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...

+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

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...