Best wormeries at a glance
- Best wormery for high capacity and ease of use: WormCity
- Best wormery for longest warranty and best design: WormBox
- Best wormery for worm composting and self-draining: Hungry Bin Worm Composter
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Our expertise
Getting the right wormery for you means making sure it’s the correct size, has an adequate number of trays and is simple to use. We’ve tested a range of different wormeries and each one has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to set up, value for money, ease of use, and storage. Every wormery in our round up below has scored a minimum of three out of five stars, so you can buy with confidence.
In every review we award outstanding products our coveted Best Buy award. To see these and the others we recommend, browse our pick of the best wormeries, below.
The best wormeries
WormCity
RRP: £87.00
Our rating: 4.8 out of 5
Available from Amazon
Pros:
- Largest capacity and well designed
- Easy and efficient to use
- Stable square base
- 100 per cent recycled, good warranty
- Well priced for size
Cons:
- More accessible to slugs than most
This womery by WormCity has a large tray capacity of 75 litres, which is impressive considering its size on the ground (75cm x 43cm x 43cm). Our testers found that the deep trays produced a high amount of good-quality compost. We were also impressed by the well-planned design which features a V-shaped sump and stepped interior. It’s made in the UK from 100 per cent recycled materials and 500g of worms are included along with food and bedding. We judged this a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy as the best stacking wormery.
Read the full WormCity wormery review
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WormBox
RRP: £100.50
Our rating: 4.8 out of 5
Available from Amazon
Pros:
- Smart, versatile design in many colours
- Suits indoors or outside – fully rainproof
- Mostly recycled plastic
- Longest warranty
Cons:
- Tap close to ground, not easy to drain
Unlike most stacking wormeries the WormBox model (38cm x 50cm x 50cm) is rainproof. We found it to be sturdy and were impressed with the versatile design, which includes castors for easy moving. Each tray has a capacity of 16 litres, which produced a moderate amount of compost and the sump works well. Worms and a coir mat are included with the starter model and there is the option to add a planting tray to the top or use it as a seat, with a load of up to 100kg. A generous 15 year warranty is included and we awarded this a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for the most versatile design.
Read the full WormBox wormery review
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Hungry Bin Worm Composter
RRP: £345.00
Our rating: 4.3 out of 5
Available from Amazon
Pros:
- Substantial capacity to process waste
- Drains itself
- Easy to harvest finished compost
- Rainproof with hinged lid
Cons:
- Open drain tray attracts flies
- Largest footprint
- Expensive
This conical shaped wormery (60cm x 65cm x 95cm) sits on a metal frame which is on wheels to make it easier to manoeuvre. It has a total capacity of 80 litres but the large surface area means worms can process up to 2kg of waste per day. You can access finished compost by unclipping the base, which our testers found to be a simple process. It’s guaranteed for 2 years and is made from between 15 and 20% recycled plastic. We awarded this a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy for the best low maintenance choice.
Read the full review: Hungry Bin worm composter review
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The best of the rest
Although some models didn’t quite achieve a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award, they still have features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest on test.
Tumbleweed Worm Café
RRP: £100.00
Our rating: 4 out of 5
Available from Amazon
Pros:
- Large capacity
- Produced plenty of good-quality compost
- 100 per cent recycled plastic
Cons:
- Trays very heavy to handle when full
- Compost needed mounding so worms could move
This large capacity wormery (75cm x 57cm x 39cm) includes 18 litre trays which we found produced good quality compost. The trays feature “stops” to improve air circulation, but we found the gaps meant the worms could not move upwards as well. It’s made from 100 per cent recycled plastic, making it a more environmentally friendly choice although we found that the thin hand grips made trays tricky to hold when full.
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Maze Worm Farm
RRP: £79.99
Our rating: 4 out of 5
Available from from Great Green Systems and Amazon
Pros:
- Lightweight, compact and portable
- Can be customised to suit site
- Pull-out tray and hook for hanging lid
- Mostly recycled plastic
Cons:
- Lowest capacity per tray
- Slowest to process waste
This compact wormery (28cm x 38cm x 38cm) features 12 litre trays and a central drain. This model had the smallest capacity of those we tested and took the longest to compost overall, although we found the quality of what was produced to be good. A pull-out central tray harvests small amounts of castings and it can be customised with a range of accessories. It’s guaranteed for one year.
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Can-O-Worms
RRP: £127.99
Our rating: 3.8 out of 5
Available from Original Organics and Amazon
Pros:
- Easy-to-handle trays
- Produced good quantities of compost
- 100% recycled plastic
- Sump provided worm refuge
Cons:
- Compost needed mounding so worms could move
- Legs not very sturdy
This circular wormery (65cm x 51cm x 51cm) sits on legs and features stacked trays each with a 22.5 litre capacity. Our testers found the trays easy to handle but that the “stop” between them prevented worms from working upwards, even though aeration was improved. We also noticed that the legs could begin to bend under weight when the wormery was full. It’s guaranteed for one year.
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Tiger Wormery
RRP: £119.92 (de luxe with extras) Basic wormery £87.97
Our rating: 3.5 out of 5
Available from Original Organics, Primrose and Amazon
Pros:
- Versatile design in a range of options and colours
- Sturdy and well made
- Good-size (16 litre) trays, easy to handle
- Long warranty
Cons:
- Hard to drain/collect liquid
- Worms tend to gather low down rather than move up
- Made from all new plastic, no recycled material
Tiger Wormeries offer plenty of choice for the buyer, with a range of colours (green, black, grey, terracotta) and sizes (either a 3 or 4 tray package, or the option to ‘build your own’). Each tray has a 16-litre capacity and the wormery is mostly easy to assemble, although the tap does need small fingers to screw into place. There are however, no written instructions, only a QR code that links to the website and not directly to wormery instructions, which is unhelpful for buyers without a Smart device or internet access.
The Tiger design has been updated from earlier models to now include internal ‘stops’ so that the lowest one or two trays aren’t compacted by the weight of the ones above, and a lid that fits more securely to stop it being blow off in the wind. This does mean though, that you need to press firmly on each corner to secure it, which was a bit of a fiddle when adding waste. However, the manufacturer does recommend placing a Tiger Wormery under cover outside or in an outbuilding, so wind may not be an issue if you do this. Our review model came with a separator to place above the sump and prevent worms falling through, and this works well, although the worms do seem attracted to the underneath of the lowest tray and quite a proportion of the population don’t seem keen to migrate upwards. And although the Tiger Wormery has legs, these are short so there’s not much room to get a container underneath to catch the liquid, and the tap is also quite stiff to turn. The wormery is sturdily constructed and UK made, but unlike some, all the plastic is new, with no recycled material. It comes with a generous 5-year warranty.
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Tumbleweed Cube Indoor Wormery
RRP: £119.95 (inc worms) or £104.95 (wormery only)
Our rating: 3.5 out of 5
Available from Original Organics
Pros:
- Neat and compact
- Good size trays with handles for easy, clean handling
- Removeable and visible collector for liquid
- Clearly written and illustrated printed instructions
Cons:
- Liquid collector is small and needs frequent emptying
- Lid warps slightly and doesn’t fit snugly
- Worm blanket not included but mentioned in instructions
This wormery has a neat, square design and is primarily designed for indoor use. It has a smart appearance, although the bright green lid does stand out and may not be to everyone’s taste. It’s quick and easy to assemble and has clearly written, printed instructions. It also has many well-thought-out design features, including two good-sized trays, each with 13 litre capacity and lift-up handles, a lid with internal hooks that sits vertically on the edge of the wormery unit whilst filling, and a clear plastic collector that slots beneath the lowest tray to fill with worm liquid. It’s also easy to see the level inside and it’s simple to remove.
However, this collector is small and fills up quickly, so if you’re using it indoors it can easily overflow and make a mess. This is a particular drawback if you’re away for any length of time, and you’d need to plan ahead and replace it with something larger. Hooking the lid on the side works fine unless there’s condensation inside, which then drips onto the ground. Of course, both these issues wouldn’t be much of problem if you used the wormery outside but unfortunately, outdoors, the lid warped very slightly, blew off easily and needed to be weighted down. Most of the worms moved upwards through the wormery into the upper tray containing fresh waste and this model has good eco-credentials. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic, and has a 12-month warranty.
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Urbalive Worm Farm
RRP: £199.99
Our rating: 3.5 out of 5
Available from Even Greener and Amazon
Pros:
- Attractive design
- Available in four colours
- Produced good quality/quantity of compost
Cons:
- Worms drowned in sump
- Needs a sheltered site
- Made from new plastic
The Urbalive Worm Farm (60.5cm x 50.5cm x 38cm) has a large capacity of 21.7 litres per tray. Our testers liked the contemporary design and larger capacity and found it composted well. The wooden legs were tricky to fit though and needed a screwdriver, which is not supplied. We found the mesh “worm catcher” did not work and if used outdoors it must be under cover. A two year warranty is included.
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Original Wormery
RRP: £90.97
Our rating: 4 out of 5
Available from Original Organics, Water Butts Direct and Amazon
Pros:
- Large capacity for small footprint
- Well priced for its size
- Rainproof with hinged lid
Cons:
- Hard to harvest compost
- Drain tap close to ground
- Made from new plastic
This single-chamber wormery (73cm x 53cm x 43cm) has an overall capacity of 100 litres. It’s styled in a wheelie bin design including a hinged lid and is rainproof. The compost is harvested by emptying the bin completely, which means separating it from the worms and unprocessed waste. It’s guaranteed for one year.
Buy the Original Wormery from Original Organics
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How to choose a wormery
When you’re choosing a wormery, there are a few details to consider:
What types of wormeries are there?
- Stacking wormeries: These have multiple trays with mesh bases stacked on top of each other and making up to three or four layers in total. Waste and worms are added to the first tray until it’s full and then the second tray is added on top. The worms work their way up through the mesh base of each layer as they fill up and another tray is added. Finished compost is removed from the bottom tray and once emptied this is placed back on top of the other trays to repeat the process. Trays range in capacity from between 12 and 25 litres.
- Single-chamber wormeries: These consist of one large, single chamber where the waste is processed all together. Waste material is placed on the top and harvested from below once the worms have worked their magic. You need to empty it all to access the finished compost.
Where should I place my wormery?
The optimum temperature for a wormery is between 15 and 25 degrees celsius and anything above 35 degrees celsius and your worms won’t be able to survive. You should therefore place your wormery in a sheltered, shaded spot, somewhere you can access it easily to fill it up and drain the liquid a couple of times a week. An outbuilding or porch is a good place, and some models can even be kept in the kitchen. Be aware though that they can start to smell if they’re left for too long.
What should I put in my wormery?
Kitchen waste is best for a wormery, although small amounts of garden waste can also be added. Raw or cooked vegetables, fruit, coffee grounds, teabags and eggshells are all ideal food for worms. Avoid meat and fish, dairy products and tough woodier plant material.
How we tested wormeries
The wormeries were set up in the summer and tested throughout the year. A regular mix of cooked and raw kitchen waste with paper and brown cardboard was added and their performance assessed according to the following criteria, each with equal weight:
- Design and setup: Assessed clarity and ease of instructions, siting conditions and any extra features.
- Ease of use: Looked at how straightforward it is to add waste and harvest liquid, any design flaws and features or accessories which affected use.
- Compost quality and harvesting: Focused on the quantity and quality of the compost and liquid produced and whether the worms were thriving.
- Value for money: Considered the quality and durability of the model as well as the RRP, warranty and eco-credentials.
For more information on our testing process see How we Review
These wormeries were reviewed in July 2024. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.
from BBC Gardeners World Magazine https://ift.tt/LBXlDkq
