Continuous-feed is most common and most convenient unless there is some compelling reason for batch-feed. "Septic Assist" is a stupid gimick IMHO. I and many friends have used conventional disposals with septic systems for more than 3 decades without a problem. Except for their bottom-end el-cheapo contractor-special models, either brand will serve you well. Look for all-stainless innards and 3/4hp or above.

The continuous feed has the gunky rubber throat and requires some sort of switch to turn it on. The batch does not have the gunky throat and turns on by pressing in the stopper; you can see into it clearly so there is little chance of grinding something by accident if you look first and there's no chance of it being turned on by accident. I have the Waste King 5000 batch.

If you do a search here you'll turn up more info.

Been around many, many disposals and haven't seen any with a "gunky throat" yet. Have seen just as many "accidents" with batch-feeders as continuous feeders. Very few with either, but they do happen.

Sanborn5 - I'll link below to a couple of threads that may help you. One major advantage of a batch feed disposal is that there is no need for a switch for it. So no switch to cut into your backsplash or countertop. The batch feed operates by its stopper--you push in the stopper to turn on the disposal, you pull out the stopper to turn off the disposal. When not in use, the stopper acts as any sink stopper.

Asolo - the issue with the "throat", which is actually the rubber flange on the continuous feed disposal, is that the flange covers the disposal's opening, and if something falls into the disposal, you need to reach your hand past it to fish the item out. The flange is rubber, and it is an unpleasant feeling to slide your wrist past it, as it is damp, and often clammy, no matter how clean you keep it. A batch feed has no rubber flange, and you can see clearly down into the disposal to fish something out.

I agree that you rarely, if ever, hear of accidents with disposals, but I don't know how you've "seen as many accidents with batch feeders", since it is impossible to run the batch feeder without its cover, and therefore impossible to have an accident with a batch feed disposal.

One thing to think about with a batch feed is the aesthetics of the stopper - a minor point. I have the Waste King batch feed 3/4 hp. It is a remarkable workhorse and comes with a 10-year warranty. I myself strongly prefer a batch feed, but that's just my personal choice. But the Waste King's stopper is hard black plastic. I wish the stopper were stainless steel to go with my stainless steel sink. I know the Kitchenaid batch feed stopper is stainless steel. If you feel that the stopper's looks are important, you may want to investigate about the Insinkerator's stopper. Insinkerator may offer a choice of different materials for its stoppers.

Thread about Disposal Differences

Long Thread "Now That I Have X" - page down to April 10 entry

Yeah, my dishwashing-dirty hands really care about that clammy, gunky flange . . .

If that's a problem, it's time to hire household help.

It is not IMPOSSIBLE to have an accident with a batch disposal. On my old batch disposal, the switch in the neck of the disposal broke in an on position so the cover no longer worked to turn it on and off. Fortunately, when they installed it, they also installed a switch for it in the cabinet under the sink. So until I got around to replacing the disposal, I turned it on and off without putting the cover on - I didn't have any accidents but it would have been possible just as with a continuous feed disposal. Never say never :-)

"...impossible to have an accident with a batch feed disposal."

By "accident", I was referring to some unintended object (spoon, etc.) being in the device when it's turned on. Friends with batch-feeds don't always inspect the load before operating, even though its easy to do. In that way, not much different than coninuous-feed. I believe you may have been referring to an injury-type accident.

Only saying most people prefer continuous-feed. I do. Batch-feeds work just fine also. No objection to them whatsoever.

I know this is heresy, but I didn't install a disposal in our new house after having one for 30+ years. Haven't missed it a bit! There's so much stuff you CAN'T feed into one anyway. I never liked having that dank, slop-lined cavern inches from food prep. I have a garbage/recycling pull-out next to the sink. In six years I think I have had to resort to T-bowl three times for disposal of something too large and too wet for the garbage.

To be fair, I have to say that I have no aspirations to being a chef, so do not have a ton of peelings, etc. in the first place. And, bowing to tradition, the wiring and switch are in place should a later owner of our house demand a disposal.

OP might do a test: Look at the amount of stuff you would and would not feed into a disposal over the course of a week.

As I said in one of the above-linked threads, my choice of a batch feed was a safety issue. Weissman, not only was your situation unusual (I've never heard of that happening), but we would need more info on how old was that disposal, and what quality it was. Can you provide that? The switch in the neck of my batch feed disposal is solid stainless steel and is a seamless part of the disposal, so I cannot see how it could fall off.

Waste King and Kitchenaid are offering 10 and 7 year warranty's respectively on their batch feed disposals. I would hope that should what Weissman has described happen to one of those disposals, you'd make use of the warranty. Waste King in particular offers an "In-home" warranty, which covers "all replacement parts and repair labor to correct defects in material and workmanship for the full term of the warranty from the date of purchase. If service is requested during the warranty period we will replace or repair the disposer in the customer's home at no charge."

Heimert - the flange clammy feeling is very different than just having "dishwashing-dirty" hands. It's also cause you can't see down as you slide your hand and wrist past the rubber into the continuous feed disposal. I can see no need to deal with that if another option, the batch feed, is available. And there is no switch needed in a backsplash or countertop to boot.

There's so much stuff you CAN'T feed into one anyway.

There are only two things that I do not put into my disposal -- the top of a fresh pineapple, and hard pits, like cherry pits. Everything else goes in. Everything.

Lime skins; other citrus skins and egg shells (they don't decompose well in septic); rutabega cores; hard pits; a few others.

I have encountered quite a few people who seem incapable of understanding how the device works. They stuff it full and turn it on before even running the water and then can't figure out why they keep having clogs. Seems not to matter how many times they have the experience or how many times they are instructed in proper use. They invariably complain about the poor quality of their disposal anyway.

If I had a larger household and bigger lot, I would definitely keep a compost pile and use the disposal far less than I do.

My disposal was an Insinkerator batch disposal - I don't think the switch actually broke off - I think it jammed in the on position. The disposal was probably about 15 years old at the time. I don't dispute that my case was an unusual situation, I was merely using it to refute the word "impossible" :-)

Regarding what can go in the disposal....My Waste King 3/4 hp batch feed disposal Instruction Manual says:

"Down the drain can go table scraps, peelings, rinds, seeds, pits, small bones and coffee grounds. To speed up food waste disposal, cur or break up large bones, rinds and cobs. Large bones and fibrous husks require considerable grinding time. Do not be alarmed that the disposer slows down while grinding. The disposer is actually increasing torque (grinding power) and is operating under normal conditions....The disposer will NOT grind items such as plastic, tin cans, bottle caps, glass, china, leather, cloth, rubber, string, clam and oyster shells, alumnium foil or feathers."

Since Waste King is pairing these instructions with a 10-year in-home warranty, they must be very confident of the power of their disposer.

Sanborn5 - just regarding your OP about the differences among the Insinkerator Evolution Essential and Excel and Cover Control. The Insinkerator Cover Control is the batch feed model. I am linking a thread below that discusses the differences among the other Insinkerator models that you may find informative.

P.S. and OT - Did you ever decide on that Wolf range? Did you go to the showroom?

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread about Insinkerator Disposal Models

yo, akchicago....

You put corn cobs and mango and avocado pits down there?

Yes to corncobs Asolo, no problem. I never buy mangoes or avocadoes so I have never tried putting their pits in the disposal. But the Instruction Manual says I can....

Sorry, you're right - corn cobs and lime skins don't go down the disposal either. But egg shells and banana peel and chicken bones sure do.

With septic system I try -- in principal -- to not put things down that I know don't decompose well even if the disposal handles it OK. That's my hangup about cobs, pits, egg shells, citrus and banana peels etc. Thoughout my life when looking at trash left out in the wilds, these are the things I see still there after even a looooong exposure to the elements. Maybe I've got it wrong.

Thoughout my life when looking at trash left out in the wilds, these are the things I see still there after even a looooong exposure to the elements. Maybe I've got it wrong.

Asolo, I ask this in all seriousness -- even if that corn cob isn't going into your septic system, it's going somewhere to live forever, isn't it? I'm just not sure why one is worse than the other.

Fair question. Maybe we should just keep all our own garbage at home. Every residence a mini-landfill all self-contained. And, actually, that's about what a septic tank is although even those must be pumped out from time-to-time and the contents taken somewhere else.

I suppose I'm like most folks this way. I know I generate garbage, but I like it to reside elsewhere. In a nation with 300 million people; on a planet with 6 billion people the question will become ever more significant. Hope the microbes can keep up!

You're right - we really need to stop using things that don't decompose, not just move them out of sight, out of mind

akchicago, I still have about a month before I need to order my appliances. I am leaning toward the DF/36" Wolf.
I really believe that the AG would be fine. But I like the look of the DF better and I guess I am just so use to an electric oven I am not sure I want to chance it. I did not make it to the showroom. Just been very busy and was quite sick thru the winter. But have gone to several appliance stores and most of them pushed the DF especially for the simmer capacity. I didn't want to get the AG and then second guess myself. I am also going with the Vent-a-hood Noveau Pro-style, Jenn-air Fridge FD/SS reg depth and recessing the wall to have a built in look, the Bosch DW/panel - GE-JEM31 microwave will sit in a cabinet on a shelf,and the Bosch NEXXT 500 washer and dryer. Now I just have to make up my mind on the Garbage Disposal. This garden web site is so helpful.

Like chisue, if I were doing it again I would not bother with a disposal. I'm consoled by the fact that my appliance dealer threw it in with my appliance order (of things that couldn't be discounted) and I installed it myself so it didn't cost me anything. In NYC they were only recently legalized so I had limited experience.

After the initial novelty wore off (for me and my guests) I didn't see the point in taking any risk of blocking my pipes when I was throwing the garbage frequently anyway and it is picked up at the curb twice a week - a service I pay for in my NYC taxes.

I have the same instructions (same disposal) as akchicago. It takes a lot less time to toss those things in the garbage than to grind them up.

Money well spent is the Tapmaster on the same sink.

That's the first time that I've heard that lime & citrus rinds are a no-no. I've never had a problem & they make the sink smell good. Plus, I thought they were a good degreaser for the drains.

I don't use my disposal a whole lot, but last night I dumped a container of left-over homemeade vegetable soup down the disposal, and I was glad to have that disposal. The container had been long-forgotten in the back of the fridge and the contents were slightly fuzzy and definitely slimy.

Better the disposal than into the trash can. ;-)

That's my feeling on the subject also. I have never had one before, but I use my daughters and daughter-in-laws at their houses. I am sooo sick of crap in my sink, that I have to dig out, like peelings, or my husband dumping things in the sink that have partial liquid so it won't leak in the trash. I am of the old school so I am sure I will still use my trash for other things I might not want to put down. I still rinse my dishes almost clean before I load the D/W. I watch my daughter and daughter-in-law load theirs without even rinsing. So I really like the idea of a GD to scrape in and then a quick rinse for the D/W.

antiquesilver, I wouldn't call lime rinds a "no-no", just that I find they don't grind up well. I agree and put lemon and orange rinds down for the smell.

FYI - anyone interested in batch feed disposals, Ira Wood is having a special on the Insinkerator 3/4 one ($219.00)

Here's another no no: Artichoke debris!! definitely a no no.
We had a waste king from good old HD. I was in the habit of putting everything down: lemons-, whatever (within reason...) and one evening I really learned the hard way about the artichoke parts. Clogged the sink drain somewhere downstream too.

Now I'm looking for a new disposal monster. Is it true that costco sells good ones? I'd prefer a "continuous" version. Suggestions on model?

thanks!

I put lime peels down as long as other easier to grind items are with them

We've had only Insinkerator batch feeds for 30 years. I feel much safer with the cover - nobody can turn on a switch by mistake. BUT - no artichoke leaves or mussel shells. Ask me how I know.

Has anyone used the air switch type controls for disposals? How is it compared to the cover control or wall switch control?

When you have a sink with one large bowl and one shallow small bowl, is it better to install the garbage disposal in the big or small bowl?

Eleeny, also check the Kitchens forum. Many folks have air switches, and it does not affect how the disposal runs at all. It's perfect for am island sink or one under a counter-length window, where there is no place for a wall switch.

We have our disposal in the 3/4 side of the sink, that's where I do most rinsing.

Again, check the kitchens forum and try a search there (use search function at the BOTTOM of the page, not the one at the top) because there have been a number of threads on the subjects with excellent responses.

So, I am the one who started this thread. This is what I ended up getting. The insinkerator evolution, essential.
I did get the air switch, because DH was going to put the switch inside my cabinet and I did not want to open the door, bend down and flip the switch on. I want to see my disposal as things go down. Now my new decision is where to put the airswitch hole. I have the 1 3/4 sink. The disposal is going on the right side of the sink where the 3/4 sink is. I have a faucet, a faucet control, and the sprayer. I want all three on the right over my 3/4 sink. I thought I might put the air switch on the left corner of the large sink where some people put their soap disp, or HW disp. Does anyone know if the wires will reach that far or should I put it with the other three items. I just thought the right side would look a little cluttered.

FYI: Kenmore disposals are made by Insinkerator. We got a larger motor for less cost (though with a shorter warranty)

Thanks!

Fairgolde and Sanborn5 - What is meant by 1 3/4 sink or "the 3/4 side of the sink"? (Sorry for my ignorance!)

My guess: a double sink where one side is smaller than the other.

"I want to see my disposal as things go down."

No you don't. You want a cover on it. Else everything is going to squirt up on the ceiling. Ask me how I know...

weedmeister "How do you know?"Ha (I just ment by that, I wanted to be in the standing position, not with my head bent to flip the switch. A 1 3/4 is just that. It is a double bowl sink with one side larger then the other.
My bowl on the left is approx 18 1/2" x 18 1/2" undermount interior and the sink on the right (where my garb disp will be) is approx 13 1/2" x 15". They come in larger and smaller sizes.

We spec to put a WK 3/4 hp cont feed in our remodel
a 1hp one arrived - when I called the appliance store to advise them of the wrong model - the salesperson said - the 1 hp has a lifetime warranty - we kept it!

Here is a link that might be useful: waste king

maybe a dumb question, but with a batch feed is there a switch on the wall, or is it triggered by closing the lid?
Thanks

The batch feed unit is triggered by the stopper. Our Insinkerator Evolution stopper is designed to be used 3 ways: pushed all the way down to hold water in the sink, twisted to either side to grind (with the water running), or set into the drain with the inner stopper up to allow water & small bits to drain.

Hoochie16 - please read Akchicago's post above (5th from the top) which describes it. But in short, no switch on wall or countertop, and turns on and off by pushing in/pulling out stopper.

No corn husks either. Ask me how I know. These days the disposal is just a convenience item to keep the sink draining properly as far as I'm concerned. As someone said earlier, it's easier just to toss the big stuff with the trash. What is a good disposal that will clear out dinner scraps (no bones or corn husks) or the occasional moldy, soupy leftovers?

This is a great thread!
I didn't know there was a garbage disposal that operated without the need for a wall or air switch. I don't want a GD (on a septic), but I'd like to provide for one if, in the future, someone else would want one. A batch feed solves the problem!