Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This composter with latching lid is really great for kitchen scraps, especially if you live in an area where critters could get into your compost. I imagine it's also a good solution for people in more urban environments, because it will make your compost tidy and not unsightly. I would need about 5 of these to handle to fall leaves, so I opted for a cheaper alternative for leaf litter and use this for kitchen scraps. I've not had a critter problem. I think if you're an urban gardener, this is your best bet for a composter. It's also super easy to set up, and you have the option of putting the two bottom sliding doors adjacent to each other or on opposite sides. I recommend this bin for its ease to set up, acceptable aesthetic, and solid construction. Now for the compost PSA part of my review. The only issue I've had, and this is not so much a this-specific-compost-bin problem as it is a general-compost-and-being-outside problem, is wasps. One time there were about 50 yellow jackets eating tomatoes I threw in this bin. I'm very, very allergic, so I immediately high-tailed it back to the house (seriously, I could probably have outrun Usain Bolt in that instant). They were gone by the next day. In a year's worth of use, this was the only time I'd ever seen a wasp in any of my compost piles/bins. Googling has revealed that occasionally happens with compost, regardless of bin type. The problem was that I unlatched both sides of the lid, lifted it off, and set it on the ground before noticing the death trap I had just opened. I'm going to keep using this compost bin, but I may leave the lid off during the summer months. That way, if there are wasps eating my scraps, I can see them before sticking my hands over them. Moral of the story: be careful. A different bin won't remove the possibility of stinging insects. It's outside, and you're probably putting food/garden scraps in it. Wasps have to eat, too. If you need a lid, then get a bin with a lid. This one is a great choice and I recommend it. If you have kids, an adult should remove the lid first, especially because this bin is approximately eye level for kids. You don't know what's in there (though laying down 1/4" hardware cloth at the base of the bin would keep things from tunneling up into the bin without removing the draining effect of an open bottom). If you don't have a critter problem or neighbors who can see your yard, consider leaving the lid off on days when you'll be around it extensively. That way you can quickly see, from a distance, if a whole nest of yellow jackets suddenly decides to feast on your scraps.