Frigidaire 1/2 HP Corded Garbage Disposal In-depth Review
Most homeowners are more familiar with Frigidaire, the food-making appliances brand with their colorful products, not the one that makes kitchen garbage systems. So, it was rather a fun surprise to see they’re taking their first steps in the garbage disposal scene.
Overall Verdict
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP misses more than it hits. Offering an affordable price, good construction quality, and strong grinder materials, the garbage disposal should have been a great option if its motor were more efficient and the grinding components, particularly the two impellers, were fitted better.
It’s difficult to recommend the FF05DISPC1 when there are clearly better-performing models from other brands on the market right now.
Things We Like
- Removable splash guard
- Decent capacity
- Stainless steel grind components
- Noise cancellation padding
- Affordable
Things We Don’t Like
- No external unjam mechanics
- Jammed impellers during testing
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP is a presentable garbage disposal, boasting a sleek and thick plastic protective case. The disposal’s body framework is quite impressive for a budget low-power model. Although it was quite a fresh name on the market, everything about the grinder up until testing suggested attention to detail and quality workmanship.
Key Specs
Where to Buy Price at publication $82.61
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Compared to Other Garbage Disposals
3.1 Performance
Contradicting our expectations, the results collected from testing the Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP were not encouraging at all. In the final turn of evaluation, the disposal only passed one out of the three evaluation tests. It failed the two more difficult tests, which was somewhat expected from the likes of small garbage disposals. Fortunately, the data was useful in helping pinpoint where the disposal’s functionality should lie.
6.2 Scrap Mix
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 garbage disposal did a good job of breaking down all kinds of scraps into tiny pieces, leaving only a negligible amount of materials in the chamber. With an efficiency rate of more than 99%, the disposal would score a lot higher in this test if it could manage finer output. The leftovers also showed that fish bones remained intact while chicken bones were crushed.
Failed Raw Fish Scraps
It was no surprise that the FF05DISPC1 couldn't handle raw fish leftovers. The test is particularly difficult, and we’ve seen more advanced and powerful models have struggled with it in the past. The disposal and its basic features are not designed to handle difficult materials such as slimy fish skin and flexible bones.
Failed Raw Chicken Scraps
The FF05DISPC1 couldn’t even break down all the bony parts, let alone the cartilage and fatty skin. The disposal simply wasn’t capable of bringing the input materials down to a safe amount. All it could do was strip off some of the residual meat on the bones.
8.1 Design
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP features a sleek-looking body that feels rigid and closely fitted. The protective casing is made of strong plastic that has a thickness to it. Underneath, there’s a layer of acoustic foam to treat loud noises.
The disposal also offers long-lasting grinding components in the chamber and a motor that delivers high speeds. But after performance evaluation, the motor turned out much less capable than we’d initially thought, and much slower compared to similar models, too.
In the Box
- Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP Food Waste Disposer
- 3-Bolt mount assembly
- Stopper
- Discharge tube
- Flange and bolts
- Documentation
- (Pre-installed) power cord
The disposer comes with its mounting assembly on top. The box includes the usual accessories for garbage disposals, mainly for the outlet setup. All information is available in English, French, and Spanish.
Dimensions
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 is a highly compact unit that should fit in cabinets of all sizes. It’s one of the smallest models we’ve tested. The disposer is also very lightweight and should only add minimal burden to the sink.
Mount Assembly
- Stopper
- Sink flange
- Cushion mount
- Fiber gasket
- Removable splash guard
- Lower mount ring
- Mount ring
- Backup flange
- Snap ring
If you're replacing another 3-bolt garbage disposal, the Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP should be easy to install. However, if this is your first time with a 3-bolt mounting set, taking it apart may seem intimidating, particularly when it comes to the snap ring mechanism. Because of this, make sure to take some time to familiarize yourself with the assembly and refer to the manual instructions for helpful information.
Power Cord
The disposal comes with a pre-installed cord, which is convenient if you have a power supply in the sink cabinet. If you want to hardwire the unit, you must manually remove the power cord.
Accessories: Discharge Set
A standard 1.5-inch elbow pipe, a rubber gasket, and a kit of flange and bolts complete the discharge set of the Frigidaire FF05DISPC1. The bolts have Phillip drives and hex heads.
7.5 Grind Chamber
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP enjoys a comfortable grinding chamber for its power range. The grinding assembly inside is a modest set with basic details. Compared to regular permanent magnet disposals, the design of the parts here is a little different: There are fewer cut-out holes on the flywheel and the impellers are fitted a bit too high as the gap beneath is enough for food particles to get stuck under, especially bones.
8.0 Motor
On paper, the Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP’s motor is supposed to be as fast as the GE Disposall Green. But in reality, when we measured the speed of the spinning flywheel, the Frigidaire was roughly 20% slower. Although this could mean better torque, through performance evaluation, apparently there isn’t any compensation towards that, either.
8.5 Build Quality
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 is a garbage disposal with good workmanship, providing a sturdy and reliable feeling throughout. The body is made of high-quality plastic reinforced with a strong structure, while a layer of acoustic foam wraps around the grinder's core to reduce noise levels.
7.8 Usability
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 1/2 HP is a very restricted food disposer unit. Sure it can handle common food scraps quite well, but the impellers are easily lodged when there are hard food bits (such as bones). It has happened more than once since we started testing the disposer. Not to mention the fact that the disposer is not very strong.
8.0 Ease of Use
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 can handle a handful of foods except for harder ones like fish or chicken bones, even when cooked. Avocado pits and other fruits and vegetable discards won't be too much of a problem, as long as the amounts are reasonable. The chamber can be too narrow for long pieces of scraps like veggie stems or stalk vegetables.
9.5 Installation
The disposer is fairly easy to install given that you already have a 3-bolt mounting assembly. Its compact size and minimal weight shouldn’t give you any trouble, even in tight spaces.
On a side note, if you do use the assembly that comes with the FF05DISPC1, be careful not to bend the details on the lower mounting ring when you lock the disposal in place. The material that makes the pieces of this particular set is noticeably more bendable than other sets that we’ve worked with.
(tips: *For safety reasons, you should ALWAYS set up to control your garbage disposal via a dedicated switch with a clear “Off” position.)
7.0 Smooth Operation
The Frigidaire FF05DISPC1 has not been giving us the most consistent performance. Aside from the fact that it’s a small unit, the disposal’s grinding power and the design of its grinding chamber have failed to deliver usable data several times. However, if you pick your battle, the disposal can still be utilized to a certain extent.
0.0 Unjam Mechanics
If jamming happens, you can use a stick to rotate the flywheel through the sink collar.
Behind the review
Be Nguyen is a writer and product reviewer. Being naturally curious about technology and its real-world applications, Be spent several years in university studying engineering before joining the team at HealthyKitchen101 where he disassembles, tests, and rates household appliances.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
Nguyen Ntk is a graphic designer, photographer, and videographer whose philosophy centers around respecting and celebrating the beauty of reality. Through his lenses, Nguyen strives to capture the true essence of objects and events, showcasing and highlighting authentic features without distortion or exaggeration.