I cannot keep this bin hot unless the sun shines .
I do everything that is suggested even using the hot water starter .
During the summer I do get reasonable compost .
I’ve had this for 3-4 years now .

i set up 2x 200ltr mk2 hotbins at the start of november, at first temperatures were going well, now one bin works fairly well, the other fails to get to 40c despite many attempts since before christmas 2021 its now march 2022 and still after a couple of mild days i get just about 40c then wet or cold weather comes back and temperature drops back to 20 to 30c, in one bin, have communicated with hotbin but they are no help giving the mix ratios and refuse to accept the bin is faulty despite it only working in milder weather and having sent photos that the seal halfway up the bin has moisture seeping from it which i am sure is where any meaningful heat is being lost and causing this bin not to heat up above 40c, even drying waste before adding it to the bin didnt help. the other bin works ok and will reach 50c as long as waste is not wet, on emptying the compost produced is not soaking wet but too wet to sieve out any woodchip or twigs and so then have to dry it out before you can sieve the compost. it is a very expensive product and very labour intensive in mixing ratios correctly, drying out the compost, then to sieve the compost, would not recommend this product since one is fine the other defective and hotbin help just say stick to the ratios and it will work, which i have done for close to 3 months and still not got over 40c, no offer to replace it, so warranty seems worthless,

I've spent 40 years unsuccessfully trying to make compost, always ending up with a rat-infested, fly-covered slime. I was very reluctant to spend around £150 on another attempt. I'm SO glad I did. This isn't just easy...it's pretty exciting as well. The temperature shot up after a week or so...and now everything goes into the black box. Haven't got to the compost removal yet, but my plants are LOVING the fertiliser liquid that comes off the process. I highly recommend this product.

Yes it was! Beautiful black compost. I bought it 10 months ago. Mine works a little slower as I only chop bigger or fibrous material up. It eats everything, including used kitchen roll, leftover cat food. There are no flies & low odour so I can have it within 3m of back door. Use a few handfuls of crumbled rotten wood as bulking agent so no need to buy that. I am a traditional composter and still run a couple at the bottom of the 100’ garden. The Hotbin is a useful addition particularly in winter. So far so good and I recommend it.

Got mine a couple of weeks ago, admittedly it's probably too big for me but I scrounged grass from a friend and mixed with paper, veg peelings and some bulking agent, first week temp was about 70 degrees, added some more yesterday and temp is now up to 100 degrees. So far I'm impressed, just haven't been brave enough to add cooked leftovers yet.

5 months in and i've just tried to see what's going on inside - OMG do not read on it you have a delicate stomach. It's situated in a perfect position, displays a good temperature (in and out) and I've been very disciplined at mixing brown and green but trying to get the stuff out of the front is nearly impossible as it all comes down. It stinks, the flies and maggots all around the joints and hinges were revolting. The compost actually looks ok but it's really hard work to get it right and it's definitely easier to put out the food waste for the council collection and leave the composter for the garden waste. The straps definitely need improving as I struggled to tighten when putting them back on. I had to wrap chicken wire around the base to stop the rats eating through the polystyrene. The worst thing is the smell on my hands which I can't get rid of. Any suggestions on any of the above are welcome as I don't like to give up straight away.

After searching for ways to demonstrate to my two children how we could do more to help the environment, I was sure the Hotbin composting would be the answer to a more sustainable lifestyle. I have had the product for nearly 6 months. Unfortunately I could not believe how disappointed I could be with a product, it is no good for an urban environment, the stench, flies, eggs and maggots are unbelievable. The flies block up the vent hole with their eggs.

There is no reference about the lack of resilience to vermin until you purchase it and the concerns are raised on the instructions.

I have tried to contact the after service on numerous occasions but they simply do not respond. Please research thoroughly before spending this significant sum of money.

Took delivery on Saturday, filled to load line on Monday, mixture of comfrey leaves, cabbage leaves and lawn mowings ( all put thro' garden shredder ) cardboard ( used the box that it came in again put thro' shredder ) and woodchip. Checked after approx 24 hrs, lid gauge showed 38/39 degrees celcius didn't check internally, today lid showed 50 degrees, checked internal temp gauge showed 65/66 degrees, lots of steam etc. Well pleased at present, will keep updated as the weather gets cooler.

Received my Hotbin last week. Set it up in the garden on a paving slab yesterday afternoon, and half filled it with a mixture of shredded nettles, elder tree leaves and branches, and a few other unwanted weeds and leaves. Checked it this morning. Lid thermometer showed a temperature of 40C. Opened the lid and I was hit by the warmth from the steaming mixture and the thermometer I had left inside showed a temperature of 60C! Very impressive. I look forward to the end results.

I have to say, sadly, that I am rather disappointed in this polystyrene box. Yes, it has reached 60º a couple of times, but even with the insulation, it only lasts a day and even with regular feeding as instructed, it generally stays between 12º and 25º. I'll be interested to see what compost I pull out after 90 days, but so far it seems lukewarm composting rather than hot composting.