Since we’ve been talking about planting a garden for quite a while now, my Earth Day gift to myself this year was a new compost bin from Envirocycle. This bin has a fairly unique design in that it’s a tumbler, but the base incorporates a set of rollers that make it easy to spin the tumbler right where it sits. Some others that I’ve seen require you to remove the bin from its base and roll it around the yard.
We bought the unit from Amazon, and if you are thinking about purchasing one, I’d recommend you read the user comments there. I share their general concern about the flimsy latch on the door of the bin. This is a very poor (and cheap) design. I also wanted to thank one commenter for their suggestion that you keep your kitchen compost container in the freezer. This is a great idea! It keeps the smell in check and plus freezing the food accelerates the composting process.
I will say that there is an art to making compost and you have to be especially watchful of the moisture level inside the bin. Start off with equal parts dry (grass clippings, leaves, etc.) and wet (food waste) matter, and don’t put any straight liquids (like coffee or tea) in the bin, or you will wind up with a soggy mess inside.
Have you tried outdoor composting? I’d be interested to hear what you have learned from that experience, as I am going to start one this year.