My site includes reviews of garbage disposal units together with advice on where to find disposers at the best price. It’s easy comparing features by using my interactive chart of the best garbage disposal units. I’ve also written reviews and analysis of the top waste disposal units on the market to help you decide which one is right for you.
Take a look at my reviews or, if you’re in hurry, the Waste King L-1001 is now the #1 best-selling unit.
The two main manufacturers trade under the Moen Waste King disposal and InSinkErator disposal brands and each have product ranges with features that can be confusing – so I’ve written the best garbage disposal reviews to help you choose the right one.
Selecting the Best
Looking for inspiration or still can’t decide between the various models? Check my full comparison guide or here’s my view of some of the best waste disposals on the market.
High Rated Garbage Disposal: Moen Waste King A1SPC Knight Series
The Moen Waste King A1SPC Knight is the highest rated unit on Amazon – and offers a powerful, versatile, disposal unit with good reliability and excellent reviews.
Best Overall: Waste King 8000 Legend Series
The Waste King L-8000 is consistently given excellent reviews and ratings from existing users – and tops the list for most popular unit. It’s also one of the best-selling units on Amazon – which is a great achievement for this versatile, powerful disposer.
High Power Garbage Disposals (1-HP and higher)
If you’re looking for a powerful disposer to deal with the food waste from a large family, the InSinkErator Evolution Excel is hard to beat – yes, it’s expensive but it’s got great build quality and durable grinding components. If you’re looking for the same quality but on a tighter budget, there’s a compact version that’s great value for money
Everyday Garbage Disposal Units (1/2-HP and higher)
If you’ve looking for a standard, everyday disposer that will deal with the waste from a normal size family, not cost too much and prove quiet and reliable, then it’s hard to ignore the Waste King L-2600.
Best Cheap Garbage Disposers
If you’re on a tight budget and the dollar price wins over power then there are plenty of units to tempt you. Our choice is the budget Waste King L-111 which, despite the price has a decent set of features and warranty.
Top Environmental Disposal Units
If you want to be sure that your food waste decomposes as quickly as possible, the InSinkErator Evolution Septic Assist will inject microbes into the waste as it passes through the disposer and into the plumbing. It’s one of the best units at helping deal with issues of organic food waste.
Reviews of the Top 5 Garbage Disposal Brands
All of the disposers I’ve described on this site are good, but it’s worth selecting the top five that consistently get the most user reviews.
  | InSinkErator Evolution Pro Essential 3/4 HP Garbage DisposerInSinkErator is the world's largest manufacturer of food waste disposers and instant hot water dispensers. It developed its first disposer in 1927 and, now part of Emerson Electric Co, has its HQ in the US with branches worldwide. Based on the overall Amazon.com review ratings, this InSinkErator scores 4.8 and provides a good model for under sink food disposal providing a powerful 3/4 horsepower motor that will grind tough food waste from an average family (see notes above for the differences in horsepower). | ||
 | InSinkErator Evolution Compact 3/4 HP Household Garbage DisposerBased on the overall Amazon.com review ratings, this InSinkErator scores 4.8. | ||
 | InSinkErator Evolution Excel 1.0 HP Household Garbage DisposerBased on the overall Amazon.com review ratings, this InSinkErator scores 4.8. | ||
 | Waste King Legend Series L-111 1/3 HP Continuous Feed Garbage DisposerWasteKing is part of the Aneheim Manufacturing Company and it produces a range of high-spec domestic and commercial food waste disposal units. Based on the overall Amazon.com review ratings, this WasteKing scores 4.6. | ||
 | Waste King Legend Series L-8000 1.0 HP Continuous Feed Garbage DisposalBased on the overall Amazon.com review ratings, this Waste King scores 4.6. |
Searching For The Best Garbage Disposal For Your Kitchen
I’ve got my personal preferences and my kitchen setup means that when I am looking for a new unit, my requirements will be different from yours, but here’s my guide to the top features to look for.
A garbage disposal unit, or garburator, fits neatly under your kitchen sink, and shreds food waste using a high torque electric motor spinning special grinding wheels to reduce food to tiny particles that can pass through normal plumbing to your drain. The main pricing difference is due to the power of the unit’s electric motor – stated as horsepower and generally in the 1/3 to 1 HP range, and the quality of the grinding components (cheaper units use galvanized steel, premium units use stainless steel components). A more powerful motor can grind and crush tough food waste without jamming.
Thanks to their convenience, the popularity of units keeps growing: with over 50% of homes in the US fitted with a disposer, and are growing in popularity in the UK and countries such as Sweden (which encourages their installation to help increase the production of biogas as a natural fuel bi-product).
Replacing a Garbage Disposal Unit
Disposers don’t last forever: sometimes the electric motor will burn out or they simply go wrong and that’s when you’ll need to start thinking about buying a replacement. The good news is that it’s a very straightforward process to replace a unit – and the major manufacturers have standardized on a twist-and-lock fitting process that allows anyone with basic DIY skills to replace a unit (make sure that you call a qualified electrician if the disposer does not have a flex with a plug but needs to be wired in to your electrical system).
To help fine a new model, if you’re like me, you’ll hit the web and look for garbage disposal reviews, do plenty of research, talk to your friends and neighbors, and then find the lowest price for and buy the best waste disposer on the market.
On this website, I’ve put together just about everything you’ll need to help you if you’re looking to buy a new food waste disposer: from reviews of garbage disposals to a unique table of features that will help you choose the right model garbage disposal for your home that you can buy at the best price (with savings of over 60%). And to help save you time researching, I’ve pulled together pages of tips, how to fix a jammed disposal unit, and how to install a sink garbage disposal unit in your kitchen.
Bestselling Garbage Disposal Models
Here’s our view on the top three best-selling garbage disposers – we provide in-depth reviews on our site along with detailed feature comparisons, how to choose your ideal disposal unit, accessories and even advice on how best to fit your unit.
- 1/3 HORSEPOWER MOTOR: The Waste Maid garbage disposer features a 1/3 horsepower 2400 RPM permanent magnet motor allowing the disposer to come to full power on the initial rotation
- TORQUE MASTER GRINDING SYSTEM: Anti-jam Torque Master stainless steel grinding system delivers maximum torque for cutting through waste and a durable turntable with balanced impellers for less vibration, quieter operation, and longer life
- CONTINUOUS FEED OPERATION: Continuous feed garbage disposals let you add food waste into the disposal even while it is running. It is recommended to run water while the disposal is in operation
- EASY 3-BOLT MOUNTING: A standard 3-bolt mounting system makes for fast installation and direct replacement for most garbage disposal brands using 3-bolt mounting systems
- WHAT’S INCLUDED: Attached power cord, removable splash guard, stopper, and dishwasher connection
- PREP SERIES: Designed for those who slice, dice and peel as part of basic meal prep, and need a little more help with cleanup
- POWERFUL GRINDING: 2,600 RPM, ½ horsepower Vortex motor provides fast, powerful grinding of everyday food scraps and helps reduce jamming
- NOISE REDUCTION: Designed with SoundSHIELD sound-deadening insulation
- SIMPLE SWAP: Fits most existing assemblies, including other brands; includes pre-installed power cord
- SEPTIC SAFE: Safe to use with properly sized septic tanks
- RELIABLE & EASY INSTALL: Badger Series disposers are a reliable & functional choice when affordability is the prime concern, and features a compact, space-saving design that fits existing InSinkErator hardware for a quick and easy install.
- DURABLE COMPONENTS: This garbage disposal features our exclusive 1/2 hp Dura-Drive Induction Motor and long lasting galvanized steel components to ensure a dependable grind for everyday food scraps.
- AMERICA'S #1 DISPOSER BRAND: There are more American-built InSinkErator garbage disposals in US homes than all other brands combined. A full line of models means there's one right for every need and budget.
- FASTER, CLEANER, SMARTER: From meal prep to cleanup, InSinkErator helps make it fast & easy to keep your kitchen clean with our iconic appliances: garbage disposals & instant hot water dispensers.
- A HISTORY OF INNOVATION FOR THE SINK: We invented garbage disposals in 1927, & we're the world’s largest manufacturer of garbage disposals & instant hot water dispensers for home & commercial use.
Comparison Guide to the Best Garbage Disposal
Included in the chart are:
- Pictures of the Disposals
- Disposal brand and model
- Horsepower (hp) – key to the power of the electric motor in the unit (and so its ability to crush and grind food). Find more in our guide to garbage disposal features.
- Price – these are approximate prices on Amazon.com. These often change based on special offers, promotions, availability and season. To help you, I’ve grouped the pricing on this matrix with $=under $70, $$=$70 to $120, $$$=$120 to $170, $$$$=$170+
- Rating – the average user rating on Amazon.com which is another great way to see what other buyers think of the product
(Tip: to sort the grid by a particular column, just click on the heading of the column)
The waste disposal units on this chart are only the most popular or highly rated disposers available on the market. There are literally hundreds and there’s no way we can list them all.
What is a Food Waste Disposer?
Garbage disposals or a food waste disposer is a compact, cylinder-shaped unit that fits under your kitchen sink (normally attaching straight onto the plug hole). The unit has a power electric motor that spins a grinding system that can chop up and grind food waste as it’s pushed into the sink’s plug hole.
Since a food waste disposer is normally attached directly to the bottom of the sink, the manufacturers have devised quick-fit ways of bolting the units under the drain and then connecting them to the trap in your sink’s plumbing. The disposer also needs to be wired in to the electric supply and to a switch (often mounted on the wall or in a special hole drilled into the sink) to control its operation.
The original models were incredibly noisy in use, making it hard to hear yourself think, let alone hold a conversation. The latest garbage disposers use nylon grinding chambers and have special insulation panels to reduce the noise considerably when grinding anything from corn cobs to chicken bones.
Best Garbage Disposal Cleaner – Avoid Jamming
It’s a very convenient alternative to just throwing food waste into the trash can – and get the right HP power rating and your disposal unit will grind up pretty much any food from chicken bones to corncobs. If you’re pushing through a lot of fatty food waste, you should also look to clean your disposal unit regularly using a good garbage disposal cleaner to remove the build-up and reduce potential odors. (If your unit has got clogged up or jammed, read our guides to help fix your problem.)
Plumbing And Your Connections To The Sewage System
In general, if your house is on a sewage system, then the ground food waste will be sent via your sewage pipes to the drain and the local municipal wastewater processing plant where it’s normally processed back into bio-solids that can be used as fertilizer or bio-fuel.
If your municipal district requires you to pre-process the waste, or if you are connected to a private cesspit or storage tank, then you should look at some of the specialist disposers that are designed to work in a more environmentally-friendly way and avoid blockages – they do this by starting the natural process of waste decomposition as soon as the food is ground down. These models include a separate tank connected to the disposal unit that injects bio culture into the food waste to help break it down as it moves through the sewage system.
Garbage Disposal Reviews – Find the Best Model
At the top of this page you’ll see the interactive chart I put together. It highlights the key features of different models. Use this as a starting point to either find a direct replacement for your existing unit or to choose the best upgraded model with a more powerful motor, or one that’s quieter in operation.
I’d recommend that you use the Comparison Guide above to help you make the right buying decision for your new disposal unit… but also look at the individual reviews of disposers on this site from manufacturers including Waste King, InSinkErator, Whirlpool and Whirlaway.
How Much Power Do You Need For Your Garbage?
When you’re buying a new disposal unit, there are some key factors to look out for. Read our guide to features for additional information to help you with your research. One of the main measures of any unit is the power of the motor (I list the power of each model in my comparison guide) which will help you choose a model that’s right for your level and type of garbage.
What horsepower garbage disposal should I get?
The standard measure for a disposal unit is horsepower (HP) that will give you an idea of the power of the electric motor inside the unit that chops and grinds the food. The greater the power, the greater the ability of the unit to cope with lots of use and bigger, harder items (like bones):
- 0.50 horsepower garbage disposal: this and the smaller 0.30 horsepower units are designed for light use, normally designed to cope with the needs of an individual in a household.
- 0.75 horsepower garbage disposals: these units are designed for typical family use.
- 1.00 horsepower garbage disposals: these are heavy-duty units that are designed for large families and offices.
Type of Feed System: Continuous Feed vs Batch Feed
There are two main types of operating mode for disposers: continuous feed and batch feed. Each has its own benefits and problems – and there’s often a price difference between the two so before you buy, it’s worth being sure that you select the model with the feed system that you need for your installation.
What is a continuous feed garbage disposal?
Continuous feed is the most commonly used operating method – the unit needs to be switched on (this can be automatically via a sensor or more commonly via a switch mounted on the sink or on the wall near the sink). And don’t forget you need to turn on the water when using the unit or the disposer will jam very quickly. Check out my list of the top ten continuous feed garbage disposal units.
What is a batch feed garbage disposal unit?
With a batch feed unit, you push food waste into the unit, then insert a plug into the plug hole switches on the motor in the unit which grinds the waste. This means that on a typical session after a meal you might ‘load’ the food disposer several times. Take a look at our guide to the best batch feed garbage disposal units.
Buying Decisions – Which Is The Best For Home Use?
I’ve written my reviews to provide good, helpful advice that will give you enough information to buy the best model for your needs. Whichever unit you decide on, you’ll find a good model will transform how you dispose of food waste, quiet, the right HP so it’s powerful enough and not too expensive.
If you’re planning on installing it yourself, the twist-on fittings of all the modern brands make it really easy – though you’d be advised to get an electrician in if it’s one of the few units that needs to be hard-wired rather than a normal electric plug.
Lastly, don’t forget the maintenance! I’ve looked at a range of products to help you prevent blockages – but if you are completely stuck take a look at my article on fixing a blocked disposal unit.
Mike
Affiliate Disclosure:
If you click on product links I’ve added to this site, you’ll be redirected to Amazon.com – and if you buy from Amazon.com within a day then I’ll earn a small commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and you pay exactly the same price whether you clicked on my link or go direct to Amazon: hopefully you won’t mind since it’s how I pay for the research work! However, if you want to avoid this, just copy the amazon link to a new browser.