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lov2garden

Help make Organic Choice (Biostack) Composter Available Again!

lov2garden
9 years ago

This is the best ever composter for me! It is so good that some municipalities actually GAVE them to citizens to encourage more people to compost. It was originally sold as the Biostack composter by Smith & Hawken and later sold as Scotts 100164 Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Compost Bin. Scotts has not been offering it for quite some time.

I still have my two and love them to pieces. It's just so easy for me (5'5" female) to use them. I can actually turn the compost without a lot of effort. Even if you never turn the compost, it's such a piece of cake to get the compost OUT of it. Just remove the top stack and start shoveling, removing the other stack levels as you go.

I've been encouraging Scotts to make the Organic Choice available again or pass the patent onto to a company that will. The bottom line is the more requests they get, the more likely they will bring it back to market.

The biostack has had a strong following on this forum and many people were disappointed they couldn't get one anymore.

Please take a minute to email https://www.scotts.com/smg/templates/index.jsp?pageId=24900010&nodeId=7800006&;
AND specifically ask for the
Scotts 100164 Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Compost Bin
to be made available for purchase again.

There are many, many other composters out there to buy or DIY. I'm not saying this is the be all and end all way for everyone to compost or to start a discussion about the merits of each. But if you have one of these and are happy with it, please share your experiences. If you wish you had one, please email Scotts.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to use the Organic Choice Bin

Comments (11)

  • Laurel Zito
    9 years ago

    I am sure you can find another bin, or look on craigslist until you find someone selling the older bin. Why do you think no newer bin will work for you?

  • lov2garden
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I've had no luck on craigslist or ebay.
    There just isn't a newer bin that has the same design features particularly the STACKING feature. http://www.gardeners.com/buy/deluxe-pyramid-composter/38-682.html
    The ones that look similar don't stack & are very difficult to turn. I've tried those poles & other gadgets but I don't had the height and strength to use them and don't think they do a good job of keeping the compost cooking hot. The other big issue with similar ones is it is difficult to get the finished compost out of the openings at the bottom. With the biostack, The top sections can be lifted off which gives 2'x2' open access to shovel the compost out of the bin. The lower sections can be removed as you work your way down to the bottom. As the sections are removed, they can be placed right next to the previous location so the total footprint needed is approx a 2' x 4' rectangle: 2x2 for the space the bin currently occupies and 2x2 next to it where the sections will be stacked as the pile is turned.

    I'm doing a terrible job of describing it. Sorry.

    Here is the only stacking compost bin available for purchase now. It isn't meant for turning so it's a one batch a year unit. The sections can be lifted off for easy access to finished compost but I've found it can be hard to remove sections until they are at least partly empty.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Eco Stack Composter

  • Laurel Zito
    9 years ago

    Here is how to turn, get some rubber gloves like I use disposable ones, because it ruins them. Take the top off the bin, get a small bucket thing or a dish pan. Take the compost in the small bin, place it back in the bin that you moved else where. Repeat until all compost is back in the bin. I never try to turn while it the bin, that is really hard on your back and does not really get it all done correctly. Removed finished compost to use or place in curing bin for further curing or use later on. Place all unfinished compost back in bin. If you can't get the bottom stuff to the top, stirring with some kind of stick is a waste of time.

  • gbarcena62
    9 years ago

    I'm in california

  • lov2garden
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm in Virginia....it would probably cost a fortune to ship, eh? How do we contact each other without posting our information right here for EVERYBODY???

  • Bug
    9 years ago

    We got a Biostack from our garbage company years ago and it truly was the best compost system out there. It cost $45, was durable, effective and super easy for a woman to use. I let my sister keep mine when I moved and found that it was no longer available so I couldn't replace it :-(. There is nothing else like it on the market and anything even close in functionality is hundreds of dollars. I've been using an Envirocycle tumbler which I am pretty happy with -- nice if you don't have room for a real compost pile!


  • flamebacktile
    8 years ago

    gbarcena62, I'm interested in your biostack.

  • chsrecat54
    8 years ago

    gbarcena62 Are you still interested in selling your Biostack? If so please comment back or email me at chsrecat54@gmail.com. Thanks! :-)

  • E C
    3 years ago

    Yes. It is the best bin. I write to Scott's every year to see whether they plan to offer it again soon. On another site, someone says that Scott's sold the patent to Target. That gardener has created a petition to Target. I wonder which company currently has the patent.