Garbage Disposal: Types & Differences
Two types of garbage disposals, including continuous-feed and batch-feed garbage disposals are available in the market.
In this guide, I am going to break down:
- What is a continuous-feed garbage disposal?
- What is a batch-feed garbage disposal?
- Differences between continuous and batch-feed garbage disposals
This guide will help you decide which type of garbage disposal you should choose to dispose of your kitchen food waste.
So, let’s dive in.
In This Article:
- What Are The Types of Garbage Disposal Unit Available In The Market?
- What Are The Differences Between Continuous and Batch Feed Garbage Disposals?
- How Do I Know Which Type of Garbage Disposal I Need?
- FAQs
- Conclusion
What Are The Types of Garbage Disposal Unit Available In The Market?
The two primary types of garbage disposals are continuous feed and batch feed garbage disposals.
Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal
A continuous-feed garbage disposal is a grinder that processes food waste continuously and flushes down the food waste through the sink to the sewer system.
Unlike batch-feed disposal, you don’t need to load food waste into the disposal unit and cover it before operating the system.
The continuous-feed garbage disposal has a switch. Once you flip that switch to the On position, it starts the grinding mechanism. Users like you can feed the food waste continuously while running the unit.
Continuous-feed disposals are a great choice for a home with large families. They can handle a large volume of food waste efficiently within a short time.
Batch Feed Garbage Disposal
Batch-feed garbage disposal is a type of food waste disposal that grinds and disposes of food waste in small batches.
Unlike continuous-feed disposal, it requires you (the user) to load the food waste into the unit and cover the unit before operation.
To operate the unit, you need to collect food waste first. Once you have enough food particles to process, put the stopper in the drain opening. Then, turn on your disposal unit to let it grind the food waste into small pieces.
Batch-feed garbage disposals are safer than continuous-feed garbage disposals. This unit won’t come on unless you put the cover in place securely, which will reduce the risk of accidental activation.
So, families with children can go for batch-feed garbage disposal.
However, the batch-feed garbage disposal can’t process large amounts of food particles at a time, and it’s slower than the continuous-feed disposal.
What Are The Differences Between Continuous and Batch Feed Garbage Disposals?
Here are the differences between continuous-feed and batch-feed garbage disposals:
Food Waste Processing Method
The main difference between a continuous-feed and a batch-feed garbage disposal is how each type of unit processes the food waste.
A continuous-feed disposal unit runs continuously to process a large volume of food particles once you turn on the unit. It means you can add food waste while operating the disposal.
On the other hand, batch-feed disposal requires you to add food waste into the unit and place the stopper securely in the drain opening. In short, the batch-feed garbage disposal grinds food waste in small batches.
You can use a continuous-feed garbage disposal for disposing of a large volume of food waste.
Conversely, the batch-feed garbage disposal will be suitable for processing small amounts of food waste.
Convenience
Ease of food waste disposal is another difference between continuous-feed and batch-feed garbage disposal.
When you process a large volume of food scraps, a continuous-feed disposal is more convenient than a batch-feed disposal.
As this unit operates continuously and you have the flexibility to add food waste while operating, you can efficiently dispose of large volumes of food particles.
On the other hand, batch-feed garbage disposal is a bit slower when processing a large volume of food waste. As it disposes of food particles in small batches, this unit takes time to process a large volume of food scraps.
Safety
Batch-feed garbage disposal is safer than continuous-feed garbage disposal.
You can only activate the batch-feed garbage disposal unit once you put the stopper in place. This means this type of disposal unit reduces the risk of accidental activation.
Moreover, foreign objects can’t fall into the unit accidentally.
So, you can use the batch-feed garbage disposal safely if you have a family with children or pets.
Contrariwise, a continuous-feed garbage disposal runs continuously. There is a risk of accidental activation because you can turn on the unit whenever you want.
Noise
The noise level produced by garbage disposal units makes a subtle difference between continuous-feed and batch-feed garbage disposals.
Batch-feed food waste disposal is quieter than continuous-feed garbage disposal. As this garbage disposal unit runs in short bursts, it will produce a low noise level.
However, continuous-feed garbage disposal makes a loud noise because this unit continues to run to dispose of a large volume of food waste.
Installation
Though both continuous and batch-feed garbage disposals need to connect to the plumbing system and an electric power source, there is a difference between those two disposals in terms of installation.
Batch-feed garbage disposal needs to install a separate part called a stopper.
On the other hand, continuous-feed garbage disposals require no additional parts to install.
Cost
Continuous-feed garbage disposals come with a simple design and operation. As a result, they are less expensive than the batch-feed garbage disposal.
Compared to continuous-feed garbage disposals, batch-feed disposals are a bit costly. Due to their added safety features, you should spend a few extra pennies to get a batch-feed food waste disposal.
How Do I Know Which Type of Garbage Disposal I Need?
A continuous-feed garbage disposal will be your best trait if you have a home with a large family.
As the continuous-feed garbage disposal runs continuously, you can operate it to process a large volume of food waste efficiently.
In short, a continuous-feed disposal can handle more food waste to flush down the sink.
Nonetheless, continuous-feed garbage disposals are convenient and comparatively cheaper than batch-feed garbage disposals.
On the other hand, batch-feed garbage disposals are safer than continuous-feed disposal. You can’t turn on these types of disposal units unless you place the stopper in the drain opening.
If you have a home with children or pets, you can use batch-feed garbage disposal as there is no risk of accidental activation.
Furthermore, batch-feed garbage disposals are quieter than their counterparts.
To sum up, you can choose either a continuous-feed or a batch-feed garbage disposal based on your personal needs and preferences.
FAQs
What are the advantages of a continuous feed garbage disposal?
Here are some advantages of a continuous-feed garbage disposal:
- Easy to use and efficient in grinding large amounts of food waste
- Less expensive compared to its counterpart, batch-feed garbage disposal
- Common and most widely available
What are the disadvantages of a continuous feed garbage disposal?
Here are some disadvantages of a continuous-feed garbage disposal:
- Foreign objects may fall into the grinding chamber accidentally.
- A slightly higher risk of accidents is associated with the continuous-feed garbage disposal, as it keeps running when switched on.
What are the advantages of a batch-feed garbage disposal?
Batch-feed garbage disposal is safe as it only works when the stopper is in place. Besides, there is a little risk of foreign objects falling into the grinding chamber.
What are the disadvantages of batch-feed garbage disposal?
Batch-feed garbage disposal is more expensive compared to continuous-feed garbage disposal. On top of this, this garbage disposal is less convenient to use continuously with large volumes of food waste.
Are there differences in installation between continuous feed and batch feed disposals?
Though the installation process is similar, batch-feed garbage disposals require complex wiring because of their safety mechanism.
What horsepower options are available for garbage disposals?
You can find garbage disposals with common horsepower options, including 1/3 HP, 1/2 HP, 3/4 HP, and 1 HP. A garbage disposal with higher horsepower can grind tough food waste like bones.
Which horsepower should I choose for my garbage disposal?
It depends on the household size. For example, if you have a small family with two people, you can choose 1/3 HP to 1/2 HP for light use. On the other hand, 3/4 HP to 1 HP garbage disposal is recommended for larger household or frequent use.
What materials are garbage disposals made from?
Stainless steel or galvanized steel is common for built-in garbage disposal material. Stainless steel garbage disposals are more durable than the galvanized ones.
Can I get a garbage disposal with additional features?
Yes, you can get a garbage disposal with additional features such as auto-reverse grinding, an anti-jamming mechanism, and septic system compatibility.
What is a septic-assist garbage disposal?
A septic-assist garbage disposal is designed for homes with septic systems, often incorporating a bio-charge solution that helps break down waste more effectively.
Do all garbage disposals require a switch for operation?
Yes, every garbage disposal requires a switch for operation. However, you can find some disposals that are controlled by a wireless switch called air switch.
Conclusion
Two types of garbage disposal are available in the market, including continuous and batch-feed garbage disposals.
Both types of garbage disposal have advantages and disadvantages.
A continuous-feed garbage disposal is easy to use, readily available, and grinds a large volume of food waste.
On the other hand, batch-feed garbage disposal is safe to use, and there is a minimum risk of foreign objects falling into the disposal.
Now, it’s your preference what type of garbage disposal you choose.
Leave a comment below to let me know which type of garbage disposal you select- continuous or batch-feed.
Read Next: How To Choose A Garbage Disposal?
Sohel Rana is the founder of FixTheDisposal.Com. He is a plumbing expert with 7+ years of hands-on repairing garbage disposals, water heaters, space heaters, and other appliances used in a home. Before the launch of Fix The Disposal, he wrote and provided advice on water heaters, sump pumps, and space heater repairing & troubleshooting tips for LilDutchUncle.Com.
