Lifetime60058 Compost Tumbler, Black, 80-Gallon

I really like this compost tumbler but I can see why others would not like it since it does take a little while to assemble. But once all put together, this thing is great. It works perfectly, holds a lot of compost, is easy to use and it even looks cooler than your average compost bins.To put this together in a timely manner you'll need an electric drill, screw driver, two pairs of pliers and socket wrenches. You need to drill the holes for each of the pieces which doesn't take long. I did find the instructions lacking in a few details which I will try to explain here:1) When you connect all of the large pieces, you use small screws. This kit comes with these little black pieces of plastic. Be sure to use them as the anchors for the screws as you put them in. Trying to go back and do this is time consuming and requires two people (one to hold the black piece and the other to do the screws).2) On each side of the entire assembly there are two triangular metal plates that are held in place by a set of bolts, washers and nuts. When you put them on by hand everything will be really loose and you'll think you missed something. This is where they socket wrenches come in handy. Using a screwdriver to hold the bolt in place, use the socket wrench to tighten everything. After you do that it really comes together well.3) The bottom part of the legs are just galvanized steel. I didn't trust that these wouldn't rust so I went ahead and spray painted them with exterior metal spray paint. Since this would be sitting on the ground and would be exposed to the rain, sun and snow I thought this would better preserve them. If you decide to do this you'll want to do it before you start anything else.Overall I really like how this turned out. There's a ton of room in here for a lot of yard and food waste to be converted into really good compost. It's easy to open it up and see how everything is going and determine what you need to add. Another great feature is that it comes with a little locking pin so it will sit still while you fill it or remove compost from it. If you're a little handy and have the patience to take this on I would highly recommend this composter.

After years of trying to make compost in plastic compost barrels, I finally decided to give up the stirring and stirring, and try a rotating compost bin. After a lot of searching and reading reviews, I decided on the Lifetime 80 Gallon model. When it arrived, I was a little concerned, because the instructions are all pictures. There's virtually no written instructions to follow. This seemed like a difficult process, but after finishing the assembly I have to admit it wasn't that difficult. The pictures are very clear, including part numbers, quantities, tools needed etc. It took me about 4 hours to assemble, and I did have to get my wife to help me for about 30 minutes. The reason for that is, I had to install 10 screw's through the end pieces of plastic while holding a small piece of plastic on the opposite side. Those small pieces of pre drilled plastic are what the screws go into. Their purpose is to keep the screws from falling back out. There was no way to stretch my arms that far. Speaking of drilling, it's true you have to drill through the plastic pieces many times, and it's not a bad idea to predrill the metal pieces before trying to use the self tapping screws. However, the plastic and metal pieces are all clearly marked for drilling, and it was a very simple process.The assembly went very smoothly and the finished product looks very rugged to me. The barrel turns smoothly. One concern I have is that they supply a small amount of grease that needs to be applied to the turning points of the barrel, (2 large bolts). That area is no longer exposed for future grease application, so if it becomes necessary to apply more grease, the composter would have to be partly disassembled. Not a big deal unless it's half full of compost!. I also read a review that said the frame rusted out. For some reason the bottom part of the frame, (which sits on the ground), is not painted. The upper part is painted. Since there were complaints about that part rusting out, I took the time to apply two coats of Rustoleum Black Paint before I put the unit outside. It only took a few minutes for each coat, and it looks great. Hopefully that will take care of any rust problems. Another person mentioned that the two metal plates holding the unit together rusted and cracked. They look like pretty solid pieces of metal to me, and are well off the ground, so I'm not sure how that could happen. Maybe he lived near the shore, because everything rusts there. Since that was mentioned however, I plan to watch those two pieces of metal carefully, and if I see any signs of rust I will paint those as well. I liked this composter so much after I got it assembled that I ordered another one. I plan to write another review next year after they've both gone through a New York winter, and one of them has received a lot of compost. One last suggestion; I think it's extremely important to have this composter sit level. if your ground isn't level, use something to level the unit before you start filling it. Otherwise, I think you'll have a lot of difficulty turning the barrel once it starts to fill up.