Exaco Trading EARTH Earthmaker 120-Gallon Three Stage Aerobic Composter

by Exaco Trading

Product Features

• Backyard composter with continuous cycling, 120-gallon capacity
• Gravity-fed triple-chamber separates, aerates material for faster composting
• Panel in chamber floor slides out once a month to let material drop
• Produces up to 10 gallons per month with fewer greenhouse gasses
• Includes composting tool, instructions; measures 47 by 30 inches (height by diameter)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 30 x 30 x 47 inches ; 35.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 39 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B001CEU5NK
• Item model number: EARTH
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,445 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)
  • #57 in Patio, Lawn & Garden > Plants & Planting > Outdoor Carts & Bins > Composting Bins

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Composting just got easier, faster and less odorous.The world's first continuous-cycle compost bin, the Earthmaker aerobic composter processes kitchen waste, grass clippings and more-twice as fast as traditional bins. Rather than having to rotate or stir material once a day, the Earthmaker requires easy, 10-second maintenance just once a month, producing up to 10 gallons of compost in just 4 weeks. The Earthmaker easily keeps up with kitchen scraps and grass clippings, adding vital nutrients to garden soil for healthier plants while reducing household landfill waste by 20 percent.

Best of all, the gravity fed design also means no more rotating or stirring messy compost every day. All you have to do is pull out the unit's chamber floor panel, just once a month, to let material drop into the next chamber. No more resetting the compost clock every time you mix fresh matter with half-finished compost, the Earthmaker's ingenious gravity-fed, triple-chamber design keeps fresh waste and mature compost separate, letting it tumble down and aerating it as it falls, so you can add fresh kitchen waste and remove mature compost any time.

The Earthmaker's super-efficient design keeps nearly-finished compost always on the bottom, sending warm gasses upward to hasten decomposition. Faster decomposition means fewer flies and mosquitoes as well as less smell and fewer greenhouse gasses for a healthier planet.

Depending on the season and climate, it takes just 3 months before mature compost can be removed from the Earthmaker. After the first batch is ready, the Earthmaker provides up to 10 gallons (35 liters) of excellent compost every month. The unit holds up to 123 gallons (16.5 cubic feet) of material, and measures 47 by 30 inches (height by diameter). The purchase includes a composting tool, user guide and instructions for quick, snap-together assembly without tools.

Product Description

The Earthmaker Aerobic Composter is the world's first continuous cycle compost bin with three chambers for faster results.Simply load the organic waste into the large top opening. The secure swiveling door keeps animals out. The interior triple chamber configuration provides faster results than traditional bins and keeps fresh waste and mature compost separate. This unit will make twice as much compost as traditional bins over the same time period. Aerobic action reduces flies and greenhouse gases. The Earthmaker is easy to assemble, no tools needed. Also easy to use and empty. Composting tool, user guide and assembly instructions included.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Composter!, September 2, 2009

By 

Jack (FL, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Exaco Trading EARTH Earthmaker 120-Gallon Three Stage Aerobic Composter (Lawn & Patio)

We are pretty new to composting, so I can't give a highly technical review, but I'll tell you what I can. Our family of 4 has owned this composter for 7 months now. I am really beginning to love this thing. Here's why..

-It's big. It doesn't look it in the picture, but it really is a good sized contraption. We cannot come remotely close to filling it up. Perhaps we have little waste as a family, but really, I cannot fill this thing up. Of course, we only have one leafy tree in our yard, so that may play a part.

-It's contained. Our dogs run and play around it, but have not seemed to care that it is there, so the odor must not be too tempting. (We put ours on top of nine 12" patio blocks.)

-It's Easy. If I forget to mix it one week, it's still fine. I also don't have to break my back to try and turn over a compost pile. I have back problems and that is a huge plus for me.

-It's pretty easy to Assemble.

It took about 2 months for it to really start composting, but now that it's started, it works great. My guess is it had to build up all the bacteria and such that breaks down the matter.

The only problem that I've really seen so far is that the first one we ordered had several broken pieces on it. We sent it back with no problems through amazon and the second one we got was fine.

All in all, I am very satisfied with this product and feel it was definitely worth the price.

51 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars not a big fan, July 18, 2010

By 

F. Prado "curlytaz" (California, USA.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Exaco Trading EARTH Earthmaker 120-Gallon Three Stage Aerobic Composter (Lawn & Patio)

This composter had A LOT of good reviews on various sites and won 2nd place on Gaiam's compost-off. I've never bought from Gaiam and now I am highly suspect of them for giving this composter such a high rating.

I am 5 weeks into my compost process. #1 problem: flies. We get lots of flies in my area starting around May when I started to compost. I also have a dog and her poop attracts flies regardless of me picking it up daily. So now this pre-existing population of flies LOVES hanging around this composter because all the aeration holes are huge so they get in and out as they wish. Lots of composters I see now have these large aeration holes and I wonder why? why not cover them with fine mesh like window screes? I use to only see the average black flies in my yard, the ones that looked for my dog's poop, now I have a larger variety of flies, small fruit flies, LOTS! and other kinds I dont even know. That's all nice for ecodiversity and whatnot, but I didn't start a compost pile to create an ever growing fly colony.

Problem #2 chambers 2 and 3 are a joke. The top chamber works nicely. I can put a TON of kitchen scraps plus my monthly grass clippings in there plus all the required brown materials ( a TON of shredded cardboard) and it all fits. it is easy to access, water frequently (hot temps over here) and turn. the material did break down to about 1/4 of its initial volume within a 4 week period (great!) But once you open the first slide to let it drop to the "2nd" chamber, I hate it. the second chamber is is only accessed by a tiny hole, so you have no idea how the compost is cooking and if it's ready to be used (I plan to use my compost regularly since I have lots of plants, ornamentals and edible) There is no real separation between the 2nd and 3rd chamber, just a very cumbersome lack of easy access for the 2nd one, so I end up pushing most of the materials down and they fall to the ground (the "3rd" chamber) So basically in the end you end up with a top chamber that works well and the bottom chamber where you can finally access your cooking compost and check on it to decide when to harvest it, and A LOT OF WASTED SPACE (1/3 of the bin in fact) in between.

I would not buy this bin if I could do it all over again. I would have much rather have started with a basic bin like my neighbor has and works just fine (like the Soilsaver Compost Bin) for a fraction of the price and using less space for a similar amount of processed waste. It's black plstic, just like the earthmaker, to retain heat. Mix it, water it, and as long as the temps help you in spring and summer, you'll make your compost just the same.

Now that I wasted this money and have learned more about compost I am gonna give the earthmaker away to whoever will take it in my neighnorhood and I am building my own simple 3 bin system from plastic 5 gallon containers. With the mesh for the flies!

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is one big daddy of a composter!, December 10, 2009

By 

Nettie Scott (City of Brotherly Love) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Exaco Trading EARTH Earthmaker 120-Gallon Three Stage Aerobic Composter (Lawn & Patio)

I read a lot of reviews before buying this composter. So far I am happy with it after one year of using it. It came together with no problems. The design seems sensible, although I will know that better as the world warms up next summer. I am learning that it pays to chop up household scraps before putting them in the composter, especially in cool weather. Organic materials do not break down easily or quickly if left too large. This composter is really big, so it can hold a lot of organic material. However, its not easy to hide due to its size, so be sure that you think about the dimensions when considering if it is right for you. The manufacturer thoughtfully included a small sample pack of a compost "cooking" mix.