Smart Choice - 1.25HP Corded Garbage Disposal - White

So far so good. This thing is powerful at 1 1/4 hp and whisper quiet. I did research for three weeks on new disposals after my old badger of 10 years needed replacing. I was willing to pay up to $500 for top of the line but I found it for less than $200. Installation is standard. Don't overt tighten the drain when installing. This is a large unit than other models so it does take up some room under the cabinet. This unit is corded, I did not take it apart to see if you can wire directly. It's built pretty solid.

I got this to replace my old Insinkerator Badger that broke. I couldn’t find a better price at 1.25 HP and all the reviews are good. This is powerful and quiet, does a good job so far. I only had 2 problems installing: The pipe come out further and is longer than the one on my old disposer so I coukdny use it. The magnet guard WILL NOT fit, the opening isn’t big enough. It wont sqeeze in behind the screws.

Super easy to install and works great. Would highly recommend this disposal.

KEY FEATURES 10 Year Warranty Stainless Steel Construction 1.25HP, 7.5 Amp Motor, one of the most powerful in its class. INSTALLATION This is one of the few products that I would recommend anyone, but the most experienced homeowners leave to a handyman, plumber, or electrician to install. While it may be up for debate, I fancy myself as a decently knowledgeable and experienced homeowner. There are few things that I won’t attempt to tackle. I decided to take on this installation myself. My assortment of plumbing and hand tools is quite extensive. Mostly because I use a portion of the savings, I recoup doing DIY projects, versus hiring a professional, as a good reason to buy new tools. I’m a firm believer in the old saying: He who dies with the most tools, wins. I start with this intro because having to acquire the tools and materials for most homeowners would be a great source of frustration for most. While I had most everything tool-wise, I needed to install the disposal, I did find myself having to modify and move PEX and PVC plumbing to accommodate my new disposal. While not an impossible challenge, it did lead to unnecessary frustration, not to mention a good back ache due to lying across the sink cabinet. Almost all newer disposals use a common 3 bolt mounting system to retain the unit to the sink bottom. I was extremely fortunate in that the Badger disposal I was replacing, matched nearly perfectly to my new Smart Choice. What a time saver it was, not having to dismantle every single part from the old disposal to install the new one. Yes, I know it is cheating, but I’m OK with it. For those not as lucky as I was, aside from tools and plumbing supplies, the Smart Choice includes everything you need to get it installed. The one thing that made this installation difficult is the overly large diameter of the new Smart Choice disposal. The top part of the disposal is nearly 2 inches larger in diameter than my Badger & most other disposals on the market. Because my sink & island were installed to match up to a Badger disposal, this new Smart Choice required moving several drain lines to make room for its larger diameter. Frustrating. USE The Smart Choice disposal (a division of Electrolux) is a great addition to the kitchen. My “builder’s grade” Badger disposal has always been reliable, but it was obnoxiously loud and frankly not that powerful. Even though it was rated at 3/4HP, it wasn’t an impressive performer often bogging down during after-dinner cleanups. The Smart Choice is rated at nearly twice the power of my Badger. It clocks in at an impressive 1.25HP. The increase in power is immediately noticeable. Foods that would often bog down my Badger didn’t seam to phase the Smart Choice. It has ground through everything I’ve put down the drain without issue. Most importantly, at least to me in my open concept kitchen, is the reduction in noise when in use. My old Badger would drown out conversations, TV, etc. The Smart Choice is markedly quieter. NEGATIVES The one negative I have with this unit is the large size of the disposal. The top ½ of the disposal is nearly 8 inches in diameter. A good 2 inches bigger than my previous disposal. Under a sink, where space is tight and limited the way it is, every little bit matters. This increase in size caused me major headaches getting it to fit, requiring a great deal of plumbing mods. I don’t knock the disposal for my headaches, I knew it going into the installation, but for those that are looking, I would do some careful measuring before purchasing to either save yourself time and headache, or money in unnecessary plumbing modifications when you could opt for a smaller Smart Choice disposal instead. CONCLUSIONS Performance and use, I have no complaints about the Smart Choice disposal. It is very powerful and does its job efficiently, and most importantly, quietly. This is the biggest Smart Choice disposal, and it has impressive specs with an impressive warranty to match. If you have the room under your sink, or are willing and/or able to make room to accommodate the disposal, I doubt you will be disappointed. RECOMMENDED

This disposal has plenty of power, is quiet and was easy to install thanks to the pre-installed cord. My old disposal was a low end 1/2HP unit, and this Smart Choice disposal was an overdue upgrade. (((Pros))) 1.Quiet. I took some before and after noise level readings and the Smart Choice disposal is actually a few decibels quieter than my old one, even though it has twice the power. With the disposal running I got 77dB standing at the sink and 71dB at the cabinet door (the noise insulated case really works). 2.Stailess steel internals that will not rust. 3. Pre-installed cord saves time and money (at least $10, probably more, for an appliance cord). 4. Included magnetic ring to catch silverware before it can fall into the disposal. 5. The baffle/splash guard just pops in and out for easy cleaning or clearing a jam. 6. Outlet pipe height is nearly the same and it is compatible with a standard 3 bolt mount - so you may not have to change your sink flange or much in terms of piping. I changed my 3-bolt mount to the one that came with the kit (new and shiny) and the tools I ended up using were a flat-head screwdriver (snap ring and band clamps), Philips-head screwdriver (disposer outlet and leverage to tighten the disposal on the mount), and plumber's putty for the flange. (((Things to Consider))) 1. The outside case looks nice and seems like it will be easy to wipe down, but it is not sealed so be careful not to get water in it when reinstalling the dishwasher hose. The casing is also thicker, so there was a little less dishwasher stub to grab onto than my old disposal and I had to make sure to clock the band clamp, so it didn't rub. 2. I wish it had a slot on the bottom for an Allen wrench to clear a jam like my old disposal. To clear a jam, you are supposed to remove the baffle/splash guard and use a wood broom handle per the instructions. The good news is there is a overload to protect the motor if there is a jam and the reset button is right on the front near the bottom. 3. The baffle/splash guard is a little too rigid and doesn't have big enough holes, which causes water to pool in the sink. The positive is that, combined with the magnetic catch, it is hard to drop something into the disposal (like a spoon). I am hoping it loosens up a little with use overtime. 4. If you use an SOS pad (steel wool) or try to wash something that has metal particles in it down the drain, the magnetic catch on the flange can collect the particles and they may react/stain the stainless steel. If you have a double bowl sink (like me) I would suggest using the opposite side for stuff like this or make sure you remove the baffle/splash guard and wipe the flange.