Need garbage disposal recomendation please

I'm remodeling a kitchen in a rental unit I own. I've decided that a garbage disposal unit would increase the value of the home and offer a convenience to my tenants. Can someone recommend a good disposal unit with the following traits?

-something I can install myself. I feel PVC pipe for the drain is not hard to work with. That being said, I will contract an electrician to do the electrical connection, install the switch and connect to the breaker panel. I will be replacing the kitchen sink as well as part of a bigger kitchen remodel.

-I'm an out of state landlord so I want to minimize service visits. Something reliable that will last

-This is a condo and I don't want to clog the pipes and cause problems with neighbors on lower floors, something with good shredding power and design. For reasons of being in a condo, low noise would be a plus.

I've heard good things about insinkerator and badger brands.

Am I asking for too much? Thanks for any suggestions...

This will not increase the value or the rent for the unit, the only thing it will do is enable the tenant to brake another item and/or you will now have another appliance that you will be responsible for upkeeping/replacing if and when it does need service. as a landlord if you supply a fridge YOU are responsible for maintaining it, same with washer/dryer... why add more when the rent is based on sq', bedrooms, location, etc. (not if you have a garbage disposal which can seriously harm title 5 septic systems if you have one). If its a 2 or 3 bedroom unit then no doubt some kid will be playing with it and either watch it as it shreds up tennis balls or worst....their hand

my strong opinion is DONT DO IT!

+1
I don't even want a disposal in my house for my own use. It's bad for the septic system, a safety hazard and another maintenance item.
We've done a couple of short term rentals in the recent past and a disposal was never even a thought when considering where we'd rent.
-Len

My recommendation is to not install a garbage disposal.

We had mid level insinkerator garbage disposal for decades, actually two of them as one died but it owed no one anything. It's one thing I miss in the kitchen because now we have a septic. I still have the habit of throwing stuff in the sink. I only recall it clogging the pipes once because some nitwit who shall remain nameless tried to put too much stuff down it at once. That was a project... That said if I had rental unit I wouldn't install one.

I work on multiple rental units by the University of Delaware, and one of the landlords that has 100 plus rentals has had us removing them when ever one clogs up or dies on him. He said it is nothing but trouble. He constantly has calls with things being jammed in them. It seams all they are is a green light to a renter to shove something down the drain that doesn't belong there. If your really stuck on putting one in then I would go with a In Sink Erator (ISE) at least a 1/2 hp.

dcrane wrote:... watch it as it shreds up tennis balls or worst....their hand

That's why you put the switch far away from the disposer. Anyone willing to put their hand in there while it's running...... here's your sign. LOL

Richard S. wrote:

dcrane wrote:... watch it as it shreds up tennis balls or worst....their hand

That's why you put the switch far away from the disposer. Anyone willing to put their hand in there while it's running...... here's your sign. LOL[/quote

OMG you stole my signature move! "...." & "LOL" ...I call copyright infringements! seriously though, I come from many years as a moderator of gaming forums trying to communicate with a younger crowd so at times alot of online slang is built into me at this point, hope im forgiven for my humor

on a more related note, regarding the landlord who is removing those garbage disposals as they fail (If there is a tenant in place and there is nothing in the lease/rental agreement regarding the removal of said garbage disposals a court would force the landlord to replace/repair it or reduce the rent accordingly), now lets face it, most reasonable tenants would not be bothered on such an insignificant item BUT why even go down this road when its not necessary.

AGAIN... DONT DO IT! run Forest RUNNNNN!

I agree with those opposing installing one, but, to answer the question, back when I was doing plumbing, we found that a disposal is one of those rare items that you do get what you pay for. The more you pay, the longer they last & the better they work. That being said.... our wholesaler sold Badger & we used them unless they were out of stock, then it was Kitchenaid.

The absolute worst pipe clog we ever, ever, saw was done by a Catholic Nun. She was cleaning the kitchen & found a 2 pound box of rice that was old, old, old. Down the sink it went. When we go there we found 20 feet of 1 1/2" PVC plugged so tight we had to rip it out & replace it! We kept cutting it off two feet at a time & couldn't believe how far it was plugged!

IF I were a landlord that offered a disposal I would have it in writing that if it broke I'd replace it, but if it plugged it was the tenant that called and paid a plumber. Amazingly they do idiot stuff and expect the landlord to fix it for free!

Interesting posts and thanks for opening my eyes... I didn't realize how much of a liability these disposals could be from a landlord perspective. Appreciate the insight...