How To Buy A Food Waste Disposer — A Guide for First Time Waste Disposer Buyers in India (2021)

This 2021 Guide made for the Indian Market, will help you understand what a Food Waste Disposer is, why do you need one and what you should consider before buying your first Waste Disposer.

Food Waste Disposers are gaining popularity in India. They are a efficient, safe, & environmentally friendly way of disposing food waste for the Modern Home. There are various options available in the Indian Market & this guide will help you buy your first Food Waste Disposer.

Summary

What is a Food Waste Disposer (FWD) ?

A food disposer is a small device that is installed below the kitchen sink, the device allows any type of food (raw or cooked — wet or dry) including vegetables with tough skins, egg shells, bones etc to be disposed off by grinding them into a powder/sludge that is washed away by water into the drain. This is a more hygienic way of disposing food waste compared to collecting it using plastic waste bags.

[embed]What is a Food Waste Disposer (Source: InSinkErator Europe, Youtube Channel)

Why Does My Kitchen Need a Food Waste Disposer ?

Food waste disposers are an simple, efficient and eco friendly way of disposing off food waste. They are small devices that have large benefits:

1. Using a FWD is a convenient and time saving way of managing your waste, compared to maintaining wet and dry dust bins and segregating your waste for recycling.
2. It is a more Environmentally responsive way of disposing off food waste compared to using Plastic garbage bags and FWDs also help reduce the amount of waste we create as a family reducing the burden on the City for disposing and managing huge amounts of waste. This helps us towards a Greener community by preventing food waste from ending at landfills.
3. FWDs help us ensure a Germ free and Odour free kitchen. Also leftover food waste if not properly disposed can lead to unwanted insects, pests & rodents, this can wee prevented by using a FWD and disposing the food waste immediately.

What Should I Consider While Buying a Waste Disposer?

Type of Disposer

First and foremost you will have to consider the type of Disposer that you need. There are 2 types of FWDs that are available:

Continuous Feed — They have a open mouth and are operated using a separate On/Off switch. Just turn on the switch and the grinding begins. You can continue dropping food when the grinding is taking place.

Pros: They are quicker and more efficient as you don’t have to grind waste in batches and can do it continuously. They are less expensive compared to Batch Feed Disposer and require less space.

Cons: There might be lack of safety as there is no lid and there is a chance of dropping spoons and other small utensils into the grinder. Also an open mouth can cause waste to splash into the sink. Both this can be overcome by using a splash guard will using the FWD

B) Batch Feed — In this type of disposer you place the food in the disposer and close the stopper lid in order to start the disposer. There is no need for a separate On/Off switch. The stopper lid has to be twisted and pushed down in order to switch on the unit. After grinding is done, the stopper is lifted and the disposer stops. In case, you have more wastes to grind, you just have to repeat the cycle once again.

Pros: They are usually low noise compared to continuous disposer. They are also safer as due to the lid operation it prevents children to put their fingers in the disposer when its operating. Also there is absolutely no chance for utensils and cutlery to fall into the unit and damaging the disposer.

Cons: It is more time consuming as the disposing happens in batches and if there is more waste to be disposed it will consume more batches hence more time. Also the chambers are larger than continuous type hence they require more space.

Both the type of disposers get the job done, but the continuous type of disposer is more commonly available type of disposer.

Identify the Right Motor Size:

Internal Chamber & Motor of a Waste Disposer

The smaller the motor size, the fewer and softer the foods need to be. For example, a 0.3 or 0.5 horsepower (HP) motor is perfect for a single homeowner occasionally grinding soft vegetables. Not suitable for bones.

A 0.75 or 1 HP motor, on the other hand, is much more suited to a large family that often eats at home and will provide smoother operation, finer pulverization and less jams even when used for food waste like bones — which equals less stress on your waste water system.

Identify the Best Grinding Chamber Size and Material:

Bigger the chamber more food waste can be disposed more efficiently. Also blades made of Stainless Steel are better suited for FWDs as they are easy to clean and don’t rust.

Consider the Noise Level of the FWD:

Of course, a garbage disposal is going to make noise. Better quality (and more expensive) units, however, tend to have better insulated grinding chambers, so there’s a marked difference in the noise level. Similarly, some models offer additional features, such as sound baffles (to lower the decibel level of the unit), anti-splash baffles (to keep your sink cleaner) and corrosion protection shields. Usually the waste disposer produces 50–60 Decibels.

Things You Should Never Put in a Garbage Disposal

Your garbage disposal is different from your actual garbage can. Not all food scraps and liquids are meant to be poured into your disposal. To prevent clogs and disposal jams, it’s important to learn what foods are best left for the trash and what garbage disposal is meant to be used for. In general, you should not put in tough or fibrous food scraps, potato peels, grease and oil, and pits and other hard objects.

Note: Avoid using slippery food items like banana peel or mango pulp.

What Are the Options Available in the Indian Market for a Waste Disposer?

There are various FWDs available in India. Some of the leading brands that offer FWDs (in no particular order) are:

1. Hindware
2. Franke
3. Anupam
4. InSinkerator
5. Carysil

Note: Before you buy a FWD, consider the sink waste coupling size that is required for that particular FWD. Usually a sink hole of 3 1/2 Inches is required which is true for most sinks available in the Indian Market. Hence, FWD from any Brand can be used with any Brands kitchen sink.

[embed]Waste Food Disposer (Source: Hindware Appliances India)

6 Ways to Ensure Proper Use of Your Garbage Disposal

1. Always use your disposal with running water. Running water from your kitchen faucet will help move waste into your disposal and down your drain. Without it, garbage can get stuck in your disposal or further down your pipe, which can lead to a clog.

2. Only use cold water with your disposal. Cold water will solidify any grease or fat that makes its way down your drain. This will help your disposal grind them up and flush them away. Hot water, on the other hand, causes grease and fat to liquefy, which can jam your disposal and clog your drain.

3. Don’t overload your disposal. Your disposal is only designed to handle a certain amount of waste at a time. When you’re using your disposal, feed small pieces of food down the drain one at a time. Make sure to break up large pieces of waste into smaller pieces before grinding them up.

4. Make sure to fully grind all waste. In order to avoid buildups and damage to your disposal, you’ll want to make sure that food and waste are fully ground up and flushed out of your unit. After you hear the final piece of garbage ground up by your disposal, run your unit for an additional 30 seconds to ensure that it is clear.

5. Remove small objects from your sink before use. Many people place dishes and silverware in the same sink that leads to their garbage disposal. In order to prevent damage to your disposal’s blades, remove any silverware or other small objects from your sink before using your unit.

6. Avoid grinding waste that will clog or damage your unit. Certain types of food should never be put down your garbage disposal because they can lead to damage, jams or drain clogs. These include grease, liquid fat, uncooked fat trimmings, potato peels, expandable foods (like rice and pasta) and large animal bones.