By | October 16, 2021
best-Garbage-Disposal-reviews

Best Garbage Disposal: Top Rated Waste Disposers

There are many reasons why you should strive to get one of the best garbage disposals that you can.  Whether it’s in your home, office or somewhere else there are lots of advantages to getting a garbage disposal.  There are also lots of different types with some being better than others.  A look on the internet will show hundreds of models each claiming to be the best.  It can get pretty overwhelming which is why I created this site.

In this article, I want to help you in learn about the different types, as well as give reviews of what I feel are the top rated garbage disposals on the market today.  Keep reading to see which products are built to last and which aren’t…

These are what I feel are the top 5 options that you should consider when looking to buy a new product.  They are rated based on quality, price and reputation.  If at any time you want to read the full garbage disposal reviews or check price on Amazon you can just click the link.

​Top 5 Best Garbage Disposal On The Market

Image

Product Name

Dimensions

Check​​​​ Price

Waste King 9940 Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal

Waste King 9940 Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal

8 x 8 x 13.5 in
InSinkErator Evolution Compact

InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Evolution Compact

8 x 8 x 12.12 in
InSinkErator Badger 5

InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Badger 5

6.31 x 6.31 x 11.5 in
InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Evolution Excel

InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Evolution Excel

13 x 12 x 12 in
Waste King L-2600 Garbage Disposal Legend Series

Waste King L-2600 Garbage Disposal Legend Series

6.75 x 6.75 x 13.5 in

#1. Waste King Legend Series 1 HP

Waste King Legend Series 1 HP Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal

The Waste King Legend is one of the most well know and highly rated products in the garbage disposal industry.  It is a powerful continuous feed model that will liquefy your food waste with ease.  It has tough stainless steel construction that not only resists corrosion, but looks quite good as well.

The motor is 1 HP and reaches speeds of 2800 RPM permanent magnet motor is sound-insulated and jams less, giving it a lot of power per pound.  Just because it’s powerful doesn’t mean it’s noisy.  The insulated components reduce noise and vibration very well.

Pros
  • ​​Compact size (9x9x14.25 inches)

  • ​Powerful high speed motor

  • ​Longevity with stainless steel material

  • ​Good at noise reduction.

  • ​No-hassle installation.

  • ​Come with a power cord.

Cons
  • ​Not in a great power (only 1/2).

  • ​Five-Year In-Home Service Warranty.

#2. InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Badger 5

InSinkErator Garbage Disposal, Badger 5

There’s a reason that so many different plumbers recommend the Insinkerator brand.  It’s reliable and affordable.  The InSinkErator Badger 5 is no different and is made in the United States for top quality.  The 1/2 horsepower motor is powered by dura drive technology that makes it grind tough food scraps easily.

Installation and replacement is made easy with the quick lock technology that allows Insinkerator brand  garbage disposals to be installed and interchanged painlessly.  The one stage grind chamber makes sure that the food is liquefied before going down the drain so clogs and jams are greatly reduced.

Pros
  • ​Good exterior looking

  • ​1/2 HP powerful, heavy-duty Dura-Drive Induction Motor.

  • ​Save electricity bill.

  • ​Easiest to install.

  • ​2-years in-home limited warranty, free charge of phone calls, parts, and labor.

Cons
  • ​A little bit noisy from the flingers.

  • ​Not included power cord.

  • ​The upper housing is made of plastic, which is durable, but not as rugged as metal.

2. InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Evolution Compact

If you’re looking for a quality kitchen garbage disposal at an affordable price then the InSinkErator Evolution Compact just might be the choice for you.  Insinkerator is another very reputable brand and one that I review a few times on this site.

The evolution series is of the highest standard, and the compact model is powerful, affordable and one of the quietest garbage disposal units.  What more can you ask for?  The stainless steel looks attractive and serves it’s purpose of making the disposal last a long time. DuraDrive technology makes the motor powerful and capable of pulverizing your food waste.

InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Evolution Compact

​Pros

  • ​Compact size for small kitchen
  • ​Stainless steel grinding components
  • ​Full of noise reduction technique of InsinkErator Evolution Excel
  • ​Dual stages of grinding up processes
  • ​Easy to install with the Quick Lock® function
  • ​4-year parts & in-home service warranty

​Cons

  • ​The power cord does not come to the unit
  • ​Does not have a jam loosening tool or access for fixing jams when necessary

4. InSinkErator Garbage Disposal Evolution Excel

The InSinkErator Evolution Excel is another grinder in the evolution line that is top quality.  The main difference to the evolution compact is the additional power provided by the 1 horsepower induction motor that delivers high power while not being extremely noisy thanks to the sound seal technology.

The stainless steel will look good in your sink while resisting corrosion and other damage.  Like other similar models it has quick lock technology that makes it easy to interchange with other Insinkerator units.  There are many reasons why the evolution line is a worthy choice to invest in.

Garbage Disposal InSinkErator Evolution Excel

​Pros

  • ​Finish Stainless Steel for longvity
  • ​Quieter 60% than other standard disposal
  • ​Liquefied food waste with A three-stage grind
  • Preventing jams or clogging more efficient with Auto-Reverse grind system
  • ​Automatic increase momentum when detecting jams
  • ​Easiest installation in this industry.
  • ​Jam-Buster wrench to un-clock jams
  • ​7-year In-Home Limited Warranty

​Cons

  • ​Quite pricey for anyone love it.
  • ​Not come with a compact size.
  • ​Need more water for the best performance.

5. Waste King L-2600 Garbage Disposal Legend Series

Garbage Disposal Waste King L-2600 Legend Series

Another compact garbage disposal is the Waste King L-2600 Legend Series.  The stainless steel components are well insulated to reduce noise.  The motor is 1/2 hp and runs at 2600 rpm making it very strong when you consider power per pound.

This model is one of the few units that actually includes a power cord.  Most disposals require that you buy a cord separately which is kind of a pain especially if you ordered one and weren’t aware.  This is solved with the L-2600 because they provide a superior 36 inch cord that meets US Energy Administration qualifications.  The small size of this unit makes it fit easily under your sink at 14 inches in height and 9 inches wide.

​Pros

  • ​Compact size (9x9x14.25 inches)
  • ​Powerful high speed motor
  • ​Longevity with stainless steel material
  • ​Good at noise reduction.
  • ​No-hassle installation.
  • ​Come with a power cord.

​Cons

  • ​Not in a great power (only 1/2).
  • ​Five-Year In-Home Service Warranty

How a Garbage Disposal Works – InSinkErator

Garbage Disposal Benefits

Garbage Disposals are, more often than not, a kitchen appliance that is taken for granted.  However, the convenience and practicality of a good garbage disposal are irreplaceable.  We just don’t normally realize it until you need  a new one or are using your garbage disposal for the first time.

Garbage disposals do much of the “dirty work” in the kitchen by grinding food scraps and allowing them to go down the drain and feed into the sewage system to decompose.  Quite literally, these appliances dispose of your food garbage for an ultimate convenience.  Again, often taken for granted until it’s broken or needed.  However, garbage disposal benefits are among the most practical of all kitchen and plumbing appliances.

Benefits of Having a Garbage Disposal:

  • Eliminate messes and cut down on organic trash in your home.
  • Drastically cuts down on the possibility of pest, bugs, and rodents from being attracted to your garbage and trash because of the reduction of decomposing and rotting food stuffs within it.
  • Garbage disposals are green.  They take what would normally end up in a landfill and shifts the composition so that it can be disposed of via a waster water system and be treated.

How Important Are Garbage Disposals?

Many cities and municipal laws require that new homes be built with garbage disposals.  And don’t forget that many communities and cities charge a lot of money for standard waste removal these days.

Garbage Disposals help keep a clean environment and community as well as save those with disposals already installed save lots of money yearly on trash bills.

Types of Kitchen Waste Disposers

When reading garbage disposal reviews there are two main types that you should know about.  Continuous feed and batch feed.  I will walk you through what the differences are between them below.

Continuous Feed

This type of unit is one that runs continuously just like the name would have you think.  This means that from the moment you turn it on it will run until you shut it off.

Pros

  • Great for grinding large amounts of food because you don’t have to fill the chamber beforehand
  • They are cheaper than the batch feed units
  • Great for multitasking, you can clean while you do other stuff in the kitchen like clean

Cons

  • Need to ensure that children are nowhere near the garbage disposal when it is on, as anything they put down it will be damaged quite badly
  • It is recommended to run cold water while using this disposal so the water bill might be a bit higher

Batch Feed

The difference with the batch feed style is that first you will be required to fill the chamber with food waste.  Then you will need it to turn down the stopper to start turning the blades.

Pros

  • For small amounts of waste they are very efficient
  • They are equipped with a stopper/cover that stops foreign objects from falling in through the top
  • A bit safer than continuous feed as the chamber must be covered before turning it on

Cons

  • Overall batch feed models are more expensive than continuous feed ones
  • Batch feed is not ideal for large amounts of garbage as it takes quite a bit longer to grind it all up

Garbage Disposer Buying Tips

With so many different features and functions it can get confusing when you’re trying to pick the best garbage disposal for your needs.  I will go over some of the most common things that need to be considered when purchasing.

Motor Horsepower

The power of the motor will depend on what you plan to grind in your garbage disposal.  The 1/2 hp models can easily handle the grinding of bones and soft waste.  If you need to regularly grind harder stuff such as hard vegetables like carrots, then you might be better off getting a 1 hp unit to grind it easier and prevent the sink from jamming.  The 1/2 hp motors are good for smaller families of 2-3 people while the 1 hp models are better for bigger families of 4+ people.  The 3/4 hp models are in the middle and are great for medium sized families with 3-5 people.

Electrical Cord

Something that is often overlooked is if the unit comes with an electrical cord or not.  If it doesn’t have one then you need to purchase it separately or pay extra to hard wire it in.

Auto Reverse Feature

Clearing out jams can be a pain in the butt.  If the garbage disposal features the ability to spin it’s blades in reverse then that is a huge bonus as it is easier to clear any jams that might happen.

Steel Grinding Chambers

There’s no question that stainless steel is not attractive, but it will extend the life of whatever it is used to make.  Garbage disposals are no different and having one made with stainless steel parts is ideal.

Size

Most of the time the bigger disposals will be a bit quieter than the smaller ones due to having less work to do to finish the job.  It’s important to buy one that will fit well under your sink and operate quietly.

Warranty

Every company will have different policies regarding warranty.  It’s up to you to check what they are before buying.  It makes sense though that the longer the warranty the more confidence that the company has in their product.

How to install a Garbage Disposal – Step by Step

Images Source: Amazon.com

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