Worm Factory® 360 Black US Made Composting System for Recycling Food Waste at Home – 4 Trays for Efficient Vermicomposting – Durable, Space-Efficient Design, Easy to Assemble, No Odor

I'm new to composting in all forms. Not having an ideal location for traditional composting, I decided to go with worms and selected this unit back in January. I've waited to review to see how it would go. It's been great. This unit is ideal for a beginner or someone who just wants a very low maintenance way to compost. The unit is is sturdy and in my opinion, very well designed. Could I do it cheaper by building a unit out of a Rubbermaid tub? Absolutely. Is this still better? For me, yes. I like that I can just add a new tray and the worms will move out of the old tray when they are done, and I don't have to do too much digging around. The instructions book and video tell you everything you need to know and like others have said, there is no stink. I keep it in my garage, but only to keep my household pets from investigating. This unit could easily be kept in a kitchen or closet with no issues. 6/23/13 update I finally harvested som castings today, and yes, I've been putting it off and could have done some time ago. Some lessons learned: Egg shells are great! but they don't break down quickly. Some people grind them in a blender. I've found that just putting them all in a plastic bag and crushing them by hand works pretty effectively. I did try the grinding method in my little personal blender and it was really rough on the blender. The hand crushed method seems to work just as well...just crush as finely as possible. I don't have a lot of patience for much pre-processing of scraps and haven't found much need for it. With that said, I found a lot of pieces of asparagus in my "finished" tray. So Thinks that are tough to break down I will probably freeze in the future to do some damage to the cell walls and make it mushier. This brings me to my biggest lesson learned. I have been too hesitant to add new trays and overfilled my first tray, filling it with about twice as much as I should have. Don't be afraid to add new trays. The 3 lessons learned contributed to a fairly time consuming harvest. The left over eggs and asparagus kept worms in my bottom tray when they should have been moving up to the next tray. Overall, I am still very happy with this product and look forward to seeing how my beds with castings perform when compared to my beds without any. Not really a lesson learned so much as an observation/preference. Coir works better than newspaper alone for bedding. I only put coir in my first tray and it just feels nicer than what I"m seeing in the other two trays that have large mushy clumps of newspaper. I put a fair amount of newspaper in the first tray too, and it just seemed to break down better when used with coir. I've read some people like the pine cat litter as a cheaper alternative to coir, but haven't tried it. I would be interested to hear anyone else's experience.

This worm factory is working well and I would recommend it. After 6 months of use, I am now able to make a tray full of vermicompost about every month. I want to include some of my experiences here. My bin is outside for the warmer months, but will be moved into the kitchen soon. If you follow instructions and freeze or microwave scraps and bury them in the bedding, you will minimize or eliminate potential problems with fruit flies or other bugs. I avoid putting any smelly veggie scraps into the bin, and just throw these in an outside compost pile (broccoli, onions, asparagus, etc). I also cover the top bin with several layers of newspaper, then put the lid on. Currently my bedding material is the 1/2 brick of coir (I score deeply with a bread knife, then find a slightly uneven surface to break the brick with my foot and weight), some pumice, and loads of shredded cardboard (pizza boxes, small boxes, egg cartons, toilet paper rolls) and a bit of shredded paper. (Shredding accomplished with paper shredder and not by hand). I wet these per instructions and fill each bin almost full (because it will ultimately pack down much more). I would like to use more composted leaves in the future, but not ready for that yet. It amazes me to watch this cardboard become compost in about 3 months. You must be patient when you start and not over feed your 1 or 2 lb of worms. It took me 4-5 months to get all the bins working, and for my worms to multiply so I could feed them more. Now I pay little attention to moisture after I've followed directions of wetting down the bedding. I feed the worms about 2-4 cups of pre-frozen, pret-chopped compost once or twice a week, and I do check the bin weekly, and bury the food. I also check to see if there is much evidence left of prior scraps and hold off putting more in if lots of scraps are still left. Worms appear happy, and it makes for a clean, non- smelly bin. I occasionally add dried crushed egg shells. I do not purée the scraps as some suggest- I think it can potentially get the bins too wet, especially towards the bottom. My only real issue has been that worms and quite a bit of composted material get down into the base, but I've become more relaxed about it. I try to check the base every couple of weeks or so ( somewhat heavy lifting, or placing trays on newspaper to the side) to make sure it is not too wet or too full of compost. I usually scoop the worms and material back into another bin. (the tools that come with the bin are handy). I leave the spout on open with the catch pan underneath, so the worms are not at risk of drowning. My bin is probably on the slightly drier side than some others, but worms seem to be thriving. Hope this is helpful to someone. Vermicomposting does take some extra time (shredding paper/cardboard, chopping veggies), but I am greatly enjoying it! Update 4/30/2015. Still composting! Bin is still in great shape. I am more experienced but a bit lazy. Here are a few suggestions after doing this awhile: 1. Still use shredded cardboard (keep a bag full of shredded pizza boxes, egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, etc), smaller amount of shredded paper, 1/2 brick coir per bin, and outdoor compost. Fill the bin at least 3/4 full with materials to get a good batch in the end - it will compact a lot. Follow the instructions - they work! 2. I leave in kitchen area - no smells or fruit flies if you bury the stuff. I've quit freezing the materials just for ease, but worms do like the stuff that is thawed and will get into faster. There are lots of mites in the bins, but they seem to stay there. Cover top bin with newspaper. 3. I keep lightly moist and rarely go in to moisten. Just feed scraps regularly and place in different areas of bin (corners, etc) to keep it moist. Bottom bins will be the most moist and this tends to be where the worms lay there eggs. I leave drain open and pan underneath, but rarely get any tea out, which I prefer. Seems to stay moist enough for the worms. 4. I primarily feed with old fruit, overripe avocado, tea bags, coffee grounds, egg shells, a little corn meal (just for fun - they love this stuff!). Chop greens and all materials well. Greens probably work best after freezing. Root vegetables take too long to break down in a vermicompost bin, in my opinion. I still put the smelly stuff - broccoli, onions, etc in the outdoor compost. I try not to put in squash seeds - they just don't break down, but sprout instead (and take a long time to do this). 5. If you are in a cold climate, it's good to get bins cleaned out (dumped in garden) Aug-Sept, so you can be making new compost over the winter indoors, which will be ready for Spring. I failed to get things cleaned out and new bins started last Fall and I'm regretting now. I would have had more worms and more compost. You have to stay on top of it! Update 5/26/2016. Still working well (purchased in 2012). Mine stays in my kitchen (I used to put out on my shaded porch in summer, but too lazy now). Contrary to other reviews, I bury chopped up banana peels probably 3-5 times a week in mine with no problem with fruit flies or any smells (note: don't put smelly veggies in the bin, and chop everything else). I generally do not have leachate. If you have a lot of leachate, to me it means you are overfeeding or adding too much water (and the leachate shouldn't smell either). I had enough worms this year to transfer a cupful to my Garden Tower (Garden Tower Project). I don't add expensive coir anymore. I just fill the new bin to almost full with shredded cardboard (I often leave this bin on top as I get the bin filled up, and once full, I wet it down and start filling with compost). Worms seem to turn the cardboard into compost in about 1-2 months. One other point - mostly my fruit compost goes in this, some coffee grounds, opened tea bags, with smaller amounts of greens. I put large amounts of green compost out in a regular compost bin. My top bin actually "crackles" with activity - one can hear the worms moving around when I open the lid :) Update 1/1/2018: Still going strong after 6 years, but re-learned a couple of things after a particularly bad fruit fly infestation - DO put fruit peels in freezer before putting in worm bin. This kills any fruit fly eggs /larvae that may have gotten on the peels in the store or at home. DO chop up peels and don’t put really chunky pieces in the worm bin. I made the mistake of putting in a whole mango pit. The worms cannot devour it fast enough, which gives the fruit flies a distinct advantage. Love this thing! Still works well. I dump the completed compost around my fruit trees and garden bed and work into the soil. I still keep it in the kitchen area in the winter, then out on the porch in summer. Update 3/12/2022: still holding up well and still using. Keeping it inside all the time. Use the extra worms for my Garden Tower II.

First off, I chose the Worm Factory because it is made in USA... I absolutely refuse to buy anything made in China so every potential purchase is thoroughly researched and analyzed before buying. I found about a handful of potential candidates for this purchase but chose the Worm Factory because of its larger size, configuration and ease of use as compared to the others. The Worm Factory made it down to the Florida Keys... Big Pine Key without issue or injury, and it was easy enough to set up and provision. The quality is excellent as I would have expected of a product born in America. My worms arrived a few weeks later because of the holiday shipping rush. No problem... other than some worries about my new “guests” getting lost in the cold. When I called to inquire about the delay, your reassurance allayed all worries. When they finally arrived, they were feisty, plump and healthy. All in all, you and your company have an excellent work ethic and the care and consideration of top notch customer service. I also appreciate your follow-up email asking about my experience. It was all good and fun. The provided booklet and instructions are well written and easy to follow. My worms have been at it in their new home for about a month and eating... among other things... to their hearts delight. I am still on the first bin, but I’m already seeing evidence of composting at work. This is my first attempt at vermiculture. In conjunction with this effort, I am also using a Made in USA garden composter—a large steel 55 gallon drum tumbler on a stand equipped with a mechanical handle for easy turning. The Florida Keys are essentially a coral rock chain of islands. We have no real soil—only coral rock, coral dust and limestone. It is not possible to dig even a small hole without an auger, so gardening is no easy task. Our subtropical climate and larger than life pests add to the challenges--so most of our crops are grown in raised beds and pots. Soil quality and drainage is key. So we’re making our own soil using our own garbage—with the help of worms and high quality 'Made in USA' products that can withstand our environment.

This is my first worm composting experience. The instruction manual was not written well. Scattered thoughts and not complete. That being said, the worm compost has been a blessing to my plants. Everything is growing better so it is worth the effort to learn this stuff and this particular product makes it easy to accomplish. I have a black thumb and was determined to learn the secrets that others seem to know instinctively. Success in gardening seems to be all about the soil. After hours and hours of study on the internet and from books on how to produce healthy plants, composting with worms seems to be the quickest and most effective solution to nourish the soil with the right ingredients in the right proportions without needing a degree in biochemistry. Certain overall rules apply and I have been reading Amazon comments to supplement the incomplete instruction manual. After about a month and a half, I used the first bin on my plants and some sickly tomatoes perked up within 24 hours. One caution, don't use the leacheate (drainage from the spigot) for your plants because it is incomplete digestion and it may contain anaerobic organisms which may be toxic. Wow, so worth it not only because it is cheap - nothing to buy except this Worm Factory, and worms, but also it works to provide healthy food without a never ending need for expensive and harsh fertilizers. We'll all need to become our own farmers to combat the unhealthy GMO ridden foods. This Worm Factory is a good first step. Addendum: weather here has been over 100 degrees for 3 days. Over 80 degrees is not good for the worms . Have been applying ice cubes in 2 small ziplocked baggies on top of the food every 3 hours. Worms are moving slower but at least they are still alive.

First and foremost, this is my first time vermicomposting, I've been at it for a week, and my PRIMARY goal when ordering this kit was to reduce the number of table scraps/old food in my fridge I waste by throwing away. SECONDARY goals are to obtain high quality worm castings to grow peppers and tomatoes when summer time comes back around. I got my worm factory 360 2 days after ordering with amazon prime. However it took two tries because there were a few items missing from the first bin that I ordered. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ORDERING THE BIN at least 4-5 days before you EVEN THINK about placing an order for the worms!! I cant stress this enough. I initially ORDERED 500 RED WRIGGLER WORMS from Uncle Jim's Worm farm because I wasn't sure what to expect. After about one week with the factory, I found 500 to be far too little for my purposes. I placed a second ordered for 2,000 more worms for a total of ABOUT 2,500 WORMS. I ordered 2,000 more worms in the hopes of decreasing the amount of time uneaten food is left in the bin and to produce casting at a faster rate. This is important because when you do your research, it will be common to read that worms can consume half their body weight in organic matter. THIS IS ONLY TRUE FOR FULL SIZED ADULT WORMS!!! I believe a much more accurate statement is that you can expect your worms to eat 20%-50% of their body weight per day. So depending upon how many you order and what your goals are, try to plan accordingly. Update 1-4-2015 The worms are doing great and I have NOT had ANY ISSUES WITH THEM LEAVING THE BIN. I've been following the instructions and have not had issues with pest or odors which was very important to me. Of note: 500 worms = 1/2 pound of worms (Good amount if you are single, for fishing, hobby, kids activity, etc) 1,000 worms = 1 pound of worms (Good amount for house of 2 or less people or who want to turn over food quicker) 2,000 worms = 2 pounds of worms (Best amount for house of 2 or less people but may be ok up to 4-5 people after all worms mature) 5,000 worms =5 pound of worms (Best amount to get an entire factory started up and running to turn over trays trays fast) According to my research almost ALL WORMS WILL CONTROL THEIR OWN POPULATION....so if they have an endless supple of scraps, they will double in population every 3-5 months and extra worms can be thrown outside in the yard or placed in another bin. SO DONT WORRY ABOUT ORDERING TOO MANY!!! If they consistently only get limited amounts of food, then they will maintain a stable population that is proportional to the amount of food available to go around (requires experimentation on your part). Its also important to know that NO ONE SITS AND COUNTS WORMS OUT before they ship them to you after you purchase. Its an estimation based off of weight and there is a good chance that the amount you get may vary significantly. Also, some may die in transit (hopefully none) and a good portion of the ones that survive may not be full adult sized worms. So if you plan on sticking with only the 4 trays that come with this bin, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND starting with AT LEAST 2,0000 worms!!!! After all is said and done, you will most likely end up with THE EQUIVALENT to roughly 1,000 adult worms which can eat roughly a HALF POUND of waste per day (which in my case is perfect because there are only 2 people at home that produce scraps). UPDATE 6-21-2015 I am currently on my 3rd tray and my worms have multiplied exponentially. Started with 2000 and would estimate I now have 8000-10,000 roughly 6 months later. I made the mistake of putting wet solid 1lb brick of tofu in the bin about a month ago. The tofu was too wet and started to smell bad, causing anaerobic bacteria to thrive and a bad smell. It caused the worms to try to escape the bin so I did my best to scrape out the smelly tofu. The smell went back to normal about 2 days later but I noticed every now and then I would find 3 or so worms that escaped each day since the tofu. This went on for about 2 weeks and I thought it was because the worms needed time to recover from my tofu error. I got frustrated about the daily "prison breaks" and decided to watch them closer and noticed the worms would always escape from the same side of the bin. I realized that they ALWAYS followed the same SLIME TRAIL on one side of the bin that was created by the first few worms that escaped. I squirted about 2 tables spoons of dish soap into a standard 16.9 fl oz (500ml) water bottle, shook it up, and poured some of the sudsy mix onto a paper towel and thoroughly scrubbed the ENTIRE EXTERIOR of the bin, making sure to get all slime trails off. I then used dry paper towels to wipe down the entire exterior of the bin so that it was bone dry and much cleaner. This solved the problem I was having and have NOT had any more "prison breaks" since.

It's been about a month and my worms seem happy and contented in their bedding. I started with one tray, then gradually added 2 more. They are moving up and down the trays, getting into the food scraps at each level. I shred old newspapers, dip them in rainwater, squeeze out to "damp-sponge wetness", then spread it around the tray. A good percentage of the worms like to hang out in the newsprint and eat that. The kit comes with everything you need except the worms. It's very easy to set up with the included instruction manual. The included hand rake is handy to mix vegetable and fruit scraps in with the moist paper. Kit also includes a coir brick (which you moisten and spread for their initial bedding), scraper, and thermometer. It's been unseasonably cold in Louisiana, so, like a new parent, I covered the kit with a blanket to insulate the worms. The box has since been moved from porch to patio where it catches the morning sun. The worms seem to be fine with the temp. extremes, as long as they don't get too extreme either way. I ordered 2 lbs. of worms from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm and there seemed to be more than enough for the Worm Factory, so after a couple of weeks I transferred a handful of worms to my original compost bin,a converted plastic garbage can with holes drilled in the sides. Since we create a good qty. of daily kitchen waste, I put the excess into my original compost bin. The worms are doing their job there, too. As recommended, don't feed them meat scraps, or dairy...spoils and sours the pile. Citrus peel is also a no no, too acid and too slow to break down. I also crush washed egg shells in with the food, which gives their gizzards the grit they need to digest food. The egg shells also add alkaline calcium which helps to balance the ph level. Unit also generates compost tea, which is the result of moisture leaching through the worm bedding and castings. It is loaded with plant nutrients and beneficial bacteria for your growing plants! Mix it in your watering can and the life cycle continues! This is a good product! It will provide you an easy way to go green (even if you live in an apartment), reduce your waste going to landfills, and provide nutrients for your garden. To boot, when you decide to go fishing, you're all set.

I should have listened to the reviews that talked about missing accessories. Not only does the package come missing the rake and the thermometer but it also has substituted another bedding material for the stated Coir. While I do applaud the companies decision to migrate the CD and the booklet to an online document, the product description states that they come with it. The instructions did not reflect the substitution of the Coir. Not a big deal to me as I have been worm farming in a rubbermaid tub for about 2 years but for those new to worm culture this might be very confusing. The fact that the company has had so many problems with missing parts that they have to include the necessary steps to get this problem corrected in the assembly instructions. A line or two with a customer service number is appropriate, dedicating nearly a page to this problem is quite telling. I think the company really needs to evaluate its quality with regards to product packaging. The market is growing every day and the number of options available to customers is growing to match. While the Wormbin 360 currently gets the highest reviews on most sites, problems like this will become an issue. The business I buy my worms from doesn't even provide it as an option any longer. I recommend having a team review your product offerings and documentation to ensure it matches what the company is actually doing. The product itself seems great and I look forward to an easier harvesting process.

I was very pleased with the wealth of information provided with this worm bin. I was initially expecting to only get a simple worm bin with a few bedding materials and a few instructions on how to set it up. But instead it comes shipped with a FULL booklet on just about EVERYTHING you need to know to get started in vermiculture. I appreciate the fact that these sellers are committed to the success of their customers by providing so much useful information. The booklet details how to troubleshoot and identify problems that may arise, how and what to feed your worms, how to properly maintain the bin over months, how to harvest the castings from the bin when it's ready, anatomy and life cycle of worms, how to keep your worms happy, and so much more! Receiving this booklet was definitely a breath of fresh air compared to all the small sheets of papers I get with broken translated English printed on them. I also like how you get enough bedding to fill two trays so you will be set for several months before you need to go get some additional materials for bedding (if you don't already have some). Currently, the worms have been quite happy in their new home (as far as I can tell). I've had the bin for about a month now and it has worked well for me. Obviously I will need more time to fully access this product, but so far, it's been easy to use and useful. A word of caution for those that are new to vermicomposting: When you add your new worms to the bin, make sure the environment is just to their liking (how to do this is explained in detail in the manual that comes with this item). When I received my worms in the mail, they were obviously stressed from the cross-country trip they had to make so they probably weren't the happiest of worms. After putting them in the bin, they WILL go exploring and this worm bin WILL NOT contain them. The bin is designed to allow proper air flow so it is far from being completely sealed. If the worms are not happy and want to explore the world around them, they will! Since I had to immediately leave after I added the worms to my bin, I came home to several worms (around 10) crawling around on the floor around the bin! It is suggested to turn on a light right above the bin to discourage them leaving, and I thought turning on the kitchen light would be enough. I was definitely wrong! I highly recommend getting a very bright desk lamp of sorts to shine *directly* above the bin for the first few days. After I got this bright lamp in place and adjusted the moisture levels of the bin, the worms were much more cooperative in staying inside. Now that the worms have acclimated to their new environment, I have no issues with them staying inside the bin and have no more need for the bright lamp. So to recap, when you get your worms, make sure you've got a little pile of food waiting for them and make sure the moisture levels are proper (not too dry, not too wet). Then make sure you've got a bright light to setup up directly outside of the bin that you can shine on it. If you do these things, you will not end up like me and find a bunch of worms crawling all over your floor and walls. Unfortunately, I lost a handful of worms due to my initial problems (they can dry out pretty quick and will die if left outside the bin), but the worms that are left are happily crawling around their food now. I would highly recommend ordering your worms after your worm bin so you have time to get things situated. More importantly, you'll have time to read through booklet that will ensure you know what you're doing when the time comes! Definitely read through the booklet since its got so much good information. I've been very happy with this product and would definitely recommend it to anyone that is interested in vermicomposting. The bin does not stink if taken care of properly, and I haven't even gotten any fruit flies yet! The worms mind their own business and just eat and poop all day--exactly what I want them to do!

El producto muy bien, pero no llegaron las lombrices para comenzar el proyecto. Tuve que adquirirlas por mi cuenta.

I've owned this for maybe a year or two ago or so. Bought a couple extra trays. Overall, it's a good system. One should never, in all honesty, require more than the number (4?) of trays that it came with. Does what it says, no muss, no fuss. Lid came a bit warped, but that made no difference to the worms. If you'd like to try vermicomposting in your home, this is a good choice, I tended to mine with reasonable care, meaning that I didn't hover above it, but I also didn't let a week go by without checking on it. The worms seemed happy, and the trays were tight with almost clay-like dense black castings, each weighing about 20-25 lbs each. When mixed with soil, the house plants grew so much that I had to limit how much of the stuff that I added. As far as my garden goes, this surely played a part in my garden's excellent condition. I think that I payed in the neighbourhood of $100 at the time. I'd do it again.

This is the perfect set up if you are tight on space and want something visually appealing. Instructions cover everything you need to know and there are a ton of Youtube videos on this specific unit. I have read some complaints on these Amazon reviews, but it's obvious most did not research or read the instructions when setting it up. Make sure you add a layer of newspaper on the very bottom to help prevent your red wrigglers from getting into the lowest part of the worm box. Also, don't wait too long before starting another layer. About 3 months should do it. I think I waited too long and now I need to distribute some of the lower castings to a higher tier as it's a bit heavy. If your bin smells, ADD SHREDDED NEWSPAPER. the smell will come from what you are feeding your worms and if that food is exposed. It will not smell if the food is burred under shredded newspaper. Happy farming!

We have had the worm factory in service for a month. It's to early to review it's overall performance but so far were are pretty pleased with how it is working. Have had an issue though getting English instructions! The first unit we ordered arrived fairly quickly. However, the detailed instruction guide was in French - no English version. After being unable to find one online, I contacted Amazon to see if they could send the instruction guide. They could not send the guide only, but they did arrange to send out another unit. After 3 weeks or so no replacement unit had arrived. Contacted Amazon, and they arranged to send out a third unit, as the second one was considered lost in shipment. Received the third unit only to find French instructions again! Have given up and relied on youtube videos to get the factory up and running. My summary points with this little rant: Amazon customer service was great. There was never an issue with them attempting to resolve the problem. Pleasant people on the phone. I was very happy with the customer service directly by Amazon and I cannot fault them at all with this issue. The fault lies with the vendor/supplier located in Quebec. If you are going to sell into the rest of Canada, include English instructions. Last time I read the paper, Bill 101 had not extended beyond the Quebec provincial boundary.

Perhaps a little more expensive than making a composting worm bin from plastic trays or buckets but ideal for the home composter. The information that arrives with the shipment was extensive with Internet addresses for those who wanted more details and information. The bottom-most 'tray' intended to help the worms that drop into the moisture collecting base doesn't seem to help the worms return to the lower tray so I keep an eye on that. Is important to keep an eye on the bottom tray and the base unit as some of the material collects in the base and blocks the valve, along with the matter of the stranded worms. Fruit flies, as predicted, were a problem during the winter but the advice in the literature was helpful. Have moved the unit outdoors now that winter weather has moved on and will see how the worms enjoy the greater range of temperatures from warm to hot daytime values down to cool summer nights. I would certainly recommend this for anyone who wants to do some worm composting. Getting the worm population will almost certainly be the biggest challenge!