Brand: Grandoli | Supplier: Lidl | Price: £0.10/litre
Personal observations
This was one of the better-looking budget composts in the test. Dark brown, very uniform, with no visible wood fibre at all — which stands out compared to many competitors in this price bracket. One small stone was visible after sieving, which strongly suggests a green waste compost origin rather than a wood-fibre or coir-based mix. It does not clump particularly well in the hand — it tends to crumble — but that is a texture characteristic of finely screened green waste rather than a quality problem. Water retention is moderate at 2.7 times dry weight, and it dried in around 20 minutes. The fine fraction is the highest of any product in the test at nearly 60%, which confirms tight screening. For a Lidl price point, this is a genuinely good compost — the dark colour and absence of fibre suggest real composting inputs rather than processed wood.
Quick-test data (April 2026)
| Metric | Band | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulk density (dry) | M | 0.22 g/ml | Mid-range — typical mature organic compost |
| Water held per g dry weight (WHC) | M | 2.7× | Typical for green waste compost — humic binding |
| Dry-down time | — | 20 min | Fast — consistent with moderate WHC |
| Sieve: <2mm fraction | — | 59.8% | High — tightly screened, finest in test group |
| Sieve: 2–10mm fraction | — | 32.0% | Moderate |
| Sieve: >10mm fraction | — | 6.3% | Low-moderate |
| Price per litre | Budget | £0.10 | Supermarket own-brand — bought in store, no P&P |
WHC in the expected range for a mature composted green waste product — water is held by humic and organic matter rather than structural trapping. Reliable and consistent behaviour expected across a season.
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Comparative hands-on testing, April 2026. Consistent method across all 18 products. See methodology note.
At-a-glance rating breakdown
| Category | Weight | Score |
| Ease of use | 40% | 7.4 |
| Composition & quality | 35% | 5.8 |
| Sustainability | 25% | 5.6 |
| Overall (weighted) | 100% | 6.3 / 10 |
Strengths & limitations
What we liked
- Clear “all plant” positioning for general garden tasks.
- Good base for soil improvement.
Our conclusion
Typical Lidl approach: single product, good spec, almost ‘middle aisle’ stock in volume when needed (Spring!). It looks great value for money.
