Yard Butler- Compost Aerator - Durable Aerator for Easy Compost Mixing - Aerate & Circulate for Faster Decomposition - Easy-to-Use Tiller - Ergonomic Composting Tool

I have an Earth Machine compost bin I got from my county and it's great but I needed something to help me turn it and mix it. I looked at the (not correct term, but) ones that curve at the bottom, but worried that they would bend or break. Found the Yard Butler stick with wings and it works great! It was easy to push to the bottom of an 80 gal bin and I pulled up sticks that I had placed in the bottom when initially put it together. My current temp here is about 30F degrees. And everything is frozen, however I had no problem getting the YB down deep into my compost bin. I was able to stir the compost, bring up stuff from the bottom, mix in stuff from the top (i.e. carbon I had added). I was amazed. Sometimes the wings don't open or 1 wing doesn't open - but that's usually stuff that's really compacted and wet, so to me it's not a big deal, it's not like the wings won't open or get stuck closed. I am able to mix everything up really well. I can't wait for it to get warmer and see how it does over the summer.

Exactly what I was looking for and the build quality is great.

This device is simple, sturdy, and works effectively when the blades deploy properly. BUT they tend to get plugged by compost when repeatedly plunged in and out of the compost pile. They can easily be cleared for continued use, but it does slow the process down. They do a very good job of mixing the compost pile.

While the shaft is heavy and sturdy, the flange that holds the wings is anything but. No doubt this lies behind the complaints about not opening or closing. My experience is that when the tool is pushed down and turned in a dense pile, the wider flange at the bottom bends due to the resistance of the pile against the wings. So, repeated trips to the basement to bend it back in a vise. Much less satisfactory than a cheap looking tool I bought from Gardeners' Supply that lasted 30 years before the bolt rusted out.

Sturdy, great addition to my garden tools

Their are two wings that are supposed to open up and help aerate and move the compost around. One seems to open, the other seems to not want to open and retract as needed. Basically, it stays retracted. It does get air into your compost pile but you can do this with a shovel or a stick or go with a garden fork - which is what I have ordered and look forward to using in the future.I bought this since at the time I had compost inside a Fiskers collapsible compost bin and thought this would help move it around. It suited this purpose to an extent, but you still had worries about ripping through the mesh of that canister. In the end, I pulled the compost out of the Fiskars canister and just let it do the job on the ground.I guess my advice is to use a shovel or a garden fork, which is what I intend to do moving forward. Nice concept, just didn't work a hundred percent in my case. This is my first year gardening, so I have much to learn but it has been fun experimenting and learning. I will keep the Yard Butler around just in case, but you might do better with the other methods I mentioned.On order - Bond LH020 Fiberglass 43-Inch Garden Fork - also bought from Amazon. Plus the fork can be used for a myriad of other jobs in the garden. I intend to use it to spread Azomite through my garden soil.

So happy with this purchase! I’ve just been throwing stuff in my compost bin. It takes forever to break down. Went to a class and they talked about the importance of mixing and aerating to increase the process. Because of shoulder and elbow pain, I wasn’t able to do it. This tool makes it so much easier!!!

This item is even better than it looked in the picture. I compost in a large trash can due to town regulations, and the Yard Butler is exactly what I needed to mix and aerate my compost. Sometimes one or the other of the wings doesn't open when I pull it up through the compost, but I found that if you twist it side to side as you pull up, that helps the wings open and it mixes better. It is sturdy and effective.