But will such wire mesh be 'appropriate' for all types of composting materials? It would seem fine for leaves and grass and other lighter garden waste but is it able to contain messier, wetter kitchen compostables? I guess I am imagining that the wire mesh unlike wood slats would allow for for too much leakage out of the bin?

The first two systems I bought were unsatisfactory for my taste; plastic bin for $65 from Jerry Baker which was less than 36" by 36", and tumbler for $350 which was too much work for the output.

Finally, I settled on a 4' diameter mesh bin of hardware cloth 1/4" mesh, which worked out great. The first one was $15 for 13' which was the 4' diameter. Easy to put up, easy to move, only 24" high so not that hard to turn, Retains heat in the winter, core can reach 160F in the summer if one wants (now I only try for 130-140F since too high heat can be a negative). A compost thermometer is used to tell me when to turn the material.

The four foot diameter has turned into two piles; each about 4'long by 8' wide by 24" high. Piles are usually started in the fall, and in the spring. Nearby leaves are shredded and stored in any areas of the bins which have space. In one pile I even dug below ground level for more room.

The 1/4" mesh lets only very small particles drop outside the bin, many folks use larger 1/2" mesh. Several times a year the fine stuff is collected for use as seed topping material. Those using a large mesh or those concerned about leakage could wrap either burlap or black landscape fabric on the inside or outside of the bin. Composters with bins in a very dry or windy climate might be especially interested.

I don't turn the bin until it has settled for a couple of years, and the outer shell of material is only lightly composted, but the middle of the "muffin" has decomposed marvelously. The stuff that needs more time is tossed into a different bin.

Yes, there is a bit of "leakage" while your are loading it. Or if the wind blows strongly, a few items might try to fly off the top.

However, if you wet them down and allow them to settle a couple days, they tend to stay put. As other have indicated, the messier stuff gets dumped in the center of the pile, and you keep the larger, drier items to the outside. I also like to put a big piece of cardboard on the top of the pile and weight that down with a cement block or two.

The nice thing with this system is that you can also form two individual bins if you want (they don't give you enough sides and attachement points to make three totally separate), and they come apart and store easily if you like.

I also you LOTS of wire mesh rolls for bins, and they work very well. They aren't quite as easy to store or move from place to place, but they sure are cost-effective!