Garbage disposal

OK guys, I need a recommendation for good one. The original one died a few years ago and I replaced it with an Insinkerator. That thing just isn't grinding fine enough and I'm getting way too many blockages. The material in the blockage is more big & coarse than the original produced. It must be the blades causing the problem, and they do spin free. Anyone know of a better model?

Reply to
Red
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If you bought an upper end Insinkerator it has a lifetime guarantee with in home replacement.

I had a low end one wear out in a couple of years. No guarantee either.

The replacement is still going after 10 years.

Reply to
Dan Espen

I looked into this a few months ago, looked at a lot of reviews, etc. Decided Waste King was the best value deal. They have a long in home warranty, longer than Insinkerator, and a lot less money. This one replaced a basic Insinkerator that a builder installed, lasted only 6 years. The WK was about $100 versus $180 for an Insinkerator.

I also have a better model Insinkerator, about 5 years old now and it's been fine. The biggest difference between the two is that the Insinkerator is quieter. The Waste King makes a lot of noise when you first install it and it starts up. Makes a loud clang/bang, which must be the cutting heads spinning out or something. But, with food actually in it, it's less noisey. Still, it makes more noise on startup and somewhat more noise when running than the Insinkerator. How much that matters depends on you.

The other thing that's different, Insinkerator uses a neat flange design so that you install the flange, then the disposal just goes underneath and you turn a lock ring to secure it. MAkes it easier to hang. The WK uses a rubber mounting piece with clamps, so you have to hold/support the unit and then tighten the clamps.

Reply to
trader4

Same conclusion I reached last fall. I got 10 years out of my last insinkerator, but couldn't find another 3/4hp one.

The Waste king is 3/4hp, 8 yr warranty & was $108, delivered to my door from buyplumbing.net.

Mine is *different* sounding than the old insinkerator, but I couldn't call it noisier-- though I'm comparing to an 8yr old dying one.

We agree on that count, too. but the WK was easier to put in than it looked like it was going to be from the directions.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

InSinkErator has a couple of different series of disposals and a few different models within each series. We'd be hardpressed to suggest a "better model" - InSinkErator or other - unless we knew what model you currently have.

However, before we even go down the "better model" path, I have to ask: What kind of pipes do you have?

20 plus years ago I bought a house that didn't have a disposal. The drains were galvanized and at the time I knew nothing about plumbing, so I gave the keys to a trusted plumber and asked him to install one for me. He called me a few hours later and said that my galvanized pipes were so clogged with grease and other crap that there was no way they could handle a disposal. He said he needed to replace the galvanized with PVC from the sink to the sewer line in the basement, maybe 6 - 8 feet worth.

When I got home and looked at the various sections of pipe that he had cut out, there was nothing buy a small spiral hole through the grease. I couldn't see more than a couple of inches into any pipe.

We've raised 4 kids, 2 dogs and 3 cats (they eat too!) in this house and have gone through 2 disposals - a Kenmore POS and an InSinkErator Evolution - with not one single clog. I love the InSinkErator both because it is extremely quiet and because the rubber drain baffle is removable in case something falls into the disposal that shouldn't.

Are you sure it's the disposal that's the problem and not something further down the line that should be dealt with?

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I don't know about the WK, but another nice feature of the InSinkErator Evolution Series is that the rubber drain baffle is removable. Not only does the baffle reduce the noise (as it is designed to do) it will also last almost indefinitely.

My old Kenmore had a baffle that was sandwiched between the sink and the drain ring. After a couple of years of shoving my hand through the baffle to retrieve a pop top tab or bread bag tie (darn kids!) the baffle started to rip. Once the rip started, larger items would fall through, like small bars of soap, etc. Retrieving those put more wear and tear on the baffle. It was a never ending cycle. Replacing the baffle meant dropping the disposal and dismantling sink drain, so it never got done.

The InSinkErator baffle is so much tighter that I never have to retrieve anything from the disposal, but if I want to rinse something "large" into the disposal, the baffle just lifts right out. No wear and tear and full access to the inside of the disposal if needed. If something does happen to it (and I don't see how) I can just drop a new one in it's place.

I couldn't be happier and have no doubt that I'll buy another InSinkErator if this one should go bad.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Here are links to 3/4 hp InSinkErators at both HD and Lowes:

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Unless they've changed their tactics lately, HD and Lowes (and Insinkerator too, I guess) play games with their model numbers so that you can't price match. There will be one small feature difference between the models carried by each store so the model numbers will be slightly different. 1/8 of a hp here, a bit more sound insulation there, and you can't play one store against the other. At least that's what I ran into when I was shopping for a disposal a few years back.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Good the hear you had similar thoughts. I don't know about your WK, but one other difference between my WK and the Insinkerator is that the WK came with a pre-attached cord. Since mine was direct wire, I had to remove the cord and then direct wire it in. No big deal, but it added a bit to the process.

Reply to
trader4

That's a good point that I forgot. And it's one of those things that you would not know until it's too late. On the WK, the rubber baffle thingy is not removable. I agree, having it removable is better. Expecially when you drop something in there and need to get it out. Pulling it out makes it easier to get your hand down there. It's also good that you can clean it once in a while too.

Not only does the baffle reduce the noise (as it is

Yep, I hear you.

Reply to
trader4

I'm also wondering how in the world large pieces of anything could get through the disposa? I can see ground up stuff building up somehow, but I would not think big pieces of anything could get through a disposl.

Reply to
trader4

Double sink. Right side goes straight down, thru a 'T', and into the trap. Left side goes thru the disposal, into the 'T' and down. The 'T' has a split internal opening, drain 'R' on one side and drain 'L' in the other. Being a 1 1/2" drain pipe, that allows each side to be a 3/4" opening. That can cause a blockage of the disposal side although it is usually rare. Most blockages occur where the trap output T's into the drop line/vent to the main sewer line.

As Oren said, greens are a big problem. A recent golf ball sized piece of ham, no fat, shredded horizontally in strips and clogged in the drain T's 3/4" side. Even egg shells don't break small enough to get thru without causing problems. Makes you wonder just what will get thru ok. My wife clogs it up and hollers for help a lot.

The original disposal, a Frigidaire IIRC, never caused a blockage in

20+ years, so I can't blame the PVC undersink plumbing. The one now has not been as good, but this Insinkerator might be the lower grade instead of the higher one. The rubber baffle is not removable on this one.

I'm not looking for a fix, just a recommended good model - and it's sounding a lot like a Waste King or top size Insinkerator.

Reply to
Red

Maybe it was the $100 less, but still good reviews, for the WK that swayed me.

I know the old one was Insinkerator and I'm not one to change brands for no reason.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

-snip-

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I think mine did to--- but an extra heavy duty cord is always useful around here.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

I replaced a 25 year old KitchenAid with another KitchenAid. Works well and I'd to it again.

I bought it at

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and saved about $100 over other sources on line or local.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Abt is well-known in northern IL, has been for years and has a sterling reputation.

Reply to
hrhofmann

Aside from loading, instead of slowly feeding items to your disposal or not turning on the water all the way your blockage problem may be with your fa ucet. What is the size of the water connector supplying water to your fauce t? Is it 3/8?, 7/16? or ½?? If you have one of those pretty faucets with a 3/8? connector you?re probably not running enough water. Get a commercial faucet with a ½? connector.

Reply to
recyclebinned

I've never found any of them to be worth the money. I've tossed soup cans and glass bottles in mine and they always jam up. Even a simple plastic soda bottle jams them. When we remodeled the bathroom, my husband tried to shove the old wooden flooring and the broken toilet into my disposal, and that really made a mess. We had to get a new disposal after that. The old livingroom carpeting was even more of a problem, the whole disposal shorted out started to smoke, and blew the fuse. My husband had to get an electrician. About the only thing they work for is soup and stale bread.

Reply to
terrianne67

What about your pea-sized brain????????

Reply to
hrhofmann

ot turning on the water all the way your blockage problem may be with your faucet. > What is the size of the water connector supplying water to your f aucet? Is it 3/8?, 7/16? or ½?? If you have one of those pretty fau cets with a 3/8? connector

a ½? connector.

Speaking of faucets and flow rates, I called Kohler to get a replacement head for my "fancy faucet". While looking up the part number, I came across a replacement aerator that increases the flow from 1.8 GPM to 2.2 GPM.

When I told the CSR to toss a "high flow adapter" in the box he said "Have you checked with your local authorities to see if 2.2 GPM exceeds the maximum flow rate for your municipality?"

"Of course!" I answered. "It's fine."

After I hung up, I got to thinking. Assuming a municipality has a maximum flow rate for faucets, shower heads, etc. do they also have flow rate restrictions on hose bibs?

My hose bibs are plumbed in before the PRV so I get street pressure and lots of flow. I never heard of municipal flow rate restrictions for hose bibs. Do they exist?

Reply to
DerbyDad03

not turning on the water all the way your blockage problem may be with you r faucet. > What is the size of the water connector supplying water to your faucet? Is it 3/8?, 7/16? or ½?? If you have one of those pretty f aucets with a 3/8? connector

h a ½? connector.

I've never heard of such a restriction. Also, no restriction that I've heard of around here, NJ, for lawn sprinkler systems either. And you can sure go through a lot of water when you have 25 heads that run 2 GPM. The most they do is restrict watering to odd/even days when there is a shortage. Does that even do anything? I guess it cuts down on some percentage of those that are dumb enough to be watering every day. And if it gets really bad, then they would ban lawn watering all together, but that hasn't happened here.

But I think part of the issue is that it's not just the water used, it's the waste water generated that then goes through the municipal sewers. With a hose bib or lawn watering, that generally doesn't wind up in the sewers, while your faucet water does.

Reply to
trader4

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