GARBAGE DISPOSAL: THE MOST PRACTICAL, HYGIENIC AND ECOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVE FOR YOUR KITCHEN
Tired of bad smells in the kitchen? Install a garbage disposal and join the group of smart people who are committed to a more ecological, odor-free and much more practical kitchen .
While it is true that its use in Spain is not as popular as in other northern European countries or the United States, we can assure you that whoever tries it cannot live without it.
Garbage disposal, also called a food disposer, is an appliance that shreds organic garbage with the help of an electric motor. They are usually installed under the sink, crushing the remains of food until they are liquefied to eliminate them down the drain with the help of running water.
Having a food disposer at home allows you to treat food waste in a fast, hygienic and sustainable way. Which offers us the following advantages:
Avoid bad smells in the kitchen (very annoying especially in an open kitchen), since we eliminate organic remains at the moment and they do not rot in the garbage can.
Incredibly practical. Prepare food by peeling vegetables or cleaning fish in the sink and then make it disappear in a matter of seconds.
They make cleaning the kitchen easier. They are devices that can be cleaned very easily with a jet of water or vinegar and that make cleaning our kitchen very practical.
It notably improves the hygiene of our kitchen, since by not having organic matter decomposing in our garbage can we avoid the proliferation of bacteria and insects.
They prevent blockages in our pipes by preventing solid waste from accidentally leaking down the drain.
They have great durability. These appliances have a useful life of more than 10 years.
Win space in the kitchen, he did not collect kitchen waste.
They are very quiet devices.
They take up little space in the sink.
They are easy to install, if you are a little "handyman" you can install it yourself, but a plumber will install them in a moment.
Despite the large number of advantages it offers, the disadvantages must also be taken into account. The majority related to a little responsible use.
We can only throw away organic waste, other waste such as plastic or cardboard must be disposed of where it belongs.
Be careful with fibrous foods such as onion, celery or corn husks that can cause jams in the long run.
They are not cheap but because their useful life in the kitchen is more than 10 years the investment is surely amortized.
Before buying garbage disposal and choosing the right one, the following factors must be taken into account:
It is important to consider the power and capacity of the disposal chamber when choosing garbage disposal for your kitchen. For kitchens of houses with 4 or more members that are going to give intensive use to this appliance, a disposer with power from 550 W (0.75 HP) and a capacity close to a liter of capacity is recommended.
These appliances take up little space and can be installed in any kitchen. But there is a range of weight and dimensions depending on the model and if we do not have much space under the sink it is important to take it into account.
Contrary to what it may seem, these devices do not make a lot of noise when shredding food waste, but if we really want them to be quiet we have to go looking for high gamma disposers.
The price range of household garbage disposals goes from € 200 to € 600. In the professionals the prices go up much more.
The price may seem high, but considering that they have a useful life of more than 10 years, easily reaching 15-20 years, the investment compared to the benefits it brings is not great.
The American brand InSinkErator is the world leader in the waste disposer sector. More than 80 years of experience guarantee it and InSinkErator Evolution 200 75275 is the most powerful and silent model .A safe bet.
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FEATURES
Power: 550W
Capacity: 1,180ml
Material: stainless steel
Weight: 11.2Kg
Dimensions: 23.4 x 23.4 x 34.4cm
6 year warranty
3-stage crushing system
ADVANTAGE
It grinds the food in three phases which makes the grind finer.
It is 60% quieter than other models.
Due to its great capacity and power, it shreds all kinds of organic waste .
Perfect for households with large families that use the kitchen intensively and often enjoy meals with guests.
It comes with a wireless switch to place it on the countertop and gain practicality.
It has the most extensive guarantee of all the models analyzed.
DISADVANTAGES
Bought on Amazon it comes with an American plug although with an adapter we solve it quickly.
InSinkErator Evolution 100 75275, is the second model within the high Evolution range of the InsinKerator brand. It continues to give us very high benefits at a more adjusted price .
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FEATURES
Power: 550W
Capacity: 1.005ml
Material: stainless steel
Weight: 8.8Kg
Dimensions: 20.5 x 20.5 x 31.2cm
5 year warranty
2-stage crushing system
ADVANTAGE
Unlike its big brother Evolution 200, it grinds food in two phases, but it is still enough to grind even the toughest foods such as bones or difficult-to-grind vegetables.
It is 40% quieter than other models.
Its one liter capacity coupled with power make it ideal for families of 4 who cook intensively.
It comes with a cordless switch to place on the countertop for convenience.
DISADVANTAGES
Bought on Amazon it comes with an American plug although with an adapter we solve it quickly.
The third model we analyze is the waste disposer is Teka TR-50-4. From the Teka brand, a brand with a long history in the world of household appliances, Spanish of German origin. It is the cheapest model of those analyzed here although it still offers very good benefits. A very good option to start the world of garbage disposals at home.
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FEATURES
Power: 410W
Capacity: 980ml
Material: stainless steel
Weight: 7Kg
Dimensions: 20 x 17.7 x 31.8cm
2 years warranty
1-stage crushing system
ADVANTAGE
Very competitive price compared to other models analyzed here.
Small dimensions and weight ideal for when you don't have much space under the sink
Its capacity and power make it ideal for families of 2 to 4 members.
It comes with an adapter siphon for easy installation.
DISADVANTAGES
It falls short for houses with many members or with high activity in the kitchen.
InSinkErator 77970T 56 . It is situated in the middle of the basic range of the American brand InsinKerator. Although it loses benefits compared to its older brothers, it has a lower weight and a more adjusted price. A good option for families with few members or that are not going to give it intensive use.
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FEATURES
Power: 410W
Capacity: 980ml
Material: stainless steel
Weight: 8Kg
Dimensions: 17.3 x 17.3 x 31.8cm
3-year warranty
1-stage crushing system
ADVANTAGE
Cheapest price within the InsinKerator models.
Smaller dimensions and weight ideal for when you don't have much space under the sink.
Its capacity and power make it ideal for families of 2 to 4 members that do not give it intensive use.
DISADVANTAGES
It is louder than the other models but no hype.
It does not mash some fibrous foods, such as banana peels.
The last model we reviewed is the Waste King 2000-1 2 HP Professional Garbage Disposal. With one of the highest powers on the market. Debris spraying is ensured by 1 tear bar, 2 stainless steel anti-lock risers and 3 stainless steel blades for fibrous debris removal. It is the recommended model for intensive professional use in restaurants or food chains.
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FEATURES
Power: 1,500W
Material: stainless steel
Weight: 57.5Kg
Dimensions: 33 x 33 x 56.5cm
1-year warranty
Shredding system with 3 blades.
ADVANTAGE
Best professional shredder with high shredding power.
Prepared to shred large volumes of organic waste.
Perfect for restaurants and food chains.
It has a noise insulator and anti-corrosion chamber.
DISADVANTAGES
High price.
Installing a garbage disposal in your kitchen is simpler than it may sound, and they can be installed in any kitchen, whether it is new or old.
If you have a facility for DIY you can do it yourself, but with the help of a plumber we ensure proper installation and possible bad seals that may cause small water leaks.
Each appliance has a complete instruction manual to guide us through the installation process. And although each model comes with different accessories to facilitate assembly, they all have a mount or valve that replaces the sink valve.
In summary, these are the 4 steps to follow to install the organic waste disposal in our kitchen:
Step 1. Disconnect power supply. In the upper part of the sink, replace the valve with the one that comes with the grinder. In the case of having a narrow sink mouth, it will have to be enlarged with a suitable jigsaw for this function.
Step 2. Install the grinder device on the inside of the sink and rotate it until it is completely fixed with the sink valve that we have just replaced.
Step 3. Connect the discharge tube directly to the drain.
Step 4. Install the switch to operate the garbage disposal. We can place it anywhere in the sink that is comfortable for us. We connect the disposer to the current, activate the electricity supply and that's it!
It is estimated that food scraps constitute 20% of the total garbage generated in homes. Carrying out a km 0 management of this organic waste from the kitchen provides solutions and a sustainable response for the environment by allowing:
Reduce the mass of organic waste in our landfills by avoiding the formation of greenhouse gases, mainly methane gas, which is so harmful to our atmosphere.
Reduce the impact of transporting and collecting these organic remains to landfills, therefore less carbon dioxide generated.
Improve the effective separation of waste, as it is not mixed with organic matter.
Reduce the use of plastic bags used to store garbage.
In some countries, the nitrogen-rich biomass produced is being used to fertilize soils or produce energy.
Placed under the sink and connected to the drain (although it can also be connected to a septic tank, but it is less common), the powerful motor of these appliances allows to reduce organic remains, converting them into very small particles that will be dragged through the pipes towards the plant treatment plant.
The new EC regulation does not allow old knife-operated food grinders. These did not completely crush the food scraps and pieces were left that could clog the pipes. For this reason some autonomous communities and municipalities prohibited its use. Currently, most of them work with a system of grinding wheels, toothed rings or hammers that, by rotating at high speed, completely crush organic waste. In this way they avoid accidental cuts and bottlenecks in the sanitation network.
Using these appliances is incredibly simple. You just have to dispose of the food that has remained on the plate in the sink, turn on the tap water and press the power button so that the disposer will make them disappear in a matter of seconds.
It is very important to follow these recommendations for use to avoid breakdowns in our food disposer and thus extend its useful life.
The most important is to always grind with cold water. Grinding with hot water prevents engine cooling and may lead to loss of warranty.
Always shred with plenty of water and never turn off the disposal until you have finished shredding the remains of food completely.
Do not shred fibrous residues such as celery or corn husks. Because although most of these devices grind them, they tend to form blockages of hard fibers (as happens with human hair) that interfere with the grinding elements.
Do not pour hot oil, or clam or oyster shells, or of course glass scraps or other non-organic materials.
Definitely these appliances will be part of the modern and ecological kitchens of the future yes or yes.
Among the models that we have recommended, if it is a large family unit (4 people or more) where cooking is usually done at home and the appliance is used intensively, I would opt for any of the Insinkerator models from the Evolution range. Its capacity and power together with its robustness will make it a safe bet.
On the other hand, if you have a tighter budget, or you do not have much space in the sink and it is a family unit of 2 to 4 people in which it is not going to be used as intensively, our recommendation is the Teka TR-50.4 .
In case you need a professional disposer to use in a restaurant, the choice is clear, the Waste King 2000-1 2 HP . The most powerful model on the market.
Careful! If you let garbage disposal into your kitchen, you will no longer know how to live without it.