How to Choose The Right Garbage Disposal For Your Commercial Kitchen

What Is a Garbage Disposal?

Garbage disposals are installed near food waste areas, like kitchen sinks, and are designed to shred food scraps into small pieces. The food debris is then flushed down the drain with water. Think about how much food waste you produce in a day and how heavy your kitchen garbage bags are at the end of the shift. Now imagine all your food waste being magically whisked away without any employee labor involved. A garbage disposal can make your waste management process easier and less expensive.

Commercial garbage disposals are typically more powerful and durable than residential models because they are designed to handle larger quantities of food waste on a daily basis. They are often made of heavy-duty materials such as stainless steel to withstand the rigors of a busy kitchen environment.

What Happens to the Food Waste?

Once food waste goes down a garbage disposal, it is ground up into tiny particles by the impellers and shredders inside the unit. These small particles are then mixed with water to create a slurry, which is then flushed down the drain and into the municipal sewage system.

From there, the food waste travels to a wastewater treatment plant where it undergoes a treatment process. During this process, the solid waste is separated from the water through filtration and settling. The remaining liquid is treated to remove impurities before being released back into the environment.

Disposer or Disposal?

You'll sometimes see garbage disposals referred to as "disposers". This is just another name for the same machine. Some manfacturers, like InSinkerator, use this terminology to market their products.

Benefits of Garbage Disposables

Garbage disposals offer a range of benefits that can streamline operations and enhance efficiency. Here are some key advantages of incorporating a garbage disposal into your restaurant kitchen:

• Efficient Waste Management: Garbage disposals manage food waste by breaking down organic materials into smaller particles that can easily flow through the plumbing system. This reduces the amount of solid waste that needs to be disposed of, minimizing the risk of clogs and odors in the kitchen.
• Time and Labor Savings: By eliminating the need to manually scrape plates and separate food waste, garbage disposals save valuable time and labor cost. This allows employees to focus on other important tasks, ultimately increasing productivity in the kitchen.
• Improved Hygiene: Removing food waste through a garbage disposal can help maintain a cleaner and more sanitary kitchen environment. With fewer food scraps lingering in trash bins or on dishes, the risk of attracting pests and bacteria is reduced, promoting a healthier workspace for your staff.
• Environmental Benefits: Garbage disposals can contribute to more sustainable waste management practices by diverting food scraps from landfills. Organic waste sent to landfills can produce harmful greenhouse gases, but using a garbage disposal to grind up food waste allows for easier composting or wastewater treatment, reducing the environmental impact.
• Cost Savings: Investing in a quality garbage disposal can lead to long-term cost savings by reducing the frequency of plumbing repairs and maintenance associated with clogs caused by food waste.

What Size Garbage Disposal Do I Need?

The size and capacity of the garbage disposal unit (rated by horsepower) should align with the type and amount of food waste your establishment generates on a daily basis. Larger kitchens with higher volumes of food waste will require a disposal unit with higher horsepower. Establishments that provide limited service and only grind up light waste like fruits and vegetables can rely on a garbage disposal with a lower horsepower.

Please Note: Always refer to the disposal manufacturer to determine what size garbage disposal is appropriate for your application. Every disposal brand outlines its own specific criteria for horsepower ratings. Use our information below as a general guideline only:

1. Light-Duty Garbage Disposals

Light-duty garbage disposals, typically ranging from 1/2 hp to 2 horsepower, are ideal for small businesses or establishments with minimal food waste production. These disposals are best suited for cafes, juice bars, snack shops, or break rooms where the volume of food scraps is relatively low and the type of waste is easily broken down.

These garbage disposals are designed to handle light food waste loads such as fruit peels, vegetable scraps, and small amounts of soft food waste. They are not recommended for heavy-duty use or for disposing of tougher materials like bones, shells, or hard pits.

Use this as a general guide when selecting a light-duty garbage disposal:

• High Volume: 2+ hp
• Medium Volume: 1 to 2 hp
• Low Volume: 1/2 to 1 hp

2. Medium-Duty Garbage Disposals

Most full-service restaurants fall into the medium-duty range, which requires a garbage disposal with around 2 to 5 horsepower depending on the volume of waste. Medium-duty garbage disposals can effectively process food scraps such as fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and some cooked meat. These units are also capable of handling small amounts of tougher scraps like small bones and fibrous vegetables, making them a practical choice for busy kitchens.

While these units are more powerful than light-duty disposals, they may not be suitable for heavy-duty applications or disposing of large quantities of hard or dense materials. If you operate a steakhouse or seafood restaurant where large quantities of meat scraps are produced, you'll want to consider sizing up to a heavy-duty unit. The same goes for extremely high-volume operations like buffets.

Use this as a general guide when selecting a medium-duty garbage disposal:

• High Volume: 5+ hp
• Medium Volume: 3 to 5 hp
• Low Volume: 2 to 3 hp

3. Heavy-Duty Garbage Disposals

Heavy-duty garbage disposals typically range from 3 to 10 horsepower, making them capable of handling a wide variety of food waste. From vegetable peels and fruit scraps to meat trimmings and small bones, a heavy-duty garbage disposal can easily grind and dispose of these tough food scraps without clogging or jamming. The powerful motor of a heavy-duty unit ensures that even the toughest scraps are processed quickly and efficiently, reducing the risk of any blockages in your kitchen's plumbing system.

With a heavy-duty garbage disposal, you can confidently dispose of a range of food waste, including hard-to-process items like fruit pits, corn cobs, and small bones. This versatility makes heavy-duty disposals a valuable asset in busy commercial kitchens where food waste disposal is a constant concern.

Use this as a general guide when selecting a heavy-duty garbage disposal:

• High Volume: 5 to 10 hp
• Medium Volume: 3 to 10 hp
• Low Volume: 3 to 5 hp

Garbage Disposal Horsepower Chart

To narrow down the right horsepower for your business, you should compare the type of waste being produced with the volume of your operation. Even a cafe with a limited menu of soups and salads may need a higher horsepower garbage disposal if they serve large volumes of customers in a day. Use this chart as a guide:

Where to Install a Garbage Disposal

When it comes to installing a commercial garbage disposal, choosing the right location can improve efficiency and convenience. Here are two popular setups for installing your commercial garbage disposal:

• Sink Installation: One common location for a commercial garbage disposal is under a three-compartment sink. This placement is convenient because it allows for easy disposal of food scraps during the cleaning process. The sink drain funnels debris into the garbage disposal where it is broken down.
• Dish Table Installation: If you do most of your food scrapping at a dish table or scrapping table, you can install a scrapping cone and disposal directly onto the table. Instead of collecting food debris in a sink basin and flushing it down the disposal, the scraps are collected in a dedicated location and funneled down the scrapping cone.

Sink Installation Diagram

This diagram shows the typical installation setup for an undercounter garbage disposal:

Dish Table Installation Diagram

In this diagram, there is no sink. The food scraps are deposited into a scrapping cone which funnels them into the disposal: