Maze Bokashi Indoor Composter

I bought two some weeks apart 12 months ago. The tap on the first one started dripping on the garage floor, so I put it outside, tipped it up, unscrewed the tap, then bound the thread with white plumbers tape. It didn't leak again. I put the same… Read more

white plumbers tap on the second one before screwing in the tap and it hasn't leaked at all. I was careless in draining the first one, eventually leaving it for far too long over winter. When I finally opened it, it was crawling with tiny maggots and the smell nearly made me throw up. Now I'm making sure to drain them every four days and so far no further issues, but the veggie and fruit scraps never seem to entirely break down. I've been putting what's left in the bottom of those wheelie beds from Bunnings. Hopefully they'll break down further in the soil.

Overall a good composter, Maze need to fix the leaking tap issue – I've just purchased my second Maze Bokashi Composter. The only reason I'm replacing it is because a rat nibbled the lid of my last one, when it was in the laundry. As many people have stated, I did have a problem with the tap leaking a couple of months after buying the first one, I was able to fix this by putting in a couple of new washers. I'm… Read more ·  3

fully expecting having the same problem again. Maybe if Maze were to include extra washers with the bins they would get better reviews. Other than the tap problem I think it's a good little composter, once you make sure the lid is on tight by pressing all around the rim, it seals really well.

Seal is not airtight – Have struggled with this for many years until going to the Bokashi One. It doesn't seal properly. The seal continually falls out and the air finds a way in causing it to smell and breed maggots. I'd really love this bin to work as it is easier to use than many but its cheap plastic construction makes it a really poor choice. Show details

I use my 2 bin system all the time without incident – I have been using my Maze 18litre bins for a couple of years without incident. The only way maggots or fruit flies could gain access to the system if you put infected fruit/veggies into the bin. The bin has a pleasant "fermented" smell....nothing offensive!! You MUST drain the liquid from the system every couple of days. This is great diluted… Read more

1:100 with water and used as a liquid fertilizer. I also use it undiluted as a drain cleaner and deodorizer. You can also store the liquid in a amber glass bottle in the fridge. I feel those complaining are NOT using the system correctly. Do NOT put anything that is off or rotting into the bin.

Bokashi Bin from Bunnings leak.....BUT – I'm happy to use the indoor Bokashi bin as my kitchen waste goes to help my plants. Until 6 months after purchase, my bin leaks between the tap and the plastic casing of the bin. The washer has worn out. (This is 1 week after my post above) You know what? Maze saw my post on this website and wrote to me. I showed them a photo of the washer and… Read more ·  1

they sent me replacement tap and washers. I am so happy to note their exemplary customer service. Well done to them!

Their advice to place the washer to the outside (and none inside) worked wonderfully.

I've now moved my rating from 2 stars to 5 stars.

Highly recommended. 5/5 – Review: The Bokashi indoor system is great for unit living. In fact I have bought two one to keep composting and the other to start new compost. It is simple to use and I keep mine out on my balcony in the shade. There is little smell and emptying the liquid is easy with the tap. Highly recommended. 5/5 Show details

2.5 stars, not completely pleased – Bought this bokashi bin a few years ago due to its compact size and although I had fruit fly larvae (more than once), stinky waste (every time), and green mould (almost every batch), I kept thinking it was user error. I stopped collecting during the pandemic bc I wasn’t able to donate my bokashi. During this time I learned the spray is virtually… Read more

ineffectual and other helpful hints for myself in order to start again and for this to be less…well, gross… Now that I’ve started fresh, in a new home, with my newfound knowledge, I’m still getting larvae and green mould! I can only deduce that the lid does not form a tight seal. Maybe it’s faulty? Maybe it’s an old bin? But I have read that others have had this issue as well. What a waste of my time so far (lesson learned - always read reviews)! I have contacted Maze for their advice and hope I hear back. Otherwise I’ll be forced to purchase a brand that forms a tight seal.

Maggots and fruit flies with mine too – I also got maggots and a fruit fly infestation with my Maze bokashi bin... I thought it was just me not composting right. The moment I saw maggots, I kept the lid shut for a couple months and continued to drain the putrid liquid. But then the fruit fly problem got worse. I guess flies and maggots were still able to live inside the bin if the lid… Read more

isn't super air tight.

Honestly, I'm terrified of the bin and so scared to start again, so I might give up composting. What a shame..

Doesn't seal, smells bad, and breeds maggots – We tried to reseal the lid several times, but the unit was never airtight, and during the summer months fruit flies managed to get in and breed. In the end, we had to give it up. Now we're using it to store garden fertiliser bags (ie blood and bone) as it's a waste of plastic.  Show details

Same problem as all the other reviews – The lid doesn't seal properly. Within a couple of weeks, the waste putrifies. Such a waste of money, and unhealthy to have in the house. I will be disposing of this. Show details

Doesn’t seal properly - maggots invasion – We bought two of these bins two years ago and are very disappointed. After a few days, there is always a lot of maggots coming out as they don’t seal properly. We got a new seal for both of them 6 months ago but it has not solved the issue. We will buy another compost bin.  Show details

Good, not great – For almost 2 years, I've been using two of these bins (and the 18L version, which doesn't have a good lid at all). While they aren't perfect, I must say that have not experienced the amount of maggots that some reviewers have (touch wood) and the bin/s have done a fair job so far. It lives in our kitchen on the floor and away from any… Read more

sunlight/warmth. But, maybe we fill the bin up quickly enough? The bin does live in our garage once it's full, away from sunlight - so I'm not sure if that is a determining factor.

Bokashi bin not air-tight and breeds maggots – I bought two 12l Bokashi bins. They breed maggots each time I tried and the juice stunk so I have stopped using them. The bin is poorly designed as it is not air-tight and cannot be used as a Bokashi bin. SHOULD always read the reviews. Show details

Liquid stinks, content putrid and always maggots – Bought 2 bins from Bunnings thinking i would use them in cycles. Maggots, putrid contents and stinky liquid every time. Its absolutely frightening and disgusting to clean out! We did it twice and thought it would not be realistic to do this on a regular basis. Total wasted of time and money to give this product a go.  Show details

Does not seal! Not a proper bokashi bin – I wish I read the reviews before buying. The lid cannot produce an airtight seal, so the bokashi bin doesn’t not actually work because it needs to be an anaerobic environment. I’ve tried 3 times now, troubleshooting thinking I’ve done something wrong. However every single time, the bin stinks, and attracts fruit flies which also means maggots. You… Read more

start to smell the bin even with the lid closed, which means there’s air leakage!! I have even tried put a 15kg dumbbell weight on the lid to try to seal it shut- doesn’t work! Don’t buy it! Waste of money.

Not air tight - wish read the reviews – I impulsively purchases the Maze brand without checking the reviews assuming it would be all good. I did wonder about how well the lid would seal when I first unboxed. Turns out not very well. My first attempt didn’t work out, lots of bugs/maggots and an aweful smell. After checking online to see if I was doing anything wrong. A major… Read more

requirement is an air tight container and this most certainly is not. Another review states at 5% may be affected by a defect, but I can’t see anyway this design could be air tight at all.

Got bokashi and some fruit flys – Bought a bokashi bin from bunnings about a month ago. Been following instructions how to use it but it never mentioned that it can't seal. When I opened it was full of maggots. Shame I like the 18l bin Show details

Stinks – My first attempt at this . The smell is so bad that I can’t go near it. Had to put it outside. Nothing stopped the bad smell Very disappointing...would not use it again. Show details

Perfect For Maggot Breeders – UPDATE 21/11/2020 - so after receiving a reply to my negative review on 12 October and a subsequent response to my earlier emails....nothing has changed. The promised "We have a new unit (slightly larger) which has a new style of silicon gasket which we have designed to be very air tight. If you can wait around a month I am happy to send these out… Read more

to you as soon as they arrive. Please confirm you delivery address and phone number." One month to the day I emailed to query the progress - that email remains unanswered.

After using $10 K Mart compost bins for several years I upgraded to a pair of these in May 2020. They were purchased as the website stated fly free and I had been getting maggots in the K Mart bin.

Unfortunately it was a complete waste of $89 as the fly breeding program became exponential compared to my previous bin. I should have read reviews prior to purchase not after, to find out there had been a fault with the lids. I did contact one of the persons I found who replied to a review but after a lengthy period received no response.

I eventually contacted place of purchase to advise my experience and the issue with lids I had uncovered on here. They contacted Maze on my behalf and I received an email saying I was possibly using the bins incorrectly, however, this was not the case. Instructions had been followed precisely and Maze did send two new lids as I had initially requested.

The new lids arrived and the maggot problem continues, together with the added benefit of liquid running down the back of the bin. The "fly free" tag has also been removed from any descriptions for this product on-line.

I am now researching bokashi bins so I can throw my $89 purchase in the bin and secure an indoor bench composting system that doesn't entail maggots crawling across the kitchen bench.

Appears to be a known defect with lid seal – Bought one of these Maze 12L Bokashi Indoor Composter despite all the negative reviews. The defective lid is evidence at first glance. To be sure, I tested it out with water as per the included instructions before use (highly recommended based on all the negative reviews and if you want to prevent maggots). The front of the bucket where the lid… Read more

clips down is fine and doesn't leak at all. However, turn the product to the other side and it leaks water out near the hinge like no tomorrow. As the seal is not air tight this is where flies could get in and essentially how maggots would come about as previous reviewers have noted.

This product comes sealed inside a cardboard box so you can't actually check the item in store to see if it's faulty or not before buying it. Seems like an ongoing and long known issue (reviews from 2 years ago note the same thing).

Disappointing – Followed directions and instructions appropriately but still ended up with maggots, fruit flies and constant smell. Definitely not airtight. Am yet to finish my first 2 months but not sure if I will, as I can’t stand the flies, smell and the maggots. Show details

awful product – #Editing my post, I received a very prompt response from the Maze representative, I am looking forward to his assistance for a solution to the defective bokashi bins # I have a larger maze bin, decised to get smaller bins, twin pack 12litres, new design but the lid is defective not air tight so have flies and maggots and smells bad, the older… Read more

version with lid that comes off works but not the new flip close lids. waste of money, you won't bokashi, you get rotten maggots ridden waste.

Poor quality and seal degradation – Initially looked forward to the concept and the product however only a few months into ownership the closing seal and the seal near the tap failed. The bin also smells and generates a lot of maggots and worms. Not what we were after. Have edited my review due to the very prompt response by the Maze representative. Will try the new one when it arrives. Keen on the concept. Thankyou. Show details

Non-airtight lid = maggots – This product has a dodgy tap fitting that needs to be tightened in just the right spot or it loosens again and leaks all over the bench, and the lid when pressed closed at the front lifts at the back and becomes infested on maggots when it’s left outside to ferment. Not recommended. Show details

Maze Compost Bucket – Had the old style bucket which was purchased from Bunnings and it worked perfectly. I soon worked out I needed additional couple for a rotation of them. Ordered two new ones online and got the new style. Worst mistake ever the new ones don’t seal at the lid at all, and become maggot ridden they are not pest proof. I wish I had returned to… Read more

Bunnings and got the old style.

I wish I had read these reviews prior to my online purchase. Have emailed Maze and await a response.

Rancid with flies – Today I buried my first batch - it had flies and smelt putrid. I added vegetable and fruit matter, kept the lid closed, sprayed at the end of each day but lid wasn't airtight and sealed poorly Show details

Lots of maggots – We bought it from Bunnings and have been using it for about three months. It worked for about a week or two and then we had a whole lot of maggots. We'd been keeping the lid shut the entire time, but I don't think it's sealing properly. We emptied into our compost bin and started again a few times but get maggots always get in and we have so many flies indoors, it's been a bit of a disappointment. Show details

Bad experience – I just have the new 12l maze bokashi from bunning for few weeks ,so excited at first to try new methods of composting, but then this product give me bad experience. I have try any way but the lid seem not seal properly, fruit fly and mag everywhere. Feel terrible hope i did read all the reviews before . Show details

Started off great, now maggot hotel – I bought a couple of these a month or so ago and was really excited to get into it. The first batch went flawlessly, but I think it was a fluke. This batch has exploded with maggots and I have tried everything to ensure an airtight seal on the lid, however it simply isn't possible as the lid buckles towards the back on both sides. I checked the… Read more

second one and it has the same flaw also so not even going to try. Judging by the other 25 1 star reviews (out of 58 - there's only 19 5 star reviews!), this isn't unique to my bins nor will it be fixed by trying multiple new lids and seals, so I don't even want to try!

Brilliant system, appalling execution.

Product Rating: 5 out of 5 – The Bokashi bin is an awesome composting bin. So simple, no smell and so productive. Cut your fruit and vegetables, straight into the Bokashi bin. Place food scraps in, spray and your done! Everything is so clean and no mess. The liquid fertiliser that is produced is so healthy for my garden and the compost is also amazing. One of the easiest… Read more

composting methods ever. Well Done Maze. I will be spreading the news about the simplicity and environmentally friendliness of this bin. My plants are so happy after only one dose. Green, bright and so healthy.Thank you Maze. I am your no.1 ambassador. Do yourself a favour and pick one up soon.