Customer Reviews

Worm Factory 360 WF360B Worm Composter, Black

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

(As the process continues, the review will update.)

Hi, I'm Michelle, and I have worms.

A few weeks ago I made the decision to give vermicomposting a try. I live in an area that supports recycling, but we still have to take the items there. The rest of the trash costs us per weight, and ends up decomposing in a way that is not healthy. Why not reduce the trips to recycling, the money spent having someone else take away the rest of it, and end up with healthy compost for our plants? Hey, when it's January and you live in one of the coldest states, you start thinking about gardening so that you don't go all Jack Torrance.

I read a lot on the topic, including a lot of advice on making my own bin. However, DIY bins almost always involved work in getting your slimy friends to go to The Other Side of The Bin. I decided to make the investment and buy a stackable unit, because they're made and used in a way that the worms migrate up and leave the finished compost behind. I thought it was well-worth the money now for the convenience and the anticipated money saved.

Set up of this unit was very easy, and I choose to follow the advice of many to set it up a week or two before the worms arrived in order to introduce them in when the environment was ideal for them. Worms, come to find out, don't care about your rotting food and yesterday's paper so much as they care about the microbes that care about these things, and so setting it up allows those microbes to show-up and chow down. The kit gave everything I needed, including shredded paper, with the exception of table scraps and the recommended dirt to introduce grit and microorganisms. Dirt is not readily accessible in Minnesota in January, but I managed a couple tablespoons of mud. (Besides, when the worms showed up, they brought some dirt with them and I had some, er, well-aged scraps.)

Yesterday -1/27/10- the worms arrived and I introduced them to the bin. While they were well-packaged, shipped next day air, and held at the post office, they'd still been through a lot, and were initially sluggish (is calling a worm sluggish a mixed metaphor or just possibly defamatory?) but after a couple hours much more active. They're mostly the surface and do seem to be attracted to the areas with the scraps.

While it's early, and I intend to update this as the process continues, I'm quite happy with the bin and the very detailed instructions or setting up the bedding, etc. It's also very simple looking and attractive enough that, had I not a basement, it would be acceptable upstairs. A nice feature, and you can see it in the picture, is that the lid has quick guide to what scraps are best and offers some great tips.

I'm new at this, but I'll happily answer any questions I can in the comments about my personal experience or understanding of things. If you email me, I also might post that to comments -- referring to you as Ann on a Mouse, if you're shy. YouTube has lots of videos, but you will feel weird confessing to people that you've spent hours watching people fiddling with worms. (Trust me, I've been there.)
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2/3/10
Going well. Learning to not over -- overfeed, overworry, over-nose-around. The worms are still adjusting, but the environment seems to be working, and they're going at the scraps. Because I cook most nights, and make lots of veggies, I think it'll be a while before they'll be able to handle what I could give them, so I'm holding back.! There has been a day or two where I've not added to it, and let them catch up. Been grinding the scraps up in a chopper -- anything to start them out right. Also, upping the amount of fiber -- newspaper, mostly. Only 1 has tried to go "over the wall."

I continue to read up on the topic and my friends are either genuinely interested or humoring me until someone can show up with my injection.
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2/07/10
Hubert Hawkins: The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
Griselda: Just remember that.
The Court Jester

A mortar and pestle is a great way to ground up dried egg shells. The worms use them for grit, which aids in digestion, it's a source of calcium which could help with reproduction -- or not -- and it prevents the soil from being too acidic. This is the one I have: Harold's Kitchen 3-1/2 Inch Round Mortar and Pestle, but I picked it more for looks than practicality. If you've saved up a number of shells, I've read you can use something like a plastic bucket, or dishpan, and a mason jar. A lot of folks just crumble by hand or toss the shells in whole.
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2/14/10
Happy Valentine's Day, and what's more romantic than a bin of worms?

Things are going fine. I've found a warmer spot in my basement, and now the bin is at about 65F, which is the best I can hope for this time of year unless I want to move the gang to the guest room. I've also ordered more worms. We're just creating too much waste right now and could use the help ... and I'm impatient. We have a freezer in the basement and I have a good size Tupperware container to freeze excess, but there's only so much room.

As kitchen scraps accumulate I use Norpro Ceramic Compost Keeper (in red.) It works well, and has a filter to stop your kitchen from smelling. The handle is shoddy though, and it arrived chipped -- I'll be honest and say I should have gotten a metal one. Whether you chose ceramic or metal, there are attractive designs out there though, that'll look okay on your counter. Compost keepers also allow scraps to age for a few days, which means they attract attention faster in the bin. Freezing scraps, or microwaving them, also breaks them down and has a similar effect, with the added consideration of killing off fruit fly eggs or mites that might have hitchhiked from the grocery store. Most mites are actually beneficial, but I think most folks are more comfortable not having stow-aways. One last note on the counter compost keeper: mix it up a little and be aware of how old the oldest scraps are so that you don't end up with a stinky mess at the bottom. After a week or so, maybe less, it's time to freeze or make sure the oldest stuff is what's for dinner in the bin!
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2/15/10
I should mention that the Worm Factory comes with a lot of stuff. There's coconut coir for the base bedding, and a lot of people swear by it and continue to use it. It's sent as a brick and you soak it in water until it's hydrated and smells like earth and clean soil. There's shredded newspaper, also for bedding, and other related materials. (Paper and cardboard serve as food & bedding, and the addition of them throughout the process keeps smells down, helps if you end up with extra moisture, and it vital to the process.)There's also a hand rake and a scraper. I've never used the scraper. There's also a thermometer which my husband wrote WORMS across so that there are no mix-up with the one in the kitchen -- I supported him in this. There's also a detailed instruction manual, which helped put me at ease. (This is what I received and what they offer currently -- I'd look at the product description to verify this is still accurate when you order.)

The WF (Worm Factory) is designed with a spigot to drain out extra liquids that might fall into the collection tray -- which is different from your working tray with the bedding, worms, and scraps. How moist a bin should be is the matter of some debate and nothing I feel experienced enough to speak to. There are also many discussions on what to do with this liquid -- which is called leachate, but some people call it worm tea. Most experts call worm tea something else -- a deliberate effort to create a mixture to pour on plants which I'm too early in the process to have done. I will say that my bin is moist, but not so moist that there has been drainage. I've rescued the odd worm from the collection bin, but not more than a drop or two of liquid. Since bins evolve, this might change. The design is also made for worms who fall down there to be able to crawl back up.

I'm adding updates enough to see this will get unwieldy before too long, so I'll announce them here, but place them in comments. :)
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Latest update, 10/26/10, see first page of comments.

It's been about a month and my worms seem happy and contented in their bedding. I started with one tray, then gradually added 2 more. They are moving up and down the trays, getting into the food scraps at each level. I shred old newspapers, dip them in rainwater, squeeze out to "damp-sponge wetness", then spread it around the tray. A good percentage of the worms like to hang out in the newsprint and eat that.

The kit comes with everything you need except the worms. It's very easy to set up with the included instruction manual. The included hand rake is handy to mix vegetable and fruit scraps in with the moist paper. Kit also includes a coir brick (which you moisten and spread for their initial bedding), scraper, and thermometer. It's been unseasonably cold in Louisiana, so, like a new parent, I covered the kit with a blanket to insulate the worms. The box has since been moved from porch to patio where it catches the morning sun. The worms seem to be fine with the temp. extremes, as long as they don't get too extreme either way.

I ordered 2 lbs. of worms from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm and there seemed to be more than enough for the Worm Factory, so after a couple of weeks I transferred a handful of worms to my original compost bin,a converted plastic garbage can with holes drilled in the sides. Since we create a good qty. of daily kitchen waste, I put the excess into my original compost bin. The worms are doing their job there, too.

As recommended, don't feed them meat scraps, or dairy...spoils and sours the pile. Citrus peel is also a no no, too acid and too slow to break down. I also crush washed egg shells in with the food, which gives their gizzards the grit they need to digest food. The egg shells also add alkaline calcium which helps to balance the ph level.

Unit also generates compost tea, which is the result of moisture leaching through the worm bedding and castings. It is loaded with plant nutrients and beneficial bacteria for your growing plants! Mix it in your watering can and the life cycle continues!

This is a good product! It will provide you an easy way to go green (even if you live in an apartment), reduce your waste going to landfills, and provide nutrients for your garden. To boot, when you decide to go fishing, you're all set.

I was nervous about composting with worms, but have been amazed at how little time it takes. I've had the Worm Factory 360 for about 3 months now and haven't had any problem with bad smells. I have it on my very small screened in porch (lanai as we call it in Florida) and no one even notices it. I started with 1 lb of worms but might recommend 2 lbs if you have lots of food waste. I suppose I have an average amount for a two-person household and after three months, there are almost enough worms to keep up with our waste. I generally feed the worms once or twice a week and sometimes turn on the hose nozzle to the Mist setting to add moisture. I would guess that I spend 10 - 15 minutes per week. Of course the initial set-up took a bit longer and harvesting the castings from the bottom tray will also take a little more time.

The produce arrived well as described. I ended up losing my first batch of worms that I ordered off of Amazon. I believe the instructions went a little overboard as to how to set up the bedding turning a simple process into a complex, possibly unnecessary worm smorgasbord. Ordered a second pound of worms from thewormdude and with his recommendation, only used newspaper that had been soaked overnight and shredded and filled the bin. I dumped the full contents that arrived with the worms I ordered and they have been happy ever since. I feed them in the same location once their previous food I left for them is gone. Apples, strawberry tops, old grapes, etc. They are doing really well and I am already seeing newborn worms. I will update once I add the second tray. This is turning out to be a great science project for my son!

As a side note, I highly recommend thewormdude. He took a half hour on the phone with me to discuss in detail how to setup the bin and work with the worms. The worms he sent were in great condition and for the most part, large mature worms.

I Love this Composter. My worms are thriving and my table scraps are being composted. I highly recommend this product and will probably purchae another one next year. Great product, excellent & quick company support. Highly recommend!

I have purchased this item about a month and a half ago. So far, it's been working very well. It is easy to set up. There is an instructional booklet which comes with the composter which is a good introduction to the process. It gives detailed info on the initial set up, a little biology on worms, and troubleshooting tips. I also love the cheat sheet that is right on the cover - it detailes which foods are good and which aren't for the worms.
I have done a lot of outside research, but even with just the booklet i feel one can do pretty well.
I just added a second level and hope to have my first batch of compost in another 2 months, just like the booklet advises.
One thing I would do differently is first order the composter, read the booklet and prepare bedding put in some food and let it stand a day or two while you wait for your worms.
Other than that - it's a fun process. And if you don't want to set up your own bin - this is a great product.

I am very happy with this worm farm. I did have it outside, but it got to hot and a real hassle trying to keep the worms cool. The recommended high & low temp, for the worms, is 40 to 80 degrees. I highly suggest if you do not have optimal outside temps, just find a home for it inside and save a lot of hassle and creepy crawly bugs that find their way in....
Also view the DVD first... I read the book and added the coir & paper as directed, to much stuff. The DVD said add half -- which is a much better amount
and you could probably get away with adding a third of the paper.
I thought, no sweat, I'll just leave them in the starter bin longer... HA..
The little buggers ate through the bottom and started to migrate downward.
I added a new bin and propped the bottom bin up off the base with chopsticks.
Thereby adding light and forcing them to migrate upward.
For grit I use groung egg shells. I rinse and toss them in a can with shredded paper -- let the shells dry well, then mash them inside the can, I use a two inch diameter piece of dowel. It does a great job and you can keep adding to your collection for the next bin.
Hope this has been useful for you, should you choose to raise worms:)

I've had this worm bin for 3 years and have found that it just doesn't work all that well and is NOT worth the price. In fact, I quit using it. The bottom of each stacking bin must touch the material in the bin below or the worms have no way to climb to the newest 'food'. This bin has little brackets that prevent any upper tray from coming into contact with a lower tray unless each tray is absolutely full. But the point of the lower trays is that the material is being broken down -- thus composted -- and it takes less and less space so it no longer touches the tray above and then the worms cannot migrate upward. Also, the spigot was always clogged and had to be repeatedly cleaned out.

Although the worms are SUPPOSED to migrate upward, I found most of my worms in the very bottom trays where it stays very wet. The trays that were supposed to have the fewest worms always had the most. The compost created by the worms is very wet and messy and nothing like what they advertise. That's ok, I just don't appreciate being mislead. And, unless you have massive -- and I mean massive -- numbers of worms, the composting doesn't go as fast as they claim. A 5 pound bucket of worms won't compost even 2 or 3 stacked bins as fast as they claim.

I have since started my own very inexpensive home-made bins and I don't bother with the half bin stuff. I use inexpensive Sterlite bins with some air holes and drain holes poked through or drilled. Sometimes I do kinda layer my bin by merely putting down a screen of hardware cloth and adding new material to be eaten by the worms on top of the screen. When the bottom part is composted - and that may take several months -- I just lift out the hardware cloth and the material on it, and put it in the bottom of a fresh bin. Then I put another hardware cloth on top and start adding new worm food.

The compost in the bottom of the 1st bin still has many many many worms and it's very wet! So I lay out a plastic tarp and start sorting and looking for worms. They are often found in clumps so it's not too hard to get 'em out. Then I add them to the other bin. I have drain holes in the bottom of the bin which sits on concrete blocks at each end with space in the middle for a bucket that catches the compost tea. It's easy to dump the bucket whenever I feel like it onto the garden or use it for watering house plants.

I never use the Worm Factory anymore. Mine is sitting unused in the garage !

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ADDED Aug 2011

Why do some of you think you have to bash a review submitted by someone who doesn't like a product and says so? Those who give negative reviews have the right to their opinions just like you have the right to give a good review based on your opinion.

I don't slam the positive reviews just for having a different opinion.

So -- if you don't agree with my opinion, please KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.

You won't change my experience or my opinion --

It should be crystal clear to everybody that, of course, not all people are the same and everybody's experience -- even of the exact same event or product -- will be different.

If you like the product, great! But I DON'T.

the main downside to this item is that it is too small for hte amount of food scraps even one person generates, so you have to have a "regular" compost bin as well.

I bought theAmazon offer of factory, book and live-worm package. All the items were fine, but the worms came several days before the other items. It should be the other way around.