Description
Insulated Hot Compost Bins - Mark 2 Version
Hotbin composters work much faster at breaking down your food and garden waste by heating them up to 60°c. This extra heat enables you to compost 32 times faster than regular cold composters - and have a rich, useable compost in somewhere between 30 to 90 days. It works so fast and thoroughly that turning or mixing the compost is not required. These bins have a large 200 Litre capacity, but still take up the same space as a normal wheelie bin.
The Hotbin will keep out Vermin such as rats and mice. The charcoal filter under the lid panel minimises smells, and when closed firmly, there should be no detectable odours. They work all year round and will compost all of your food and garden waste, even in the winter months when traditional composters stop working.
New Features
The Hotbin now includes a leachate collection system. Leachate is the liquid run off from the natural composting process and can itself be used as a 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 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 been removed from the lid and instead built into the hotbin, so that it is now perfectly square. The aeration mesh can also now be slotted into the bin's base.
Comes with all necessary composting accessories. These units are moulded from hard styrofoam and keep rodents out.
Included:
- Lid Thermometer
- Cam Straps
- Kick-Start Bottle
- Internal Thermometer
- Raking Stick
Dimensions: 114.5cm x 55cm x 55cm
Capacity: 200 Litres
Pests
While unlikely, larger animals like Pine Martens can on occasion gain entry to a hotbin but there are steps you can take to keep them out.
- Keep things tidy after BBQs or garden parties
- If you have had Pine martins in your garden before then don’t add any cooked food waste for the first year of composting
- Try to keep the heap hot - the thermophilic temperatures will quickly break down food scraps
- Only add cooked food waste if the internal temperature is above 40 degrees C and make sure to bury it under a layer of other compostable material
- Keep it aerobic rather than anaerobic (without air). Anaerobic heaps can turn particularly smelly which can attract vermin.
- Wrapping the bin and lid with wire mesh or chicken wire can provide an extra barrier to attacks from wildlife.
- If pine martins continue to be a menace, it might be best to locate your Hotbin in a shed or bin room.
Bulking agent no longer comes as standard with the Hotbin as it is not required to make proper compost
