InSinkErator Badger 5 disposal Review

Overall 4.33 of 5 view all 3 reviews

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bkovacs
Annandale, VA

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This is a really easy replacement for an existing disposal.

a homeowner, a do-it-yourselfer, handy with tools

Pros

easy installation, heavy-duty hardware

Cons

electrical connection could be better

SEP

2007

We had a garbage disposal unit in our kitchen sink that was probably installed when the house was built in 1978. It finally died and I bought an InSinkErator Badger 5 garbage disposal to replace it. I bought the Badger 5 at Home Depot for about $75 but the unit can be found on eBay for $50 or so, not including shipping.

What it is

The InSinkErator Badger 5 is a typical garbage disposal unit. It sits under the kitchen sink and it can be used to grind up leftover food trash so that it can be washed down the drain. The Badger 5 is a middle-of-the-pack unit, with a 1/2-horsepower motor. More powerful and more expensive units can be had but we eat out a lot and don't use a garbage disposal all that much. The Badger 5 needs to be connected to standard 120-Volt power and it attaches to 1.5-inch drains. It has a fitting for a dishwasher drain and the unit comes with a two-year warranty.

Installing it

I had an existing garbage disposal unit that had died, and that made installing the Badger 5 much easier. All the pipes were where they needed to be and the elaborate bracket that mounts the disposal under the sink was already in place. Our old disposal was a Kenmore/Sears unit, but it used exactly the same mounting bracket as the Badger 5, despite the fact that the old Kenmore disposal was at least 15 years old and probably older.

Something that could be easier when installing the Badger 5 is its electrical connection. InSinkErator should supply a wire-clamp fitting to run the power cable into the Badger 5, and it would be easier if the Badger 5 had screw terminals instead of having to twist wires together and use wire nuts. However, it's not hard and the electrical connection was quickly done. We operate the Badger 5 from a switch near the kitchen sink.

Using it

Well, it works. I've had the Badger 5 in for about a month and have used it once or twice so far. There's no easy way for me to check to see if it is properly grinding food scraps but it seems to work. The unit itself is beefy and solid-feeling, so it gives the impression of a good sturdy appliance. Ask me in a couple of years and I'll tell you if there are any problems.

Summary

The InSinkErator Badger 5 was easy to install, and seems to be solid and rugged. Pending its performance over the next couple of years, I give this unit a tentative recommendation.

InSinkErator Badger 5 disposal is recommended by bkovacs

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Comments about bkovacs’s Review

bkovacs wrote on Oct 9, 2007 at 10:55AM

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Thanks for the nice comment! --Bob

EZ wrote on Oct 7, 2007 at 11:35AM

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My Badger 5 was installed about 4 years ago, on a septic system. No problems with the septic system to date, but we use it lightly, disposing of most food scraps into the trash bin. However, we just returned from a 2 month vacation, and the rotor plate won't turn now. The motor hums, but no impactor motion. I looked at the parts breakdown at the ISE site, and there is no repair pieces available. So I'm off to Home Depot, the nearest store open on Sunday, for a replacement. Thanks for the info all ... EZ

bkovacs wrote on Sep 21, 2007 at 9:27AM

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Jo, we actually use this at a house with a septic system. Leftover scraps are things that bacteria eat, so a septic system should handle them fine. This is at our house in the mountains, so it gets light use. Thanks for the comment! --Bob

Jo wrote on Sep 20, 2007 at 7:42PM

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I miss having one. Hubby says we can't with a septic system.

CyndiA wrote on Sep 20, 2007 at 7:06PM

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My boys and Hershey are the disposals around here (-:

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InSinkErator Badger 5 disposal Review

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