Tumbleweed Lightweight Stainless Steel Manual Rotating Aerator Soil Tiller for Outdoor Compost Bins

I'd been moving my compost around with a shovel, and thought I was doing a decent-ish job. But then I saw a product similar to this one mentioned on a forum and decided to give it a try. The difference is just staggering. Not only was I working a lot harder and spending a lot more time with the shovel; it turns out I wasn't doing a good job at all. This product easily and quickly "drills" right to the bottom of the pile, and pulls up all sorts of stuff that would have taken me ages to unearth using the shovel. And after I'm finished, I have a nice fluffy and aerated pile, instead of an even more compressed mass, as I did with the shovel. I've only used it a few times now but it feels totally sturdy and well made. No concerns at all about longevity. Great tool, reasonably priced. Highly recommended.

This is an amazing product. We have a tall compost bin (maybe 3 feet?) and I’m 5’4” for reference. My husband used to turn our compost with a shovel every week or two and it was quite a chore. Now, with this new tool, I am literally excited to turn our compost every day because it is so easy to use. It looks flimsy but it’s not, it’s very sturdy. Does exactly what it needs to. I would not hesitate to buy again or as a gift. Happy Composting!!!

I was very skeptical when I purchased this Aerator as it looked very flimsy. I have a huge taller upright compost bin and to turn and aerate was a workout. Especially when all I had was a pitchfork for the job. I saw this Aerator and couldn't see how this tool could handle the contents and work proficiently. The high ratings sealed the deal for me. Wow, why in the world didn't I find this garden tool a few years ago! I thought this tool wouldn't be sturdy enough and I'm so pleased with simplicity and efficiency of this turned out out to be! It used to take me a good 20-30 minutes to turn the contents with my pitchfork. This product cut down the time to 5 minutes and saved my back in the process! Don't hesitate, buy this. You will be so glad you did!

I needed something to help turn the mulch and this does the trick fine. But after using it, I would have picked a different model - most likely with a T shaped handle. It squirrels down into the compost fairly easily, though you end up using the handle and the bent part for leverage when screwing it down into the pile. Pulling it out after can be difficult since you end up having to hold on the bent part of the metal as a handle. Repeated uses or going to far where you have a heavier load to pull out makes that hard on the hands. I also worry that I'm going to bend the tool out of shape. I figure a T-Shaped handle would be better for both actions: better leverage on the corkscrew down and something decent to hold on to with both hands for pulling up the compost. Still, it's easy to use and not as hard on the hands if you are okay with drilling the same hole multiple times (with lighter loads to pull out).

This is a great tool! I have 3 plastic garbage cans that I use for composting - mixing brown carbon material and green material or kitchen scraps. This works like a brace and bit (for those who know what that is) where you turn the tool around and around and it digs into the leaves and grass of the compost bin. You then PULL the tool up to mix the organic material. As mentioned, the weakness of this method is the user - as the deeper you dig, the heavier the material to pull up. So, I learned quickly to not dig more than about 1/2 way down into the bin before pulling up. Once I have "fluffed" the upper part, then I can dig lower into the bin and pull up more easily.

This slender yet sturdy piece of twisted metal is well worth the money! Its so easy to use. I'm kicking myself for not buying it sooner. My compost bin was so difficult to turn with the pitchfork I was using for a year. Just a few cranks of this metal aerator and I'm able to easily turn the entire pile in just a few minutes. Its so easy that I now look forward to turning the compost and no more backache!!! If you compost, you need this aerator!

This aerator is light weight and is very easy to use in my compost bin. I thought it would be difficult to screw the aerator into the compost material, but it glides into the material without much torque required. I have composting worms in the bin and they don’t seem to mind the aerator bringing them to the surface. The aerator is also long enough that I can reach the far corners of my bin and spin the device without having to reach very far. Overall I like this aerator and would recommend it as a great way to manage your compost bin.

Like others have said, I would have picked a different model. It spins down into the compost easily enough but you end up having to use the bent part of the post for leverage because the yellow handle doesnt give you anything to turn. Pulling it back up out of the compost can be even more difficult because you end up having to hold on the bent part of the metal as a handle. NOT the yellow handle! If you pull up for the yellow handle, the post "unbends" weakening the integrity of the tool. Repeated uses will bend the tool out of shape. A T-Shaped handle would be better for both actions: better leverage on the corkscrew down and something decent to hold on to with both hands for pulling up the compost. (thanks other reviweing, well said!)