Home › Compost Products › Earth Machine Backyard Composter
Outdoor bin · Outdoor · Tracked since 2026-08-26
The Earth Machine Backyard Composter is an outdoor bin for outdoor use, featuring a capacity of 80 gallons. It is made from Recycled-content plastic.
Product snapshot
- Tracked since
- 2026-08-26
- Category
- Outdoor bin
- Placement
- Outdoor
- Size
- Medium (80 gallons)
- Search interest
- → Steady Ahrefs data, estimate
Rat resistance 1/5 Reader-reported A twist-lock lid keeps animals out from above, but the open base means this is a rodent haven, with owners reporting rats and voles. Hardware cloth underneath is a relatively cost-effective solution.
Product specs summary
The product’s key specifications and features at a glance.
- Capacity (total volume)
- 80 gallons (typical of the 6 outdoor bins we track: ~315 L)
- Footprint
- 33 × 33 in (33 in tall)
- Material
- Recycled-content plastic, BPA free, UV stabilised (recycled % not stated)
What owners report
Compiled from owner reports gathered Aug 2026. Sources are stated in the text; we never use retail-site reviews.
To assess the Earth Machine, we looked at over 25 reports spanning across Houzz/GardenWeb threads, Reddit and owner blogs from 2009-2025.
The Earth Machine is considered good value, especially when bought through municipal programs. In fact, many owners reported running two or three bins with some even regretting they had not bought more.
The bin frequently lasted a decade or more before the lid finally cracked and turned brittle in the sun.
Owners reported that the bottom harvest door was too small to be effective, with one reporting that it was like drilling a shaft in a coal mine! Instead, most owners lift the whole bin off the pile.
This is not a rodent proof bin - a twist lock lid keeps animals out from above, but the open base means this is a rodent haven, with users reporting rats and voles. Placing hardware cloth is a relatively cost effective solution, although obviously not bear proof (but what is?).
Users reported that the results are slow and clumpy if the compost is not turned. However, actively managed piles are a different matter, with superior results and temperatures reaching 120-140F (49-60C). As we’ve noted with other bins, pretty much any bin will give good results if it is managed correctly and the conditions are right.
Product log
A dated record of what we’ve checked and recorded for this product.
- Aug 29, 2026 Rodent rating: 1/5 reader-reported (James's ruling on the owner-feedback pilot; open base is the rodent route) (owner-reports round 1)
- Aug 27, 2026 Availability checked: quote-based municipal/B2B sales via ORBIS; single units via retail partner (orbiscorporation.com)
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