Buying a Garbage Disposal?

Garbage Disposal

Have you ever bought a garbage disposal? Are you considering buying one now? Are you confused by all the choices? Here are a few pieces of information to help you choose your next garbage disposal.

First, you actually have only a few choices when it comes to picking out the right disposal. In this case, the rule of thumb is that the more you pay, the better the garbage disposal actually is. They can run from very inexpensive to expensive depending on the “power” you want. The more you spend, the better quality and the better warranty anywhere from 1 year to 10 years.

In the U.S., there are only three companies that make garbage disposals, which are In-Sink-Erator, Waste King, and Kenmore, but are sold under various sub-names. The companies’ products are comparatively equal, so the true choice comes with what horsepower to buy. You should buy a disposal with at least ½ horsepower, as anything less runs the risk of a short life and unreliability with food scraps such as bones or hard food. Sometimes, less than ½ horsepower has been known to even have food waste clog the pipes from poor performance.

Second, you should consider if you have an electrical source near the sink. If you do not have an electrical outlet, you should purchase a batch-feed disposal vs. a continuous-feed one. The batch-feed automatically turns on when you put the special stopper in the drain: no switch to turn on. The continuous-feed disposal runs off of electricity so you do not have to keep up with a stopper, but more caution is needed as it will run with a stopper (which runs a risk of fingers in the drain).

Just a note on noise: Usually, the heavier and larger the garbage disposal, the quieter. But keep in mind, that if a disposal is installed under a sink with no insulation (stainless steel), it will be noisier than a sink with insulation.

And just a note on bio-chemicals:  most plumbers do not use them or care for them, as you are breaking down the food waste more than normal, but in a septic system, more solids are better.  More liquid may actually cause an overflow.

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