Kitchen Sink Waste Disposal Unit

[Toilet Duck]

Evening all,

Anyone have/had a kitchen sink waste disposal unit? Did you find them useful or a bit "gimmicky"? Any experiences good or bad or general advice? Are they very noisy? Do they smell (some seem to specify that they are not fitted with a u-bend, I'm guessing that would hinder the flow of waste from the disposer?)?

Refurbing my kitchen and whilst ordering a sink I started looking at waste disposal units. I like the idea of being able to chuck food waste into this rather than have it stinking out the bin. This one caught my eye (comes with 8 year warranty):

http://www.kitchen-sink-shop.co.uk/franke-wd500-tu...

Never had one myself and have no experience, so would appreciate any PH help. I've notice that some (including the one I've linked to above) have the facility to connect it to the waste pipe from a dishwasher. Is this to clean the waste disposal unit every time the dishwasher does a cycle?

Many thanks in advance!

Edited by Toilet Duck on Wednesday 25th May 20:11

[Robb F]

So much easier, and your bin won't start to smell.

I would definitely be putting one it

[eldar]

Robb F said:

So much easier, and your bin won't start to smell.

I would definitely be putting one it

This. Just don't put spoons down it......

[stabbed rat]

We had one already fitted when we moved into our house a few years ago. The tit that fitted it managed to get a pipe upside down which resulted in it not being able to let the waste flow away. Just don't get a bodge artist to fit it.

[jimmyjimjim]

If you do get one, remember to use it reguarly. I didn't use mine for a long time, and it seized up. Not the most pleasant job in the world to fix! Fortunately not my problem at the time, though. Throwing ice cubes down it once a week or so to sharpen the blades is also recommended if you don't use it that frequently.

As above, it cuts down on bin smell a lot!

[NIIKME]

We have an insinkerator and so do my parents now. Highly recommended, just got to remember to use it and use plenty of running water!!

[ColinM50]

NIIKME said:

We have an insinkerator and so do my parents now. Highly recommended, just got to remember to use it and use plenty of running water!!

+1

[HowMuchLonger]

Brilliant, we call them "gobblers". It is a good idea to get the best model you can so that it can take stringy veg as well as the chunky bones.

[FlossyThePig]

ColinM50 said:

NIIKME said:

We have an insinkerator and so do my parents now. Highly recommended, just got to remember to use it and use plenty of running water!!

+1

We had one in our previous house, very effective but watch out for teaspoons.

As our current house is not on main drains it wasn't an option when we revamped the kitchen, The chickens do an effective job though.

[thinfourth2]

Excellent things if you are on the 2 week bin cycle

Just if i could get the wife to use it more

[Denis O]

They are great pieces of kit for all the reasons others have mentioned.....however:

1). Use regularly. Not only can it sieze as mentioned above but the waste, which is a fine puree, will stay in the pipe and turn into bio concrete. You could be digging up the waste pipe to remove it if you're really unlucky.

2). Again to do with blocking albeit the machine itself. Don't put anything fibrous down it. Corn cobs, pea shucks and sea weed will all jam it solid and it's usually an engineer out job.

Insinkerator seems to be a good make.

[thinfourth2]

Oh and use lots of water when using it as a common mistake is a tiny amount of water which means it just pumps the pulp a few inches into the drain and blockage occurs.

This is a common problem at our house when my parents visit as they are hard of understanding regards a waste disposal but the rest of the time it works perfectly.

[count duckula]

just had our kitchen re-done and fitted one of these
http://www.max-appliances.co.uk/item1132.htm
Would not be without it now, works really well, just make sure you use plenty of water.