When it comes to the qualities homeowners are looking for in a food-waste disposer — the usual suspects are in play.

“Consumers continue to want convenience and quality,” InSinkErator Vice President of Sales Joe Maiale says. “Homeowners also want to save money and today’s modern disposers are energy efficient. They only use 1% or less of a household’s total water consumption and cost on average less than 50 cents per year in electricity.“

Moen Senior Marketing Manager Cassy Osborne is hearing the word value in the marketplace. “Garbage disposal trends seem to be focused around value and performance,” she says. “Consumers and contractors are looking for quality food disposers that offer reliable performance, an outstanding warranty, hassle-free installation and sufficient horsepower.”

Osborne adds in one other important caveat. “Most importantly, they want one that gets the job done,” she says.

InSinkErator’s Maiale says environmental applications and sustainability will continue to play a key role in disposer product development. “There is an increasing desire for alternatives in food-waste management besides landfills and incinerators,” he says.

Along those same lines, InSinkErator recently launched a CEU course for architects and designers to help further the company’s sustainability efforts. “This course provides a complete overview of sink appliance considerations when designing a sustainable kitchen, including specifics of different types of in-home water purification options and how to select a delivery system that fits a client’s needs,” Maiale says. “The course also covers household and community waste-management processes that impact kitchen design, including how food waste can be turned into renewable energy and usable fertilizer for farmers, landscapers and homeowners.”

Disposer central

Manufacturers are addressing the needs of their customers via the release of new food-waste disposer technologies.

InSinkErator’s Evolution Essential XTR offers a SinkTop Switch, a solution for homeowners who need a food-waste disposer, but lack a wall switch. It also includes a power cord for homes where an electrical outlet is installed under the sink. MultiGrind technology offers two stages of grinding, while SoundSeal technology helps with sound emission.

Moen’s new garbage disposals are designed with the company’s VORTEX permanent magnet motor technology, which quickly and powerfully grinds food waste and reduces jamming, the company notes. The VORTEX technology provides 1,900 to 2,800 RPM. Moen disposers include a power cord, eliminating the need to purchase separately or hardwire a power supply. A Universal Xpress Mounting System expedites the installation process.

On the commercial front, EnviroPure Systems’ food-disposal system can be retrofitted into a kitchen’s existing setup allowing food waste to be sent through a disposer with the slurry directed into the digester rather than the sewer system, National Sales Manager Jona Gallagher notes. Inside the digester, continuous mechanical processing and a micronutrient additive convert food waste into sewer-safe graywater within 24 hours. The effluent meets municipal restrictions for graywater, including those regarding total suspended solids and fats, oils and grease.

This article was originally titled “The staples” in the September 2016 print edition of Supply House Times.