Are you looking for the best worm composter?
Worm composting has been growing in popularity in recent years as it is an excellent alternative to a traditional hot compost pile. Worms help speed up the composting process, and you can even have compost indoors.
So, are you ready to start your very own worm compost?
This blog post will help you choose the right composter and go over everything you need to know.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Why Use a Worm Composter? Here are a Few Reasons!
Worm composting is faster and more efficient than turning your waste into compost. In the simplest sense, it means that the worms eat your kitchen scraps and turn them into nutritious compost for your garden.
It’s glorified worm poop!
Once the worm colony gets all settled in, you can feed them your household kitchen waste, and they’ll give you fertilizer for your garden in return. You can feed them fruits, bread, coffee grounds, pasta, eggshells, tea bags, cardboard, and even paper.
Now, isn’t this a great way to get rid of your kitchen scraps?
So, What Are the Advantages of Worm Composting?
One of the best things about Vermicomposters is that they come relatively cheap and easy to maintain.
- Waste Reduction: You’ll be able to significantly reduce your carbon footprint by having a worm composter since you’ll be turning your kitchen scraps into fertile compost!
- Saying Goodbye to the Stench: Don’t you hate the smell of trash? You can kiss the stench goodbye by putting compostable waste into the compost–you won’t have to worry about missing another garbage day!
- No pests in the house: When you get rid of your kitchen trash every day, you don’t have to worry about cockroaches or mice getting into your house. No kitchen scraps equal no pests.
Composting and Your Garden
Do you wish to cut down on fertilizer costs?
Everyone wants a beautiful and blooming garden. But fertilizer doesn’t come cheap! You can reduce your costs significantly by installing a worm composter in your garden.
Here are some of the key benefits.
- Improve Soil Nutrition: The finished compost can enrich your soil with phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen along with other trace micronutrients and minerals. These include manganese, iron, copper, zinc, calcium, carbon, etc.
- Reducing Plant Disease: Some studies show link compost to fewer diseases in plants.
- Regulating the Soil pH: Most plants thrive in high pH soil, and compost helps by buffering the salt pH by absorbing the salt ions.
- Improving the Soil Texture: Compost helps increase water retention it also helps in improving the texture, which enables plants to grow deeper roots.
Our Top Picks: The Best Worm Composters Available to Buy on the Market
Now that we know how amazing worm composting is for your garden let’s take a quick look at some of the best worm composters you can find on the market!
We spent a significant amount of time combing through all the worm composters on the market to bring to you the best of the best. We hope that our research proves to be fruitful for you.
Before we move on to the in-depth reviews, here’s a quick look at the worm composters we’ll go over today.
Take a look.
| The Best Worm Composter | Top Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Worm Factory 360 Worm Composting Bin | Standard 4-trays expandable to 8 trays Easy to set up and use Comes with easy to follow instructions Sturdy | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| 4-Tray Worm Compost Kit | Allows for air ventilation and doesn’t produce odor Portable and value-for-money Created a healthy environment for the worms. | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Miracle Gro DC140 | A two-chamber compost bin features an aeration system and mixing bars BPA-free and UV-inhibited Fast and efficient composting Rust-proof and pest-free. | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Worm Factory Worm Composter | Comes with a work tea tray and allows easy drainage Odorless operation Works well year-round Can be expanded vertically | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Tumbleweed In-ground Worm Farm | Easy to use Small in size and protrudes minimally Low maintenance Compact and suitable for all gardens | CHECK ON AMAZON |
Now, it is time to take a closer look at each of the individual worm composters.
Here are the Top 5 Best Worm Composters on the Market: Up-Close Reviews
Let’s take a look at each of the best worm composters available to buy on the market and figure out which one of these will be the best choice for you.
Let’s begin.
1. Worm Factory 360 Worm Composting Bin
The Worm Factory 360 is one of the best worm composters available to buy on the market. This bin is easy to set up and use–you only have to operate it 15 minutes a week, so it also saves you some time.
Adding household waste to the composting bin is easy–all you need to do is lift the lid and put the food in.
Odorless Operation
One of the best things about the Worm Factory 360 is that you can use it year-round and odorless. This is an excellent choice for garages, apartments, kitchens, condos, etc.
The composter is designed to allow oxygen flow throughout the system to ensure minimum bad odor.
Temperature Requirements
Worms feel comfortable in temperatures between 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and don’t do well in extreme temperatures.
High-Quality
This worm composter is made of high-quality materials and comes with stacking trays, scraper, bedding materials, and a collection tray with a spigot. It’s easy to assemble and use, making it an excellent choice.
Pros and Cons
Let’s weigh the pros against the cons, shall we? Take a look…
What We Like:
- Excellent for indoor as well as outdoor use
- Value for money
- Constructed with HDPE recycled plastic
- Comes with an online 80-page manual
- Includes a bedding kit.
What We Didn’t Like:
- Worms may escape sometimes.
Check It Out Here
- The Worm Factory 360 has a standard 4-Tray size which is expandable up to 8 trays, giving it the largest volume of any home composter.
- The redesigned lid converts to a handy stand for trays while harvesting the compost.
- Includes digital instructional manual with step-by-step guide for managing your Worm Factory 360.
- Bonus "What Can Red Wigglers Eat?" infographic refrigerator magnet (6" by 9") allows you to quickly determine which foods are perfect for your worms, and which you should avoid. Imagine the peace of mind you will feel knowing that your worms are always eating a healthy diet!
- Built in "worm tea" collector tray and spigot for easy draining.
Moving on.
2. 4-Tray Worm Compost Kit
This 4-tray worm compost kit is an excellent choice if you’re just getting started. This comes with everything you need to turn your waste into organic fertilizer for your garden.
We can’t rave enough about this kit. It comes with four trays and is value for money.
Minimum Odor
One of the best things about this compost kit is adequate air ventilation to minimize odor. This comes in handy when you are short on space.
Portable
This worm compost kit is value for money and features a sleek design, saving space. You can use this kit indoors and outdoors throughout the year without worrying about extreme temperatures.
Fully Functional
The worms themselves migrate upwards without you having to do the dirty work. You get four working trays, a spigot, and a rack.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick peek at the pros and cons.
What We Like:
- Ideal size and a versatile design
- Quick and efficient
- Little to no odor
- Easy to use
What We Didn’t Like:
- Small in size
Check It Out Here
No products found.
On to the next one.
3. Miracle-Gro DC140
The Miracle-Gro DC140 features dual chambers so that you can keep adding the compost material to one side while the other cures. The tumbling composter is heavy-duty and allows year-round efficient composting.
Quick and Efficient
The internal mixing bars help speed the decomposition process up so that you can get fertile and rich compost in just 4 to 6 weeks. You can rely on this to get high-quality compost throughout the year.
Trust-worthy brand
Miracle-Gro has an excellent reputation and is a trustworthy brand when it comes to garden supplies. The company provides a satisfaction guarantee on all of its products, which is excellent.
Excellent Design
The Miracle-Gro DC140 comes with a hexagonal design that allows for easier mixing. The dual-chamber design is rodent-safe and highly efficient.
Pros and Cons
It’s time to look at the pros and cons.
What We Like:
- Trustworthy brand
- Excellent for beginners and seasoned gardeners
- Comes with multi-purpose gardening gloves
- Aeration system and mixing bars
- 55.4-gallon capacity
What We Didn’t Like:
- The assembly is complicated
Check It Out Here
- GROW A HAPPIER GARDEN – Do you look at other’s gardens with envy? Give your plants the nutrient-dense fertilizer they crave, and watch your garden bloom like never before! With Miracle-Gro’s dual chamber, heavy-duty tumbling composter you get 2 compartments for faster and more efficient composting all year round.
- KEEP THE NUTRIENTS COMING – Achieve your gardening goals with a steady supply of ready-to-use compost! This 2-chamber compost tumbler allows you to add compost ingredients to 1 side, while waiting for the other side to cure. And with internal mixing bars that speed up the decomposition process, you can expect rich, fertile compost in just 4-6 weeks!
- NO MORE HEAVY LIFTING – Miracle-Gro is here to make composting easy for beginners and seasoned green thumbs alike! Our efficient tumbler system is the simple way to get perfectly cooked compost without having to dig, turn, and mix by hand. All you have to do is open the easy-sliding door, add your scraps, and turn the composter 5-6 times every few days.
- A BRAND YOU TRUST – With the help of Miracle-Gro, both you and your garden will thrive. As America’s most trusted garden supply brand, we guarantee you’ll be satisfied with our products. Once you start using the compost generated by your new dual-chamber tumbling composter, you’ll enjoy bigger harvests, healthier plants, and your most beautiful gardens yet!
- Achieve your garden goals with a pair of Scotts multi-purpose gardening gloves! Each pair is latex-free, water-resistant, and features a no-slip grip, perfect for both indoor and outdoor projects. Grow your green thumb with Scotts and Miracle-Gro!
Moving along.
4. Worm Factory Worm Composter
The Worm Factory Worm Composter deserves a spot on our list! This four-tray composter is expandable up to six trays and provides you with the largest volume compared with other composters on the market.
One of the best things about this composter is that it is easy to use and comes with an 80-page guide on Vermicomposting, a DVD, and easy-to-follow instructions.
Low Maintenance
Don’t have a lot of time to devote to your garden? No problem.
This worm composter is very simple to set up and operate. It also comes with all the instructions you need to get started! Maintenance takes less than fifteen minutes a week, which is excellent.
Year-Round Composting
Another thing to note about this Worm Factory Composter is that composting is no longer restricted to the warm summer months. You can process your waste year-long.
The best part?
This composter reduces the nasty odors, so you don’t have to worry about it stinking up your kitchen or garden.
Excellent for Households
This composter is made in the United States using high-quality materials, making it durable and sturdy for long-term use. It’s excellent for up to four people households and also expandable in case the need arises.
Pros and Cons
So, here’s the thing.
What We Like:
- Made in the United States
- Value for money It comes with an eBook and accessory kit
- Features a “worm tea” collector for easy drainage
- Expandable up to 6 trays
What We Didn’t Like:
- Issues with worm migration
Check It Out Here
- US made with durable high quality plastic. Houses thousands of worms that can consume several pounds of waste each week. Compact and expandable.
- The Worm Factory 360 has a standard 4-Tray size which is expandable up to 6 trays when following the directions, giving it the largest volume of any home vermicomposter.
- Each tray has a grid bottom for worms to migrate upward as new food is added. As each tray is filled another is added to the top, when the bottom tray is harvested it becomes the top creating a continuous loop system.
- The worms will process food waste into fine compost full of nutrients. Worms can eat about half their weight in food per day. If you start with 1/2 lb of worms they can eat a 1/4 lb of food per day. Gradually increase as the size of your community grows.
- 5 year limited warranty. Odor free operation. Create compost year-round indoors.
On to the next one.
5. Tumbleweed In-ground Worm Farm
This is the last product on our list for today.
Don’t go just by the looks of this in-ground worm composter; it’s sturdier to return it looks! The Tumbleweed Worm Farm is compact in size and an excellent solution for families recycling their organic waste.
One of the notable things about this composter is that it is suitable for all gardens, including raised garden beds.
Let’s take a closer look, shall we?
Easy Composting
If you’re low on space and still wish to get started with composting, the Tumbleweed in-ground worm farm is an excellent choice. This compact composter helps you easily compost your organic waste.
Fast Action
You can quickly compost your organic waste using this composter. You’ll have fertile compost in three to six weeks, which is excellent!
Made of High-Quality Materials
Another notable thing about the Tumbleweed in-ground worm farm is that it is made of high-quality yet eco-friendly plastic in Australia. The locking lid ensures that all the odors stay in so that they don’t stink up your area!
Pros and Cons
Let’s take a peek at the pros and cons, shall we?
What We Like:
- In-ground worm composter.
- Excellent for raised garden beds.
- Made from eco-friendly materials.
- Compact.
- Easy to use.
What We Didn’t Like:
- Installation issues.
Check It Out Here
- In Ground Vermicomposter powered by worms
- Delivers natural and organic fertilizer to surrounding plants
- Perfect height for a raised garden bed
- Vermin proof locking lid
- Made from recycled plastic
Now, let’s look at some important things you need to know…
Here are Some Must-Haves in a Worm Composter
In this section of the article, we will go over some of the things you need to consider when getting a worm composter.
Take a look.
Good Drainage
Fruits and vegetables produce a liquid that most people refer to as “worm tea,” also known as leachate. Your worms may not be able to withstand the extra moisture and might even drown due to excess moisture.
So, it becomes important to have drainage material in place, such as a spigot, to make sure everything works smoothly.
Space inside the composter
Composting space is another thing you need to consider when looking for the best worm composter. When you first get your composter, you might not be producing a lot of waste. However, as your family grows in size, so will the organic waste that you produce.
This means that you might need to invest in another composter down the line. An intelligent choice would be to go for a high-quality composter which you can later expand as your needs do.
Air Circulation
It’s important to make sure that your worms have enough room to breathe, which is why it is necessary to choose a well-ventilated composter. A lack of ventilation can lead to excess moisture in the compost bin, increasing the death rate of worms.
Shade
Worms stay underground and prefer staying away from sunlight. For best results, you should try to emulate their natural environment as closely as possible.
It’s a good idea to go for an opaque worm composter to block excessive sunlight. Your worms will thrive in this environment and will go on eating!
Ease Way to Harvest Compost
Why not go for a commercial worm composter if it reduces the amount of work you have to put in to harvest the compost?
It wouldn’t be fun to manually remove your worms from the compost every time you harvest the compost. Not only is it time-consuming, but it is also unenjoyable.
So, it is a good idea to go for a system that keeps your needs in mind and makes it easier for you to have access to your compost.
You won’t have to manually remove the worms, bedding, and food. Think of the amount of time you’ll save over the years!
Weather Protection
By investing in a worm composter, you can ensure that your compost will be protected from outside elements.
If you wish to have an outdoor composter, you’ll need to get one with a sturdy lid to keep the rain out. You’ll also have to consider putting the compost bin in a shady spot to not overheat and cause further complications.
On the other hand, if you plan to have the compost indoors, you’ll have to consider factors like sunlight, water, etc.
Here’s a rule of thumb to go by.
If it is too cold, the worms get sluggish and won’t eat as much–they become lazy, just like us in the winter! However, the worms will try to escape if the temperature is on the warmer end of the spectrum.
So, it becomes important to maintain optimal conditions to get the most out of your compost.
Here are 5 Worm Composter Mistakes You MUST Avoid!
This section of the article will go over the top five beginner mistakes you must avoid when it comes to worm composters.
Take a look.
Not Maintaining the Right Temperature
It’s important to make sure that you regulate the temperature of the compost bin–especially if you live in a climate that receives extreme temperatures. Worms can die when the temperature is too hot or cold.
It’s important to choose the right bin location to cool the worms in the summers and warm during the winters.
Forgetting About the Harvest
Some hobbyists forget about harvesting the black gold while the composting bin keeps filling up with worm castings. So, people usually start by adding more trays to put it off.
However, it is important to take out the time to separate the worms from the worm casting–an activity that should only take between 30 to 60 minutes. You can harvest compost:
- As needed
- When the bin starts to get full
- At the beginning of the growing season
Don’t forget about the black gold you’ve created!
Offering the Wrong Foods
Worms cannot process everything that you put in the composting bin. They’re excellent at processing non-acidic vegetable and fruit scraps, such as:
- Bread
- Coffee grounds
- Grains
- Pasta
- Teabags
Processed foods, meat, salty snacks, etc., aren’t the best for your worms.
Overfeeding the Worms
Sometimes, people toss everything they can into the compost bin out of enthusiasm. After all, the idea of worms eating your trash and turning into black gold is an exciting one.
However, in such cases, the worms cannot keep up with this never-ending supply of food.
The result?
The trash starts to decompose, and the bin–along with its surroundings starts to smell terrible!
So, it is best to curb the enthusiasm and only feed the worms what they can process.
The Compost Bedding is Too Dry or Too Wet
Finally, you need to maintain the moisture inside the bin. Filling up the bin with water can drown your worms and kill them. The bin can also start to stink when there’s excessive moisture.
On the other hand, letting the compost bin dry out can dehydrate the worms, and the worms won’t tunnel efficiently.
So, it is crucial to maintain the right amount of moisture for the worms to thrive.
Worm Composting 101: Here are Some Frequently Asked Questions
While researching for this article, we came across several frequently asked questions that we’d like to address in this section of the article.
Let’s take a quick look, shall we?
The worm composter has started to stink! It’s getting really bad! Where did I go wrong?
If your worm composter smells bad, it means that there’s something off that you need to address. In most cases, there may be either too much food in the bin or excessive moisture. If those seem to be in order, you should try chopping up the kitchen waste into smaller pieces to make it easier for the worms to eat.
My worms are trying to escape. What should I do?
There are several reasons why your worms may be trying to escape the compost bin. These include:
The bedding is too acidic: You can crush some eggshells and add them to help balance out the pH.
High temperatures: Worms tend to escape when the temperature gets too high. You should relocate the bin to a cooler area to stop the worms from getting away.
Excessive moisture: Try to drain the excessive moisture to help make the compost bin more habitable for the worms.
Fruit Flies seem to be attracted to the bin. What’s the solution?
Insects and fruit flies get tempted by the food in your compost bin and make their way over to get a taste for themselves. This usually happens when the food is close to the surface. Adding dampened cardboard or newspaper on the top can help keep these insects at bay.
Wrapping Up: The Best Worm Composter!
We hope that this blog post helped you pick the right worm composter for your gardening needs.
Vermicomposting helps you turn your organic kitchen scraps into fertile compost, which helps you create a thriving garden. Several types of worm composters are available on the market, and it is important to choose one that fits your needs.
You have several things to consider when getting a worm composter, such as:
- Drainage
- Your budget
- Air circulation
- Durability
- Weather protection
- Ease of harvest
We spent a considerable amount of time researching the best worm composters available to buy on the market. According to our research, the Worm Factory 360 Worm Composting Bin is the best bet as it is expandable, value for money, and easy to set up.
The Miracle-Gro DC140 is another one of our favorites as the dual-chamber composter has an excellent capacity and is uniquely designed.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment below, and we’ll do our best to answer them!
