Checking In On My HOTBIN (and Why I Love Hot Composting)
If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know I’m a big fan of hot composting—especially with the HOTBIN. It’s compact, simple to run once you’ve got the rhythm, and it turns kitchen and garden waste into lovely compost fast. When it’s running hot, the internal temperature typically sits in that 40–60°C “hot composting” sweet spot, which is why it can produce compost in about 30–90 days and deal with weed seeds and pathogens while it’s at it.
Today’s job: a quick check and feed.
Today’s HOTBIN Check
- Thermometer check. The HOTBIN’s lid thermometer is handy, but it only shows the temperature near the top, not the core. For an accurate picture of how “hot” things are, I also use the additional probe thermometer and check the middle of the heap. If the core is running hot, I carry on; if it’s drifting, I’ll tweak the mix (more on that below).
- Add a balanced mix. I feed in the week’s kitchen and garden waste (“greens”) and balance it with shredded paper/card and a bulking agent to keep airflow healthy.
- Close it up properly. I make sure the hatch and lid are snug, and the cam straps are secure, so heat stays in and odours stay down.
That’s genuinely most of the work: check the heat, feed it right, keep it tidy and closed, and let the bin do its thing.
Why HOTBIN for Hot Composting?
- Fast results. Hot composting dramatically shortens the timeline—compost in ~30–90 days once you’re running hot. The HOTBIN is purpose-built to help you get there.
- Runs hot when fed well. Hot composting aims for 40–60°C, and the HOTBIN’s design and insulation help maintain that environment with ordinary household/garden feedstock.
- No turning or tumbling. Instead of turning, the HOTBIN relies on a bulking agent (bark/wood chip) + shredded paper/card to keep oxygen moving through the material. Oxygen helps spike the temperature, so I manually aerate it.
- Tidy and self-contained. It has a base, an airtight lid with a bio-filter to minimise odours and deter vermin and flies, and thick insulating walls to retain heat. It’s designed to live on a flat surface, in the sun or in the shade.
- Compact but generous. The HOTBIN is wheelie-bin-sized but offers a 100L or 200L capacity—plenty for a typical household looking to recycle food and garden waste quickly.
Note: If you’re doing hot composting in a generic bin or heap, you’ll often see advice to turn weekly to boost oxygen. With the HOTBIN specifically, you get airflow by adding bulking agent and shredded paper/card—so you don’t need to manually turn it. Although it does help, and I do it to help!
What I Feed (and How)
- Greens (Nitrogen): fruit/veg scraps, grass clippings, coffee grounds, tea leaves, fresh trimmings.
- Browns (Carbon): shredded paper/cardboard, dead leaves, chopped twigs, straw/hay, a sprinkle of wood ash, eggshells.
- Always include: a handful of bulking agent (partially composted bark/woodchip) plus shredded paper/card whenever you add a caddy of food waste—this keeps air spaces open and moisture balanced. I often add bulky twigs...
Moisture check: Food waste adds a lot of water on its own. If the contents look wet and heavy, I increase shredded paper/card and bulking agent so I don’t lose those helpful air pockets.
How Long Until Compost?
Once you’re consistently hot, expect roughly 30–90 days for finished compost (depending on what you’re feeding and how warm it’s running). When it’s ready, I pop the front hatch and harvest that crumbly goodness.
Where to Put It and What’s Included
You can place the HOTBIN on any flat surface—whether in the sun or in the shade—and keep hot composting year-round. The kit includes helpful bits like the lid thermometer, bio-filter lid, aeration base, removable front hatch, cam straps, and a user guide. You also get an extra thermometer, a Kick Start Heater (if needed), and a raking stick.
Final Thoughts
Hot composting is a brilliant way to reduce waste quickly and make nutrient-rich compost at home. The HOTBIN makes the process practical for everyday life—compact footprint, 100L or 200L capacity, thoughtful design, and no need to turn (again, I do to help!). Watch the video above to see my quick check-in and feed routine in real time.
