The Best Garbage Disposal For Apartment

Buying Guide

When your garbage disposal stops working, it’s suddenly all too clear how useful an appliance it is. But shopping for a garbage disposal can be complicated. Not only do you have to contend with the cost of a new disposal, but you’ll probably have to pay someone to install it. Before you start looking around, note the brand of disposal you currently have. Some of the most popular brands include features that let you easily slide the old disposal out and replace it with a new one — no professional technician necessary.

The most important feature in any garbage disposal is power. Vicki Liston, host of “On The Fly…DIY,” says the amount of power required depends on how you’ll be using the disposal. If you’re only tossing softer foods and liquids down your disposal, you’ll likely find a ½-horsepower motor will more than suffice. However, for tougher jobs, you’ll need more power.

“I don’t recommend anything less than a ½ horsepower motor,” Liston says. “One-third horsepower units can clog easily, even if you only put soft foods into them.”

Even the most powerful motors can jam occasionally, which is why Liston also recommends choosing a disposal with either an auto-reverse or anti-jam mode. Most disposals come with a reset button in case your unit ever shuts off during a jam. Make sure the model you have not only includes a button, but that you can easily get to that button if you ever need it.

There are two major types of disposals: continuous feed and batch feed. Continuous feed is far more common, so you’ll probably find it tougher to find batch feed models if you prefer that mode. With continuous feed, the motor crunches items up immediately as you add them. Batch feed disposals force you to load all the food in and close it before it starts working. Batch feed disposals are, of course, safer, especially if you have young children, and Liston recommends them unless you have an adults-only household.

• One way to save money is to install the disposal yourself. There are several benefits to leaving it to a professional, though, perhaps the most important of which is that it’s safer. But professional technicians also know local regulations regarding garbage disposal installation. If you opt to DIY, Liston recommends checking into those regulations.

“Even in this day and age your local facilities may either require a permit and or may not even allow you to connect one, based on their capacity to handle food waste,” Liston says.

• If you’re in an apartment, check your lease to determine whether there are restrictions. If your complex is on a septic system, dropping anything but liquids down your drain can strain the system, forcing it to require pumping more frequently. Septic customers often find they still need to dump most waste into the trash, even with a garbage disposal.
• Grease and fat are never good for drains, even with a garbage disposal.
• To keep it operating efficiently, use only cold water when you’re running your garbage disposal.
• Sink drains and disposals can start to smell after a while, especially if food is lodged inside its parts. Peels from citrus fruits can keep things smelling fresh.
• If your disposal doesn’t have a reset button, you can insert a wooden spoon into the mouth of the disposal to clear it.
• Several factors combine to determine how powerful a motor is. In addition to choosing a ½-horsepower motor or better, you should also look at the revolutions per minute (RPM) and the sharpness of the blades.
• In a smaller apartment, every noise can seem magnified. More powerful motors will often be louder, so it can really help to choose one that features solid insulation.
• Your disposal will be exposed to plenty of liquids. Over time, that exposure can cause it to corrode. Some disposals build in corrosion resistance to extend their longevity.