Customer Reviews

Presto Products GKL0951-6 Geobin Composting System

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This bin won out(by a long shot) in a test of 10 different bins and tumblers,( the videos are posted on on youtube)
I found no problem with the stakes , the instructions say to start the stakes 4" below the rim and that leaves planty of staking to keep the bin in place. I'm not sure if the other reviewers had a different version of the geobin or if presto improved the system, but the stakes are not an issue anymore.they penetrate the ground atleast 6"
The bin provides the perfect 3 cubic feet of volume to achieve the optimum pressure on the pile, the ventilation is just right as well.
I have been making alot of active compost over the years.And these bins are by far the fastest and easiest to use from my experience.
For the price of a well known tumbler, that did poorly in the compost system shootout, you could buy several of these and create your own compost factory. The simple keys to quick compost are :
1)Layer the ingredients
2)A good mix of greens and browns
3)Keep the contents moist, not soggy,not dry
4)Keep your compost in the shade(the pile is heated by the breakdown activity, not the sun)
5)Turn the pile as often as possible but no more than every few days(every 2 weeks is a good start)
6)The more variety in the pile, the better the compost
These bins are worth the money, you simply can not beat home made compost.The bags of compost in the big box stores is good for adding organic material to the soil but is most often lifeless, never expect compost that has been sitting in the sun, on a pallet, in a sealed bag to have any chance of adding active life to your soil...it has been cooked sterile before you even buy it.

I have a couple of these. I think I paid ~ $10 a piece for mine, but I bought them a couple of years ago and I didn't buy them through Amazon. Anyway, these work great and last. Mine have held up.

I periodically turn the whole pile by lifting the bin up, off of the pile and setting the bin back down next to it. Then I fork/shovel (depending on how composted everything is getting) the pile into the bin again and what was on top is now on the bottom and vice versa. Very simple.

These bins are *much* larger than they look in the picture as they are expandable up to three feet across. To keep them from falling in, they do require a stake or two when fully expanded, particularly when placed on slanted ground, but I thought that was a reasonable expectation for the flexibility of the product. I like that they are open on the top to allow rain to enter and have holes on the sides for ventilation. We have a lot of leaves and grass clippings and are very happy with the amount we can fit in each bin.

This composter gets a bad rap from people who don't seem to understand materials and others who don't read directions carefully. It is all plastic, including the stakes and bolts. It also requires that you CAREFULLY read the directions. Here's how to make it work as advertised:

1)all nuts and bolts must be HAND tightened only; no tools allowed! Pliers and socket sets will strip the threads of the bolts. They are made of nylon, not steel.

2) the instructions tell you to thread the stakes through the slot 4" below the top. Everyone who complains that there is only an inch of stake left to go into the ground threaded them through the top slot. Probably, the manufacturer should eliminate the top and bottom slots so people won't be confused. If it says to start 4" below the top of the bin, don't start 2" below the top. Following the directions leaves you with 6" of stake to drive into the ground: plenty.

3) Recognize your materials: plastic stakes cannot be beaten with a steel hammer. They also cannot penetrate hard-caked ground, roots or stones. I TAPPED my rods in with a rubber hammer, but using a small piece of wood between the hammer and the stake would help if you have no alternative. Also, when you hit and obstruction and the stake refuses to go further, pull it up and move over 2" (not 4") and try again. If you must Dominate the Dirt, pick up 4 sharpened and hardened steel rods and a small sledge hammer. A more time-consuming alternative may be required in some settings: get a pick and dig out 4 holes 6" deep at the correct spots; place the bin and stakes, then fill the holes around the stakes and tamp down. This will not resist a strong blow of the wind for a couple of weeks, but will settle in eventually. Try the tap-and-retry method for most applications.

No I do not work for Geobin; I just hate to see a good product get an undeserved down-rating.

I found that gentle treatment of the plastics resulted in a stable and functional composter for $30. BTW, you can coil the walls before inserting the bolts and stakes and make the whole thing smaller; which suits my 2-person household better than the 30" fully uncoiled version.

As always, using your head instead of your biceps makes the world go 'round.

All compost bins work pretty much the same so the least expensive ones are the best. These bins, however, can be attached end to end to form a double or triple sized bins for really serious organic growers like me.

I now own three compost bins. One is one of those fancy models that you pay through the nose for. The second is one that is similar to this one only it has fewer but larger holes. My third is the unit I purchased through Amazon.

I am so impressed with the Geobin that I have already ordered two more.


My fancy model is long on good looks but it is high maintenance and will only work with a lot of encouragement.

My second model works better than the fancy one but I had to use it more as a long term composter as it was very slow to compost.

My third is the Geobin. I set it up and it went to work right away. I put a bunch of stuff in and a couple of days later I checked it and the pile had already sank a good foot and a half. I think this is due to the numerous holes the Geobin has to provide air to the compost.

I had the same issue as another reviwer had with the plastic stakes. I will replace mine with longer wooden dowels. When I take into consideration how much the fancy units cost and how little this one costs the stakes become a minor issue in my opinion. Another minor issue I had was attempting to set it up but this is to be expected with these large non-rigid expanding compost bins. The upside of this is that they can compost far more material than the smaller fancy units.

If I have any major issues with this unit I will delete this review and write another. I very much doubt that will happen.

UPDATE: December 2nd 2010
I have all three units working now. I keep adding things and the piles keep sinking like they are supposed to. I am very curious to see if they keep working well through the dead of winter. So far they have but we have had a warmer and dryer fall than usual.

This simple compost bin is just that. It works great for what it was designed to do. A small consideration if you are thinking of purchasing, the stabilizing posts work best when inserted deep into the ground. Otherwise, if inserted flush with the top of the bin, the posts provide little stabilization because they are only a couple of inches into the ground. I've also secured them tightly to the bin with zip ties. With that added support, it's a sturdy, simple system for about a quarter of the cost of the unnecessarily bulky plastic bins.

This composter fit my needs exactly, which were to provide a non-obtrusive way to manage a high volume of compost (leaves/grass) without an ugly pile but with maximum air flow. The plastic was much sturdier than I expected, and the issues others have with the stakes are not a problem if you fill immediately and to the top with compostable materials. I generated a lot of heat by the second day of use. For something that I anticipated might be $30 wasted on crappy plastic, I am very pleased. If you have a huge volume of material you need composted, this is for you.

I have dogs and, within about two weeks, they had knocked my bin down. The stakes and flimsy plastic clips don't stay in place and don't stay upright. The bin doesn't hold up to any sort of critter: dogs, raccoons, etc. If it weren't for its vulnerablility to animals, the geobin would work well. I ended up putting a wood frame and fencing around it to help it stay upright. I got rid of the plastic clips and stakes.

I'm satisfied that I got what I paid for with the Geobin system; an inexpensive compost bin that is easy to set up and easy to move if need be. That said, I see why some have been dissatisfied with its durability. The stakes are a bit short and the yellow clips are nearly useless, so I overcame this by weaving the stakes through the elongated holes in the sidewall material. I also pushed the stakes lower in the soil than intended, which results in a looser top edge, but I'm fine with that as the extra depth really helps in the stability. When driving the stakes, use a dibble or weed puller to drive a hole in the ground for the stake and then press in, using a rubber mallet if needed. The material just doesn't seem sturdy enough for hammering. Lastly, once you get the diameter of the bin determined, plastic zip-ties definitely come in handy for holding it in place before attaching the plastic bolts. Even after assembly, I kept the zip-ties on for extra stability.