The best drum composters, compared.
Top pick: Moutta 180 L crank drum with truck Best value: Hygrad 160 L dual-chamber tumbler – Cheapest dual-chamber drum in this set, about £54.99, with written reviews marked United Kingdom. Updated October 2026.
A drum composter is a closed bin on a frame that you turn, instead of forking a heap. On amazon.co.uk it is called a compost tumbler. The useful differences are a second chamber, a door that stays shut, and UK reviews that describe real use. Five listings are dual chamber or double cell. The 130 litre master is the only single chamber. Only the names a crank, and its written reviews are not marked United Kingdom. New Council allows peelings, eggshells, tea, coffee and garden waste, and tells you to keep meat, fish, dairy and cooked food out. The [drum composter buying guide](/hub/raised-beds-greenhouses-and-compost/drum-composter/sub/drum-composter-buying-guide) separates chambers, the turn and the price from the ranking . Scores use the amazon.co.uk star line, how many reviews sit behind it, the equipment the listing actually names, and the price band. They are not a compost trial and not a rodent test.
A drum composter is a closed bin on a frame that you turn, instead of forking a heap. On amazon.co.uk it is called a compost tumbler.
22 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What do you need the drum to do?
The Moutta MZ/C180+CH is a 180 litre double-cell drum at £299.00, and you turn it with a crank handle rather than by shoving the barrel. The title includes a compost collector truck, and the bullets add adjustable vents, sliding doors and a zinc-powdered metal tube frame, with dimensions of 91 x 63.5 x 109 cm and no weight printed. The amazon.co.uk line reads 4.8 from 14 reviews. The six written reviews in this capture are marked Belgium, Spain, France or Germany. The France review says the crank is easy compared with an older metal drum that was hard to turn when full, and one Germany review described odourless black soil after more than half a year in a single household. A second Germany review would have paid at most half as much in a local shop. The title says anti-rodents and the bullets say the right conditions in two weeks with regular stirring, and neither line is backed by a test in this capture.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants a crank and a collector truck and will pay £299 without UK review text to go on.
Less suitable: Anyone choosing from UK user comments, a household budget near £60, or a reader who needs a tested rodent claim.
Specifications
Common questions
What is included besides the drum?
The title says a compost collector truck. There is no separate included-components list on the listing. The unit-count field is printed as 1000.0 gram.
How do you turn it?
The bullets say you turn a crank handle rather than stirring by hand. A France review also says the crank makes it easy to turn.
Are the written reviews on this listing from the UK?
The rating line says 4.8 out of 5 from 14 reviews. The six written reviews in this capture are marked Belgium, Spain, France and Germany. None is marked United Kingdom.
The Squeeze master 160 litre tumbler, model 23013, is a dual-chamber drum you bolt together and then roll, and the first 50 of its 194 amazon.co.uk reviews are mostly marked United Kingdom under a 4.4 rating. Reviewers who finish the build often say the panels feel sturdier once the nuts are tight, and that the split chambers let one side finish while peelings keep going into the other. Several people managed the job alone in about an hour with a cross-head screwdriver and a 10 mm spanner, though others needed a second person for the short bolts. The title and the bullets include one compost thermometer, and the bullets add a 50 mm groove to help the drum turn. That gauge is a single dial for two chambers, and reviewers have found it hard to read after rainwater got inside. There is no brake on the listing, and several reviews say the drum will not stay with the small doors upward, which makes emptying a finished batch awkward. The capacity field says 160 litres while the dimensions field says 57 x 57 x 23 cm, and at £58.63 this is the top pick in this set because the UK review sample is the widest here.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A household that wants a second chamber and a thermometer the listing actually includes, and can spend about an hour with a 10 mm spanner.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs an external size they can plan from, a crank, or a door that stays up on its own.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this tumbler include a compost thermometer?
Yes. The title and the bullets include one, and they say it shows what temperature is best. No degree figure is printed. Reviews say there is only one gauge for two chambers.
How do the dimensions sit with 160 litres?
The capacity field says 160 litres. The dimensions field says 57 x 57 x 23 cm. Both are on the listing. The listing does not reconcile them.
Does the listing include a brake so the doors stay upward?
No. A brake is not in the listing. Several reviews say the drum will not stay with the doors upward and that the doors are small.
This Squeeze master, model 3001, is a 160 litre dual-chamber tumbler at £59.99, with a listed weight of 11.3 kg and a size of 72.4 x 66 x 93.4 cm. The bullets name a powder-coated steel frame, galvanised feet, aeration bars and double-wall panels that they say absorb heat. Of 42 written reviews, 39 are marked United Kingdom, under 4.3 from 141. People who got it built often say it feels solid, turns when full, and lets one compartment finish while the other is filled. One six-month review said it kept rats down better than a ground bin they had used before. Assembly is the complaint that keeps returning: dozens of small nuts and bolts, thin instructions, and a last panel under the door that some buyers never seated, including one who gave up after a week. There is no brake, the hatches are small, and reviews mention drips, rain in the drum and sour smells, plus one arrival with cracked pieces and no thermometer despite the pictures.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who wants the published weight and the aeration bars, and will treat the build as a proper job.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants a ten-minute kit, a crank, or a thermometer that arrives because a photo showed one.
Specifications
Common questions
What aeration does the listing describe?
Built-in aeration bars, and black double-wall panels that the bullets say absorb heat. No week count is given.
What is the frame made of?
The bullets say a powder-coated steel frame and galvanised steel feet. The material field says plastic. Both are on the listing.
Is a thermometer included?
Not in the title or the bullets. One UK review says the pictures featured a thermometer and the unit arrived without one, with cracked pieces.
The Hygrad 160 litre tumbler is the dual-chamber outdoor drum at £54.99, and you turn it by pushing the barrel on its axis. All 24 written reviews in this capture are marked United Kingdom, under a 4.3 rating from 54. Once the panels are together, reviewers call it sturdy and large, and one household was still satisfied after about a year. One buyer mixed 120 litre batches of soil in it and found the turn fairly easy when full, provided the base was weighted so the frame stayed put. The bullets describe a powder-coated steel frame, galvanised feet, an internal aeration bar, double-wall panels and slide doors of 10.23 by 6.1 inches. No weight is listed, there is no handle, and pushing gets heavier as the drum fills. Two UK reviews say a photograph showed a thermometer that was not in the box, and one household tied string around the drum after the centre divider kept popping out. It is the best value in this set when you want a dual chamber at the lowest price here and you can do without a gauge in the carton.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A household that wants a dual chamber at the bottom of this price band and can turn the barrel by pushing.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a listed weight, a crank, or a thermometer that is actually in the carton.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the Hygrad a dual-chamber tumbler?
Yes. The title and the bullets describe two chambers so one side can finish while the other is filled. The capacity field says 160 litres. The title also says 43 gallon and does not say which gallon.
Does the listing include a compost thermometer?
No. The title and the bullets do not include one. Two UK reviews say a photograph showed a thermometer or thermostat that was not in the box.
How do you turn it?
The bullets say it turns on an axis. They do not name a crank. Reviews say there is no handle and that pushing the barrel gets heavier as it fills.
The Squeeze master 140 litre tumbler, model 3002, is a dual-chamber drum at £65.99, and the bullets tell you to shut the door and give it five or six turns every two or three days. The weight field says 9.42 kg and the bullets say 9.6 kg, with metal legs described as a stand for the garden or a balcony. Of 34 written reviews, 32 are marked United Kingdom, under 4.2 from 80. Many of those reviews call the build straightforward for one person, and more than one buyer ordered a second unit because the footprint felt compact. One UK review said vegetable peelings became compost in 12 weeks, which is that household’s result beside the bullets’ claim of 4–6 weeks in hot sun. Screws that reviewers called the wrong size or too tapered stopped some assemblies, a rotation-stop clip broke in a storm with no replacement named, and the small divider between the legs falls out if you move the unit. It is the listing in this set that mentions a balcony, if the screws seat and you can live with less volume than the 160 litre drums.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A smaller garden or a balcony, when you want a dual chamber and the screws go in cleanly.
Less suitable: A household that needs 160 litres, a crank, or a thermometer included in the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
How often does the listing say to turn it?
Close the door and turn it 5–6 times every 2–3 days. That instruction is in the bullets.
How fast does the listing say compost can finish?
In hot sunny conditions, and with a proper balance of ingredients, as little as 4–6 weeks. That is a listing claim. One UK review reported vegetable peelings becoming compost in 12 weeks.
Can the listing be used on a balcony?
The bullets say the metal legs give a secure stand in the garden or on the balcony. They also say 9.6 kg. The weight field says 9.42 kg. The listing does not say whether it is for indoors.
The Squeeze master 130 litre model is the single-chamber tumbler in this set, priced at £55.99, and the bullets sell drain plugs plus a liquid collector in the base. The listing claims seven parts and about 20 minutes to assemble, and several UK reviews agree that the build is the quick part, from about five minutes in one account to around 30 in others. The rating is 3.7 from 73, with 29 of 31 written reviews in this capture marked United Kingdom. The fault that comes up most often is the door: the lid opens during a turn and spills the contents, so some buyers bang the spring latch or tie a cord around the drum. The drain is the other repeated problem, with reviews of a blocked spout, liquid weeping between the panels, or a missing tap, shut-off or valve. One long UK review emptied a first batch after 19 weeks and a second after 17 weeks, and liked the height for keeping waste off the ground, until the drain stopped working. The dimensions field says 49 x 29 x 50 cm next to a 130 litre capacity, so buy this only if you want that drain and you will test the latch before the first spin.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who specifically wants a drain, will check the latch before every turn, and can accept one chamber.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a door that stays shut, a second chamber, or liquid they can trust as a plant feed.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this tumbler have two chambers?
The listing does not say it has two chambers. It describes one rotating drum with a liquid collector in the bottom.
Does it collect liquid?
The bullets say the bottom has a liquid collector and drain plugs so fermentation liquid can flow into a container. Reviews often say the drain blocks, the tap or shut-off is missing, or liquid drips between the panels.
Will the door stay shut when you turn it?
The listing does not describe a lock. Many UK reviews say the lid or door opens during tumbling and spills the contents. Some buyers tied a cord around the drum.
Six drum composters are on this page. Scores are a 0–100 composite of these amazon.co.uk listings. There is no laboratory test, no compost trial and no rodent test. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the cheapest dual-chamber drum whose written reviews are from the UK, even when another drum scores higher.
Star line
40%The amazon.co.uk star rating, as a share of 40. A 5.0 would score 40. The Moutta 4.8 is the highest raw star line in this set.
Review base
20%How many amazon.co.uk reviews sit behind the stars, and whether the written sample is mostly from the United Kingdom. Under 20 reviews, with no UK written review in this capture, scores 4.
Listed equipment
25%Dual chamber or double cell, how the drum turns, a thermometer named in the listing text, aeration the bullets describe, and a stand or frame the listing names. A drain that UK reviews treat as a fault scores nothing here.
Price position
15%The amazon.co.uk price in this set. Under £60 scores 12. £60–£80 scores 9. £200 and above scores 3.
Choose the chamber, the door and the turn before you compare star lines. Prices on this page are amazon.co.uk listing prices in this set, from about £54.99 to about £299.
A drum composter is a closed bin on a frame that you turn, instead of forking an open heap. On amazon.co.uk it is usually sold as a compost tumbler. This page keeps six listings. Five are plastic drums from about £54.99 to about £65.99, at 130 to 160 litres. One is a crank model at about £299 and 180 litres. Scores use the amazon.co.uk star line, how many reviews sit behind it, the equipment the listing actually names, and the price band. They are not a compost trial and not a rodent test.
A fixed divider means you fill the empty side. Adding peelings to the side that is finishing mixes a new batch into the one you wanted to empty.
The Moutta bullets say two weeks. The 140 litre bullets say 4–6 weeks in hot sun. One UK review on that listing reported 12 weeks. None of those figures is a result from this page.
The 130 litre bullets describe a liquid collector. UK reviews often say the drain blocks or the tap is missing. The Royal Horticultural Society 1:10 dilution is for wormery liquid, not for tumbler leachate.
A dual chamber or double cell lets one batch finish while the other takes fresh waste. You empty a finished side. You do not transfer compost across the divider. The 130 litre Squeeze master is the only single chamber here, and it is also the only drain. The drum must still turn when it is part full, and the door must stay shut. UK reviews on that 130 litre model often say the lid opens mid-turn.
Stars are the amazon.co.uk line. They are not a compost trial. A 4.4 from 194 reviews, with a written sample mostly marked United Kingdom, carries more weight here than a 4.8 from 14 reviews whose written comments are marked Belgium, Spain, France and Germany. That is why the Moutta does not take the top pick. Plastic drums in this set are about £54.99 to £65.99. The crank drum is about £299.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one batch to finish while peelings keep going in, and you want a thermometer the listing actually names. The Squeeze master 160 litre model at about £58.63 is the top pick. Plan for about an hour with a 10 mm spanner, and for doors that do not stay upward.
You want two chambers near the bottom of this price band and you can push the barrel. The Hygrad at about £54.99 is the best value. There is no handle, no listed weight, and two UK reviews did not find the thermometer a photograph had suggested.
You want a dual chamber with a smaller footprint, and the listing is the one that mentions a balcony. The Squeeze master 140 litre model is about £65.99, the dearest plastic drum here, for less volume than the 160 litre models. It fits if the screws seat.
Six listings do not share one job. The Squeeze master 160 litre thermometer tumbler, about £58.63, is the top pick: 4.4 from 194 amazon.co.uk reviews and the highest card score, 78. There is no brake, and the dimensions field is not reconciled with 160 litres. The Hygrad 160 litre tumbler, about £54.99, is the best value because it is the cheapest dual-chamber drum with UK written reviews, even though model 3001 scores 73. The Moutta crank is a different purchase at about £299, without UK review text in this capture.
Hygrad 160 L dual-chamber tumbler
Cheapest dual-chamber drum in this set, about £54.99, with written reviews marked United Kingdom.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest. Prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in this set of six listings.
This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The cards use amazon.co.uk listing data and public UK sources. They are not a laboratory test.
