Garbage disposal

[ARFLY]

My garbage disposal went out today. It's not quite 3 years old. What's a good garbage disposal to get. I'd like to stay under $150, but if I need to spend more I will. The current one is listed as a 1/3 HP and is just a cheap builder grade unit.

 

[Git]

We have had pretty good luck with the Badger 5. Bought the first one in 2011 and it started leaking in the summer of 2019. One of the reasons I bought the same one is I thought 7 years was a pretty good run and it sure made it easy installing the replacement. You can probably get it a little cheaper at Lowes

 

[engineer2]

I had a $120 Insinkerator and the bottom seal failed after about 5 years. Made an emergency purchase of a $59 GE unit and it has been good for 15 years.

 

[Briancapecoral]

I had a badger for almost 10 years. When it went out replaced with the same brand form lowes. It was a special buy item, little more power for lower price.

 

[ddawg16]

I have 2 Badger's and they work fine.
Insinkerator is also a good disposal....

A key to long life....don't wait for the drain to back up before you run it.....like my in-laws do.

We have 2 sinks....full size farmhouse and smaller prep sink (both copper). I originally put the disposal on just the prep sink....but we realized we also needed on on the farm house sink. Life is good....drains are clean....wife is happy

Side note....those pressure activated remote switches are great. It's so much easier to push it than reach over to a wall switch.

 

[getbent4x4]

clean them every so often with a large amount of ice and dish soap. sheds all the debris that corrodes them.

 

[Quick240]

Waste King L-8000, 1 hp. Best disposal I've ever had.

 

[flan]

Typically there is a reset button on the bottom. May be hard to see so poke around. It will trip if something gets lodged in there. Also check the circuit it’s on as well!

 

[59 wagon man]

badger 5 is very popular if yours isn't hard wired ,you can get them new with the cord installed. they also come with a 2 yr in home manufacturers warranty

 

[Jinks]

Failed how? If it just won't run try using the wrench that came with it to move it a little. There's a socket for the wrench on the bottom of the disposal. If they sit much sometimes they rust/clog/bind in place & the motor won't turn them. Breaking them loose is cheaper & easier than replacing them.

 

[yeldogt]

Make sure to check the warranty !!

The badger 5 is the one I use in my rentals -- ISE keeps changing things .... they used to sell a SS version that I always bought. They had dropped it the last time I needed one. It has a big enough motor and not too noisy if on a good sink.

Going above that price point gets you more sound control and often a bigger motor -- grind chamber. Depends on what you need.

The cheap ones just tend to be a bit smaller and louder ...

 

[dylanmitchell]

I'd look at the Insinkerator evo compact it's a similar size to the badger but quieter, more durable, and has a longer warranty.

The Insinkerator evolution compacts fit the same space as the badgers and is quieter, more durable, and has better grinding performance. Evolution Excels are a step up from that. And then you have the commercial-grade 120 volt options like the LC-50 Light Duty Commercial Garbage Disposer. Wasteking is well-liked too but
I've never had one.

 

[ard]

Make sure to check the warranty !! ...

Ive seen 1, 2 and 3 year warranties.... you might get lucky w that builder grade unit.

Also, over the years these things seem to have grown. Make sure you have the room/clearance for a new 50HP titanium monster-truck badger-eater whatever......

 

[ratdoggy]

also if you are installing it and you have a dishwasher make sure that you open up the connection for the dishwasher..
My son's a plumber and he gets calls on DIY installs and that's usually the problem

 

[ddawg16]

also if you are installing it and you have a dishwasher make sure that you open up the connection for the dishwasher..
My son's a plumber and he gets calls on DIY installs and that's usually the problem

Yeah.....the line is plugged with a plastic slug....you have to knock it out.

 

[ddawg16]

Or do it the Tim Allen way............

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...8E98F3918878AA8EABE88E98F3918878AA8&FORM=VIRE

 

[engineer2]

When I remodelled my kitchen I changed two things for the disposal:
Installed a GFCI outlet under the sink and made the disposal and the dishwasher plug ins. I can remove the disposal in 2 minutes if I need to.
Put the dishwasher on its own standpipe and trap. No more draining the dishwasher into the disposal.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

When I bought my house 22 years ago the garbage disposal was locked up and rather than mess with it I figured I'd replace it.

Then my budget got busted by a couple of other issues so instead I took the time to stick my hand down there (with it off of course) and pull out a bunch of stuff the previous owners had tried to run down it. I think maybe they just took everything in the fridge and tried to feed it to the disposal on their way out of the house.

Got it cleaned up and working temporarily until I could afford a good replacement.

22 years later it's still working fine. Sounds like no one even makes a "good replacement" anymore based on what you guys are saying.

Phil

p.s. My dishwasher doesn't drain to the disposal either. Not sure if that makes a difference or not...but might be an advantage?

 

[MFolks]

Be aware,there are Chinese made disposals the home warranty people are installing when a good one fails. Check it when the worker comes out to replace a unit.

 

[MFolks]

If the dishwasher is plumbed to the disposal,running it will help clean the grinder of built up foods.

 

[ARFLY]

Thanks everyone. I bought a 3/4 hp MOEN at Home Depot with a 7 yr warranty. Your all's recommendations weren't in stock. It's supposed to be quieter. I'll see how it goes.

 

[csp]

Consumer reports just gave that Moen a good rating. I tried to purchase one a few months back, but they were on backorder and had to get a Badger.
Put an American Standard from Costco in a rental house and it's been working well.

 

[nadogail]

I will not put anything less than 3/4 Horse in any of my rentals, disposals last for years.

 

[ARFLY]

Update. It is working well and is quieter than the original one.

 

[couch67]

I didn't know garbage disposals were so common. A question more out of curiosity, is compost pickup common in the US?

Edit: didnt see this was a bumped old thread. Arg.

 

[nadogail]

I have decided that I will no longer buy anything but Insinkerators. There are other good units out there and I have used a few.
I will buy nothing less than a 1/2 horse, usually I like the 3/4 horse. In may home I have the Stainless 1 horse big boy. Dear wife has yet to jam it. I installed it about 20 years ago. Buy Once and smile when you hear others cry.

 

[firebirdparts]

I didn't know garbage disposals were so common. A question more out of curiosity, is compost pickup common in the US?

Edit: didnt see this was a bumped old thread. Arg.

Unheard of, at least by me.

 

[rlitman]

Unheard of, at least by me.

Here, the town picks up any compostable materials once a week. That could be grass clippings (I mulch and don't bag), prunings, even branches.

 

[larry4406]

I had an old bag (70?) of a customer rip me a new *******. Told me the disposal was a POS and kept clogging in her new house (1/2hp badger).

She was grinding up chicken bones vs throwing them in the trash. Told me the bones stink in the trash can so instead she’s using the “garbage disposal”!

I told her to have her husband take the trash out more often.

UFB.

 

[Bert_]

I didn't know garbage disposals were so common. A question more out of curiosity, is compost pickup common in the US?

Edit: didnt see this was a bumped old thread. Arg.

I'm right there too. I don't think I've ever used one. Definitely never had one in my own house or growing up. Honestly never felt a need. What's so great about one?

 

[nadogail]

I never install a disposal rated at less than 5/8 hp at a rental, for Mrs Nadogail's kitchen the minimum is 1 hp.

 

[HoosierMark]

I have a bunch of them in rentals. Main problems are lack of use and rust or coins in them. If it is not leaking and the motor hums, I disassemble them and clean out the clog. Actually, pretty simple to fix them. Now that many are 20 years old, they are starting to leak so I just replace them. I put an American Standard in our house a few months ago. It has an entirely different sound then the InSinkereators I normally buy. I think they are the badger model for the apartments.

 

[Jsf721]

clean them every so often with a large amount of ice and dish soap. sheds all the debris that corrodes them.

I do this with Ice not dish soap- will start good idea

 

[u2slow]

I have a badger/ISE 444. Been going strong for 10 years now.

 

[mike93lx]

I've ripped the disposals out of my last two houses as they were both on septic. It's very, very easy to live without one and you never end up in a position where stuff is going down the drain that shouldn't be

 

[NDJ]

You allowed to put new ones in down there ? They are banned here and since technically a plumbing permit is required to refit one, They will not issue for a "garburator"

 

[Norcal]

Be aware,there are Chinese made disposals the home warranty people are installing when a good one fails. Check it when the worker comes out to replace a unit.

Another reason to stay away from home warranty's, the company is going to patch and bandaid it until they are forced to replace it with the cheapest goods they can find.

 

[MerlinsBeard]

Had an insinkerator 1/3 HP last me for 9 years before it started leaking, which to me is a good run. Decided to go with the insinkerator 1/2 HP for the replacement. We don't really abuse it though.

 

[mike93lx]

Hi. I really don't care a lot about plumbing items, as long as they work. HOwever, I really hate garbage disposals and every one I've had always gives me fits. The one I have now is a "Badger". So..just curious, if money were no object, which garbage disposal would you guys recommend?

No garbage disposal. There is no need in a residential kitchen, Especially if you have a septic

 

[hammer and nails]

Especially if you have a septic

Septic Safe - InSinkerator

kitchenbetter.insinkerator.com