Review: Dave Finkle - Grow Your Own Magazine "I was sceptical to start off with, but that was soon replaced by curiosity." The rising popularity of the Hotbin has certainly grabbed the attention of gardeners across the UK. The high temperatures that can be maintained inside the product means that you can enjoy your own crumbly compost in considerably less time that traditional methods, and it doesn’t confine users to
adding just the expected materials. Regular Grow Your Own magazine contributor and farmer Dave Finkle put this reputable composter to the test and we asked him for his verdict. First Impressions  After using this composter for a number of months, we asked Dave about his overall impression on its practicality and performance: “I’ve been trying out the Hotbin since the beginning of November. There was hardly any installation required and I love the simple concept of the design. One of the main benefits of this product is the fact that you can pretty much add what you like to the pile.
I was sceptical to start off with, but that was quickly replaced with curiosity, and I was soon throwing in fruit peelings, tea bags, veg peelings and egg shells. You feel as if you’re breaking the rules, and it goes against everything you’ve been taught in the past about composting, but it was a really interesting process. My whole family were very enthusiastic about taking this method on board. It’s been good fun and educational to use. The Hotbin is a very clean, safe and effective way of composting waste. My two young children have also been able to get involved and they’ve definitely learnt a lot.” Results and Final Verdict The quality of the growing medium produced by the Hotbin is a subject that Dave was keen to discuss: “I sieved my first supply of compost to create a fine tilth, which was wonderful to use for seed trays and sowings. I’m very impressed with the performance of the Hotbin. Even when there’s been a frost, I keep an eye on the thermometer and it still stays at 60°C, which means that the expanded polypropylene design seems to work brilliantly. You will get high quality, nutritionally-rich compost while also making an ecological contribution.” When asked to consider the overall practicality of the Hotbin, Dave said: “My only criticism is that it’s a shame it is only available in black. It looks rather industrial, and a dark green or something similar would be better suited to domestic gardens and allotments. It might be small but it packs a mighty
compost punch. When you consider the weight the Hotbin can contain it’s
considerably easy to move, and can be used on plots of all sizes. It’s a great product for gardeners looking to be more self-sufficient and I would definitely recommend it.”
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