Talk me out of a garbage disposal

[Goodheart]

Bought an older house that doesn't have the receptacle nor switch to hook up a disposal under the kitchen sink. Getting new countertops so this would be the time to rewire.... don't know if I really want to, though. Have always had a disposal in my previous houses... but will I really miss it?

[Lonestarblue]

1. Since you're getting new countertops, get a disposal.

Think about resale value eventually. You can still compost if that’s what you do, but a disposal comes in handy.

[Freddie]

28. If you plan to sell the house someday

People expect to have one. We didn’t have one in our previous house and I got used to having one in no time. Wouldn’t want to be without it now.

[Ocelot II]

2. Get out of it right now, before someone switches it on!

But srsly, if you're used to having one you might miss it if you don't install one now, as long as you're remodeling anyhow. I like having one to get rid of the little bits of gunk that might otherwise clog the sink, but I don't use it to grind up big chinks since I compost most of that stuff.

[quaint]

3. I never intentionally drop stuff in mine, but when I do...

[Lochloosa]

8. We use Stainless steel mesh screens to avoid that.

Juvale 4-Pack Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink Drain Strainer, Mesh Screen Drainer and Hair Catcher for Bathroom (4.3", 2.8" and 2.1&quot https://a.co/d/goBNNml

[Polly Hennessey]

21. Me too.

[quaint]

24. Thanks!

[marble falls]

4. Composting works well and I do it on the back deck. No smell and no buying fertilizer.

[onethatcares]

25. and you can get a stainless steel bowl and lid

of the size you need at a thrift store with a name that rhymes with goodwill for under $5.00. get a glass top lid so you can see how full it is at all times

y

[Lochloosa]

5. We rarely use ours. I wouldn't miss it if there wasn't one there.

We bought mesh drain screens so there's really no need for it.

[demosincebirth]

9. They're nice to have, though.

[Lochloosa]

13. I've changed mine twice. It's not fun for this old man to be up under a sink, inside a cabinet.

[demosincebirth]

6. I wouldn't have a house without one. I remember when

there weren’t any disposals.

[coprolite]

7. If you have a septic system and leach field

I would avoid a garbage disposal. If you are on city sewer go for it.

[Goodheart]

12. It's city sewer

The wiring I can do myself. It's just breaking up the wall board that bothers me. I can do that, too, but I absolutely hate working with joint compound and all that dust.

[getagrip_already]

17. If you are putting in new counters, new backsplashes are nice touches

They can add some flare without much expense. They also cover up holes in the plaster.

[onethatcares]

27. make square cuts if you're going to do it.

put the switch on the counter top, that's the new way, . Hell, they probably make disposal installation kits with every thing you need. Google it.

I played "handyman" for the last 10 years of my working life. Lowes has a spring/chain thingy that holds the disposal up and saves a lot of swearing while you put the disposal in place. Or you can buy my disposal jack that raises it to sink drain height but I think that's not economically feasible.

what's electrical code say? do you have to encase any wiring in metal from inside wall to the switch to the disposal? Some places don't allow romex in those areas

[hunter]

29. Newer permanent magnet "slim" disposals don't weigh nearly as much as the old ones did.

I had no trouble installing the new disposal at my in-law's house. Getting the old monster out was the most difficult part of the job. (Nope, I couldn't convince them they didn't need one...)

[getagrip_already]

15. We have septic and a disposal...

But we are really careful what goes in it. Nothing fatty. No meats, greases, oils.

Coffee grounds, some small food scraps from plates - stuff that would have been rinsed off anyway. We do compost, but we only put uncooked veggies in that.

It's handy, and in 32 years we have never had an issue with our tank or leach field.

[Arne]

10. There are nice looking waste buckets that sit next to the sink.

We just use a bowl, and put everything organic in it.
It goes outside to a large bin and creates really dark rich soil.

The only time I turn on the sink disposer is when it smells bad.

[jimfields33]

11. You are remodeling. Get a garbage disposal.

They are a lifesaver as you know. I think you’ll regret it later if you don’t.

[Jirel]

14. Can't talk you out of a good idea.

Seriously, you are right in wanting to put one in. There are so many good reasons, and if you don’t, the next time you jam things up you’ll be kicking yourself.You’ll be buying different designs of drain screens, soak tubs, etc. until you’re just hating all of them.

[anciano]

16. Mesh sink traps are much cheaper

and will never need repair or cause water damage under your sink. Just a thought....

[CrispyQ]

18. I would get it.

I grew up without one & wouldn't want to go back. My first apartment had one & I loved it. I clear the fridge out on trash day from habit, but the disposal is nice for small stuff or stuff that isn't quite liquid.

[hunter]

19. Ours quit working many years ago.

We were facing mountains of medical bills at the time so I replaced it with a simple drain, which was about $8.00 in parts.

I'm happy it's gone!

Before we got rid of the disposal we'd occasionally have clogged drains, and not just in the kitchen. It hasn't happened since. That ground up crud from the disposer can accumulate in the pipes.

My wife and I compost all our food waste. That's not much of a problem because my wife is vegetarian-approaching-vegan and I'm mostly vegetarian. What food waste isn't suitable for the dogs goes into the compost. (Safely composting meat is possible, but complicated.)

If I was remodeling my kitchen and modernizing the electrical wiring, sure, I'd make provisions for a garbage disposal, but I wouldn't install one.

[Diamond_Dog]

20. I have lived in places where I had one and where I didn't have one.

Right now we don’t have one and I don’t miss it at all. They’re more trouble than they’re worth, IMO.

[SWBTATTReg]

22. I don't miss it one bit. I had one at the old house (a garbage d.), and when we moved into our newer place 1 mile

away, we did remodel / put in a new kitchen, but didn't put a garbage disposal. and w/ 3 dogs, no issues in getting rid of leftovers, but I also just didn't think it was a very effective way of getting rid of waste like that, cramming it down the disposal, etc.

Haven't missed it one bit.

[Phoenix61]

23. I despise them. I've always had a small kitchen and they

take up valuable cabinet space.

[walkingman]

26. We use a compost pile and the compost comes in handy. Not for everyone but

we live on acreage and have a garden every year.

[Bristlecone]

30. I would get it

And consider the countertop button for on/off. It works great.

Example:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Akicon-Brushed-Nickel-Garbage-Disposal-Kitchen-Air-Switch-Kit-AK79001B-BN/326314491

[Goodheart]

35. Didn't even know they made such a thing.

Today I put a switch in the wall. Actually put in one of those switch/receptacle combos. So I can also plug in an appliance if need be.

[Laffy Kat]

31. No. Disposals are awesome.

I use mine constantly.

[ailsagirl]

32. I once rented a duplex that did not have a garbage disposal

At the time I thought big deal-- I can handle doing by hand what the disposal would do and I took the place.

Turns out it was a pain in the neck-- I didn't realize what a hassle not having one would be!

But that's just me.

Good luck!

[FakeNoose]

33. I've lived without a garbage disposal for almost 30 years, don't miss it a bit

If you do a lot of cooking, maybe you feel uncomfortable creating more food waste? I don't know. For me it was never a problem. Now that I'm retired I do cook meals more often because I have the time. But I still don't miss having a garbage disposal. My Mom always had one.

If you think that having one installed will increase the resale value of your house, then you should do it.

[Goodheart]

34. I actually spent the day tearing into the wall and wiring up the space for a disposal

Now that the wiring's done I feel OK about having one, but if I had known how much work it would be (took me most of the day) I don't think I would have done it. Let's just say there were surprise boards behind the wall, making it much more difficult to route the wire than I had anticipated. Now I'm left with more drywall work than I had planned.

Although I've never gotten a lot of use out of a disposal what decided it for me was the fact that the dishwasher empties into it..... and in the past there have been times when I guess I didn't scrape the dishes as well as I should have and the sink got a little clogged from dishwasher food effluent... the disposal whisks that right away.

It's been an interesting thread.... looks like nobody actually needs one but a slight majority votes to install.

[FakeNoose]

36. Yes the dishwasher effluent does make a difference

Those hoses can clog if there isn't an efficient way to keep the garbage moving.

[dembotoz]

37. just something else to clog up the pipes

[Kali]

38. I would rather spend the money on something else

but I compost and have chickens, so all that gunk is actually valuable material to me.