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- Three-tier design
- Sturdy
- Durable
- Large capacity
- Not easy to water
- Weekly maintenance required
Update: June 2010. This model has been discontinued. Please see our report
on
The Smith & Hawken Biostack is a good stationary compost bin, a favorite of owners who post comments on composting blogs. Although made of plastic, this 13-cubic-foot bin is made from 60 percent recycled materials, so it is more environmentally friendly than other plastic bins. The Smith & Hawken Biostack is also large enough to accommodate moderate amounts of organic waste, and its unique three-tier design allows users to disassemble it one level at a time to add, turn and remove compost.
There are not many reviews available for the Smith & Hawken Biostack, but we found a few from owners at Amazon.com and Epinions.com, as well as from bloggers at TheBudgetEcoist.com.
Our Sources
1. Amazon.comDetails/Subscribe
The few owners posting at Amazon.com are generally happy with the Smith & Hawken Biostack composter. While one user likes the stacking system, another thinks it's too much work. The snug lid allows very little moisture to seep through, so the pile must be watered manually -- a complaint echoed by a couple of users.
Review: Biostack Composter, Contributors to Amazon.com
2. Epinions.com
Epinions.com has a handful of lengthy reviews of the Smith & Hawken Biostack composter by owners who give this compost bin perfect scores. All agree it is reasonably easy to assemble and use, and a few praise the quality of compost it produces. However, one owner complains about the weekly maintenance -- turning the compost, adding some water and restacking the bins.
Review: Biostack Composter, Contributors to Epinions.com
TheBudgetEcoist.com is a blog about green living on a budget. This reviewer says the Smith & Hawken Biostack composter makes turning the compost easy and simple to do. The writer is also happy that the bin is made of 60 percent recycled materials.
Review: Biostack Composter: Green Gardening, Editor of TheBudgetEcoist.com, March 8, 2008
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