ray_king•1mo agoProlific Poster

My cheap compost bin cracked after one winter freeze

I grabbed a $25 plastic bin from the hardware store last October for my backyard pile in Columbus. By March the bottom split open and all my half-rotten scraps spilled onto the concrete. Anyone tried those galvanized steel bins or should I just go with a wood pallet setup?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_allen481mo ago

Buddy of mine from work tried those galvanized bins last year. He was all pumped up about it, thought he was getting a Cadillac composter. First big rain we had, the water pooled in the bottom and turned everything into a slimy mess because there weren't enough drainage holes. He ended up drilling like 20 extra holes in it with a cordless drill, and now it works okay but the rust is starting to show after two winters. He's already talking about switching to a wood pallet setup this fall, says it breathes better and the worms can get in from the ground.

noahclark1mo agoMost Upvoted

That "Cadillac composter" line got me thinking. It's like a lot of stuff people buy these days, they figure spending more means it's better, but companies just slap some metal together and call it premium. Your buddy's story reminds me of how many things in life look good on paper but fall apart when you actually use them. Like those expensive blenders with plastic gears that strip out after a year, or the fancy grill that rusts through before you get three summers out of it. Sometimes the simple, cheap solution really does work better in the long run.