Buying a garbage disposal isn’t something most of us do weekly, monthly, or even annually. But when you manage to find the right kind of garbage disposal with the motor size for your needs and install it correctly (or have it installed by a plumber), it may be that a garbage disposer is something you never have to worry about again. A high quality garbage disposal can last a long time, which is why we’re here to share what we’ve found in our extensive research. A little education goes a long way, so let’s get started!
Why Purchase a Waste King Garbage Disposal?
There are many brands of garbage disposals available, and arguably a Waste King garbage disposal isn’t the most common out there. Many of us have grown up seeing the Insinkerator Badger disposals in our kitchen sinks, and maybe even cussed that name when we’ve had to put our hands down into the disposal to dislodge food waste, a stainless steel utensil that found its way down there, or just had to dive in there and hope to find the issue (typically amid food scrap) without someone turning on the disposal and losing a finger.
So back to the question, why buy a Waste King garbage disposal? Because as the less obvious option for garbage disposal purchases (even though they’ve been around for 50 years and have lots of experience), they’ve hung their hat on quality. Waste King has had to work harder, continuously evolving each garbage disposal unit, to the extent that they offer excellent warranties so you can rest easy with your new Waste King disposal. In short, you get higher quality for your dollar, with the security that they back their products with warranties because of the care and expertise is built in to each disposal unit.
How to choose the right waste king garbage disposal?
This is the next most important question to ask, as we all want to get the most for our money, but that doesn’t mean we just buy the most expensive option. Otherwise we’d all be driving Ferraris and living in mountains of debt. It’s about being smart, which is why you need to ask yourself which factors are the most important to you. Some of the aspects you’re want to think about as we go through this are motor size, cost, noise output, lifetime warranty, easy installation (or not), impact on a septic system (if relevant), and part quality (stainless steel, splash guard, type of sink flange, horsepower, etc. So let’s get started.
Size of your household is a great place to start. If there’s just 1-2 of you and you rarely cook at home, that would lead to a very different amount of food waste vs a family of 5 children that might go out to eat (or order pizza) once a month. The wear and tear on each garbage disposer will be drastically different.
Next, how often do you cook in your kitchen? There’s a big difference between cooking 2x a day, and a few times a week. A disposal that’s run several times a day to take care of food scrap, vs a motor that gets turned on a few times a week will experience very different wear and tear.
Another consideration with a disposal is the sound output. Are you okay if it sounds like a prop motor airplane is taking off from your kitchen sink and all conversations are stifled when your disposal cranks up, or do you prefer a moderate hum from the motor reminding the person at the sink that they need to be careful. Or maybe you want almost no sound at all, so that you can discreetly run the motor while on the phone and no one is the wiser?
What do you tend to put down your kitchen disposal matters, and will help you find a disposal with the right horsepower. If you use your disposer for soft food scrap, fruit rinds, cereal, and meat trimmings – you could get away with lower horsepower for of 1/3 horsepower, or 1/2 horsepower (such as the Waste King L-2600). At the higher end, if you’re putting food waste in your disposer that is highly fibrous material, vegetable peels, small bones, and raw or cooked meat, then you’ll be better of with a powerful motor that’s at least 3/4 horsepower (such as the Waste King L-3300), or even a full 1 horsepower.
And finally, the goal of easy installation. Whether you install it yourself or hire a professional, you want a mounting system that’s intuitive and leaves the smallest room for error in the installation of a disposal unit. Waste King has the EZ Mount mounting system on their primary residential disposer option, and the Pro 3-Bolt Mount as well. The good news is that you can get any size of motor with both the EZ Mount and he Pro 3-Bolt Mount. Unless you feel confident in your handyman / garbage disposal installation skills, I’d recommend going with the EZ Mount mounting system, as it was built with the DIY consumer in mind. And since everything wears down over time, the EZ mount is as easy to remove as it is to install, so you don’t have to hire someone for your waste king garbage removal / replacement. And remember, even with the EZ Mount system, you’ll need to keep a few tools / items handy like an allen wrench, plumbers putty, and some pliers. The exact list will be in the instructions, but the only one you might not have in your home is likely the plumbers putty. So don’t forget to pick some up when you’re ready for installation!
| Model | Household | Types of Food Scrap | Horse Power | Warranty | Link |
| Waste King L-1001 | 1-2 People | fruit rinds, potato peels, cooked meat, small bones | 1/2 HP | 2-Year Limited | View on Amazon |
| Waste King L-2600 | 1-2 People | potato peels, celery, cooked meat, small bones | 1/2 HP | 5-Year Limited | View on Amazon |
| Waste King L-3200 | 2-4 People | artichokes, vegetable peels, cooked meat & small bones | 3/4 HP | 8-Year Limited | View on Amazon |
| Waste King L-3300 | 2-4 People | fruit pits, vegetable peels, cooked meat & small bones | 3/4 HP | 10-Year Limited | View on Amazon |
| Waste King L-8000 | 4+ People | fibrous foods, vegetable peels, raw & cooked meat or fish, small bones | 1 HP | 20-Year Limited | View on Amazon |
| Waste King L-9980 | 4+ People | fibrous foods, vegetable peels, raw & cooked meat or fish, small bones | 1 HP | 20-Year Limited | View on Amazon |
Is Waste King a good garbage disposal?
Absolutely, and if the above research wasn’t helpful enough, I’ll give you a few more reasons why it’s not just a good disposer, it’s a great garbage disposal brand you can rely on. And as their tagline states, you do simply get “more horsepower for your money”. And while that does sound like a tagline for an American muscle car, it works here too. Here are a few more good reasons why Waste King is a great high hp garbage disposal.
1) It comes with a power cord. Shouldn’t they all!?! Yes, but they don’t. It’s the little attention to detail, and the fact that they’re not trying to nickle and dime you for the things that should obviously come bundled. So yes, it comes with the power cord, as you’d expect so you can have a functioning garbage disposal without needing to go buy a separate power cord.
2) Waste King units come with a high speed permanent magnet motor. That’s as awesome as it sounds. Their permanent magnet motor gets to max speed quickly, reducing the likelihood of a food scrap jam. And none of us wish for more occasions to unclog a kitchen disposer.
3) Waste King offers some of the best-in-class customer service. You don’t care until you need it, and great customer service is what rounds out a product and makes it worth your time and money. If the company cares enough about you, and their product, they will support it with great service. This should come standard with every disposal unit everywhere, and it does with the Waste King garbage disposal.
4) They stand behind their work with some of the longest warranties in the disposal unit industry. Why? Because they build quality product with galvanized or stainless steel components that they trust to last the test of time and use.
5)Each disposal unit comes with a corrosion resistant grind chamber. Yep, you want some extra reinforcement where the work happens in the grind chamber. The reinforced polymer will not rust (how awesome is that!), which naturally extends the life of Waste King garbage removal success right in your kitchen sink.
Why do you need a Waste King garbage disposal?
I guess the first question you REALLY need to ask is why do you need a garbage disposal at all? And while recycling is great and we should recycle as much as we can, there are some things that do better going down the drain vs going in your trash can. Another thing you might ask yourself is if a disposer is really necessary. If you don’t mind handling the food buildup in the bottom of your sink and then moving it to the trash, then maybe it’s not necessary. But you’d better be very careful about what does down a kitchen sink drain without a disposal unit, because pipes can clog easily. It’s really a quality of life question. Folks can live without it, but most prefer not to. Now, on to why you need a Waste King garbage disposal? If you need a disposal, then why not get the best value for your money, the most horsepower for your dollar, and the quality parts and warranty to rest easy in your decision. THAT is why you need a Waste King garbage disposal. It’s just smart money.
How do Waste King garbage disposals work?
The general mechanics of how garbage disposals work isn’t wildly different across brands. But it’s important to know, nonetheless. Food scrap goes into the disposal unit with a healthy amount of water preferably, and inside the disposal is a grinding chamber. In the grinding chamber is a series of blades that break down the food. And finally, and impeller arm and plate push the food & liquid particles down the drain and through your waste plumbing system, which eventually ties into a septic tank or the city sewer lines.
Who makes the waste king garbage disposals?
Waste King garbage disposal units are manufactured by Anaheim Manufacturing Company, with addresses in Ohio and Illinois. Anaheim Manufacturing Company is owned by Moen Incorporated, which is a brand you probably recognize for high quality kitchen, wash basin, and shower / bath tub faucets. They build the Waste King Legend Series, as well as a commercial line of garbage disposals.
Which waste king garbage disposer should i buy?
There are two types of waste management with garbage disposals – those that are continuous feed, and others that are batch feed. Our strong recommendation is the continuous feed system, but want to educate you on both – both the pros and cons of each.
Most residential grade disposal units are continuous feed. What this means is that food scrap and liquid goes in past the splash guard, and it can continuously grind the material as long as the disposal unit is turned on. Some of the pros of a continuous feed system are that it’s very convenient. You turn the water on and flip a switch and you’re good to roll. It’s also very popular in kitchens around the US, so the price has come down and it’s very affordable. It also requires less space under your sink for a continuous feed unit. There are some cons as well. They are less safe than a batch feed system, because fingers and utensils can go past the removable splash guard while the disposer is operating and injure an individual or damage anything else that falls in. Also, they are louder since only the splash guard is between you and the grinding noises. And lastly, a splash guard isn’t impermeable, and so food and liquid can splash back.
Batch feed requires that a stopper be placed over the opening to the disposer, and then secured in place to grind that batch of food. Some of the pros in this approach are that it’s safer to operate. Since it requires a stopper, there is no chance for fingers or stray utensils to fall into the disposal unit while it’s operation. It also tends to be more quiet, since the stopper is a much better sound blocker for the grinding noise than the splash guard. And lastly, you don’t get any splash back since the stopper is firmly in place preventing any such occurence. The cons are mostly around convenience. It’s more work to stop what you’re doing to find the stopper and put in in place to start up the disposer. And if you miss anything, you have to do that process all over again. It also takes up more room under your sink, and should you lose that stopper, you can’t grind anything until you find it or purchase a replacement.
In the end, it’s all about what’s most important to you, and knowledge is power as you make this decision for your kitchen – knowing best what you can live with, and what you can’t.
What is the best feature of waste king garbage disposals?
I would argue it’s a 3-way tie between their permanent magnet motor and it’s ability to get grinding at full speed rapidly, the excellent warranty coverage that gives such peace of mind, and the high quality grinding components in each unit. And as a consolation price, the EZ Mount mounting system that makes it very attainable for a DIY-er to take care of this by her or him self.
How much will it cost if a plumber installs the waste king disposal unit?
This depends on a few factors, so let’s discuss them briefly – Hourly Rate, Hours to do the job, and any extra / hidden fees. But a good rule of thumb is to make at least 3 phone calls, and strive for as many estimates before deciding on a plumber. And like any individual you invite into your home, a recommendation from a trusted friend can also give peace of mind.
Hourly Rate – most plumbers in the US charge between $25 – $50 per hour.
Hours to Completion – full installation including cleanup will typically take about 3 hours. There could be extenuating circumstances that make it take longer, but that’s a good rule-of-thumb.
Hidden Costs / Fees – be careful here. If you want to get a few estimates, be sure there’s no “service call” fee which means that you pay an amount regardless of whether or not they do the work. Some folks offer free estimates, and some don’t. Ask in advance. It’s also just smart to ask if there are any other fees. Fees could include disposing of your old disposal unit (which you could easily take it to your trash can or a nearby dumpster to save on cost), extra cost for the location of your house, or pretty much anything. Just be smart and ask for full transparency upfront.
Do you need a plumber to install a garbage disposal?
While folks often hire a plumber to install a waste disposal unit, it’s not always necessary, and especially not so with the Waste King options as they have an EZ Mount specifically built for the DIY crowd. There are substantial cost savings to installing a Waste King Disposer yourself, and I admittedly enjoy the sense of accomplishment from working with my hands, and completing a job like installing a disposal under a kitchen sink.
There are risks in doing it yourself, as you’re working with electricity, a powerful induction motor, parts you may not be familiar with (i.e. a flange, splash guard, rubber gasket, plumbers putty, etc). There’s a learning curve and if things were done poorly or non-standard before you, it can get tricky or unmanageable. There’s a learning curve, and if it’s the first time I’d wager it’ll likely take 2-3 times as long as you think. But take your time, read the instructions, and you’ll be find 9 times out of 10. And don’t be stubborn. If you get stuck, you can always call a reputable (preferably a referral from someone you trust), to take care of things for you.
Do dishwashers have built in garbage disposals?
Many do, especially in the US. Most dishwashers have either a small built-in disposal unit which is self-cleaning to reduce food scrap and keep your dishwasher running cleanly. One downside to the built-in disposal unit on a dishwasher is that it can add to the noise. The other option, one primarily seen in Europe, is a filtration system to remove food scrap. The logic preferred by European manufactures is that due to the extreme heat of the dishwasher’s water, the food is broken down sufficiently to be then removed through the filtration system.
Either way, it’s good to know what you have, and both options are built in to the dishwashers. There’s no need to attached or replace a disposal unit to a dishwasher (or really anything else). The primary use and benefit comes from a disposer unit under your kitchen sink.
Is Maintaining a Waste King Garbage Disposal Easy?
As Waste King’s forte is durability and increased ease of use, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble keeping their units in good shape. Just like with your average garbage disposal unit, you simply need to make use of only running cold water through the unit while it’s operating.
You can also easily get rid of smells from even the toughest food waste by simply letting the disposal unit grind bits of citrus peels or ice cubes.
While it’s true that these garbage disposals have high corrosion resistance, it always helps to run water through the unit from time to time to cleanse the acids from different types of food waste that may be lodged in its internal components.
Also, as long as you avoid using these units to dispose of difficult food waste like fat, your Waste King will keep running like a clock!
What should you do if your waste king garbage disposal smells?
There are a few solid options to try, and I recommend going in this order to get to the root of the problem with minimal effort.
1) With the water running, blend several cups of ice. It cleans the blades and may even help sharpen them a bit (but pretty sure that’s just because you’re cleaning gunk of the blades by grinding the ice)
2) Blend some citrus like oranges or lemons down your disposal. The acid helps cut through the odor, and it usually replaces it with a much more pleasant smell.
3) Getting a bit more intense here, but still using household items. Pour a cup of dry baking soda into your sink and follow it with a cup of white vinegar. Let that soak for a few minutes and then run water and the dispoal unit.
4) If none of that works, you can use bleach if it’s a mild product, and pour it down while the water is running. This will help kill all bacteria, and may help dislodge any food scrap below your sink and keep your pipes running clear.
What is the best garbage disposal for my needs?
I’ve created a chart that will hopefully help you identify what’s best for you. Given the question and the assumption that most reading an article this in-depth on garbage disposal units, manufacturers, pros & cons, etc. are of the DIY-type (like me!), I’ll focus my recommendations for folks like me.
FAQs
Waste King Continuous Feed Disposal vs. Batch Feed Disposal Units; Which is Better?
You get a great deal either way you go.
Because this manufacturer’s batch feed and continuous feed garbage disposals are well made, you’ll be able to easily manage organic waste, soft food waste, and even tougher waste with either model.
That said, Waste King batch feed models often carry a higher price tag when compared to continuous feed garbage disposals from the same manufacturer. This may be because batch feed garbage disposals are generally more expensive than continuous-feed disposals.
On the other hand, when run with open drains, there’s an increased risk of shards of food flying out of (or utensils falling into) Waste King’s continuous feed garbage disposals.
As each model of Waste King garbage disposal features unique pros and cons, the best one for you depends on which you find easier to work with.
Are Waste King’s Disposal Units Worth It?
Considering that they come with perks like a pre-installed power cord and afford you the option of several popular garbage disposal accessories like a 3-bolt mount, they do more than just give you increased horsepower motor capacity and an impressive RPM motor speed rating.
Also, as their batch of food waste disposal to electricity use is also high, it’s easy to say these products can bring efficient waste capabilities to any kitchen. But even beyond providing effective grinding capabilities, features like high corrosion resistance and above-average warranty periods ensure that you get very decent value for your money.
What’s the Best Waste King Disposal Unit For DIY Installation?
The Waste King L-111.
To be clear, this manufacturer excels at making great, easy-to-install units. But I think the L-111 is a completely different category of garbage disposal because it only took about 5 minutes to install.
Each member of our in-house reviews team took a crack at it too and everyone finished in less than 10 minutes. It also gets bonus points in my book because it not only comes with a pre-installed power cord but also a removable splash guard and drain stopper.
So, you can dispose of fish bones, chicken bones, and any other tougher waste you want!
