A garbage disposal in the sink makes food preparation and kitchen cleanup a lot easier. It keeps food scraps out of the trash, and that cuts down on odors. The big decision is which disposer is best for your home? Let’s look at two of the top models to help you choose.
Waste King L-8000 Legend Series 1.0-Horsepower Continuous-Feed Garbage Disposal
The Waste King Legend L-8000 has a powerful 1Hp motor that pulverizesfood scraps quickly. It can handle whole potatoes as well as chicken bones, so you don’t need to spend a lot of time sorting garbage.
The stainless steel impellers grind garbage into a fine paste at a top speed of 2800rpm. While it’s working, the splash guard keeps refuse from burping up into your sink. Meanwhile, the sound insulation silences the disposal’s operation until you can barely hear it. Only the InSinkErator described below might be quieter.
One advantage the Waste King L-8000 has over the InSinkErator Evolution Excel is its smaller size and weight. The Waste King weighs only 14.8 pounds and measures 9 by 9 by 14.2 inches. That’s about 11 pounds lighter and 3 inches smaller than the InSinkErator. That makes a lot easier to install under sinks without a lot of space.
The L-8000 comes with hardware to install it in most common kitchen sinks. This includes both a drain elbow and gasket. Waste King offers a lifetime warranty against corrosion and not just defective parts.
More features of the Waste King L-8000 garbage disposal:
- In-home replacement of defective parts at any time during the lifetime of the original purchaser
- Waste King suggests having these tools on hand for installation of the L-8000: Phillips and flat blade screwdrivers, pipe wrench, hacksaw, plumber’s putty, hammer, steel punch, a connector kit for a dishwasher, and strain relief clamp
- Runs off normal household current 115V, draws 7Amps
- Comes with a power cord
InSinkErator Evolution Excel 1.0 HP Household Garbage Disposer
While it’s heavier and larger than the Waste King L-8000, this Evolution Excel from InSinkErator may have the edge when it comes to quiet operation. It’s practically silent as it works.
One of the reasons the InSinkErator is larger is its 40-ounce grind chamber. The 1Hp motor drives three grind stages to make fine paste out of scraps. It works at 1725rpm, only a little more than half the speed of the Waste King. But like the Waste King, this disposer is safe to use with a septic system.
If the disposer starts to jam, it has a sensor that tells it to increase the power. If it gets too hot, it will shut down automatically to cool off. That means you can put peels, coffee grounds, small bones, apple cores, and more down the sink without worrying. There is a reset button on the bottom of the disposer if it trips a circuit breaker, and a reverse grind switch.
The Evolution Excel comes with a Quick Lock sink mount to allow you to install it without a lot of struggling. They say it’s possible to twist off the old disposal (if you had one) and twist on the new one.
In order to perform a new installation, you’ll want the following tools on hand: Phillips and flat blade screwdrivers, hammer, pliers, hacksaw, putty knife and plumber’s putty, and a cable connector. Based on user’s experiences, it may be easier to install the InSinkErator if you are replacing an older model.
More features of the InSinkErator Evolution Excel garbage disposer:
- 7-year in-home limited warranty
- Runs on typical household current, draws 10Amps
- Has a dishwasher inlet
- Does not come with a power cord, but does come with a Quick Lock sink mount, sink baffle, Jam-Buster wrench, anti-vibration tailpipe mount, clamp, and stainless steel sink stopper
Recommendation
Some people might think in-sink garbage disposers are all pretty much the same, but we know they are not. You can see there are some key differences between the Waste King L-8000 and the InSinkErator Evolution Excel.
If you have a small space under your sink, consider getting the Waste King L-8000. It’s about three inches smaller and 11 pounds lighter than the InSinkErator model. It also comes with all hardware needed for installation plus a power cord. Waste King also offers a lifetime warranty against corrosion.
If you want a slightly quieter disposer and have the space for it, consider getting the InSinkErator Evolution Excel. It doesn’t come with a power cord, but it does include other hardware for easy installation. The anti-jam sensor helps keep the disposal running without clogs.
Click here to purchase Waste King L-8000 on Amazon.com!
Click here to purchase InSinkErator Evolution Excel on Amazon.com!