Compost options

When I first started looking into options for doing my compost, I found a pretty helpful website that covered all of the basics. They also have an online store that sells compost equipment. I never realized there were so many different styles of compost bins. There are some that are modular, some that have little trap doors in the bottom to "harvest" your compost, and some you bury part way in the ground. If I was going all out, I think I would pick this tumbling composter that makes it easy to aerate and turn the materials.

However, with the cheapest one almost $200, it doesn't make sense for me right now. As an alternative, I almost considered buying this indoor composter that relies on fermentation to break down and only requires kitchen scraps. It comes with some kind of compost starter to get it working. It seems ideal for apartment renters and people who want something more low maintenance. 

But again, I really wanted to do something that cost nothing at all. So that's why I decided to go with just a plain pile. From what I've read, it is a perfectly reasonable way to go, but there are some downsides. First, it doesn't look as nice as if it's contained well. Also, there isn't much protection from animals. Also, it just requires more work than say the tumbling composter. For me, it offered the lowest barrier to entry into composting.