Throughout the years, the food waste disposer industry has expanded considerably. Now, you can choose to get a Waste King garbage disposal, a Kenmore garbage disposal or an InSinkErator garbage disposal all in the same price range. Therefore, how are you supposed to know which model is the best one for your home? We’ve compiled a list of tips on how to choose a garbage disposal for you.
Buying Guide: How to Choose a Garbage Disposal
Aside from budget, there are numerous factors to consider prior to choosing a garbage disposal. From under-the-sink space to septic systems or installation, discover how to choose a garbage disposal to fit your needs below.
Check Local Regulations
Before you even think about how to choose a garbage disposal, you have to see if it’s legal for you to have one. Depending on your area’s sewer lines, you may not even be allowed to install a disposer. If you have recently moved to a new area and your house didn’t come with a disposal, check with your local administration to see if there are any restrictions.
Measure Your Space
Garbage disposals come in all shapes and sizes. Even though there are plenty of compact models on the market, some units with greater horsepower can be significantly large. Take the time to measure the space you have available under your sink. It will save you the stress and money involved in returning a garbage disposal that ends up being too big.
Extra tip – make sure that you have an outlet available under your sink for plugging the disposal in.
Consider Your Home’s Wastewater Setup
There is an ongoing battle between garbage disposals and septic systems. Some plumbers even recommend ditching a disposer altogether if that’s the wastewater system your home has. However, the industry has evolved in recent years to accommodate houses that run on septic systems too. If you’re in this situation, double-check that the model you’re interested in is septic system safe.
Think about Family
When talking about family as part of a tip on how to choose a garbage disposal, it’s directly connected to the noise level of a unit. For example, if you live with grandparents or infants, it’s best to consider the best quiet garbage disposal. Generally speaking, food waste disposers won’t be extremely loud. Still, it’s best to purchase a quieter unit if your family-home situation calls for it.
Assess the Installation Process
Professionally installing a garbage disposal can pretty much cost just as much as the machine itself. Consequently, we always recommend trying to install a garbage disposal on your own. By scanning a few customer reviews and consumer reports, you can get a good idea of how easy or hard a disposer is to install. If you want to stay on budget, look for a disposal that’s simple to set up.
Decide on Feed Type and Motor Size
After you have the essentials covered, it’s time to dive into specifications. In terms of classification, there are two types of garbage disposals you can choose from:
- Continuous feed – Most food waste disposers use a continuous feed processing system. They are the ones that use the wall switch mechanism for turning the machine on and off. Among their benefits are affordability, accessibility, and user-friendliness.
- Batch feed – Although a bit harder to find than continuous feed disposers, batch feed units are super safe. They require a stopper to begin processing, meaning that you can prevent certain accidents. However, they tend to be more expensive than continuous feed units.
Furthermore, you can pick a garbage disposal based on the size of the motor. As you can expect, the more horsepower, the more expensive the unit will be. The four types of disposers you can pick from according to their motors are:
- 1/3 HP
- ½ HP
- ¾ HP
- 1 HP
Conclusion
In summary, the tips we covered on how to choose a garbage disposal will help make your investment worthwhile. If you want additional inspiration, we encourage you to read our guides for the best garbage disposal and best food waste disposer models of the year.
What are your preferences when it comes to garbage disposals? Do you lean towards continuous feed or batch feed units? Will you choose a 1/3 HP or 1 HP motor? Let us know all about your favorite features in the comments below.