Brome Squirrel Buster Review

Background

A few months ago, I was contacted by Brome Bird Care about reviewing one of their feeders for my blog. Because I have many squirrels in my backyard I chose the Squirrel Buster Peanut Plus feeder. Shortly after that, I received the feeder free of charge to put through its paces. I’m telling you this in the interest of disclosure. However, it should be noted that while the folks at Brome Bird Care made sure I got the feeder as quickly as possible, no strings were attached for me to give them a positive review. That’s how I do all of my reviews. Whether or not I pay for product being reviewed has no effect on how I review the product.

Here’s the info from their site:

• Squirrel proof

• Holds 3/4 quarts of shelled peanuts or wild bird food nuggets

• Weight adjustable to help control unwanted birds

• Chew proof

• Woodpecker friendly

• 2 year hassle free warranty

With that out of the way let’s get on to the review.

What I Liked

Included Documents

From the moment I received the feeder I was impressed with Brome’s focus on customer service. The feeder itself comes with materials that explain how to assemble, use and benefit from the feeder. This information was not a four panel picture diagram either. It was a beautifully printed card stock brochure that folded out and, more importantly, folder back in easily. Complete with photographs and illustrations for each section in the brochure. You’ll learn how to best use the feeder and how not to use it for maximum benefit. For me, great documentation is key. I tire easily of manufacturers that assume you already know how to use a particular feeder just because you are a birder. Brome clearly cares to raise birders from the ground up to understand the hows and the whys behind their products. I should also point out the brochure was specifically for the Peanut + feeder.

The Feeder Itself

You’d be hard pressed to find a more sturdier build feeder for confounding squirrels. The idea is simple but the implementation very well thought out. Basically, the peanut feeder is covered by a spring-tensioned wire shroud that closes off the feeder port when a squirrel or heavy bird gets on it. You have complete control to set how sensitive the shroud spring is. If you wanted to you could change the setting to allow a blue jay but still keep a squirrel from accessing the feeder. Or you could set it just for Downy Woodpeckers and smaller birds. It’s your call.

The feeder has four main sections: the stand assembly, the feeder tube assembly, the wire shroud and the negative grip tube. The feeder tube assembly is even dishwasher safe. The negative grip tube keeps a squirrel from defeating the closing mechanism by grasping the wire hanger. It’s a well thought out solution. More about the negative grip tube later.

I was very impressed with how easy it was to get this feeder up and working. It comes pre-adjusted from the factory for excluding squirrels. Any fine tuning is fully explained and a snap to do.

Simply, I really like this feeder. I have yet to see a squirrel have any success with mine and the fine tuning adjustment has proven perfect for feeding exactly the birds I want.

Customer Support

I had a problem with the negative tube implementation. I was able to speak with the product team directly by phone which included the inventor! Count how many times you’ve been able to do that with a bird feeder manufacturer!

What I Didn’t Like

This is a very short list. I would caution anybody wanting to add this feeder to a pole feeder station that the negative grip tube will cause your feeder to hang too low to the ground. This will allow squirrels to jump onto it. While they still won’t be able to get peanuts out of the feeder, they WILL be able to use it as a way to get to the other feeders at the station. I should point out, however, that Brome never indicated a feeder station would be an ideal location for their feeder. The information I got from their site and the brochure indicated this feeder would be best placed in a stand alone location like a tree limb making sure to hang it far enough away from the tree that a squirrel couldn’t reach it from the main trunk.

Final Thoughts

After spending a few months with this feeder, I would whole-heartedly endorse it for anybody who has problems with squirrels. It’s also great for those seeking another feeding option that’s well built, fine looking and completely adjustable for their needs. Most importantly, Brome takes customer service very seriously. As you know, that can often make the difference between a great product and a stellar one. The two year warranty is just the icing on the cake!

I would give this feeder a 5 out of 5 rating.