Winner of the BBC Gardeners' World Best Buy award, the innovative conical design of this wormery from New Zealand has a large surface area that means worms can process up to 2kg of waste per day. It's self-draining and the finished compost is easily removed from the base. It comes with a 2 year warranty.
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What is the wormery like and where can I put it?
The Hungry Bin consists of a single, large conical bin rather than stacking trays and sits on a sturdy wheeled metal frame. Liquid drains from the base into an open tray that sits on the ground and it can be sited outdoors in a sheltered shady spot, or in an outbuilding. It isn’t suitable for use in the home. As with all wormeries, it should be placed out of direct sun as the worms will die if it gets too hot.
What’s the wormery like to set up and use?
The Hungry Bin takes around half an hour to put together following the clear written and pictorial instructions and using the hex key supplied. Note that you’ll need 80 litres of compost to put in the bin to start with: this can be either bought bagged compost or home-made from the garden.
The wheels and handle on the bin mean it can be tipped back and moved around easily, even when full and it's exceptionally easy to use. The hinged lid can be flipped open and waste simply spread over the top, though do note that it can take up to six months for the worm population to build up enough to process the maximum recommended amount of waste. Finished compost is easily removed from the base of the unit by undoing the latches on either side and removing the section that contains the compost. Liquid drains itself into the open tray, although we found that this did attract a few flies in hot weather.
Who is the wormery most useful for?
This bin has the capacity to take garden as well as household waste, so it could be a sole composting unit for a very small garden. If composting household waste alone, it would suit larger households of three - four people and above, or smaller households who prefer to use a wormery that needs very little attention.
Is the wormery value for money and is it built to last?
Although by far the most expensive model, it's extremely sturdy and simple to use and in a small garden could minimise the need for other compost bins. It comes with a two-year warranty (although the manufacturer says he’s never yet had to replace one).
