About a year ago, my friend Michelle bought a gigantic Duel Drum Rotating Composter…And for the past entire year, I have coveted it! Oh man, how I have wanted one for myself! It is a gardener’s dream!
Why you ask? Well, I have composted with square composters that I had to dig and struggle to mix. And I have had a small rotating composter that I love, but that fills up too quickly. Once it is full, I have to wait…and wait…until the compost is finished so that I can start a new batch. Michelle’s composter solved this problem by being extremely large, with two compartments. Even though it is large, it is very easy to turn. It composts quickly and is up off the ground so that you can dump the contents into a wheel barrel placed underneath. Plus, it looks COOL.
So I saved my pennies FOR A YEAR and bought my own Duel Drum Composter (also known as a Compost Tumbler) – Just like Michelle’s!
When it arrived, I was beyond excited!
Unfortunately, it had twenty thousand little screws, but I managed to get it together all by myself. Although I do have an engineering degree, it was not complicated and I did not have to do any upper level math to complete the project! However, it took some time to assemble because there were so many darn screws and no one at home to help hold the drum in place while I was assembling.
The finished composter is AWESOME! It has two sections inside so that you can fill one and cook it while starting to fill the other side! One side is already full and the second side is about 90% full. So I am really using it! And that little puny black thing next to it is my old rotating composter. It is still a workhorse, but it just can’t even keep up with this MONSTER composter!
About the Author
Theresa Loe blogs here about taking the garden full circle while striving for a more local, fresh-from-the-garden lifestyle. She is a TV producer, video host, freelance garden writer and a wrangler of chickens and children. (Not necessarily in that order.) For more information on these topics, you can subscribe to her free monthly newsletter.
Theresa Loe is the award- winning Co-Executive Producer & Canning Expert on Growing A Greener World TV. She blogs here about Living Homegrown®, local and fresh-from-the-garden. 
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Congrats! Beware that the stand can rust faster sitting on moist dirt. The metal parts can rust too so as little moisture ON the barrel such as rainy season. Been there done that. Loving my rusty bucket.
ps – Just found this site! Thanks all the wonderful writing!
Annette-
Thanks so much for the warning! I will raise up the composter onto pavers I have left over from my old patio. Whew! Don’t want it rusting out too fast!
With those big eyes and that locked mouth, he really does look like some big robotized monster. I hope you feed him enough to keep him happy. I’d hate to see what he does if he gets angry.
LOL Jim.
Perhaps I should paint a nose on him to make him look more endearing…I would hate to scare the little school children that come to tour my garden this spring!
Do you still recommend/like your Monster composter? We are dismanteling our 20 yr old 3 compartment wood & chicken-wire composter because it attracts too many “varmints? My husband insisted that we no longer compost veggie scraps and egg shells because of this … darn. Love your site from a gardener in North Texas.
Hi Dianne-
I highly recommend this composter! I have had zero “varmints” get into it. It has small air holes but a rat could not get in. Go for it!
I am so glad you are enjoying the blog!
~Theresa