3 Composter deals

[rf134a]

Here's 3 composter deals for Earth Day:

"E-composter" from Costco.ca, $70 delivered or $48 in store. 470L capacity.
http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10320059&whse=bcca&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-CA

Composter from Canadian Tire. $45 on sale, $60 regular. 311L capacity.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/Green/WasteReduction/Composters/PRD~0592198P/Composter%252C%2B11%2BCu.%2BFt..jsp

"Garden Gourmet" composter, $39.97 in-store only at Home Depot. 311L capacity.
http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=907424&Ntt=907424&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=0&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

[contact_markm]

Any reviews on any of these units?

[gman]

Mine looks like the one in Home Depot. CT one also looks similar.

I do not have Costco one. It costs more but it seems to be better.

Mine does the job but there are couple things I don't like.

1. The bottom door is hard to open and close when it is filled.
2. The flip doors on the top can easily be blown away by strong wind.

[Jennipher]

If I could make a suggestion, also try to contact your city hall office to see if there is a deal to be made there if you purchase a compost through the city.

I know where I live, you save a lot. They charge $20.00.

[samo147]

If your in calgary the calgary eco-store charges 25 dollars for "The Earth Machine", its subsidized by the city. Sometimes the city brings a truck to malls and sells them for the same price you could look for when their having their next sale.

[brunes]

I have one like the Canadian tire one / home depot one (they look like the same model to me). I do not recommend it

- Huge PITA to assemble.

- Not durable at all. The hinge system on the lid on mine broke within the first 6 months. The hinge is literally a thin strip of PVC with slots in it - pretty sub-par for something to be opened daily.

- Animals got into it all the time for the semi-fresh produce, because of (again) the poor lid and no ability to latch anything.

If I had to do it again I would spend $20 on some 2x4s and build one myself

EDIT: That Costco one looks much more durable to me.

[gman]

I have one like the Canadian tire one / home depot one (they look like the same model to me). I do not recommend it

- Huge PITA to assemble.

- Not durable at all. The hinge system on the lid on mine broke within the first 6 months. The hinge is literally a thin strip of PVC with slots in it - pretty sub-par for something to be opened daily.

- Animals got into it all the time for the semi-fresh produce, because of (again) the poor lid and no ability to latch anything.

If I had to do it again I would spend $20 on some 2x4s and build one myself

EDIT: That Costco one looks much more durable to me.

Agree with all three points. My unit is now kind of cripple. The bottom door cannot close properly. The lid was flied out couple times. A raccoon jumped out from the enclosed unit once when I was mowing the lawn passing it. Scared the hack out of me. I am now using a bungee cord on top of both lids. It works so far.

When I put stuff into it, I take out the bungee cord. Take out the lid because the lid keep on falling back when I am dump stuff into it.

[l69norm]

Peel $21
http://www.peelregion.ca/pw/waste/compost/byc-locations.htm
http://www.peelregion.ca/pw/waste/compost/art/comp1.gif

Halton $15
http://www.halton.ca/ppw/waste/backyardcompost.htm
http://www.halton.ca/ppw/waste/images/composting.jpg

Toronto $15
http://www.toronto.ca/compost/outlets.htm
http://www.toronto.ca/compost/images/compost_man.gif

York ?
Vaughan $17
http://www.city.vaughan.on.ca/greening_vaughan/backyard_composting.html
http://www.city.vaughan.on.ca/greening_vaughan/images/leaf_yard/composting.jpg

Richmond Hill (no price):
http://www.richmondhill.ca/subpage.asp?pageid=townhall_home_composting
http://www.richmondhill.ca/images/subpage/black_earth_bin.jpg

Newmarket $30 no pic:
http://www.newmarket.ca/userfiles/HTML/nts_1_5379_1.html

Durham $30
http://www.region.durham.on.ca/works.asp?nr=/departments/works/waste/backyardcompost.htm
http://www.region.durham.on.ca/images/works/waste/composter.jpg

[Heynow999]

Honestly, I think it is better to just make a pile in the corner of the yard. If the wife won't let you, like mine, get some chicken wire and make a big circle

[nalababe]

If I didn't use the rolling composter from Lee Valley (far superior), any square box/bin would be fine

[Wiseman]

No charge for composters in KW area.

http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/97dfc347666efede85256e590071a3d4/31d9cc131bc6342b85256eec006fb5a0!OpenDocument

[inntents]

I have one like the Canadian tire one / home depot one (they look like the same model to me). I do not recommend it

- Huge PITA to assemble.

- Not durable at all. The hinge system on the lid on mine broke within the first 6 months. The hinge is literally a thin strip of PVC with slots in it - pretty sub-par for something to be opened daily.

- Animals got into it all the time for the semi-fresh produce, because of (again) the poor lid and no ability to latch anything.

If I had to do it again I would spend $20 on some 2x4s and build one myself

EDIT: That Costco one looks much more durable to me.

Agree with all three points. My unit is now kind of cripple. The bottom door cannot close properly. The lid was flied out couple times. A raccoon jumped out from the enclosed unit once when I was mowing the lawn passing it. Scared the hack out of me. I am now using a bungee cord on top of both lids. It works so far.

When I put stuff into it, I take out the bungee cord. Take out the lid because the lid keep on falling back when I am dump stuff into it.

+1 for both opinions. I bought one at Home Hardware for $60 and didn't even bother to put it together. I already have a SoilSaver composter that I got two years ago, but I needed a second one, and nobody had the SoilSavers so I got the Garden Gourmet. Looks way too flimsy, with hard access through the top.

Finally I reached a HH by phone that ordered me a SoilSaver from their warehouse. It was $62. Why on earth they wouldn't have them in-store, especially at this time of year, is beyond me, but none of the HHs or other usual suspects did!

If I didn't use the rolling composter from Lee Valley (far superior), any square box/bin would be fine

I also looked at this one, but it's $190!!:-0

[gman]

Peel $21
http://www.peelregion.ca/pw/waste/compost/byc-locations.htm
http://www.peelregion.ca/pw/waste/compost/art/comp1.gif

York ?
Vaughan $17
http://www.city.vaughan.on.ca/greening_vaughan/backyard_composting.html
http://www.city.vaughan.on.ca/greening_vaughan/images/leaf_yard/composting.jpg

Richmond Hill (no price):
http://www.richmondhill.ca/subpage.asp?pageid=townhall_home_composting
http://www.richmondhill.ca/images/subpage/black_earth_bin.jpg

Durham $30
http://www.region.durham.on.ca/works.asp?nr=/departments/works/waste/backyardcompost.htm
http://www.region.durham.on.ca/images/works/waste/composter.jpg

Markham is selling one looks like these for $10.