Review Maze 245L Compost Tumbler

Some time after moving here we bought a new compost tumbler.   I believe it is a Maze 245 Litre Dual Compost Tumbler.  I have used it for a few years and thought I would write a review of my (less than positive) experiences.  

As you will be able to tell from my experience, this is not a paid review.  I stress that these are my experiences.  While I think this is a dreadful compost tumbler and you should go with a different one, you may have better luck.  

Maze Compost Tumbler rusting

I have used single compost tumblers before, and they worked well.  If you have a single compost tumbler, and add banana peels and tea bags etc every day, then the compost is never finished and ready to use unless you don't put anything in them for a while.  For this reason we decided to try a double compost tumbler.  

In a double compost tumbler you add scraps to one side.  It has a + on it to help you (and the kids) remember which side to add things.  

Then when it is full you swap the little doors so this side now has a clock on it.  This reminds you (and the kids) that you are no longer adding scraps to this side.  While that side is composting, you add scraps to the other side.  

Having the two sides makes composting very simple.  

Dual compost tumbler

First of all, the positives: 

The Maze 245L compost tumbler doesn't take up a lot of room, and it looks good.  It can fit a lot of lawn clippings or whatever inside.  It is efficient and simple to use.  It comes flat packed, and putting it together was pretty intuitive.  

This one has a handle that you use to turn the compost.  This is good, but it can be a little difficult to turn when both sides are full.  

Dual compost tumbler

Now for the negatives.

I think this is a waste of money that I will have trouble getting rid of after it breaks.  

The barrel turns around an axel that is made out of metal that corrodes.  Mine has almost rusted through.

I only use this for the purpose it was built for.  I have not put anything in it that isn't intended to go in it.  I have not used it more that is recommended.  I am not near the ocean and it has no salt spray or anything like that.  Yet it is rusting through.  Have a look at my pictures.  It is dreadful.

Once it starts to rust, the axel gets a hole in it that allows compost liquid and compost to get inside the axel.  This makes it rust from the inside as well as the outside.  This damage isn't from lack of care, or improper use, it is poorly designed.  

Given the price, I had hoped this would last a lot longer than this.

Maze compost tumbler rusting and falling apart

I have seen many pictures of this happening to other people's Maze compost tumblers.  I have also seen photos of the legs rusting through.  I am happy to say the legs on mine are not rusting noticeably (yet).

I don't expect this to last much longer before it falls apart and becomes unusable.  This thing was not cheap, and I have not got my money's worth from it.  I am irritated at how quickly the Maze Compost Dual Tumbler rusted and fell apart considering how expensive they are.  I spent extra because I wanted it to last.

What is even worse, once the shaft rusts through and the thing is useless I don't know how I am going to dispose of it.

This won't fit in my bin.  I dare say I will have to pull it apart as best I can, then try to hacksaw the larger parts to make them small enough to fit into my bin.  I will then have to slowly add pieces to my bin over many weeks/months before I can eventually be rid of it.  I will have a pile of broken compost tumbler for a long time, and I will have to remember to add as much of it as I can to the bin each week.  What a hassle!  

My verdict

My experience with the Maze 245L dual compost tumbler has been negative overall.  Based on my experiences I would not recommend anyone buying this (or anything else) from Maze.  

When I save up some money I will probably try a dual compost tumbler from another brand.  Hopefully whatever I get next works better than this.