Which garbage disposal is best

Garbage disposals powerfully pulverize food scraps and waste into tiny particles that are washed away with water from the sink. Having one helps cut down on the amount of stinky waste that ends up in the trash can, helping keep your kitchen cleaner and odor-free. If you're picking out a garbage disposal for the first time, you might not know what to look for when buying.

These motorized machines hiding under sinks are not all the same. There are continuous-feed and batch-feed models, as well as power levels to consider. Some come with special features such as additional insulation to reduce noise, anti-jamming systems, and stainless steel grinding chambers.

We researched and narrowed down the best garbage disposals on the market, so all you have to do is click and then handle the installation later. Here are the best garbage disposals. Thousands of happy owners have made the InSinkErator Evolution Compact garbage disposal a best-seller.

This model is a continuous-feed disposal and can handle a constant stream of food, too. Experts give this InSinkErator very good marks for speed, fineness of grind, and ability to cut through tough vegetable scraps. Several owners say it was easy enough to install without a professional and has plenty of power for all kinds of food waste. Fortunately, this model is backed by an 8-year in-home limited warranty, so if something goes wrong, service agents will come to you.

Customers love InSinkErator's best-selling line of Badger garbage disposals. They're available at several speeds, but we like the Badger 5XP model that's part of the brand's Power Series of disposals. It's also easy to install, especially if you're replacing an existing InSinkErator, thanks to a quick lock mount system that's compatible with all of the brand's disposals.

It's made from galvanized steel parts that should hold up and resist rust over time. In case you run into any issues, this model is backed by a 4-year limited warranty. As for noise, the Badger 5XP is standard, so it's not going to be as quiet as our top pick, but if you want to save a few dollars, this model should meet most households' needs. The Waste King Legend is another popular garbage disposal series beloved for its sturdy build and easy installation.

Features on the Waste King EZ Mount include a reset button located in the front, a removable splash guard, and sound insulation meant to reduce noise during operation. Most reviewers say the noise is typical for a garbage disposal, though some people complain of a loud click when it's first turned on.

Like larger Waste King models, this one features a front-mounted reset button, removable splash guard, and corrosion-proof grinding chamber. This model is backed by a 2-year limited warranty for material and mechanical defects. Most are pleased with the power, but some say the splash guard is a little stiff, meaning they have to more actively push food waste down into the disposal.

The continuous-feed model is part of Moen's Host Series, intended for those who require a boost when cleaning up after entertaining friends and family.

The VORTEX permanent magnet motor's major claim is that it finely grinds food, and therefore gets jammed less frequently than other options, and reviewers confirm that's true. They also rave that the removable splash guard does a great job catching unwanted items before they fall in. But if a spoon does slip through, the whole guard lifts out, allowing you to see where you are reaching your hand.

But it's important to remember a perfectly quiet disposal doesn't exist. Experts give the KitchenAid Superba top marks for the fineness of grind, as well as for speed, noise, and its ability to handle vegetable scraps. Features include two-stage grinding, overload protection, and manual reset.

It also has SoundSeal technology that KitchenAid says makes it 40 percent quieter than standard garbage disposals, and reviewers confirm that it is a step up from most other models when it comes to noise. One owner even says this disposal can run in an open kitchen without disturbing nearby conversations—an important consideration for users who have wide-open floor plans.

It's more powerful with 1. Continuous-feed models, which keep running as you drop in new food waste, are convenient but may pose a safety risk to curious children who might stick their fingers down the drain. They also tend to require a hard-wired connection to a wall switch.

On the other hand, batch-feed models are loaded with scraps and activated by a magnetic stopper. They can only process one batch of food at a time, determined by the capacity of the disposal's grinding chamber, so it can be more time-consuming to use if you have a lot of scraps to dispose.

The power of a garbage disposal is rated by horsepower HP , and the higher the numerical value, the more power. InSinkErator invented the garbage disposal in , and the company has been the clear leader in the market ever since. The Evolution Essential XTR offers pretty much all of the top features to give your kitchen the best waste disposal money can buy. It also has a two-stage grinding to make your scraps smaller than average disposals before they go into your sewer system. The entire interior is made of high-grade stainless steel, however, and will last a long time without rusting.

Additionally, it has all the anti-vibration technology the XTR does. Pair that with an automatic jam sensor and reverse grind technology, and jamming is nearly impossible.

Best known for its elegant faucets and shower fixtures, Moen has also made quite the splash in garbage disposals. The company has a large catalog for every need and budget, and when it comes to power, noise-reduction and quality, the Host Series GXS75C really has it all, and at an affordable price.

Also, its speedy motor of RPM as opposed to the more common RPM helps with finer grinding, avoiding jamming and clogging. While there are some complaints about the noise, there are plenty of reviews saying the opposite. No garbage disposal is whisper quiet, so take this feedback with a grain of salt.

Magnet motors have the advantage of starting at full speed, so they avoid jams from leftover pieces or scraps thrown in before turning it on. The features a stainless steel grinder, which will last a long time without rusting, and comes with a two-year warranty. When it comes to disposals, the general rule is that the lower the power, the shorter the warranty.

Just be aware that it has the same amount of power and the same warranty period. If that one scene from Final Destination 2 still haunts you, worry not, there are safe garbage disposals for you. Batch feed disposals are normally more expensive than their continuous feed counterparts.

Not to be confused with the LTC batch feed model mentioned above, the Waste King L is a continuous feed model with an impressive 1-horsepower motor and an incredible year warranty. Waste King has since solved the issue, and according to its website , disposals manufactured after February should not have this problem. At last check, the L has over 10, reviews with 4. By Carlos Silva June 7, Best Overall. Bottom Line. Editor's Pick. Best for Low Prices.

In , methane emissions from municipal solid waste were almost equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from more than Garbage disposals efficiently eliminate waste and dispatch it for environmentally friendly processing. Many major U. The remaining solids are turned into fertilizer for farms. A February nationally representative CR survey of 1, U. Your disposal might be kaput if you notice it leaking, taking longer to grind, making louder-than-usual noises, or requiring a reset often.

The reset button is like a circuit breaker that needs to be reset after the disposal shuts off, typically because of a strain on the motor. In fact, before you call the plumber—or throw down hundreds of dollars on a new grinder—simply reset the disposal by pressing the small usually red button on the bottom or lower backside of the unit. It may be time to go shopping. Our ratings of plus lab-tested disposals will make the process even more seamless and help you make the best choice, depending on your situation and particular needs.

Consumer Reports tests garbage disposals on a number of factors. For our speed test, we grind pieces of beef rib bones for 1 minute with cold running water, then measure how much food is left in the disposal. To see how well the disposals grind food, we toss a mix of bones and raw vegetable scraps into each model and run the resulting fragments through four different-sized sieves to gauge fineness.

A garbage disposal that garners an Excellent rating turns out food particles fine enough to slip through most of the sieves. For noise, we measure the decibels emitted while the disposals grind a mix of bones and vegetables.

In general, we find that the quieter models are heavier because they have more insulation. For details on how each model we test performs, see our garbage disposal ratings. Are my pipes up to the task? Food debris might not present a problem in a newer home with slippery plastic drainpipes, but clog risks go up substantially if you have rugged old cast-iron drainpipes. Polyvinyl chloride PVC piping became more commonplace in homes built after the mids.

One general rule of thumb: If your pipes already clog fairly often, a disposal might not be for you. Is my septic tank big enough? Disposal manufacturers insist their products are safe to use with septic systems, but some plumbers are equally adamant that they are not.

The truth probably lies somewhere between and may depend on the age, type, and size of your system. You may need to size up your tank to accommodate food waste and pump it more often once a year instead of the recommended three- to five-year intervals or limit your garbage disposal use. If you have a septic system and want to install a disposal, check first with your local septic system inspector. Is there room under the sink? There is no standard size for garbage disposals—the models we tested were 10 to 15 inches high, 5 to 9 inches wide, and 6 to 13 inches deep.

Generally, the more sound insulation a unit has, the bigger it is. The best model for you will depend on your budget, the size of your household, and how much food you need to grind on a regular basis. Less expensive models usually have small motors and a one-year warranty. Cons: They need to be powered by wall switches sold separately that should be installed by an electrician.