Review of Toter Consumer Composter-Check it out!

One of the joys I get in life is to look at products that can help make a gardeners life easier in some way. Composting is one of the most essential tools that gardeners have in order to have the most beautiful and healthy gardens around. Today I will be doing a review on the Toter consumer composter.

Shipping: One of the first things I look at when reviewing a product is to start with the shipping. The composter arrived via Freight. That is not a problem for me as I live out in the country, but for someone trying to live in the cramped streets of the city, they might have to talk with the company to find out about other shipping options. The Composter arrived later than expected, but being that this is a newer product for the company, I am not going to hold that against them. It takes time to sort out those types of details.


Packaging: The box arrived with a bit of a dent on one end, however, once opened, the composted had been packed very well and had sustained no damage. The main composter was wrapped (which is nice seeing this is such a large item, and the compost bucket fit well inside.


Instructions: The instructions for the small bucket are clear and simple to read. Even better, the instruction on how to actually compost are written in the lid (no losing instructions!) and are very easy to understand and use. That is a huge plus for this company as the greatest problems with most gardeners in terms of composting deals with the ratios to use and the types of scraps that should and should not be used. Both of these topics were covered in a simple, easy to understand, visual instructions. It even comes with instruction on when to turn it, how much to water and troubleshooting guides on proper ratios.

Impressions: What can I say, I am impressed. The construction of the composter is sturdy and looks to be long lasting. The smaller bucket also looked well-constructed. At first, I thought the handle might be a bit flimsy, but as I have used it, it has worked well without any problems. By the way, I really liked the small bucket. It has air holes to keep your scraps from going rotten while you fill it with kitchen scraps. The company claims that you can flip it upside down and it will stay securely closed, and I must admit that they were right. I accidentally dropped it and not only did it hold together, but the lid did indeed stay closed so I didn’t have any mess on my kitchen floor (nice!)


Both the composter and the small bucket have locking mechanisms for holding the lids closed and for holding them open. Both nice features.

This model comes with a built in turner that you use your hands to turn.The turner has built in holes to help with oxygenation It feels sturdy enough for the work. The bottom also features a convenient door that allows you to pull the processed compost easily out the bottom. The door is small, so assume you will be using a small trowel for pulling out finished compost. I also like the fact that it has nice wide wheels so it’s easy to move around. That makes it easier to take it to my garden when I need compost without needing another bucket. The composter’s form factor fits in well with other garbage cans and does not draw undue attention to itself.

The only thing that I was not sure about was the metal grill at the bottom that holds the raw material in place. Unless you lay a thick layer of brown material very evenly, it’s easy for small scarps to fall through its cracks. Since small scraps is what you want to have in order to have effective composting, this might take a little practice in order to make it work effectively.


Conclusion: Overall, I was impressed by this composter. It’s sturdy, seems like it will last forever and I love the small bucket. It just works well. With the convenient turning mechanism and access door at the bottom, it looks like it will help gardeners with the most difficult parts of composting, the turning and access to the final product. I am excited to see how the compost comes out in about 4-6 weeks. I’ll post an update then. You can get more information about this composter at:

http://www.totercomposter.com/


Alan Silva
Square Foot Gardening Foundation

That looks terrific. How nice to find something that seems so well constructed and thought out. Congratulations!

Toter is the brand that my city uses for the curbside garbage pickup "roly carts" and this composter looks kind of like that
It seems that the only place to buy it (so far?) is through Home Depot, and they do have a free pick up in-store option. Now, if only I had the $229.00 available to order one

Nicola wrote:Toter is the brand that my city uses for the curbside garbage pickup "roly carts" and this composter looks kind of like that
It seems that the only place to buy it (so far?) is through Home Depot, and they do have a free pick up in-store option. Now, if only I had the $229.00 available to order one

yes, this is the company's entry into the gardening world. I must say, I am liking this machine!

Looks like a pretty handy garden toy So it includes a separate container for disposing of kitchen scraps? Is that center metal bar for turning the goods?
Thanks for the review Squarefoot!

RoOsTeR wrote:Looks like a pretty handy garden toy So it includes a separate container for disposing of kitchen scraps? Is that center metal bar for turning the goods?
Thanks for the review Squarefoot!

Yes, It includes a separate small bucket for the kitchen scraps.I really like it, it has holes to keep it vented and you just pour it into the composter. Yes, the metal bar is like a washing machine, it turns all the material.

SquareFoot wrote:

RoOsTeR wrote:Looks like a pretty handy garden toy So it includes a separate container for disposing of kitchen scraps? Is that center metal bar for turning the goods?
Thanks for the review Squarefoot!

Yes, It includes a separate small bucket for the kitchen scraps.I really like it, it has holes to keep it vented and you just pour it into the composter. Yes, the metal bar is like a washing machine, it turns all the material.

Awesome! I followed your link and found a good video:
http://www.totercomposter.com/product-tour/how-it-works
Looks like it would be a good composter for those in neighborhoods where piles may be frowned upon, or for those who find it challenging to turn their piles.

Hope that carton gets composted.

camprn wrote:Hope that carton gets composted.

Actually, the box it came in has become a fort for the kids to play in. they won't let me compost it yet!

Lol. Classic!

Great review! How's the compost coming along?
I ordered my shiny new Toter composter last week, and it should be arriving at the big Depot any day now...very excited! It is a wee bit pricey ($250 with site-to-store shipping), so I have high expectations for it. Glad to hear that the bonus kitchen container works well too.
One thing...You raised the same concern that I have; Is the small stuff going to fall through the metal grates too early? And, how can I prevent that from happening? Thanks for the great review! Maybe I'll also post a review after trying mine.

SquareFoot wrote:

camprn wrote:Hope that carton gets composted.

Actually, the box it came in has become a fort for the kids to play in. they won't let me compost it yet!

LOL.
That box would make a PERFECT fort!
I think I might make one for myself after I unload my composter!