Grind That Garbage

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Grind That Garbage is the place to talk about grinding garbage! We developed this site to assist you in buying a garbage disposal for your home.

On this site you will mainly find garbage disposal reviews, how-to guides, and informative articles on using, fixing, installing, and replacing garbage disposals.

While we mainly focus on offering our expertise with garbage disposals, we’ve expanded over the years to provide our experiences and tips with other kitchen products such as kitchen sinks and instant hot water dispensers.

Below, you will find the best garbage disposal models that we hand picked.

If this is your first time purchasing a garbage disposal, we recommend first reading our buying guide on how to choose a garbage disposal.

The Best Garbage Disposals

In the first chart, you will find the top continuous feed garbage disposals we recommend. In the second chart, you will find the top batch feed garbage disposals we recommend, as well as the top garbage disposal for septic systems.

For a more in-depth look, please click on the reviews to read our comments.

Why do we mainly recommend Waste King and InSinkErator? Put simply: they know what they’re doing. These are the main brands that specialize in manufacturing garbage disposal units. We mainly wanted to show you the best choices to save you hassle and time. Both companies offer top-notch professional support and hassle-free warranty if you ever need your garbage disposal serviced. We’ve heard plenty of stories where customers needed some extra parts or something serviced and not only were both companies a pleasure to deal with, they’re willing to send parts free of charge and help you fix your problems promptly.

Fun fact: InSinkErator’s founder John W. Hammes invented the garbage disposal in 1927.

Best Garbage Disposal by Type

1. Best Affordable Garbage Disposal – For budget-conscious shoppers.
2. Best Garbage Disposal for Septic Systems – For those who have a septic system.
3. Best Batch Feed Garbage Disposal – Pick this for maximum safety.
4. Best Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal – Pick this for speed.

What is a garbage disposal?

A garbage disposal is a device that is installed under your kitchen sink between the drain and the pipe. This device breaks down food waste into tiny particles (about 1-2 mm in size) which are then passed through plumbing.

The rationale behind using garbage disposals is to process food scraps as human waste. If food waste is instead disposed of in the garbage, they end up in landfills where they decompose and produce harmful greenhouse gases (methane). It’s estimated that 34 million tons of food ends up in landfills each year in the United States alone. By using garbage disposals, food waste will travel toward existing underground sewers and wastewater treatment plants where they are processed into renewable energy or fertilizer products – in other words, it’s a much greener approach.

If you don’t have one already, we encourage you to purchase a garbage disposal so you can stop sending your leftovers to landfills! Of course, composting is another green method to deal with food waste and if you live in an area where composting is convenient, it’s a great alternative. But for many families garbage disposals are the only practical, convenient, long-term choice.

How do garbage disposals work?

Although garbage disposals appear similar to your average blender, they are nothing like it. Blenders have blades, garbage disposals have NO blades. Instead, if you ever look into a unit, you will see two impeller arms mounted on an impeller (a round disc) that spin and force food scraps into a shredder on the side. It’s similar to shredding cheese but with great force and velocity. Food waste become very small, almost like liquid, where they are flushed with running water into your wastewater pipes. It will either end up at the wastewater treatment plant or septic system.

How to choose a garbage disposal?

We know it can be time-consuming to research and buy the right garbage disposal for your kitchen, so we created a checklist of what you should mainly consider when making your purchase.

1. Motor Speed. The first thing you should look at is the motor speed of the garbage disposal. Garbage disposals have either 1 of 4 motors: 1/3 horsepower, 1/2 horsepower, 3/4 horsepower, and 1.0 horsepower motors. The weakest being 1/3 HP and the strongest being 1.0 HP. If you’re only going to be grinding soft, non-fibrous vegetables, then a 1/3 HP or 1/2 HP garbage disposal may be fine, but realistically you won’t be grinding only vegetable scraps. And besides, there is little to no insulation on these models. That’s why it’s important to choose either a 3/4 HP or 1.0 HP garbage disposal because it means they jam less, operate smoother, pulverize finer, and have noise reduction insulation. This will result in fewer clogged drain lines and less stress on the wastewater system (and less stress for you!).
2. Noise Level. Most 3/4 HP and 1.0 HP garbage disposals have insulation and features to reduce noise level. On the other hand, 1/3 HP and 1/2 HP garbage disposals do not because their focus is affordability. You’ll find that 1.0 HP garbage disposals are usually quieter than 3/4 HP disposals because they’re a “step up” and are built with better insulating materials. But most people find that the 3/4 HP garbage disposals are quiet enough.
3. Anti-jam Features. Some 3/4 HP and 1.0 HP garbage disposals have anti-jamming and/or auto-reverse features that either increase torque to break through foods or turn the other direction when it feels friction to keep things unclogged. These features may be useful to you if you always use your disposal.
4. Septic System. Ideally it’s not good to have a disposer on a septic system because you don’t want organic matter into a septic field, but there are models for septic systems that have a liquid enzyme attached which helps break down food product. If you have a septic system we recommend getting the InSinkErator Evolution Septic Assist which is highly rated.
5. Batch Feed vs. Continuous Feed. Manufacturers make two types of garbage disposals: batch feed and continuous feed. Batch feed works by inserting food waste in “batches” and then turning the garbage disposal on manually. Continuous feed works by inserting food waste in a steady stream while the garbage disposal is switched on. People associate batch feed as the safer option because it’s hard to drop unwanted items and body parts into the disposer. But continuous feed disposers get the job done faster.

How much does a garbage disposal cost?

Garbage disposals cost between $50 and $300. What does more money get you? More power, better function, longer durability, longer warranties, less noise. It doesn’t mean a $50 garbage disposal is bad. It just means it will come with a 1/3 horsepower motor instead of a 3/4 horsepower motor and a 1-year warranty instead of lifetime. However, don’t be surprised to see that $50 disposal last over 10 years.

On the other hand, a $250 investment could get you lifetime warranty, a 1.0 horsepower motor to chew through larger, tougher food scraps, and additional features such as an auto-reverse function to reduce jams, and stainless steel components.

Useful Articles

1. How to use a garbage disposal?
2. What can you put in a garbage disposal?
3. How to clean a garbage disposal?
4. How to remove and prevent garbage disposal smell?
5. How to fix a garbage disposal?
6. How to unclog a garbage disposal?
7. What’s the difference between 3-Bolt and EZ Mount?
8. Continuous Feed vs. Batch Feed Disposals
9. How to install a garbage disposal?
10. How much does a garbage disposal cost?
11. How to install a garbage disposal with dishwasher?
12. How long do garbage disposals last?