My sister is once again having to replace an ISE Badger that has gone dead.  She had a home warranty for years and they kept replacing one garbage (adj.) disposal with another garbage (adj.) disposal.  She quit the warranty a while back and now she's on her own to replace the dead Badger.

Her disposers don't ever see hard use.  Generally they only handle scraps that get away from her.  She has chickens so most fresh vegetable waste gets fed to them.  A neighbor told her that a 1.25 HP Frigidaire (model FF13DISPC1) got the nod from Consumer Reports.  That particular model is going for $159 on Amazon and has a 12-year warranty.  Reviews are mostly positive.  The splash guard is removable which I think is a big plus.  One consistent comment is that the unit is quite heavy, so one would hope that means durable as well.

Can anyone advise on the Frigidaire or another make that's a better choice?  She won't want to spend big bucks on an ISE Evolution just based on how little she uses a disposer.

Link to Amazon listing provided below.

Ralph,

Well, I can't speak to the Badger disposers.

However I've had a Titan disposer for at least 10 years with zero problems.

The Titan I have I got at Costco. It's a model T-1060, 1-1/4 HP.  I *think* it's also sold under the American Standard brand name.

Here's a link:

Hi Ralph, I would have her get another ISE, but get one with SS grinding components, usually you will find these at around $150 or so price level.

I would absolutely skip the Chinese junk like the FD you posted, these have cheap hi speed motors and small capacity chambers, these are sold under the Moen name as well, we seem to be replacing a lot of these disposers in just a few years.

These cheap little units do not have any way to unjam them like ISE models, we end up throwing them away when they get something like a screw or a penny caught in them, the tiny blades sometimes break off or bend, either way the unit is done.

For best life and durability a disposer needs to be used, she should grind up heavy stuff in it every week such as fruit rinds, chicken bones and what ever else the chickens will not eat.

John L.

www.consumerreports.org/c...

Reply #5

Hi Brad, its a shame that someone that likes ? appliances does not know how to use them and just spews out lies about them.

A disposer never stinks if used properly.

A disposer keeps drain lines cleaner then no disposer.

A disposer is GOOD for a septic system.

To each their own but as my business partner Jason and I often joke, it no wonder so many people live alone with all the crazy ideas out there. 

A disposer also uses less electricity than freezing garbage in your freezer [ talk about gross, I would never put a lot of the stuff I put down a disposer in my freezer with my food ]

John l.

Thanks for the replies (except the one I am happily oblivious to that John referenced directly above).  I couldn't find anything on Costco's site resembling the A.S./Titan in the provided PDF.

I checked for ISE Evolution models (per ISE, their only series with SS grinding components) on Amazon and found one for a little over $200, but specs are vague on the grinding materials and it also indicated that it's made in China, which goes counter to what ISE claims on their web site.

I'm going to advise my sister to take a pass on the Frigidaire, but will have to do more investigating on what's what between the ISE site and Amazon.

Ralph,

I believe the American Standard (1.25 hp) that Costco sells today is equivalent to the Titan I mentioned. This is supported by numerous Google searches that turn up American Standard along with Titan. My conclusion is that Joneca out of Anaheim, CA makes/made the Titan and has licensed the design to American Standard.

And here's a link to the American Standard equivalent to the Titan:

www.costco.com/american-s...

Reply #14

That disposer is a piece of crap, it uses a small high speed motor, they even admitted in the description that it can not handle large bones, they don't say anything about build quality.

It looks like the same Chinese crap.

All you really need in a disposer is a strong induction motor and SS grinding components.

John L.

The American Standard Model  ASD-1250 food disposer (same as the Titan):

PS: The Titan has a strong (1.25 HP) induction motor, stainless blades, and corrosion resistant basket (mostly stainless), and it CAN handle large bones but cautions that these will take a long time to grind into powder, that's all.

Also, as I said, I have owned the Titan/American Standard disposer for at least 10 years with no problems. It is reliable and quiet.

I wouldn't touch a Badger with a 10 foot pole.

Thanks Tom,

The Contractor 333 seems to be a popular item.  I found a grand total of one available through the Ferguson outlets in Los Angeles, which is where my sister lives.  Fortunately the one I found is close to her.  I think the price is a good compromise compared to the more costly Evolution models.  If she's interested, I advised her to order/purchase it on line ASAP (before they open again on 7/5) and opt for in-store pick-up.

Here's a guide from Insinkerator about how to use a disposer (it's for the 333 Contractor).

Please note that it says "small bones" only.

support.insinkerator.com/app/ans...

The great disposer debate...

Ralph, I use my disposer much like what you've described your sister's usage is.  

When my just-out-of-warranty 3.25 year old ISE Badger (with SS grind components) started leaking, I shopped all of the ISE/Moen/Cheap-China models out there.  Intending to buy an an ISE Evolution TOL - $440 MSRP, I was floating around Amazon one night and stumbled upon this Waste Maid unit for $44.  I won't bother to tout its scant-few features and stats, suffice it to say it was an impulse of "lets try this for fun" and here it is.  I've had it for nearly a year now and so far, it hasn't failed.  It's quieter than some of the others I've heard from this multi-branded make so I guess that's a plus though it doesn't run for long periods so I don't care much either way.  

For ~10% of the price of the TOL Evolution ISE (I have no doubt is still the superior product in many ways) I'm satisfied for now and will keep my expectations commensurate with my investment.  Amazon Prime Days are coming up soon...

Thanks for that info Greg.  I did see that make on Costco's site.  I'll be discussing options with her later today.

I wonder why they went with "Maid" rather than "Queen."

Gary, thanks for that information on the Lowe's model.  I'm pretty sure she's dead set against any of ISE's Badger models though, even though that particular Badger may be an outlier.   Good to know for future reference though, since I have a Badger that was here when we bought the place in 2018 (I hardly ever use it because memories of having to crawl under the 1925 family home to snake the sanitary line which wasn't disposer-friendly still haunt me).

She went after the one remaining 333 at the Glendale Ferguson near her early this morning and it was already gone.  She's checking stock at Pasadena and San Gabriel now.  She had considered eliminating a disposer entirely but her plumbing guy told her it would cost just as much to rework the drains, so replacement remains the path forward. 

I really wish I had removed the Maytag FC-5 we put in when we remodeled our previous, previous kitchen in 1990.  I'm sure it would still be operating quietly and taking anything we threw into it.  I saw a used one at Urban Ore a few years ago and should have grabbed it.

I agree with John, I don't have any problems with build up or smell  but I use very high end disposers.

I have more disposers than anybody else in here.
If she wants a good one and it kills me to say this really but Hissun disposals are really pretty good

for a good price. They have Fixed and Swing hammers and under-cutters so you don't clog as much

unlike the terrible Badger anything which is garbage.

There 159 bucks on Amazon 3/4 HP I was shocked Ise has a competitor.

Ferguson in Pasadena has three 333's in stock, so she's buzzing right over to get one.

Thanks to all for the input, with special thanks going to Tom for the tip on the 333 model.

Here's a picture of it:

I have  a great disposer , I have a 1988 WASTE KING SS5000 it has under-cutters,cast grind ring , center ripper..

140 bucks and I will cover shipping .... / Ask around I have sold many disposers in here..

Trust me you cant go wrong with this machine....

one of these from dollar tree works wonders for cleaning the inside of a disposal.  A little Comet sprinkled on the brush, shove it in and scrub away.  I've been doing this for years and no problems.  When the brush is pulled back out, it scrubs the back side of the baffles.