RSI Maze Two Stage Compost Tumbler

I bought this to utilize my lawn clippings, shredded cardboard and table scraps to make compost to spread on my lawn. A lot of reviews I read complained about how difficult it was to put together. Yes; assembly was intricate but simple as long as you take your time. Took me about an hour and a half to construct. Just lay out all the components and the screws systematically before you start. The instructions are very precise and clear. I put it together in my living room where I was comfortable. I just took my time and went step by step. I filled it with a batch of grass, kitchen scraps and shredded cardboard at the correct ratios. Turning the tumbler with the handle is very easy. (The main reason why I bought this model composter) It’s huge and it holds a lot of material and that’s a plus. A couple of reviews I read also complained about the handle breaking. The handle is made of heavy duty plastic. Mine works fine but, in my opinion, if you grasp the handle at the very end of the end of it and attempt to turn the tumbler quickly (like your trying to make a smoothie) when it’s full and heavy then yes, I guess you can break the handle. Mine works nice and smooth for me. I turn the tumbler slowly while grasping turn handle closest to the arm. Easy.The 2 doors slide open and closed smoothly making it easy for me to check temperature and moisture levels. The price is a little steep but since it’s working as described with no issues, I guess I can say it’s worth the price. I’m thinking about purchasing another. I can probably find this same model at a cheaper price but with snail mail delivery from China where I believe it’s made.ES

Easy assembly, although it took me twenty minutes or so. Sturdy plastic drum and a stable metal base. Easy to turn, and the lock feature keeps the barrel securely in place with the lid up (or wherever you want it) until you need to turn it again. I like the two-bin setup, where you can use one side, then let it compost in peace while you use the other bin for new green and brown compostables.We had a metal barrel drum for about a year-- it seemed like a good deal but it rusted and broke far too soon. I think that a sturdy plastic barrel is a better bet. We'll see.

Update after 18 mo: sticking with 4-stars - had to remove and re-install the handle because the gears became dislodged so it wouldn’t turn. This appears to have happened due t the ground underneath having settled so it is no longer level (although only slightly off).Holding off on 5 stars only to see how it works over time - very good and I am pleased.I bought this to replace a much larger compost bin because I need one that allows me to fully use all the compost despite having access to only one side (I couldn't open both doors on the previous version meaning I had a lot of compost that I never used in the back of the bin). And I have grown to dislike bins that require removing a door at the bottom allowing compost to spill out creating a mess to clean up so I could get the door back on. I bought this one because it is the largest rotating bin I found that has 2 compartments so I can continue to add compost on one side while using compost from the other.I just put it together and filled it up - great so far. Assembly was fairly easy after getting the first few screws lined up - that was a challenge by myself. The barrel comes in 6 segments - I recommend having one person hold the segments while another works the hardware. Once thru that, the rest went smoothly. Only one missing screw and it was easy to work around it for now (I am contacting the company for replacement). The instructions were good, but still had a few spots that were vague, like the last piece. Fortunately, at that point, there were only a few unused holes for the bolts so it made sense.The handle, gears, and clutch are all plastic and work well, but don't appear to be "over-engineered." I have it filled to capacity, since I replaced a larger bin, and it works well, but I have a minor concern about its longevity, especially in cold weather. I think I would pay a little more to get studier material on those parts.It is very easy to use, but I haven't taken any compost out yet, so I'm giving it 4-stars until I get to do that part. The doors are easy to slide and can be moved from one side to the other when it's time to change sides from "add" to "use." I love being able to easily mix/spin the compost as soon as I put some in - MUCH easier that grabbing a tool to manually mix it in my previous bin. I have it under my deck stairs where using a shovel meant maneuvering without much head-space limiting my ability to properly mix the compost.UPDATE: one year later - the unit survived a Maryland winter quite well. The missing screw presents no problem. The handle keeps popping off, but is easy enough to pop back in place. The unit is sensitive to being level. I placed it on page stone tiles, but slight settling on one side allows it to slip a little which moves the gear-lock out of place enough to prevent it from engaging. I need to push the drum back every week or so. Minor issue, but enough that I will stick with 4 stars. I use the compost regularly and still haven’t used up one side of it - it is quite nice, working well, and sturdy.

This composter replaces an older tumbler that has a round screw on/off opening. In my opinion this Maze has a much better opening that is easy to load and empty. The build quality is very good and the large number of screws that hold it together makes it very strong. I also like the two chamber design. I have one side cooking so far and will soon start adding to the second side. the crank handle really makes turning it very easy.Unlike most recent products, the large print assembly manual was very easy to follow. Again my opinion, the Chinese could learn a lot from the Australians. Good on ya!