The problem with most older kitchen sinks is that they often clog and suffer from blockages. No matter how hard you try to throw everything into the trash can, food particles from dirty dishes and other household waste still end up in the drain pipe, leading to its clogging. This problem in the initial stages is quite simply solved with the help of special means, but over time, regular blockages lead to the fact that the pipe has to be completely changed. Fortunately, technological progress does not stand still. There are many household appliances that make life easier for a housewife, and a sink waste disposer is one of them.
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What is a Sink Food Waste Disposer
This household appliance serves to grind waste that enters the sink, thereby making it easier for them to pass through the drain pipe. It is mounted at the outlet of the sink and is powered by the mains. The main advantages of the sink food waste disposer are its ease of operation and a long service life (approximately 15 years). Below we will take a closer look at the principle of operation of the device and the features of its installation.
How the sink grinder works
The food waste disposer (disposer) is a solid cylindrical metal body with a crushing disc inside. The disc is rotated by an electric motor located in the lower part of the housing. Taking into account the environment in which the device has to work, the disc is made of stainless steel, which is characterized by increased resistance to corrosion. This means that the sink shredder is not afraid of any corrosive substances that can be found in the kitchen.
The waste shredding process is very simple. They enter the chamber of the device through the drain hole of the sink, and then, under the action of the centrifugal force of the disk, they are pressed against the walls of the cylinder and ground. For grinding, a special stationary grater, fixed on the inner walls of the device, serves. From the shredder chamber, the waste goes through a drain pipe directly to the sewer.
Useful advice! Do not be afraid that a fork or spoon that gets into the drain hole will break the device.The design of the grinder is designed in such a way that when a solid object hits it, the engine is automatically turned off.
Not only a familiar push-button switch can serve as a switch, but also a chopper cover, which you just need to turn to turn on the device.
How to use the chopper
The sink grinder is very easy to use, but for the most efficient and long-lasting work, the following procedure is recommended:
- turn on the water;
- turn on the waste shredder;
- direct waste to the sink drain;
- turn off the shredder after completion of its work, when the noise of the shredded waste dies down;
- after a short period of time, turn off the water.
There are also a number of things you shouldn't do with your shredder if you want it to last as long as possible. This mainly applies to items that cannot be thrown into the disposer:
- Metal, glass and plastic. They simply cannot be crushed, so avoid dropping them into the drain hole.
- Plastic bags and other packaging containers. It also includes products made of rubber and other plastic materials that are difficult to grind. They do not grind properly and can clog the drain pipe.
- Threads, ropes and hair. These materials can easily wrap around the motor shaft and cause premature motor failure.
How to choose a sink disposer? We will talk about this further.
Features of the choice of a grinder
One of the main characteristics to look out for when choosing a kitchen sink grinder is engine power. Not only the price of the device, but also its efficiency directly depends on this parameter. The size of the case is also of great importance. The larger it is, the more waste passes through it per unit of time. Some models may have additional features, which are also worth paying attention to when choosing a disposer.
Useful advice! If you want to avoid the spread of an unpleasant odor from the sink drain hole and prevent the growth of bacteria, then you should pay attention to disposers with a special antibacterial coating inside the case.
If you are planning to buy a food waste disposer for the sink, when choosing a model, you should pay attention to the number of modes. Some of them imply multiple speeds for the most efficient grinding of waste of varying density.
By the way, many modern manufacturers also produce models with different numbers of attachments. This significantly expands the range of waste that can be shredded with the device.
The ideal sink food waste disposer you can buy for your home is a model with increased noise insulation, built-in automatic overload protection, reverse rotation function and a special antibacterial coating inside.
Features of installing the disposer
Installing a grinder under the sink on your own without calling the master is quite possible. As a rule, all the parts necessary for this are included with the device, and the engineering skills that are needed for installation are minimal. The main thing is to take into account a number of important points.
First, the sink food waste disposer is plugged into the mains and mounted under the sink.This means that high humidity cannot be avoided. The socket for connecting the device must be grounded and protected from moisture.
Secondly, most sink grinders are designed to fit into a 90mm drain hole. If your sink's drain does not meet this standard, then it must be enlarged.
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And, thirdly, it is not necessary to connect a corrugated pipe to remove food waste into the sewer. Waste can remain between the folds, and this leads to the appearance of unpleasant odors and the growth of bacteria. Therefore, it is better to give preference to a pipe with smooth walls.
Disposer installation steps
The device must be installed in accordance with the instructions that come with the kit. If you do not have even minimal experience in the field of working with plumbing, then it is better to call an experienced specialist for installation. If you decide on self-installation, then you need to do this in the following order:
- disconnect the drain pipe from the sink, thoroughly clean all the components of the drain system;
- take the rubber gasket that comes with the disposer, attach it under the sink flange;
- then attach the mounting bracket that comes with the disposer, attach the device itself to it;
- using special adapters, attach a drain pipe to the grinder, connect its other end to the sewer;
- plug in the appliance.
Then the disposer is completely ready for use.
Useful advice! To make the shredder last longer, use a special non-abrasive cleaner to clean it a couple of times a year. Ice cubes, lemon zest, and baking soda also work well.
Sink food waste disposer: top manufacturers
Now a huge number of companies that have established themselves in the household appliances market offer their models of dispensers. Each of them has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. How to choose a sink food waste disposer that best suits your requirements, a review of popular models from the best manufacturers will help:
- disposers Bone Crusher - differ from other models in that they are made not of metal, but of special high-strength plastic. One of the features of these grinders is a separate power button that mounts on the kitchen counter. Price - about 20,000 rubles;
- model Bosch-Siemens and Whirlpool - excellent shredders for household use, copes well with any waste. The inner chambers are specially coated to prevent unpleasant odors from the drain in your kitchen. The prices of sink food waste disposers from these firms are higher than from other manufacturers, but they are worth it. Average price - USD 200-300;
- company shredders Franke - differ in that they are equipped with a very good noise reduction system. This means that even at maximum power, the device works completely silently. Another interesting feature of the disposers of this company is the pneumatic system, thanks to which the shredder automatically grinds waste as it arrives. The cost of these dispensers is 20-25 thousand rubles;
- InSinkErator - model with automatic reverse, so you don't have to worry about blockages in the pipes. The device grinds the waste very finely and removes it into the sewer along with the stream of water.It turns on by pressing the button, and turns off when it is released. This model also has built-in overload protection so that the motor will not burn out even when the permissible load is exceeded. As a last resort, it will simply turn off. Some of the cheapest disposers cost about 12-15 thousand rubles.
On the Internet, reviews on different models of food waste disposers for the sink can also be found very different. Someone prefers proven brands, and for the sake of a well-known brand, he is ready to turn a blind eye to the disadvantages of a disposer. And someone prefers not branded, but more economical and functional models. In any case, it is worth choosing based on the parameters of your sink, functional features and manufacturer's reliability.
Useful advice! Regardless of the model, pay attention to the complete set of the disposer. It must include special keys, rubber gaskets, fastening mechanisms, an outlet branch and a pneumatic hose with a pneumatic button, if provided by the design.
Sink shredder prices can vary widely. It depends on the name of the manufacturer, engine power, the number of operating modes and other nuances. Sometimes it is better to overpay, but take a higher quality model that will serve you faithfully for more than a dozen years.
For a more accurate installation and efficient maintenance of shredders on the Internet, there are a large number of video clips that greatly simplify the task.