Hotbin Composters
Hotbin composters are insulated compost bins, they are available in four sizes; regular, mini, mega 450L, and mega 700L. The regular hotbin has a large 200 Litre capacity but will still take up the same space as a normal wheelie bin, the mini version is narrower and slightly shorter (See below for all hotbin sizes and capacity). Hotbins reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfills by composting a wider variety of waste than would ordinarily be possible by using traditional cold composting methods or a wormery. This is all without the traditional composting problems of odours, flies, turning and tumbling. Hotbins work all year round and will compost all of your food and garden waste even in the winter months when traditional composters stop working. They achieve this by working much faster at breaking down waste by heating it up to sixty degrees celsius. This extra heat enables you to compost up to 32 times faster than regular cold composters.
The compost created by this hot composting process is very rich and ready to be used in the garden in as little as 30 days (mulching compost will be ready in 30 days, and rich general purpose compost in 90 days.). They work so fast and thoroughly that turning or mixing the compost is not required.
Pest & Odour Free
Hotbin composters are made of a very thick insulated foam, in fact the insulation works so well that they eliminate the pest and vermin issue. A lot of garden pests are drawn to a compost heap as it provides a steady food supply and, depending on the weather, a nice warm place to nest in. Every Hotbin has a tight fitting lid and bottom door that makes the compost inaccessible to pests, rodents, and small animals. As stated, the hotbin is a sealed unit, but it also contains a built in bio-filter in the lid that actively reduces odours that commonly attract flies and vermin.
How Does The Hotbin Work?
Hotbin composters can be situated on any flat surface - soil, patio, grass,gravel or paving in sun or shade. The insulated foam bin creates an insulated environment within that maintains the heat generated naturally by bacteria as it breaks down waste inside the Hotbin. It works as as an aerobic composter where air is drawn in through the mesh plate at the bottom of the bin and then expelled as steam through the valve in the lid. Because of this heat, compost can be made continuously all year round, add waste in the top and after 30-90 days, the hatch can be removed from the bottom of the bin and the compost removed.
Cam straps are included for additional security around the front hatch. The base also includes a tap to draw off any liquid fertiliser (leachate) from the unit. The Hotbin is not rat proof as they could technically eat through the bin, but it is a sealed unit that contains a built in bio-filter to minimise composting odours associated with the attraction of vermin. Basically rats and other vermin won't know the Hotbin is full of good stuff.
Compostable Materials
Using a traditional compost bin or composting methods can bring restrictions on what can or can not be composted whereas fruit, vegetable peelings, grass cuttings, leaves, ornamental plant waste, tea bags, coffee grounds, cooked food, meat and even bones can all go in the Hotbin. The high temperatures within kills off weed seeds, pathogens as well as insect and fly larvae. Air circulation is crucial in any compost heap so you need to make sure to allow air spaces in the material when filling a Hotbin. A bulking agent is provided with each bin sold for the first cycle (this is bulky shredded bark) which is layered between dense, nitrogen rich material. We can also provide this material in bags if needed but hedge prunings or anything else that creates air spaces will do just as well.
The Hotbin Mark 2 Composter
Hotbin are constantly striving for perfection in their composters and they have now replaced their top selling bin with the new updated Mark II version. New features include a leachate collection system, a redesigned lid and hinge, and more. Leachate is the liquid run off from the natural composting process, and can itself be used as a high quality liquid fertiliser. In the old hotbins. this liquid would just pool on the floor of the compost bin, in this new model the leachate is funnelled towards the drainage cap where it can be drained via the tap and used as needed.
The lid has also been redesigned to now include a raised step around the top edge of the bin, this locks together like a tongue and groove joint when the lid is closed. This extra security keeps the lid closed firmly and prevents any water from seeping in during heavy rainfall. The protruding hinge has now been removed from the lid and instead built into the hotbin so that it is now perfectly square. Also, the aeration mesh can now be slotted into the base for a tidier look than sitting proud on the exterior of the unit.
Each Hotbin we sell comes with all necessary composting accessories. Included are:
- Lid Thermometer
- Cam Straps
- Kick-Start Bottle
- Internal Thermometer
- Raking Stick
- Bulking Agent (partially composted wood chip)
Hotbin Composter Sizes
The hotbin composter is available in four different sizes; regular, mini, mega 450L, and mega 700L. The regular hotbin has a large 200 Litre capacity but has been designed to still take up the same space as a normal wheelie bin. The Mini hotbin has a smaller 100 Litre capacity to suit a 1-2 person household with or without a small garden.
Hotbin
Size: 114.5cm x 55cm x 55cm
Capacity: 200 Litres
Mini Hotbin
Size: 112.5cm x 45cm x 45cm
Capacity: 100 Litres
Mega Hotbin 450L
Size: 116cm wide x 86cm depth x 73cm high
Capacity: 450 Litres
Mega Hotbin 700L
Size: 116cm wide x 86cm depth x 120cm high
Capacity: 700 Litres
The Hotbin Composter is delivered as a fully assembled sealed unit.