A Buying Guide for Garbage Disposals

Continuous Feed

• Continuous feed disposals are typically installed in residential buildings. Users operate them by turning on the water and then the electrical switch before adding food scraps and waste. This is a consideration for buying a continuous feed model. If you don't use the proper process (first water, then power, and then food), you run the risk of jamming the chamber of the disposal unit, which will require you to remove the food inside the chamber in order to get the unit to start running again. Some continuous feed models have an air switch with a button to push. The benefit of an air switch is that you don't have to be concerned with safety issues such as using wet hands to flip an electrical switch. Prices for continuous feed models can range from as low as $60 to as high as $350.

Batch Feed

• Batch feed models are considered by some a bit more tedious to operate, but they make up for the extra effort in safety and the ability to process more waste. As the name implies, food is disposed of in batches. You activate the disposal by removing the drain stopper, adding the waste, reinserting the stopper and turning it before you flip the electric switch to start the disposal process. You repeat this process for each "batch" of waste. Since you have to plug the drain hole before using the disposal, you eliminate the risk of injuring your hand if it is inside of the disposal chamber while the unit is in operation. Batch feed models are a bit more expensive, with prices ranging anywhere from $160 to $500.

Add-ons and Features

• The auto-reverse mechanism prevents food from clogging by reversing the direction of the blades to chop the food finer so that the disposal can continue to operate. Additional features and add-ons to consider include guards to prevent silverware from falling into the unit, coated grinding chambers that eliminate odors, double blades to cut waste finer and a quality sound insulator to reduce noise. You can also purchase a screen to cover the drain to prevent silverware, bones and large objects from falling into the chamber of the disposal unit.

Horsepower

• Only buy the amount of horsepower you really need in a disposal motor. A general rule of thumb is that the more you plan to use the disposal unit, the more horsepower you should get. An active family that prepares lots of meals and washes dishes daily will benefit from a model with 1/2 to 1 horsepower. A single person who doesn't cook often can get by with a model with just 1/3 to 1/2 horsepower.