Gardenline 18.5 Gallon Tumbling Composter

Last Updated on July 9, 2023

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated April 2020 with information on how composter is performing after a year of use. Also, in April of 2022, Aldi sold a slightly smaller 15.9-gallon tumbling composter for $59.99. Aldi sold the 15.9-gallon composter again in August of 2022 and in April of 2023 for $49.99. 

I’ve been composting for several years using a variety of compost containers, both store-bought and homemade. When the Gardenline 18.5 Gallon Tumbling Composter showed up at Aldi, I looked forward to trying it.

Gardenline Tumbling Composter

Gardenline Tumbling Composter

Aldi’s composter sold for $39.99 at the time of publication. It’s manufactured by D.F. Omer, an international company based out of Israel that produces a variety of garden products, including garden tools, raised garden beds, planters, and composters. Some of D. F. Omer’s composters are sold under the Miracle-Gro brand label. This specific composter looks exactly like a Miracle-Gro-branded composter currently selling for about $60 on Amazon.

The Gardenline composter is packaged in a flat box that easily fits in any vehicle, so getting it home should be no problem. The box advertises that the composter will produce “ready to use compost in 4-6 weeks.”

If you’re not familiar with what compost is, it involves turning kitchen scraps such as fruit and veggie peels and cores into new, rich, healthy soil to use in gardens, potted plants, landscaping beds, and even as a top dressing fertilizer on your lawn. It’s a natural fertilizer without chemicals, and it can keep a significant amount of waste out of landfills. When done well, it also should not attract pests like rodents or animals. (For more comprehensive information on how to make compost, read my post about composting at our sister site, A Well Advised Life.)

The Aldi tumbling composter includes the following features:

  • fast and easy assembly
  • a convenient sliding door for adding materials and harvesting compost
  • a chamber locking mechanism to prevent the tumbler from turning when not in use
  • heavy-duty all-season construction
  • an internal mixing bar
  • UV protected
  • a 2-year warranty

The box the composter comes in makes a compelling case for why it’s good to compost, stating:

Compost is nature’s way of recycling and has many benefits. Composting reduces the amount of organic waste that goes into trash collection and landfill. Compost contains a full range of essential plant nutrients and decreases need for fertilizer. Compost alters soil composition, making it less likely to erode and easier to work. Compost promotes healthy root system(s).

As someone experienced at making compost, I think the large illustration on the box that states “no hand mixing needed” and shows a gardener’s gloved hands mixing up slimy decomposing veggies and other organic material in a compost bin is a bit silly. Most people, if they are not using a tumbler device, mix their compost with a sturdy shovel or other tool and not their hands.

Assembly and After-Sale Support

Assembly of Aldi’s tumbling composter was fairly straightforward and does require a Philips screwdriver. I was able put it together by myself in a short amount of time with just the manual, but you can also find detailed step-by-step instructions, with both pictures and video, on the manufacturer’s website. (There is also a QR link on the manual to a how-to-video, although right now that video shows that it is unavailable.)

Pay close attention to step 2 in the directions. The smaller panels that make up the bin have arrows on one side, and you want those arrows to all face the same direction when you snap the panels together.

Also, I needed to use a rubber mallet to gently tap the mixing bar into place in the bin.

In addition to the assembly instructions, the manual is worth a thorough read because it includes detailed information on why people should compost, how composting is environmentally friendly, and plenty of tips about how to produce compost, including information on achieving a good nitrogen/carbon ratio in your bin (don’t worry; it’s not as hard or intimidating as it sounds).

The assembled composter. The green device on the metal leg serves as a brake to keep the bin from rotating. (Click to enlarge.)

Gardenline Tumbling Composter

Ingredients are added and finished compost is harvested through this sliding door panel. An internal mixing bar is inside. (Click to enlarge.)

The manual also has a chart listing all the types of ingredients that can be put in the composter (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, grass clippings, garden plants, eggshells, leaves, cardboard, etc.) and what ingredients to leave out (meat, fish, fats, bones, dairy products, cooking oil, dog and cat feces, etc.) It was interesting to see paper products listed as something to leave out of the composter. The manual recommends recycling paper products because they may contain chemicals that are bad for your compost. I’ve had other composting experts tell me to put paper products like junk mail in my compost bin, so use your discretion on that one.

Also, the manual has a troubleshooting chart with tips if your compost has an odor or is not breaking down, and it offers advice on when and how to use your finished compost and where to locate your composter.

As mentioned above, the Gardenline composter has a 2-year warranty, which is serviced by the manufacturer, D.F. Omer. For after-sale support, the composter’s box and manual say to call 720-584-0278 or visit the website www.dfomer.com. The site has a dedicated contact page where you can send an email and attach any related photos.

Our Thoughts

At 18.5 gallons, Aldi’s tumbling composter is small, with a volume of about 2.5 cubic feet, according to the manual. You might even call it cute. You also should be aware that the manual states its weight capacity is 44 pounds. It’s perfect for single people or couples, or for people who live in apartments, as this could fit discreetly in a corner on a patio or balcony. It can work fine for larger families as well, but you might consider purchasing two of the Gardenline composters so the materials in one bin can be “finishing” while you collect new materials in the second bin. Having two bins going is ideal regardless of size, so you aren’t mixing new ingredients into finished compost.

Gardenline Tumbling Composter

The Gardenline tumbling composter in use, creating garden soil and fertilizer. (Click to enlarge.)

Still, you may find you need compost bins with more volume than what even two of the Aldi composters offer. While the tumbling feature is nice because it does help speed up decomposition, this will probably be a supplemental bin for my household. My main compost bin at this point is a stationary 80-gallon Earth Machine I got this spring (pictured below), and prior to that I used a pair of plastic trash cans with holes drilled into them, both of which hold a lot more material and have no weight limits compared to the Aldi tumbling composter.

Gardenline Tumbling Composter

The Aldi Gardenline 18.5 Gallon Tumbling Composter (left) next to my 80-gallon Earth Machine stationary compost bin (right). (Click to enlarge.)

Because of the Gardenline tumbling composter’s smaller footprint and tall upright position, it might be a good idea to anchor or stake the composter to the ground, and make sure it’s placed on level ground. Perhaps it will be fine, but without some type of anchor, I’m not sure how well it will stand up during times of high winds.

After using it for about a week, I noticed some of the side panels were not completely snapped into place in the bin anymore, and I had to pop them back together. It seems that the weight of the material placed inside put some strain on the bin, particularly where the panels connect. The tumbler is pretty full, but I don’t think I’ve hit the 44-pound weight limit. To avoid bigger problems, I’m not sure I’ll add any more material for now, though, and I’ll keep an eye on the composter to see how it holds together as more time passes.

UPDATE (April 2020): I’ve been using Aldi’s tumbling composter for nearly a year now. On a positive note, I’ve not had any problems with it tipping over, even on windy days. As for how well it produces compost, it works okay, but it takes a very long time for materials to break down inside the tumbler. I think that’s due to two things: 1) it does not hold much material, and compost is created more easily when you have a larger mass, and 2) worms and bugs that help to break down the material don’t have easy access to the compost bin. I put new material in my Aldi bin occasionally, but because of its limitations I put 99% of my compostable material into my 80-gallon Earth Machine bin instead. The Aldi composter might be good if you have no bare ground and want to make compost on a small patio or balcony, but otherwise I’d go for one of the larger bins on the market for more efficient and faster results.

The Verdict:

Aldi’s Gardenline 18.5 Gallon Tumbling Composter is a way to reduce landfill waste and create healthy fertilizer or garden soil. It was easy to assemble and is easy to use. One potential drawback is that it is smaller than a lot of other composters on the market, and because of its small volume it takes a very long time for materials to break down. You might consider purchasing two composters so the materials in one bin can “finish” while you continue adding new materials to the second bin. The composter has a weight limit of 44 pounds, and after it gets full (which happens quickly for a family of four, especially if you keep the compost moist as recommended), the connecting panels may need to be snapped back together from time to time due to the strain caused by the weight in the bin. Because this is so small and doesn’t create finished compost very efficiently, I’d recommend skipping this one and getting a larger bin if you have the space.

About Rachael

Rachael is the Co-founder of Aldi Reviewer. When she isn't busy shopping at Aldi, she enjoys cooking, gardening, writing gothic romance, and collecting more houseplants than she probably should. You can learn more about her at rachaelsjohnston.com.

12 Comments

  1. I bought one and wish I had not. It leaks slimy black goo all over my deck. And due to the pipe inside in the middle, slimy contents get stuck and have to be manually removed. Yuk! I got it because of the small size. That is it’s only benefit. I have a larger composter, a tumbler type with a reservoir on the bottom to catch the compost “tea.” That one works great and laves no mess. Pass on this one.

  2. thanks for the information! i was thinking to buy one for aldi this week and i needed a good review about it!

  3. good luck trying to find one.I was at the store at opening none there.

  4. Unlike the poster, I didn’t find it at all easy to put together. The clips that hold the panels together go on with great difficulty- it took two people- one to hold the panels in place while the other pried the sides of the clip apart with pliers so they could bridge the space to clip into the holes in the panels. I thought it would be easy after that but for some of the parts it was hard to align the screw holes. Must say that the manual was good, with the comprehensive parts list and clear pictures of each step. I just put almost finished compost into the bin with a few worms and gave it a few tumbles. I look forward to some finished compost in the near future. I use mainly wire cloth cylindars for my main bins. Have some black plastic ones like the poster but they don’t work as well as the inexpensive wire bins. The latter are open to the elements and i leave the lids off the plastic bins much of the time for rain/moisture. Note: my box came 4 clips too few but customer service was very nice and sent out replacement clips in about 3-4 weeks. Would have rather had them sooner, but anyway, now it’s together and in service.

  5. James A Lockwood

    I bought one and it’s broke can’t seem to get any help hey there get my money back order replacement part. It was already busted when I got it out of the box

  6. I bought one of these when they first had them– it was probably at least 4 years ago now, and it’s worked very well. The clip that keeps it from rotating did break when I first got it, but I called the manufacturer and they sent me a new one quickly.

  7. I bought one to start the break down of materials since my yard composter seemed to be feeding critters. But I’m having a tough time assembling it because I don’t have the hand strength to force some of the pieces together like the directions show. So not an easy assemble unless you have brute hand strength.

    • I had that experience too. I ended up putting it together as far as i could then took what i had to Home Depot. The staff there was nice enough to finish assembling it for me at no charge.
      That said, i would not have purchased this item due to the issues i posted earlier, had i known beforehand the shortcomings of this item, regardless of the price.

  8. I also purchased one of the garden line tumblers and am having trouble with the green clip that keeps it from rotating keeps falling off. The customer service department is not super helpful. I have been emailing them regarding on getting my money back and all I hear is bring back the box and receipt to get a refund. Who keeps this stuff after 2 months. I also emailed the manufacture that was listed on Aldi’s page and the manufacture says it is not their product and to contact Aldi’s. Sounds like the run around to me.

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