A garbage disposal unit is an electrical device installed under the kitchen sink and connected to the drain. It grinds up food waste into small, manageable pieces. The shredded food waste safely passes through the plumbing system, preventing pipe clogging.

Problems you can face with a waste disposer

A garbage disposal unit can get jammed if you use the device to dispose of items it cannot handle: brutal food scraps, potato peels, and fibrous food waste. Nor should you put coffee grounds, pasta, bones, nuts, onion skins, and eggshells there. Experts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison warn that eggshells contain a thin membrane that can lodge around the impeller or drain. Oatmeal and pasta tend to expand when soaked in the water, while peanuts are mashed into a thick paste that can clog your drain.

Trusted Manufacturers

InSinkErator is an American brand of advanced food waste disposal systems. The company is owned by Emerson Electric Co., a Missouri-based multinational corporation with more than 130 years of experience in the electrical equipment industry. Unlike regular disposals, Insinkerator can cope with most types of food waste, including eggshells and bones.

Moen, an American company with headquarters in Ohio, has been producing faucets and bath fixtures, and garbage disposals since the 1950s. Moen is owned by Fortune Brands Home & Security, an Illinois company focusing on home and security products. The company runs manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

How Food Waste Disposers Differ

Disposal units vary by capacity and functionality. An air switch activates the device using air pressure rather than electricity. ​This system does not use blades, preventing drains from being blocked.

  • The grinding chamber of the advanced models has a volume of 1,180 ml and has a three-stage grinding system coping with tough-to-grind waste. 
  • Less expensive models use two-stage grinding technology. While the advanced models break down food scraps into finer than a fingernail, these grind them into particles that are as fine as a fingernail. They also differ in noise level and capacity. The 200S model is 60% quieter than standard units, whereas the 100S unit is quieter only by 40% and is a little bit smaller in capacity.
  • One-stage grinders are not recommended for grinding fibrous materials such as banana peel and come without an auto-reverse feature. They are pretty quiet but do not use unique sound technology. it is intended for medium-sized households and features a single-phase motor, 0.55 horsepower.

Products with a 5-star rating

 

Product5 Stars Votes
InSinkErator Garbage Disposal with Cord, Badger 5, 1/2 HP Continuous Feed7256(13.2%)
Waste King L-3200 Garbage Disposal with Power Cord, 3/4 HP4241(7.7%)
Moen GX50C Prep Series 1/2 HP Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal with Sound Reduction4034(7.3%)

Most Popular Food Waste Disposers Compared

 

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