Mantis CT02001 Compact ComposTumbler, 88 Gallons, Red

This unit seems to be the perfect setup next to my chicken coop. I am hoping that the cleaning out of the run and coop will provide enough material to create some good mulch? The design is perfect for the trays of poop from the coop to the large door opening to clear them easily.

Excellent for composting easily.

1) The plastic gear to turn the drum broke. It can't handle the weight of a full drum, apparently. I've barely turned the drum probably 15 full turns and I've only had about 2 weeks. I'm gonna have to put handles all along both edges, around the entire drum so I can turn this thing by hand.2) The door locks are very loose. 1 bump and they unlock and the door opens up. I gonna have to put a ratchet strap around the entire drum to prevent this from happening.3) I'm not sure this takes the 80 gallons it specifies. I put the contents of my 50 gallon container inside and it nearly filled it up. I dare not put anymore being that the gear broke with it only being at 2/3 capacity.4) There are no rollers so you can't move this thing around without emptying it first.5) the vents are made of plastic, it's just a matter of time before they get sun rot and fall apart leaving 2 huge openings I'll have to figure out how to close up.***MANTIS, please go back to the drawing board and make something sturdy enough to handle 80 gallons of heavy compost. I wish there was a way to post pics of this so you guys could see. I'm very disappointed that I have to put so much work into this product for it to function.BTW, this is my 1st ever product review I've ever submitted after years and years of using Amazon.

I gave the Mantis CTO2001 Compost Tumbler 4 stars because of the amount of assembly required, see photo. When the Mantis compost tumbler arrived it came in a flat square box. I thought to myself a box is missing that contains the tumbler this box must be the mounting hardware. I ordered a smaller tumbler and that's how it shipped. To my surprise the Mantis tumbler came as flatware all in one square box requiring a lot of assembly of which a extra pair of hands would been a great help. Nowhere that I can remember being mentioned the amount of assembly required. It's all put together and will come back to update how it works.WARNING: The door of the composter between the aerator caps can be warped if not careful when closing the door, it happened to me and I had to hammer out the two center warps before I could close the door.Update 5/27/16 Mantis gave birth to her first load of compost about 30 gallons sifted in wheelbarrow, now it's time she get knocked up again.FYI Compost Tea Waste:My old and smaller compost bin has a collection tank for compost tea. When I purchased Mantis there was no collection for compost tea that dripped out and onto the ground. I added two collection plates at each end of the composter and collect the tea that I funnel into a gallon milk jug. The amount you see in the jug is collection from a 24 hour period. Now and then my tomato plants have a party and I serve their favorite drink "compost tea."4/24/2016 UPDATE: Yesterday loaded composter with green, brown and table waste. Using the recommended 4/1 ratio of green and brown using a 5 gallon bucket as my measuring spoon worked very well. This morning before turning the tumbler I checked the temperature with my compost thermometer reading a "HOT" 140 degrees.

The media could not be loaded. My first ComposTumbler was picked up by my husband off the curb in a residential area. We used it for 20 years, I don't know how old it was when we got it. It has been outside in the elements of the upper midwest since the day we brought it home and it was showing it's age. I needed to replace my beloved compost tumbler.I looked at other tumblers, since my love of composting has not waned and my aging back does not want to turn compost by hand. I admit that I had to think hard about spending this much money on a compost tumbler and considered the cheaper models and read the reviews.I thought hard about my options. I considered how much compost I had made lover the years with my old compostumbler (which was free) and compared that to what it would have costed at a garden center or department store.I thought about my aching back if I went back to the old method of turning a pile by hand. I thought about what would it cost and how hard would it be to replace the 20 something year old rusting metal of my old composter.A lot of thought ... and it said it was RED!! I looked elsewhere because I didn't want a Red one, but decided to settle for the cost savings...I wad delighted that it is not RED!! It is Green, just like my old one. I bit brighter, shinier and no rust spots but the exact same composter that I had grown to love.Seriously- if you love to compost and are tired or sore from turning your piles... this composter is totally worth the money! You won't regret it.Hint: I do add red wigglers in the summer to speed up the composting. They are fun to see multipied after a tumble.