The reason you can't find small ones is because they're inefficient - composting works better with a larger quantity of materials, so an open heap in the garden should be a minimum of three feet square and over 3 feet high. I don't know what it is you want to compost most of the time - if its lots of kitchen scraps (including meat) then check out the Bokashi composting method - this involves having a couple of small bins and the Bokashi bran (which is laced with certain bacteria/fungal organisms). You fill up the first (not very large) bin with your kitchen scraps, add some of the bran mix and then leave it for two weeks to do its thing (it sort of ferments). In the meantime, you start filling the other one, add the bran when its full and leave for two weeks...

Oh thank you for that,Bamboo, I did wonder, but we only have a small handful of scraps a day, usually veg peelings etc and it's taken all year just to quarter fill the big one..so I'm not sure about the Bokashi one, I'll just persevere with the big one. I do see what you mean, thank you !

I made one from an old black plastic dustbin - drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. If it needs turning I put the compost in the wheelbarrow to turn it. Leave the lid on and if it gets too dry I water it. Works for me.

I think I'll give that a go Cammomile, I really need to let the big one turn into compost and it's a shame to waste all the peelings etc. I allso find the big one hard to stir as it's so tall, like a big dalek! thank you both.

I'm just curious, Mazziestar - do you not have garden material that you put in your compost? Because the more you fill the compost bin, the quicker it will turn into useable compost...

Well Bamboo, I only have a small garden, so not much really except grass cuttings and leaves that's about it really but I do put in egg cartons, eggshells, dog fur (!), sifted soil from old plants, etc, but it's mainly veg peelings, and there's only 2 of us now, so that doesn't amount to much. I've been trying to fill it since last year and it's only a quarter full ! Maybe I'll have to go collecting from the neighbours!

Oh I see - collecting from the neighbours sounds like a good idea. But I really think you should investigate the Bokashi system - its a much better fit for the sort of composting you're doing, although I'd guess the dog eats quite a lot of your dinner scraps.