A garbage disposal (also called a disposer) is a great asset to any commercial kitchen. Garbage disposals cut labor costs by quickly removing waste that is difficult to dispose of and they save money on waste collection bills. Choosing the best garbage disposal for your business can seem like a daunting task at first, but it's simple if you follow the guidelines in our garbage disposal buying guide!
Garbage disposal size is determined by the horsepower rating. When deciding how to choose a garbage disposal, consider the foods you'll be disposing, the volume you'll be disposing, and compare that to the horsepower rating of your unit. If you're providing limited service and just grinding up fruits and vegetables, you should use a disposal in the 1 hp or less range. Cafeterias, butcher shops, or facilities that need to dispose large amounts of meat should use 5+ hp disposals. Most full service restaurants fall somewhere in the middle.
However, each manufacturer will have its own criteria to help you rate what size garbage disposal you need for your application and you should use that literature to finalize your decision.
There are a few key features that you may want to consider when buying a commercial garbage disposal:
The diagrams below show a few of the more popular disposer setups to help you envision how a new one might look in your kitchen! Dish rooms that do most of their pre-scrapping in a compartment sink will probably find it more helpful to install their disposer there. If you do most of your pre-scrapping at a soiled dish table or a sink with a drainboard, installing a scrapping cone will likely make more sense.
Also be aware that most manufacturers do not recommend connecting the drain on your disposer to a grease trap.
Disposals come with options to match pretty much any need, and if you aren't sure where to start our knowledgeable customer solutions team can help you find a solution that works for you!
Disposals offer a wide range of installation options whether you're doing a brand new installation or replacing an old unit with a new one, and you should read all product literature to make the right decisions.
When you're ready to order your brand new disposer, we make it easy for you to select these accessories through dropdown options right on the disposal pages. Most manufacturers offer a few core options, listed below.
And should any of these components break and you need a replacement, we offer a wide selection of disposal parts and accessories, too.
These may be needed to mount the main disposer unit. Scrapping cones (sometimes also called scrapping bowls or cone bowls) are typically used when you want to install the disposer under a dishtable or drainboard instead of a sink bowl. Collars are sometimes required depending on the setup.
In many cases, you can use some of the existing hardware from an old disposer to fit a new disposer to the sink / cone, but this will depend on the situation and this usually still requires the purchase of an adapter. The disposer pages will have literature explaining when you need one and how to choose the right one for your application.
Where you turn your unit off and on. Most minimalist control sets have an on/off switch and a reversing switch to change the grind direction, while more advanced options give features like automatic reversing, water saving modes, and adjustable run times.
A solenoid, or flow control valve, ensures that water flows into the disposer at the proper times. One is typically required for installation.
Used to prevent dirty water from backflowing into your potable water supply. Most local plumbing codes will require one.
These tips will help you fix and prevent some common problems, in addition to answering common care questions like how to clean a garbage disposal.
As with any equipment, though, your owner's manual is the definitive source on how to care for and maintain it, and you should defer to those recommendations.
Commercial disposals can power through most foods, but generally they won't work well with these and similar items:
Small, hard items like metal bottlecaps, or scraps of china and glass can be flung from the disposer at high speed, creating the potential for injury. Pliable items like fish skins and corn husks can put extra strain on the motor and cause it to wear out prematurely. Grease and oil can accumulate and clog the drain.
It is very important to read your unit’s warranty and user manual documents closely to find out what you can put in a garbage disposal, since processing items that the disposer is not equipped to handle may result in a void warranty and costly repair bills.
Garbage disposals offer a number of benefits for commercial applications, but it's very important to educate yourself before you buy and understand what these machines do and what they don't do.
Water – In general you can expect smaller units (2 hp and less) to utilize around 5 gpm, and larger units (3 hp and over) to utilize around 8 gpm. Exact usage figures will vary, so check the literature for your specific model number.
Electricity – High-wattage units will cost more to operate than low-wattage units, and running the unit more frequently will also increase operating costs. Some examples of run costs are given below, based on the national average electricity rate of $0.12 per kilowatt-hour. This equation can be used to get a more accurate figure for potential run costs at your application:
["Average Kilowatts / Hour" Figures] X [Your Electric Rates (in Kilowatt-Hours)] X [Hours Per Day]
Average Kilowatts / Hour: 0.8 - 1.2
Daily Run Costs ($0.12 per Kilowatt-Hour)
1 Hour: $0.10 - $0.14
2 Hours: $0.19 - $0.29
3 Hours: $0.29 - $0.43
Average Kilowatts / Hour: 1.2 - 1.6
Daily Run Costs ($0.12 per Kilowatt-Hour)
1 Hour: $0.14 - $0.19
2 Hours: $0.29 - $0.38
3 Hours: $0.43 - $0.58
Average Kilowatts / Hour: 2.0 - 2.4
Daily Run Costs ($0.12 per Kilowatt-Hour)
1 Hour: $0.24 - $0.28
2 Hours: $0.48 - $0.58
3 Hours: $0.72 - $0.86
If your area has restrictions on disposal use, there are other options that offer many of the same benefits. Always check your area’s regulations to see what is permitted.