Moen GX100C 1 HP Garbage Disposal In-depth Review
People at Moen are veterans in making plumbing fixtures. The brand has been around for a long time and its products have always been favorable to the masses. Moen’s garbage disposals still have much to prove, but in recent years, it has been off to a great start.
Overall Verdict
The Moen Chef Series GX100C 1 HP Garbage Disposal offers top-notch craftsmanship and satisfactory grinding capability. It runs on a permanent magnet motor that rarely jams and uses strong and durable materials for its grinding components.
The disposal is not the best among the 1-horsepower units we’ve tested; it’s not exactly space-saving and isn’t as strong as the others. For what it costs, we think there are several in-sink grinders more capable of grinding scraps down. But the disposal can deal with normal kitchen scraps with relative ease, and if not abused, it will work for a long time.
Things We Like
- High-speed motor
- Stainless steel grinding components
- Clean Rinse splash guard
- Noise reduction
Things We Don’t Like
- Can be loud
- Space-consuming
Similar to other models in the GX series, the GX100C looks modern and well-made. Every detail, from the mounting assembly to the protective casing, feels strong and securely fitted. The disposal has a space-saving design, but its build occupies more vertical space than most units we’ve tested.
Compared to other popular models, which are often more than a decade old, this Moen garbage disposal is relatively young and hasn’t had much of a crowd yet. From its specs alone, it appears quite a bundle of joy; we’ll be looking more closely at its actual functionality in this review.
Key Specs
Where to Buy Price at publication $180.67
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Compared to Other Garbage Disposals
5.8 Performance
The disposal was competent against the usual food discards in the kitchen. In the tests, talks, peel, and stems, even hard fruit pits and cooked animal bones, were processed adequately. Only against the tough uncooked meat scraps that the GX100C failed to guarantee the quality of output.
The results showed that in overview, the GX100C was outperformed by several less capable units. It didn’t have a bad run, per se, but seeing its technical specifications and how it’s a 1-hp unit, we did expect the disposal to deliver more.
6.5 Scrap Mix
The GX100C was quick and strong dealing with 90 ounces of materials. In roughly 2 minutes and 30 seconds, everything in the input was pulverized thoroughly. The disposal left 0.23 ounces worth of shredded scraps behind (mostly shredded pieces of fish cartilage), which means it successfully processed more than 99% of what went in.
This showed that the garbage disposal should be of help in cleaning up discards and leftovers from normal foods. These foods include vegetables, fruits, and cooked meat scraps.
5.1 Raw Fish Scraps
The Moen GX100C struggled to deal with raw fish scraps. Because it was a 1-hp unit, we had anticipated better results. The disposal managed to break down a lot of the input, but chunks of vertebrae alongside shredded pieces of fish skin remained after the 3-minute mark.
With almost 9% of the input materials remaining in the chamber, we considered this a failed attempt.
5.2 Raw Chicken Scraps
With more than 1.5% of the input left in the chamber to process, the GX100C basically failed the test. However, the disposal did break down all of the boney parts, leaving behind only shredded bits of cartilage among fatty and slippery soft tissues, which were challenging to every single model we had in our lineup.
Cooked bones in the Scrap Mix test were completely broken down as well. So it’s fair to say that the GX100C only had issues with spongy and tricky materials.
9.3 Design
From the outside, the Moen GX100C Chef Series looks like the GX50C but with an extended body. Besides its strong appearance, the GX100C offers a thick protective case, a durable grinding assembly, and a powerful motor.
Everything does add to the total burden of the setup, but there should be no problems as long as your counter and sink are sturdy. The disposal comes pre-corded like the others in the series and a sink baffle with an interesting and innovative design.
In the Box
- Moen Chef Series GX100C 1 HP Garbage Disposal
- 3-Bolt Mount assembly
- Removable Clean Rinse splash guard
- Stopper
- Elbow discharge tube
- Rubber gasket
- Flange and bolts
- Pre-installed power cord
- Documentation
Moen products come in nice-looking boxes, and the GX100C garbage disposal does too. Inside, you’ll find the regular content that is essential for the complete setup. All text in the installation guide and the registration slip is in English, French, and Spanish.
Dimensions
The Moen GX100C is quite bulky; there’s no word around it. Although the disposal has the space-saving cuts to the sides of the body just like the GX75C and the GX50C, its deep bottom still takes up some room.
However, this is mainly because of the size of its 1-horsepower permanent magnet motor. It’s also the main reason why the disposal is as heavy as it is, albeit not the heaviest we’ve tested yet.
Mount Assembly
- Backup flange
- Mounting ring
- Snap ring
- Fiber gasket
- Stopper
- Cushion mount
- Sink flange
- Removable splash guard
- Lower mounting ring
Garbage disposals in the Moen GX Series are all 3-bolt compatible so it’s most convenient to switch from something of the same mounting system. Compared to the EZ mount, 3-bolt provides stronger connections for heavier units, though they can be challenging to install if you’re not used to its mechanics.
The GX100C’s sink splash guard—called the Clean Rinse baffle—has a unique and innovative design. It helps divide the water stream into smaller streams entering the grinding chamber. This way, water is splashed about more evenly, cleaning the chamber with higher efficiency.
Power Cord
The Moen GX100C 1 HP Garbage Disposal comes with a pre-installed power cord with a type B plug.
Accessories: Discharge Set
The discharge set consists of a standard 1.5-inch elbow pipe, a rubber gasket, a flange, and two Philip bolts; the bolts have hex heads that are 3/8 inches. Either a screwdriver or a wrench should work on them.
8.5 Grind Chamber
The Moen GX100C has a large yet typical chamber found in other permanent magnet garbage disposals of the same power range. The high holding capacity is suitable for large amounts of food and the extended depth accommodates long items more easily (like chicken bones or celery stalks).
The grinding assembly has all stainless steel parts, from the impellers to the grater ring. The rings have two levels of cutters and large teeth, different from 1/2-horsepower disposals which have only one level of cutters.
10 Motor
By employing a permanent magnet motor, the GX100C has a significantly low risk of jamming. These motors run fast, but they don’t run hot, which ultimately means that their effectiveness is optimized.
If you’re paying attention, the GX100C is supposed to be the fastest in the Moen GX Series. In practice, however, it spins slower than the GX50C which averaged 4300 revolutions per minute. This sounds worse than it is because it means that more power from the motor can be used for torque instead.
9.5 Build Quality
One thing about this Moen GX Series is that they’re all very well-made. Components are neatly fitted, in particular the protective body casing, and you can also tell that they pay attention to the aesthetics of the unit, as well.
The casing is made of quality materials and is reinforced with structural details underneath. There is also a layer of acoustic foam for noise treatment wrapped around the core machinery inside. Though to be honest, the effect is hardly noticeable.
8.1 Usability
If you have the space for it, the Moen GX100 Chef Series is an attractive alternative for strong garbage disposals. It offers high-quality craftsmanship alongside conveniences that improve aspects of the appliance.
Admittedly, the disposal’s results in performance evaluation didn’t yield to our expectations. For normal home kitchens with minimal meat scraps, though, it should provide adequate help with cleanup.
10 Ease of Use
Through our evaluation process, the disposal’s grind chamber suffices nicely even if the scraps come in large volumes (given there’s no raw meat involved). Because of the disposal’s grinding capacity, materials often go in continuously but don’t crowd the chamber. It’s only with raw meat scraps that the disposal struggles.
When there is much food waste to grind, the removable baffle is very useful. We also really enjoy the rubber that makes the piece; it’s the main reason why using the baffle is surprisingly satisfying to use.
6.0 Installation
Unless you’re handy or at least have experienced installing one of these units, we recommend hiring help. Because the disposal is rather heavy and large, it’s not the easiest thing to maneuver in the restricted space of the sink cabinet. You’re also risking injuries if you do it yourself. If you really want to, be careful with the metal details of the 3-bolt assembly and find something or someone to support the product’s weight.
(tips: *For safety reasons, you should ALWAYS set up to control your garbage disposal via a dedicated switch with a clear “Off” position.)
9.0 Smooth Operation
Despite its features on noise control, the GX100C Chef Series can be loud, especially when dealing with crunchy materials like bones or fruit pits or ice; the disposal also shakes and vibrates more violently. That said, with food scraps from produce like stalks or stems, the disposal runs like a dream.
0.0 Unjam Mechanics
The GX100C hardly ever jams. If it does, you should cut off the power supply and use a stick to rotate the flywheel inside the chamber.
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.