ApplianceJournal.com

   You may not know a lot about your garbage disposal until it stops functioning and you have to replace it.  A lot of people take their garbage disposals for granted, not realizing what all is involved in their set up and capabilities.  However, if you want to make sure you replace your garbage disposal with a unit that will last for years without a hitch, you’ll want to learn about certain features and read reviews of various models.

 Interesting, the typical house that you will purchase new will have a ¼ or 1/3 horsepower garbage disposal installed.  While this is fine for most purposes and will last a few years without a problem, the power is insignificant compared to what you can find for sale in appliance stores and home repair centers.  A ½ HP model will have a lot greater capability to crush and dispose of heftier food items and can incorporate a much longer lifespan from not being overworked.  Of course, even greater horsepower models are available, with up to a full 1 HP in typical applications and even 2 HP models by special order.  These latter are somewhat of a novelty and not extremely useful except in commercial applications, such as restaurants, and the price becomes the determining factor here, since it stops increasing in reasonable increments and begins to rise exponentially.  Most recommendations for normal residential use fall with ½ or ¾ horsepower models, usually with stainless steel grinding components and corrosion proof housing.

While many major name brand appliance manufacturers produce some excellent garbage disposals, you’ll also find some less well-known brands of high quality.  For example, the Waste King Gourmet line (formerly the BoneCrusher series from Sinkmaster) are incredible and come in several varieties, depending on your budget and strength needs.  You can get models of this particular line with ½, ¾, and 1 horsepower motors.  For smaller motors, you can look at the Whirlaway brand, which offers the standard 1/3 horsepower motor that is most often installed in homes upon purchase.  These are really inexpensive models and can be great quality units if you are on a budget, replacing your garbage disposal unexpectedly.

If you want to stick with major name brand appliances that you recognize from other applications (refrigerators, microwaves, washing machines, etc), you can opt for models from Kenmore, GE, Whirlpool, and more.  Many of these brands are top competitors in all appliance markets, and some even manufacture store brand products for the Sears label.  Look for 1 HP motor garbage disposals at very reasonable prices from GE and ½ HP motors from Whirlpool that meet a budget, both of which maintain the high quality expected from the name brands.  Don’t overlook other top models from Kitchen Aid, Maytag, and Badger, as well.

When it comes to your garbage disposal, you’ll want something that is easy to “plug and play”, easily fitting under your sink and ready to function.  At the same time, you want to make sure that the components are top quality while the price is inoffensive.  These models incorporate all the power and performance you need without emptying your wallet or creating a troublesome installation.

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