There are two types of mechanism used in garbage disposals – batch feed and continuous feed units. Most disposers are continuous feed – and, as a result, these are the most popular type fitted in households. So what’s the difference?
With Batch feed garbage disposals, you load up the food waste (pushing it into the disposer chamber through the plughole) and then fit a cover to the plughole and switch on the unit to grind and crush the food waste.
In a continuous feed unit, you switch on the unit, turn on the faucet, then push the food waste into the plughole and the unit grinds the food waste.
- Pros of a continuous feed garbage disposal – it’s quick and easy to use and is the most commonly installed in households.
- Cons of a continuous feed disposer – there’s no cover to the unit so it’s possible for non-waste items to fall into the grinding chamber (eg a fork or spoon). Worse, if you have kids there’s a chance it could prove a danger.
Let’s take a look at the most popular continuous feed disposers on the market.
Best Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal
| Images | Continuous Feed | Power (HP) | Height (inches) | Warranty (years) | Price | User Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
InSinkErator Evolution Pro Essential 3/4 HP Garbage Disposer | C | 0.75 | 12.6 | 6 | $$$$ | 4.8 |
InSinkErator Evolution Compact 3/4 HP Household Garbage Disposer | C | 0.75 | 12.1 | 4 | $$$ | 4.8 |
InSinkErator Evolution Excel 1.0 HP Household Garbage Disposer | C | 1.00 | 14 | 7 | $$$$ | 4.8 |
Waste King Legend Series L-111 1/3 HP Continuous Feed Operation Garbage Disposer | C | 0.33 | 13.4 | 2 | $ | 4.6 |
Waste King L-8000 Legend Series 1.0-Horsepower Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal | C | 1.00 | 14.2 | Lifetime | $$ | 4.6 |
Waste King L-3300 Legend Series 3/4 HP Continuous Feed Operation Garbage Disposer | C | 0.75 | 15.4 | 10 | $$$ | 4.6 |
Waste King L-2600 Legend Series 1/2 HP Continuous Feed Operation Garbage Disposal | C | 0.50 | 14.2 | 5 | $$ | 4.5 |
Waste King L-1001 Legend Series 1/2 HP Continuous Feed Operation Garbage Disposer | C | 0.50 | 13.4 | 2 | $ | 4.5 |
Waste King 9940 Legend Series 3/4 HP Continuous Feed Operation Garbage Disposer | C | 0.75 | 15.8 | 8 | $$ | 4.4 |
InSinkErator Badger 5 1/2 HP Food Waste Disposer | C | 0.50 | 13 | 2 | $$ | 3.6 |
Included in the chart are:
- 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.
- Height in inches
- Warranty in years
- Price – these are approximate prices on Amazon.com. These often change based on special offers, promotions, availability and season.
- Rating – the average user rating on Amazon.com which is another great way to see what other buyers think of the product