Algreen Products Soil Saver Classic Compost bin

We are very happy with the Algreen Compost Bin. We have gone through many types of compost bins over the years and this one works well, is a simple, sturdy design, and is priced well in comparison to others. Easy to put together and easy to use with a locking top to keep out critters. Doesn't take up a huge amount of space and yet holds a lot. We used the Algreen Compost Bin for a couple years and recently bought another one to place beside it. It is plenty big to fill with kitchen compost, leaves, twigs, garden refuse, etc. We intend to use one bin for summer compost and one for winter compost - which would allow the compost in each bin to break down over time. Our summer bin is not sitting in full sun all day, and yet the compost seemed to break down very well after several months to a year. We emptied it last spring and were excited that the compost (including corn cobs, apple cores, watermelon rind) was very well broken down into wonderful airy soil! This, from a bin that was in partial shade each day. We just added another raised vegetable bed and are looking forward to using both bins. I keep a little pile of mowed grass and dirt next to the bins to throw on the compost whenever I add something from the kitchen. This seems to keep the fruit flies away. We stick a garden fork in the bin from time to time and stir. It is a little difficult to get the compost out of the bottom of this bin from one side. It has two doors intended for access from either side. But, because we placed our compost bins next to each other, we decided to place the access panels on the side and on the front of each bin.

This composter with latching lid is really great for kitchen scraps, especially if you live in an area where critters could get into your compost. I imagine it's also a good solution for people in more urban environments, because it will make your compost tidy and not unsightly. I would need about 5 of these to handle to fall leaves, so I opted for a cheaper alternative for leaf litter and use this for kitchen scraps. I've not had a critter problem. I think if you're an urban gardener, this is your best bet for a composter. It's also super easy to set up, and you have the option of putting the two bottom sliding doors adjacent to each other or on opposite sides. I recommend this bin for its ease to set up, acceptable aesthetic, and solid construction. Now for the compost PSA part of my review. The only issue I've had, and this is not so much a this-specific-compost-bin problem as it is a general-compost-and-being-outside problem, is wasps. One time there were about 50 yellow jackets eating tomatoes I threw in this bin. I'm very, very allergic, so I immediately high-tailed it back to the house (seriously, I could probably have outrun Usain Bolt in that instant). They were gone by the next day. In a year's worth of use, this was the only time I'd ever seen a wasp in any of my compost piles/bins. Googling has revealed that occasionally happens with compost, regardless of bin type. The problem was that I unlatched both sides of the lid, lifted it off, and set it on the ground before noticing the death trap I had just opened. I'm going to keep using this compost bin, but I may leave the lid off during the summer months. That way, if there are wasps eating my scraps, I can see them before sticking my hands over them. Moral of the story: be careful. A different bin won't remove the possibility of stinging insects. It's outside, and you're probably putting food/garden scraps in it. Wasps have to eat, too. If you need a lid, then get a bin with a lid. This one is a great choice and I recommend it. If you have kids, an adult should remove the lid first, especially because this bin is approximately eye level for kids. You don't know what's in there (though laying down 1/4" hardware cloth at the base of the bin would keep things from tunneling up into the bin without removing the draining effect of an open bottom). If you don't have a critter problem or neighbors who can see your yard, consider leaving the lid off on days when you'll be around it extensively. That way you can quickly see, from a distance, if a whole nest of yellow jackets suddenly decides to feast on your scraps.

** Update Sept 2021 ** Here's an update after 1 yr sitting outside: The bin has slowly gotten out of square, so the lid doesn't fit all that well. I'm still able to lock it in place, but it takes a bit of finagling. However there has been no defect in the plastic. This thing is huge, and even after a year's worth of use, I've only got it filled up at most 1/3 of the way full. This is good and bad. The good is that there must be definitely composting going on: despite a year's worth of veggie scraps and leaves and such being dumped into this giant composter weekly, it hasn't gotten very full at all. But that means the top 4-5 inches of the compost pile is really not usable compost. If I try to turn it over, I get just a mess of fresh and old stuff. So I'm going to have to just let it go another year before I have access to compost. I'll do another update in 2022 **** Original review **** I took the advise of some of the other reviewers and bought some zinc coated metal carriage bolts and nuts to replace the plastic ones that accompanied this compost kit. It didn't take too long to put this together (once I had the pieces I needed, see below). The instructions are pretty simple, like Duplos for adults. The plastic is thick and sturdy, and once assembled, it doesn't wobble or feel unsteady. The lid locks on easily. The best thing is that the plastic pieces have no odor. A couple bad things: My kit I received was missing a piece for the handle. I sent an email to their customer service, which I found on their website, and I got a replacement part overnighted from Canada at no charge to me. Great customer service. The main reason for 4 stars is that some of the pieces were not a great precision fit. The mold for the plastic could use more tighter tolerances as the pieces that make up the locking device for the lid did not fit and snap into place as they were designed to do, and required me to actually grind down some of the pieces on my belt sander in order for it to fit correctly. I know that not everybody has a belt sander or other tools at their disposal to modify things, and for those folks, the locking feature of the lid would not have worked. Perhaps an email to the company may have been all I needed to get more additional replacement parts, but if they're all made on the same mold with the loose tolerances, the replacement pieces probably wouldn't have fit either and my predicament would have remained unchanged. Just a minor annoyance, but something that shouldn't occur when you're charged a ridiculous amount of money for pieces of recycled plastic.

Composting is a great idea for multiple reasons, and it's good to have lots of options for getting it done since each of our circumstances is unique. This is my second experience with this Algreen Products compost bin, the first in Indianapolis and now in a different home in New England. Making the choice again means opting for the simplest possible composting option rather than a tumbler. In our case, all leaf and grass clippings go into an adjacent woods, so this composter is purely for kitchen scraps. The unit is reasonably sturdy, although my prior one in Indianapolis eventually began to bow. It is easy to assemble. I think the reviewer who suggested replacing the nylon nuts and bolts with metal one is on to something, though I have not opted to do so and expect this unit to last at least a few years with the original nylon components. The lid settles into place and locks easily, which is important for keeping the critters out. It does seem like the price is a bit high, but I don't see a lot of competing products that use a similar design, so Algreen many be essentially unchallenged in this composting sector with what is at the end of the day a very solid product.

We bought this seven years ago and it has not deteriorated even with freezing winter temps and temps near one hundred degrees in the summer. Keep it stirred and alternate between produce and paper for great results. It is not horribly difficult to get the beautiful rich compost out of the bottom doors but there could be an easier way. However we have been very impressed with the size and durability of this. Plus it's fun to have a good additive to gardens and lawns without spending money on a bag of mulch.

I read as many reviews I could on Amazon on this bin. I took each persons suggestion seriously. This morning I put it together. The first suggestion was to go to the hardware store and purchase Stainless Steel 1/4" mushroom top screws and nuts. Take the plastic bag of nuts and bolts (12 pairs) with you so the salesperson can help you if you are clueless as I am. Plastic bolts and screws do not hold up over time. Keep the plastic wrench which comes with the kit, it's handy. 2nd) Every insertion hole check for incomplete openings. The process of taking each side or lid parts out of the mold at the factory, sometimes the insertion holes are not completely open. Have ready a hammer, a metal file and use as needed. Line up the lid parts, I had incomplete "flashing of plastic" that my husband used the metal file down to smooth it out. The holes should all line up perfectly. Do a "dry" fitting before doing the handle. The lid has a "locking" system. It's really nice because it works or it looks like it could work. You will note that each bin side on the top has an insertion slot for the locking system. Follow the instructions to attach the locking system together on the lid. This part is an easy line up and snap together. 3rd) Lay out all sides flat and you can configure where you want the door to open. My choice was side by side not front to back. It's how my compost holding bin is located. Please note: that the mushroom screws have a square configuration under the mushroom. This aways faces the outside. 4th) Line up the holes place the screw and hand tighten them together by hand top then bottom. Once it's all sides are up. Used the Plastic nut wrench and tighten up each set of screws + nuts. Then place the bin where you need it. Compared with my old compost bin I got at HD which at that time the only one they had. This bin is at least 2x heavier than the HD bin. It's better constructed and the walls are ridged. Where the HD bin had no supporting bar connecting the door opening on the bottom of the bin and the walls were thin. The bar on the bottom on each door opening gives the door more strength for this area. The HD bin had no support bar at the bottom of the opening and it's that area that gave way. The plastic started to buckle and spread apart and door had a hard time opening and finally not closing. My compost bin sits on top of my compost finish bin. The HD bin had a configuration of door in the front and back. Now I have the bin doors basically side by side. This should help me clear everything inside in an easier fashion. We shall see. Thank you for all the reviewers who helped me in putting this bin together, your details were the best. I hope this will be helpful for you.

I'm sure there are many people like me; you want to start composting but picking a bin is just a total hassle. The prices are unbelievably high on some, should I get one that tumbles, it's big so shipping will be expensive too, etc. I was at Home Depot and bought a unit that was on sale but it was really flimsy so I returned it. Costco had one but it looked like a giant alien space ship; I like my neighbors too much for that. This unit seemed like an okay price, straightforward design, price a little high, but I finally decided it was the best of the ones I'd seen. Bottom line: I really like it and I'm happy with my purchase. The plastic is recycled (kudos) and thick so it's sturdy. Assembly was easy with plastic bolts and nuts (so they don't rust) and they provided the tool. Took me 15 minutes and I was drinking beer - put a screw in, take a sip of beer, contemplate, repeat. About 12 screws. Design is very well thought out IMO. Some notes: It has no bottom, which I expected. It has rain holes on top, not sure if that will be enough but I could add more. Comes with a very basic composting guide but helpful. It has two doors along the bottom which I opted (read: didn't notice until I was done) to put on adjoining sides but could have put on opposite sides. The knobs you see on top are the locks, one on each side, nothing it getting without turning the whole thing over, e.g. bear, dog, etc. Comes with a 25 year warranty!!! Made in Canada. I think this item is made for Sam's Club and I've seen good prices on it at their site but it was out of stock everywhere. As an aside, compost doesn't stink. I received my kitchen bin first and started saving stuff. It adds up fast, you'll be amazed. So I needed a place to store it when that filled up and used a bucket and lid out on the porch, in the sun. Two weeks later it still didn't smell, fruit, veggies, cereal, coffee grinds, eggs - nothing... See my pics of the unit above!

I've had two of these bins, side by side, for a couple of years now. I assembled them fairly easily and quickly by myself and they are nice and sturdy. I get four finished batches of compost per year, generally the first batch is in May, and the last in September or October. The method that's worked for me is that I add organic material (kitchen waste, yard waste, fall foliage - but very little woody waste) to one bin at a time. I let the second bin, with OM (organic material) "cook", ie, I don't add to it, but I do stir it once every week or so. Once the compost in the "cooking bin" is ready (looks like nice, rich soil - generally has some woody bits in it) I just lift the bin off the compost and set it aside - I don't bother using the doors at the bottom of the bin. Then I shovel the finished compost into a bucket (removing any unbroken down pieces - generally sticks - and add them to the other bin) and I spread the finished compost on the garden. Once I've spread all the finished compost on the garden, I'll replace the now-empty bin. I'll then stop adding to the other bin, turning it every week or two with a garden fork, and I'll start filling the newly empty bin. I repeat this process several times over the growing season, and it's worked great. I don't ever "water" my bins with the hose, I just remove the lids when rain is expected - unless it's been a really rainy season. My only complaint about this bin has nothing to do with composting - I wish the lids were flat so I could put pizza boxes/beer/snacks on the bin during parties!

Easy to put together. Comes with a small wrench to tighten the nuts. All plastic bolts and nuts so they will not rust. My old composter had metal parts that rusted. This is much larger than the round style. It holds more. I have a round one and this one is way easier to use. The doors at the bottom are easy to open to remove the soil. Also comes with a really good instruction book on how to "run" your compost bin. You have to have the right mix of materials (green and brown) and follow the instructions to get a good compost. It is easy if you follow the book. The plastic is very thick and sturdy. List is full size so it is easy to access.

Es perfecto para generar composta siguiendo las instrucciones del manual. Lo que más me gusto es que la compostera está hecha con materiales reciclados.

Buen material y tamaño Solo un poco complicado poner los tapones de las manivelas hay que sobre empujar para que sobre salga me tuve que ayudar con en desarmado Romano para lograr abriera un poco más después lo empujé con martillo(ves como si estaba complicado?) Resto muy contento con el producto

I am an experienced gardener who has been composting for years. This is a well made product. The type of plastic is appropriate for Canadian climate and is heavy duty. The design is good. The assembly was reasonably easy and the instructions were well written and concise. The composting guide that is included is also well written, and if someone inexperienced follows this guide they will be successful. Bonus: made in Canada and it arrived 3 days early

Los tornillos son de plástico, después de armar la compostera uno se rompió y tuve que sustituirlo. Por otro lado, es una excelente compra.