Oh...this sounds exactly like the kind of advice in a nutshell I need, too! I've been using a few small crates, with wonderful results, but I'd like to spread all that I have onto a lasagna bed and graduate up!
I look forward to the pros' answers! :)

Hi. I have a similar situation and have found that two compost tumblers work great for me. I use one to accumulate browns and greens, when it is as full as I want, I start on the second tumbler. There is never any foul odors, they make great compost quite quickly, as they are easily turned, and there are no problems with "critters" of any kind. Just my experience, but it works great for me. Best of luck...Bill

I have a mantis twin tumbler and it works great for me. I am like Bill in one side cooks while the other side I am building. Takes about 20 days of cooking to get nice brown compost. Kind of costly but I love it. I have added two rods to each side so when I tumble it the rods help to keep it broken up. In the link below you will find two photos of two seperate batches that were dumped about 20 days apart, as well as photos of the tumbler with the rods.
Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: Sandy's twin tumbler

The Smith & Hawken Biostack is my hands-down choice every time.

Organica, I was thinking of buying that initially because of the reviews, but it doesn't appear to be rodent or snake proof and that worries me. How often do you have to mix the compost with the biostack?

Do you have a lot of rodents and snakes hanging around?

The only time I had a rodent problem in my Biostack composter was when I dumped in several boxes of stale cereal and didn't really mix it in. Something, I presume a rodent, chewed a nice big hole through the plastic. I countered by mixing in a lot of coffee grounds and lining the bin with wirecloth. (I was living in Calif at the time. I moved since then, to the Southeast, and got a new Biostack that has never had an unwanted tenant.)

I don't think compost is necessarily a magnet for either rodents or snakes.

You can turn the compost as frequently or infrequently as you choose - but what's great about the Biostack is that its design facilitates the turning so nicely.
-O

I've had a Garden Gourmet composter for almost 10 years. I just bought two expansion kits to make it a little taller. If you do get one, I'd suggest using rebar to anchor it instead of the plastic stakes that come with it. The door on the bottom is handy for shoveling out the more finished compost if you take a toss it and let it sit approach. If you turn your compost, it's easy to open the door at the bottom, take a few shovels full of compost and toss them on top. The disadvantage to the design is that as time goes on, it tends to bow out and the door can pop off (which is why I recommend going with rebar instead of the flimsy plastic stakes).

I called the place I bought the expansion kits from and the guy said he once had problems with racoons figuring out how to open the door, but he discovered that bunjee cords tied around the bin confuse them and they can't seem to figure out how to get the door opened then.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lots of compost bins

I'm pretty happy with my single Envirocycle tumbler, although I can see the advantage of having two of them.

In addition to the batch of stuff currently in the tumbler itself, I always have a few bags of materials accumulating for the next batch. Plus I have a post-tumbler "curing" container (an old laundry hamper) where the compost gets finished for a few weeks. So the process is not as simple as it would appear. But I do like using the tumbler because I feel like I'm active in the process (rotating it, checking the temperature) and it's pretty quick.

Here is a link that might be useful: Envirocycle tumbler

Is the Bio-Stack still available? I read they discontinued these. I see a few omline but the shipping would make these way to expensive for 2 or 3. Also I read they used to cost $35 or $45 at different green events, the website has them for $149!!!

I got my Biostack (about a month or two ago?) directly from a Smith & Hawkin store here in my city. I picked it up at the store therefore no shipping charge. The cost was $99. The box isn't that big or heavy and easily fit into the trunk of my little Honda. I'm a small middle-aged woman (such a delicate flower!) and had trouble snapping the pieces together securely. My husband assembled it in less than 5 minutes.

Although I've only had it a short time I'm loving my Biostack. I could never really turn the compost in my old regular plastic bin but with this it's much easier. Because I'm turning it the compost is breaking down much faster. I highly recommend it.

If you are paranoid about rodents you could place it on hardware cloth.

Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: Biostack

Figures the nearest Smith & Hawken's store is in West Palm Beach FL, and I am 300+ miles across the state due west of WPB. I want to avoid the $40 shipping charge (per unit) if I can help it as I will be ordering at least 2 probably 3.

Any ideas of what other large retailers carry these? Some days I wish a Wal Mart or Home Depot would start carrying more ECO-friendly products like compost bins.

I've seen the compost awareness programs some county extentions or Waste Management offers their county residents with the ability to buy Biostack compost bins for a drastically reduced rate $35 or less. Most of these websites advertising this seems to be in California. Any one know of something like this in SW Florida? I'd be willing to drive to Tampa but I'm not a resident there so...

Still looking for a Biostack... Anyone know of a place to pick these up used even? Craigslist?