated or ‘hot’ composters are most expensive but do have the potential to make compost in just a few weeks, as the composting process is faster at higher temperatures. This type of bin suits a ‘little and often’ mode of filling: note the Aerobin and Hotbin require a weekly supply of pre-mixed waste to work at their most effective
- What do you get for the money? Consider the length of warranty, particularly with wooden bins and the eco-credentials of the bin, which can vary – some are made from FSC wood or totally from 100% recycled plastic, while others contain none
What to put in a compost bin
Most garden material is compostable, including grass clippings, annual weeds, leaves of perennial ones (not roots, they’ll keep growing) and soft prunings. This ‘green’ material, as it’s often called, would become airless and soggy on its own, so for effective composting, mix with around the same amount by volume of ‘browns’ like chopped-up woody stems, brown cardboard and non-shiny paper. Raw vegetable scraps, teabags, coffee grounds and cut flowers can go in any type of bin, but cooked food, meat and fish must only go in an enclosed vermin-proof design.
Trouble shooting
Balance is key when adding materials to the compost bin, but if your heap doesn’t look quite right, follow these tips:
- Compost too dry?
This might be down to too much brown waste and pruning waste that’s not been broken down sufficiently. Make sure cardboard is ripped up, and prunings are shredded. And ensure you’re mixing regularly and adding enough green waste - Compost too wet?
If you add too much green waste, the compost may get too wet and potentially smelly. Keep the balance and add more brown waste if you notice it’s becoming too wet. Make sure green material is added in small amounts, for example, adding a pile of grass clippings in one go may cause problems - Compost isn’t rotting down?
If your compost is taking too long to break down, check your balance of green to brown waste, and turn the heap more regularly - Too many flies?
It’s natural to have fruit flies, fungus gnats and other small flies in your compost – they are a key part of the ecosystem. But fly infestations are more likely if the compost is too wet or has too much green waste. Keep a good balance of material, or place a layer of cardboard or soil at the top of the heap
How we tested compost bins
The bins were assembled and sited according to instructions, and then tested over several months. They were given the required type of waste, and similar bins were given the same mix of waste at the same time. They were assessed throughout the testing period, using the following criteria, with equal marks attributed to each:
- Design & setup. Looked at ease and clarity of instructions, siting restrictions, and how well the design worked and extra features
- Ease of use. Assessed the simplicity of adding waste and then removing compost from the bin
- Compost quality & speed. Focussed on the speed the waste rotted down (including checking the temperature using a compost thermometer) and the quality of the finished compost
- Value for money & eco credentials. Considered the value relative to the above, including warranty and RRP and as well as eco credentials such as type of material and, if plastic, whether virgin or recycled
For more information on our testing process, take a look at how we review.
Meet our testing panel
Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor
Oliver is a gardener and magazine journalist of 20 years’ experience. He trained as a professional horticulturalist at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and has also worked for Gardening Which?, as a freelance gardener and with the gardening team at Down House in Kent. He is now Strategic Projects Editor at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and GardenersWorld.com, heading up our reviews desk, Apple News output and weekly newsletter.
Kay Maguire, Magazines Editor
Kay trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has been writing and making films about gardening ever since. She has written for websites and magazines, including The Garden and Amateur Gardening, was Horticultural Editor on BBC Gardeners' World Magazine for five years, and has also written several books on a range of gardening topics from growing house plants to making the most of a small space. After several years as Reviews Editor, building up our reviews section into a leading resource for UK gardeners, she has now become Magazines Editor for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, responsible for all print output.
Harry Duncton, Freelance Powered Tools Tester
Harry has a wealth of experience, from being a language teacher to a tree surgeon, and has built this into a career writing about all things DIY and gardening. A passionate believer in self-reliance, his aim is to inspire others to give it a go themselves and not worry about making a few mistakes along the way. A regular contributor to popular DIY blogs and a recent addition to the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine team, he loves tracking down the best new tools and writing about them.
Sue Fisher, Freelance Garden Writer
Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 40 years, starting with a decade in the garden centre and nursery industry before developing into an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Sue writes regularly for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, GardenersWorld.com and Garden Answers magazine. She has written 10 books on subjects including container gardening, plants for small gardens and designing with colour, and she has co-authored other books with some of the biggest names in gardening.
Emma Crawforth, Horticulture Editor
Emma holds the Kew Diploma in Horticulture and has been working in horticulture for 18 years, including roles in public gardens, a plant nursery supplying plants for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a training college for young horticulturists. She looks after an ornamental, fruit and veg garden at home and regularly undertakes trips to see plants growing in their natural habitats. She is the author of the Kew Publications book, Things to Do with Plants.
Jane Moore, Freelance Garden Writer
In a horticultural career spanning 30 years, Jane has been a head gardener at a Benedictine Abbey, a writer for national gardening magazines and newspapers, a researcher on BBC gardening programmes and a TV presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World. Among her many accolades are a Chelsea Flower Show medal, several awards from the Garden Media Guild and her books are published worldwide. She has spent 30 years working as a hands-on head gardener, using tools on a daily basis.
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This Review roundup was last updated in May 2026. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.
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