I have had a Mantis Compost-Twin composter for two years now. It is an amazing unit & very easy to turn. It cound be a real winner! I have a major problem with it that it does not make compost as they advertise, let alone in two weeks or so. I would be happy if it made one batch by the end of the year. It is always wet & soggy, no matter how much dried leaves I put in it. I even went to the expense of buying one of those huge Rubbermaid sheds to store shredded leaves from the fall so that I have dried leaves all year long. So my problem isn't that I don't have the correct ratio of greens & browns. I analyzed the problem last week and found that rain water runs down around the unit and runs in eith the hinge side of the door, the latch side of the door, or the one expansion joint where two of the panels are connected. I have placed a plastic tarp held on with bunggy cords to keep the rain water out. That has helped alot. But that makes it difficult to turn each day and to gain access thru the doors. I have been going around with Mantis for over a week and getting no where! They claim they have not received enough complaints to change the design of their unit. I have made two simple suggestions to fixing the problem, but they are very evasive. I was wondering what everybody else is doing about the problem, and if they are having the same problem of the compost being too wet and never drying out? There are other composter out there that rotate. Has anyone found the same problem with them?

There have been a number of threads on the pros and cons of tumblers. They have their champions, as well as those that regret the purchase.

Do a search and read thoroughly: you will either decide that it's not for you, or at least come away knowing how to make the best use of the tool/toy .

-pH- fan of tools and toys (but I don't have a tumbler)

I also had a problem with too much water in the Compost Twin, but I read where it helps to leave the doors at the bottom when you finish turning it. It does seem to have helped, but It's hard to tell really because it has been so long since it's rained here. I also wonder how other folks seem to get hot temps and good compost, since it doesn't seem to have the volume to get a good heat core going, but then, mine is always a bit lacking in the greens. What I do like is that it is a sealed compartment where I can put things that I would probably not put in my compost bin. I have put meat in there, in spite of what I've read about that, and it seems to work quite well. I can't say anything about the other models of tumblers, since I've never tried them.

Sorry Fungus among us! I was reading your post and meant to post my own thread but I wasn't on the right screen. I just posted my own thread. It seems you have made your decision between two units. Can I ask why those two? I am not familiar with the workings of either of them. If you read the follow-ups, have you thought about if you would have the same problems? They are a great idea and I am determined to make mine work one way or another! Paul

I'm really looking for a compost bin that I can keep close to my kitchen door, preferring to use mostly kitchen scraps with this bin. Both the Envirocycle (I like the compost tea option) and Back Porch Compost Tumbler are smaller units that look like they might be perfect. I have talked with several people that have used these composters and they have been happy with them.