What Garbage Disposal Should I Buy?

A new garbage disposal from Scott English.In the search for the best garbage disposal unit in the market, it is important to look at some performance factors and not just the price or brand. It is not unheard of that people get confused on what garbage disposal to buy. What are the basics to focus on?

Continuous vs Batch Feed Garbage Disposals

Why should continuous vs batch feed garbage disposals be a big deal for you? First off, you have to take note of what should fit your needs best so let’s take a closer look at these two designs.

Continuous Feed Garbage Disposals

Continuous feed disposers can run from the minute you turn on the power. This is great for dealing with huge amounts of garbage that needs to be grounded up. The great thing about this is that you do not have to wait for the chamber to be full before powering up the unit. Price-wise, it is also cheaper than its batch feed counterpart, which means there are more sales.

As great as it may sound, there have been issue of the motor continuously running while there is something goes down the sink. Accidentally dropping something, like a spoon, into the sink can result in unit damage. Or worse, if you suddenly get your fingers down the drain, then off they go. The unit may also require more water to operate causing a spike in your water bill.

Batch Feed Garbage Disposals

Batch feed disposers on the other hand get rid of waste by batches. Designed, with a stopper or cover, it prevents objects from accidentally getting into the unit while it is running. The unit will not operate until you fill the chamber and cover the hole. This is better when dealing with less volume of waste. There are also less issues with jammed motors.

Since this type of disposer can take longer to go over all your waste, you may be tempted to overfill the chamber resulting in damage. There is also the problem of food rotting because it will not be able to efficiently dispose of the waste when the chamber is overfilled. This means it can rot with the chamber becoming a breeding ground for bacteria and insects.

Bottom line is that you have to decide on the unit you want judging by its safety, ability to deal with the waste you produce, and its price. This will give you the best value for your money.

Waste King vs InSinkErator

When it comes to garbage disposal units, there are undoubtedly some names that will stand out. And in this modern world, the Waste King vs InSinkErator garbage disposals is a battle that may have homeowners divided.

These brands have models for the entry-, mid-, and high-end levels, which means that they can supply disposers for virtually any segment of the market. The price of course would vary depending on the type that you want.

InSinkErator

For InSinkErator, its entry-level line is not getting that many good reviews from the market. Their mid-level disposers on the other hand have more favorable responses, while high-end models are considered excellent by the market. This means that Waste King has the definite edge as far as entry-level models are concerned.

Waste King

In the mid- to high-end level models, both Waste King and InSinkErator have excellent reviews. This means that they are almost equal, with Waste King coming out on top in just a couple of areas like having longer warranty periods for example.

So in this battle of garbage disposal unit manufacturers, Waste King can be considered as the marginal winner.

Maintaining Your Garbage Disposal (No Matter Which You Choose)

  1. What do you put in your garbage disposal?Never put your hand down into the disposal system. You should always use a pair of tongs so that your hand is not seriously injured.
  2. Always run the cold water when you put things down the garbage disposal. This will help protect the blades, prolong their life, and make everything you send down the appliance go down more smoothly.
  3. Avoid running hot water down your garbage disposal because this can cause grease to build up inside the unit and create clogs.
  4. Don’t put too much down your disposal at one time. If you have large pieces of food to put down, cut them into smaller chunks and put them down the disposal one chunk at a time.
  5. To clean your garbage disposal, just pour some dish soap down it and turn it on, allowing it to run for about a minute.
  6. Use your garbage disposal on a regular basis to prevent corrosion or rust.
  7. If your garbage disposal begins to smell bad, put lemon peels down it to freshen it up. To clean the walls of the disposal, try throwing down chunks of ice or the small pits of some fruits or egg shells.
  8. You should never put these items into the garbage disposal:
    1. Bones
    2. Paper, metal, plastic, or glass items
    3. Anything that could catch fire
    4. Cooking oil, grease, or animal fat (these items could cause clogs)
    5. The husks of corn, celery, or other fibrous food items that have the potential to become tangled and jam the disposal’s motor
    6. Starchy food items like potato peels, which can cause the blades to stick
    7. Rice, pasta, and other foods that expand when you add water to them.
    8. Coffee grounds (they tend to build up inside your pipes)
    9. Drain cleaners, bleach, or other harsh chemicals

If you need more help in deciding which garbage disposal unit to buy (or you need to schedule service for your current garbage disposal), a licensed plumbing expert from Scott English Plumbing can give you excellent advice.