Kitchen food waste grinder (disposer) - a device for grinding food residues: vegetables, fruits, bones, etc. Those. everything that remains after we have finished cooking or after a feast. The chopper is installed under the sink, in the place where the siphon usually stands. Thus, crushed food waste is sent directly to the sewer system.
In the US and Europe, such devices have long become familiar components of modern kitchens. According to statistics, more than half of households in the West are equipped with dispensers, and in the United States their installation is recommended by the Department of Health in all new buildings.
In Ukraine, choppers have not yet taken the first place in the list of necessary appliances in the kitchen, but their number is constantly growing. The main reason for the lack of popularity of shredders is the lack of information about the existence of such devices and their merits. However, those who have already become users of the disposer consider its benefits to humans undeniable.
Why you need a dispenser
Why do you need a food waste disposer? It's simple - about 60% of household waste is food leftovers after a meal, as well as after processing food during cooking. Cleanings and parts of vegetables and fruits, fish and meat bones - the disposer will handle all this. With it, you can:
- reduce the number of bags for waste disposal - more than half of it will be removed after shredding through the sewer system;
- reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfills - you automatically become adherents of the eco-lifestyle, who are not indifferent to the fate of nature;
- get rid of the unpleasant odor caused by decaying waste in garbage containers and buckets;
- prevent blockages in sewer networks;
- prevent the appearance of cockroaches, rodents;
- keep the kitchen clean: vegetables and fruits can be cleaned in the sink and immediately send the waste to the chopper.
What is a dispenser
So, a disposer is a waste chopper that is installed under the sink, i.e. built into the sewerage system instead of a siphon. This is a small device up to 40 cm high and about 20 cm in diameter. The dimensions of each model depend on the volume of the chamber.
The driving force in the shredders are electric motors, so to connect them in the sink area you will need an outlet, preferably with moisture protection. The grinder is started by pressing a button. The latter is installed above the sink or crashes into the countertop, cabinet.
Switches for the dispenser are:
- Pneumatic. Connect to the device with a tube. When you press the button, excess pressure is created, which starts the device. The advantage of the pneumatic button is the absence of electrically conductive parts, so it is not afraid of splashes and moisture. But, its location is limited by the length of the pneumatic tube, and in order to launch, you need to drown it deep enough, which is not comfortable for everyone.
- Wireless (as in Leomikao models). You can install them anywhere in the kitchen. It is better to do this where there is no splashing of water.
The internal components of the disposer are graters and a crushing disc. The waste that has entered the chopper chamber is destroyed by the disc, and the entire mass is removed by water into the sewer system. As you can see, everything is very simple.
Grinders, despite the fact that they are powered by an electrical network and are made of metal components, are absolutely safe for humans, provided that elementary rules of operation are observed. All devices have protection against overheating and overloads, their case is insulated, so the disposer is not afraid of moisture. The inlet is protected from the ingress of crockery and cutlery.
Shredders are able to cope with almost any waste, but a lot depends on their correct choice. More on this in the next section.
How to choose a waste disposer for the kitchen
Parameters that are important to consider so that there are no problems with the installation and operation of the kitchen grinder:
- disposer dimensionsr;
- chamber volume and engine power;
- manufacturing materials;
- additional options.
Disposer dimensions
The grinder is installed under the sink, so when choosing it, you need to take into account the diameter of the drain hole and the dimensions of the sink cabinet. The vast majority of dispensers are designed for hole diameters from 90 to 114 mm. In the event that the diameter is larger, an adapter can be used. If less, the drain hole expands.
Chamber volume and engine power
The size of the chamber determines the amount of waste that it can process. There are dispensers with a chamber with a volume of 0.5 to 1.5 liters. For a family of 1-3 people, a volume of up to 0.8 liters is enough, and for 4-6 people you will need a device with a camera from 0.8 to 1.5 liters.
The higher the volume, the more powerful the dispenser should be. Approximate ratio: 2:1 (for a volume of 1 liter, the engine power must be at least 0.5 kW). A mismatch between volume and power can cause the device to work slowly or fail.
Appliance power in choose according to your needs:
- up to 0.5 kW - devices for a small family of 1-2 people, economical and quiet.
- over 0.5 kW - medium power devices, which will be a good choice for a family of 2-4 people, will cope with the processing of waste after large feasts. In our online store, this is a food waste disposer LEOMIKAO LM-200 with a power of 560 W, with a chamber volume of 1600 ml and a waste processing capacity of 5.2 kg per minute.
- Over 0.75kW - Highly efficient models for large households that can grind large volumes of waste. In our catalog, this is a food waste disposer LEOMIKAO LM-100 with a power of 750 W, with a chamber volume of 1450 ml and a processing capacity of 4.2 kg of waste per minute.
Manufacturing materials
Most often, crushing discs are made of stainless steel, which can withstand heavy loads. Less powerful models may use soft alloy discs.
The requirements for body and camera materials are less stringent, so they are made not only from metal, but also from plastic. In shredders, sound-absorbing materials must be used for the manufacture of housings. For example, Leomikao dispensers use two-level protection, which has reduced the noise level to 35 dB - their work is comparable to loud speech. For models without sound insulation, the noise level reaches 80 dB.
Additional options
Consider additional options that make the work of dispensers more comfortable, efficient and safe:
- Possibility to choose the degree of crushing (there are 3 degrees of crushing in Leomikao shredders).
- Overload protection. Needed to prevent engine overheating. Disposers are equipped with an automatic protection system that is triggered when the motor overheats. A similar situation is possible if the chamber is overloaded or if something not intended for grinding has got into it.
- Auto reverse. Forced rotation in the opposite direction, which allows you to remove anything from the disposer that is not intended for grinding.
Checklist: How to Choose a Waste Disposer for Your Kitchen
To sum up, which will look like a checklist for buying a kitchen dispenser:
- the grinder must be placed under the sink, match the diameter of the drain hole;
- choose the chamber volume of the device depending on your needs: from 0.6 (for 1-2 people) to 1.5 liters (for 5-6 people);
- disposer power must correspond to the volume of the chamber (2:1) and the expected load;
- the best crushing discs - stainless steel, body made of metal and/or polymeric materials;
- among the additional options should be: the choice of the degree of grinding, overload protection, auto-reverse.
When choosing a chopper model, do not neglect the experience of other users. Read the reviews about dispensers in our online store. You can buy food waste shredders at a discount - follow the promotions in our store. You can read about the advantages and disadvantages of shredders in our article «Food waste shredders: pros and cons».
