Best Garbage Disposal

To help you find the best garbage disposal, we have tried out plenty of top models, testing them for disposal capabilities, favoring products with powerful motors that can make short work out of most food items and those that are made from highly durable components, such as galvanized steel. We also preferred disposals that were extremely easy to install, shipping with all necessary hardware, and those that were relatively quiet and excelled with keeping the sink clean.

The best product we tried was the InSinkErator Badger 5 Garbage Disposal, which is made from durable galvanized steel components and features a powerful ½ hp motor, with a space saving design that fits most common sink setups. We also liked how easy it was to set-up, with a quick install mount, and that it features a grind capability that easily handles most food stuffs. Keep reading to learn more about the InSinkErator Badger 5 Garbage Disposal and the other items on this list.

Top 6 Best Garbage Disposal

 #1  InSinkErator Badger 5 Garbage Disposal – Top Pick

WHY WE LIKE IT: A highly trusted disposal that features a powerful ½ motor with a continuous feed design, which easily handles most food scraps, and comes with a 2 year home service warranty, meaning that it covers both parts and labor.

The InSinkErator Badger 5 Garbage Disposal is a powerful item, boasting a ½ hp Dura-Drive induction motor that easily grinds up most foodstuffs. The disposal features a continuous feed design, which is great, and comes with a fantastic two year home service warranty, so they’ll pay for both plumber and parts should anything go wrong within that time frame. We also liked the plug-and-play install, which takes only moments, providing you already have an InSinkErator disposal.

The install is extremely easy if you have the aforementioned InSinkErator disposal, just requiring a simple swap, but it can be significantly more difficult if this is your first disposal or if you are swapping out from a different brand (though some other brands will work.) Additionally, the components are, for the most part, highly durable, containing both galvanized steel and stainless steel, but much of the grind chamber is made of plastic, which could turn off certain consumers. Once you have it set up, celebrate by making a drink in the best espresso machine.

 #2  Waste King L-1001 Garbage Disposal – Honorable Mention

WHY WE LIKE IT: Powerful ½ hp motor, that spins at 2600 rpm, with an exceptionally large, 27 ounce, grind chamber and a light weight design that includes a dishwasher hook up which is incredibly handy.

The Waste King L-1001 Garbage Disposal features a similarly powered motor to our top pick, ½ hp, while featuring a larger-than-average 27.3 ounce grind chamber, which amounts to less cleanup, and comes with all necessary components for a dishwasher hookup. We also liked how compact and lightweight it is, helping with both install and use, and the continuous feed design, another feature in line with our top pick.

Though this does come with a two year warranty, which is in line with our top pick, it is a limited warranty, and only includes replacement and parts, and not in-home service. Also, this requires a full install and, though it does include all necessary components, the procedure is somewhat complicated for the uninitiated. This is not as easy as plugging in the best waffle maker and making breakfast.

 #3  Waste Maid 10-US-WM-058-3B Garbage Disposal – Best Budget

WHY WE LIKE IT: Budget-friendly product that still includes many features of higher priced competitors, including a ½ hp motor with anti-jam capabilities, a continuous feed design and a unique system to help reduce and eliminate odor.

The Waste Maid 10-US-WM-058-3B Garbage Disposal is a beast, despite its budget-friendly price tag, with a ½ hp motor that includes anti-jam stainless steel impellers and a corrosion proof turntable. We also liked the proprietary “bio shield” technology, which helps to reduce odors associated with wet food scraps and the continuous feed design, which handles disposal jobs quickly and efficiently.

Though this does come with a similar two year warranty to our top pick, it only includes parts or replacement, and does not pay for a plumber to come to your home and fix any issues that may arise. Additionally, this does not ship with any tools intended to handle the kinds of jams that can occur with garbage disposals. These devices are more complicated than say, the best single serve coffee maker, but they make your kitchen run smoother.

 #4  Moen GXS75C GX Series Garbage Disposal – Best Warranty

WHY WE LIKE IT: Comes with a lifetime warranty, which is the best to be found on this list, and features a design that integrates nicely with most septic tanks, with proprietary “soundshield” technology to help reduce noise while in use.

This Moen GXS75C GX Series Garbage Disposal is a versatile and powerful product, featuring a ¾ hp vortex motor that can handle just about any food scrap imaginable, and proprietary “soundshield” technology that effectively reduces, and in some cases eliminates, noise during use. We also loved the limited lifetime warranty, though it was difficult to find information about, and the excellent integration with most common septic tank designs.

Though this product does offer an easy install if you already have a universal bracket set up, it can be somewhat difficult to go in fresh, though it does ship with the aforementioned bracket. Also, the rubber splash guard cannot be removed, for cleaning purposes, requiring removal of the entire disposal. Garbage disposals are as handy to a kitchen as the best hand mixer or microwave.

 #5  KitchenAid Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal – Most Powerful

WHY WE LIKE IT: Extremely powerful ¾ hp motor that spins at 1725 rpm and boasts “multi-grind” technology that efficiently eliminates food scraps, with a nice five year in-home warranty.

This KitchenAid Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal is ten inches tall, which is several inches shorter than the standard of 16 inches tall, making it the best garbage disposal for farmhouse sinks, as space tends to be cramped with those kinds of products. It boasts a powerful ¾ hp motor that spins at 1725 rpm and pulverizes food scraps, thanks to a two stage grinding process. We also liked the five year warranty, which includes in-home service should anything go wrong during that time frame.

Though the item is shorter than most other items on this list, it is extremely heavy, at 20 pounds, which could make installation somewhat difficult. To that end, it does require a full manual installation, and tools are not included. Your kitchen may also be ready for the best toaster to make breakfast easy.

 #6  GE GFC525V Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal – Fastest Motor

WHY WE LIKE IT: Motor that spins at 2800 rpm, despite being ½ hp, which makes grinding up food scraps particularly efficient, with a removable splash guard, for cleaning, and a large capacity galvanized steel turntable.

The GE GFC525V Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal features a quick-spinning ½ hp motor, 2800 rpm, that excels with grinding up food scraps. It also comes with anti-jam grinding blades, to further assist with efficiency, and a large capacity turntable made from galvanized steel, helping to house the scraps after being ground up. The removable splash guard is great, for the purposes of cleaning, as is the light and compact form factor.

Though many of the components on offer are made from stainless steel and galvanized steel, there are some plastic parts, including the external casing. Also, this product only comes with a one year warranty, which is the shortest to be found on this list. Speaking of keeping your kitchen clean and easy, the best oven cleaner will keep your oven looking fresh.

How We Decided

To help narrow down to the above list, we tested disposals for speed and efficiency, ensuring they could handle nearly any food scraps that commonly wind up in sinks. We made sure the motors on offer were powerful, no less than ½ hp, with rapid rotations and blades that effortlessly split apart food particles. To that end, we preferred products with large grind chambers, as large as 27 ounces, to house residue in between cleanings.

We really enjoyed models that offered some manner of anti-jam protection, be it in the form of an easily accessible reset button or a feature built into the grinding blades themselves. We also liked products with removable splash guards, for easy cleaning, and those that included some kind of sound dampening technology, making some of the above disposals whisper quiet while in use.

As far as installation goes, most of the above products do require a full install, which can get complicated, though many, such as our top pick, integrate nicely with universal mounts. This means that if you already have a disposal installed, chances are you’ll be able to easily swap it out for a new one without too much of a headache. Finally, we were attracted to long-lasting warranties, often with in-home service included, such was the case with our top pick and our number five pick.

Best Garbage Disposal Buyer’s Guide

The Most Important Features to Consider

1. Motor Strength and Blade Speed
   Obviously, you want these disposals to be able to handle even the most difficult food scraps. To that end, there are two factors to consider. Motor strength and blade speed. For average households, a ½ hp motor should be sufficient, though we feature a couple on our list that ascend to ¾ hp. You will also want to consider how many revolutions per minute the blades spin, no matter how strong the motor. You ought to be fine anywhere in the 1500 rpm to 2800 rpm range, though the higher the better, within reason.
2. Installation Procedure
   These are heavy duty appliances and, as such, can often be somewhat difficult to install, sometimes requiring professional help. If you already have a disposal installed, you can eliminate this difficulty by being sure to choose a product that integrates with whatever bracket you have already set up. Often, you can just swap out the old and swap in the new. As a related aside, many of the above products offer in-home service as part of their warranties, which can severely reduce the amount of headaches you are likely to experience down the line.
3. Additional Functionalities
   Modern garbage disposals boast several innovative features that disposals of yesteryear did not have. These include technologies to drastically reduce noise while in use, resulting in a surprisingly quiet appliance, and removable splash guards, for the purposes of cleaning. Other features include blades that are resistant to both jamming and corrosion and simple integration with dishwashers.

Garbage Disposal FAQs

What is the best garbage disposal for home use?

This varies, depending on what sort of sink you have and what sort of features you are looking for. Our top pick, however, includes just about any bells or whistles you are likely to ever need, including a powerful motor, a quick install and a two year warranty, which includes in-home repairs.

What horsepower garbage disposal should I get?

Experts recommend no less than ½ hp for households of one to six people. If you live in a large household, seven or more people, you will want to amp up the motor to ¾ hp.

How long does a garbage disposal last?

While results may vary, typically a garbage disposal should last you for around 15 years. You can make sure you squeeze out as much time as possible by performing regular maintenance and cleaning.

Can I replace the garbage disposal myself?

Sure! It’s not the most difficult procedure in the world, but it is complicated. Make sure you have all pertinent tools, including a hammer, some slip-joint pliers and a flat-head screwdriver, in addition to any specific tools that the disposal’s instructions require. Follow those instructions to a tee and be sure to consult online faqs or YouTube when stumped.

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