The first garbage disposal unit was first commercially introduced in 1935. Depending on where you are, it may also be called a waste disposal unit or garbage disposer; in Canada, it’s a garburator. Whatever the name, half of the homes in the United States are now equipped with one.
How a Garbage Disposal Works
The disposer sits between the sink’s drain and the trap. It shreds solid food waste into pieces small enough to safely pass through plumbing without clogging the sewer pipes.
Food waste from the sink drops into the grind chamber and onto a turntable that will throw and swing the content. A rubber splash guard helps to keep debris from escaping.
The turntable plate has two swiveling impellers on opposite ends. When power is turned on, the motor below the turntable rotates the plate and the impellers. Using centrifugal force, the spinning plate throws any food scraps against the stationary grind ring on the chamber wall.
When the pulverized food particles become small enough, they travel through openings on the chamber wall and get flushed into the drainpipe by flowing tap water. Some models have an extra water intake for wastewater from the dishwasher to enter. Any food waste gets trapped in the grind chamber, ready to be processed.
In a typical home with four occupants, a ½ hp unit can sufficiently handle all the food scraps produced.
Disposers can be further divided into two main categories: continuous feed or batch feed. A continuous feed disposer will run as long as you leave on the power. This is the most common and efficient type.
A batch feed disposer is operated by first placing the food waste in the grind chamber. The unit won’t operate until its special drain cover is in place as an activation key.
To avoid jamming— ½ HP grinders do jam from time to time— don’t put seeds, bones, or eggshells in the disposer. A hex wrench is usually provided in case you have a jammed motor. Insert the hex key into the shaft socket from below the unit and rotate in both directions back and forth.
Waste King ½ HP Garbage Disposal: The Reliable L-2600
- Affordable
- Compact
- Reliable brand
- Unjam shaft is accessed from outside
- Decent motor
- Loud
- Can’t deal with bones well
Waste King’s approach towards residential in-sink waste management has been effective and positively reviewed. The L-2600 is a standard food disposer with an EZ-mount assembly, a ½-horsepower permanent magnet motor, and stainless steel grind components.
The ½ horsepower gives the device ample power to process most types of food scraps, and it has the quintessential basic continuous feed design. It has a moderate noise level and is easy to install. The machine’s permanent motor is high-speed, which reduces the risk of jamming.
If it does happen, you have to reach inside the disposal and rotate the turnplate to unjam it. You may use a strong stick or a tool made for this purpose.
As an entry-level model, the lifespan of the L-2600 is highly dependable on maintenance. Some users have reported it to last no longer than 3 years, but others have shared that theirs easily lasted more than 5 years with moderate upkeeping.
The garbage disposal is under a 5-year warranty.
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