Have you seen one of these before? I was recently asked a few times for my opinion on this thing. It’s called the Vertex Eco Tumbler and it looks to be the cheapest possible compost tumbler you can buy. So does the old adage “you get what you pay for” apply here? Is this the best option for the compost tumbler curious?
Without seeing one in person it’s hard to say, but here’s my observations of the unit:
-Cost! They’re under $100, which makes it the cheapest compost tumbler.
-Looking at the reviews on Amazon, it looks like the main issue people have is with its assembly. Therefore, if you like a challenge this shouldn’t be a problem. However, assembly issues may allude to cheap and/or shoddy manufacturing.
-I think the barrel material (corrugated plastic) is a wise choice to make it super cheap, but I wonder how sturdy it is when it’s full of material. The metal bars going over the barrel serve two purposes…they probably keep the thing from falling apart. However, they make great grips for tumbling the compost.
-I like the locking mechanism to keep the barrel in place…it’s kind of necessary, unless you have your composter door propped up against a wall or fence (which is what I do). The legs look just OK.
-The sliding door system is strange. No clamps or locking mechanisms, just doors that appear to be able to freely move side to side. If this claims to be the main source of airflow, I’m a little worried. Might be time to break out the drill and make some holes on the sides, but the strength of the material may be easily compromised.
I’m guessing this is a relatively new composter available in the marketplace…it doesn’t look like many places carry it. I’m always a fan of compost tumblers lower to the ground and not on legs so they don’t get tippy when full. However, this one might fare well. If you have one, leave a comment for me and let me know how you feel about these!
I feel weird about rating it since I don’t have one, but since I like to get what I pay for, I would rather spend a little more and get a tumbler that is in it for the long haul instead.