Interesting to hear about people's experience with disposals. I, like Tolivac, had a love of them and purchsing and testing different models is sort of a hobby (albeit, an expensive one).
It is correct that only three U.S. manufactures now exist, (1) Anaheim-- (Sinkmaster, GE, Waste King, Whirlaway, etc) with various models operating between 2700 and 1900 rpm, and all have a permanent magnet motor. (2) Emerson Electric, who bought In-Sink-Erator--(ISE, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, ACE, Sears Kenmore, etc) and (3) Viking Range Corp. (who bought the design rights from Whirlpool when Whirlpool bought the KitchenAid division from Hobart.
In the previous threads many belittle GE. Most of these individuals probably don't have a true GE but one of the Anaheim clones. The main characteristics of these is they stink (plastic parts in the grind chamber scratch and absorb bacteria), and as someone mentioned, materials collect under the lower rim below the splash guard and the underside of the splashquard itself. They are also characterized (the 1hp and 3/4 models) by getting little pieces of corn cob and similar hard wastes trapped under the swivel impeller. This throws the grinding whhel out of balance and causes vibration. Even under normal circumstances they are noisy grinders.
GE quit making the Disposall themself in the late seventies (if I remember correctly, about 1979). They had two primarily designs. One set of models used induction motors and operated at 1725 rpm, like most disposalls. They were larger with a heavy cast turntable (aka flywheel or grind wheel) They were quiet, reliable and had few faults.
GE's other design had models using a series wound motor operating at 8000 rpm. This design was quit innovation. Series motors are lighter in weight and much smaller for a given rpm range. You either have to love their series models or hate them.
GE series models (later called the Piranha) sound almost exactly like a vacuum cleaner motor when they wind up with no load (no garbage, no water). A series motor has extremely high start-up torque (no ned for a starting capacitor). It's torque actually increases under load by pulling more amps, as speed drops, torque and amp draw increase. It will fight a load until the bitter end. That's why series motors are used on most drills and blenders.
As far as the love it or hate it aspect. People hate them because they are noisy and can occasionally fling a piece of bone and water particles out of the sink with great velocity if you don't use the cover.
People who love them do so because they are lightweight and easy to install. Incredible torque for the size-- do chicken bones almost instantly, pork chop bones in 10 - 20 seconds. Corn cobs grind very quickly but don't feed them in non stop because the little motor works so hard that it overheats quickly and kicks out the thermal overload
Both the induction model and the series models are entirely polished stainless steel..the hopper, cutters, flywheel and swivel impellers.They rarely develop a smell and the interiors almostlook nice and shiny.
In the mid 80's, GE lent their series motor design to Anaheim to use on their GE labeled disposal. GE's advertising logo was "They're Back!". but they weren't really. I bought several of them and they just were not up to the original GE standards. Anaheim went back to their generic base models after a few years. AS they go down the assembly line, they slap on GE labeled housing, a Sinkmaster housing, or a Waste King housing depending on the need. All absolutely identitical. All are readily recognized by their small diameter throat. Hard to cram large watermelon rinds and grapefruits down. A few like Sinkmaster Elite used a three point professional mount instead of the plastic ring, and these have a little larger diameter throat.
Of all the disposals my favorites have been;
True GE built Series motor models-if you don't mind the noise and the ocasional high speed projectile, there is nothing faster. If your drains are prone to glogging these are good as the water is pushed out of the machine with so much force it helps to keep the drain lines clear. Fastest machine I ever had on pork chop bones (unbelievable, really) and peach pits.
Maytag-Built models (made through the mid 80's I believe). A good all around machine. Very quiet, dependable. Does everything well, although nothing overly great. Fine grind with the undercutting tooth, so unlkely to stop up drains when grinding corn husks. No faults, really. A very, large and heavy machine, so you need plenty of room under the sink. Wide opening in the throat.
Pre-Anaheim, Waste King (up to early 90's) Their 3/4 hp unit, is like the Maytag, in that it was a good all around unit. One of the finest grinds, especially on bones. Quality control was not always the best in later years, however.
ISE-only tried two of these but had three Kenmores, which are virtually the same, one was lower line 1/2hp, good except suffered the Anaheim problem of getting out of balance, on bones, but not corn cobs. Little pieces of bone fragments got under the swivel impeller and kept help it open. Recently I had the 1hp model(I think it was the 777 SS) was a good machine. Very quiet. Not as fast as the Maytag and definately slower than the seies wound GE. It uses a 360 degree rotating impeller. This is very good for jam reduction. But reduces the force on the food against the shredder ring as they are oftentimes swung away. Fairly slow on peach pits. Very respectable on corn cobs, great on watermelon rinds and satisfactory on pork chop bones. Beef bones take too long, so forget those. (Heavy beef bones are too hard on any machine, in my opinion, except for the Viking). Although In-Sink-Erator (Emerson) claims they use an endurance test using steer bones in their disposals.
Viking (Formerly Hobart's KitchenAid)-never had one of these, but when I save up $420, I plan on it. The advantage, it is the only brand still made with fixed impellers. The impellers cannot move away from wastes but relentlessy keep driving them agains the shredding ring. Very fast from what I hear, however prone to jams during bone grinding. that's why the "Wham-Jam" breaker feature. Except for a more powerful motor, these are the exact same units KitchenAid put out in the 80's.
If you look on ebay you will see an original KitchenAid that looks like someone put it out of the city dump, They are asking a "Buy It Now" price of $54.00. They have relisted it three times with no takers. (for obvious reasons) They are highly collectable, but not when they are a beat up piece of junk with half of the parts missing and looking like it had been dragged through a gravel street for two or three miles.
Keep your eye on Ebay if you want a vintage disposal. I have bought two of the GE series units there, one GE induction batch feed and one of the original Maytag built models. Had a really bidding war on it, but got it for round $180. I even saw a vintage Westinghouse, once.
Barry
It is correct that only three U.S. manufactures now exist, (1) Anaheim-- (Sinkmaster, GE, Waste King, Whirlaway, etc) with various models operating between 2700 and 1900 rpm, and all have a permanent magnet motor. (2) Emerson Electric, who bought In-Sink-Erator--(ISE, Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, ACE, Sears Kenmore, etc) and (3) Viking Range Corp. (who bought the design rights from Whirlpool when Whirlpool bought the KitchenAid division from Hobart.
In the previous threads many belittle GE. Most of these individuals probably don't have a true GE but one of the Anaheim clones. The main characteristics of these is they stink (plastic parts in the grind chamber scratch and absorb bacteria), and as someone mentioned, materials collect under the lower rim below the splash guard and the underside of the splashquard itself. They are also characterized (the 1hp and 3/4 models) by getting little pieces of corn cob and similar hard wastes trapped under the swivel impeller. This throws the grinding whhel out of balance and causes vibration. Even under normal circumstances they are noisy grinders.
GE quit making the Disposall themself in the late seventies (if I remember correctly, about 1979). They had two primarily designs. One set of models used induction motors and operated at 1725 rpm, like most disposalls. They were larger with a heavy cast turntable (aka flywheel or grind wheel) They were quiet, reliable and had few faults.
GE's other design had models using a series wound motor operating at 8000 rpm. This design was quit innovation. Series motors are lighter in weight and much smaller for a given rpm range. You either have to love their series models or hate them.
GE series models (later called the Piranha) sound almost exactly like a vacuum cleaner motor when they wind up with no load (no garbage, no water). A series motor has extremely high start-up torque (no ned for a starting capacitor). It's torque actually increases under load by pulling more amps, as speed drops, torque and amp draw increase. It will fight a load until the bitter end. That's why series motors are used on most drills and blenders.
As far as the love it or hate it aspect. People hate them because they are noisy and can occasionally fling a piece of bone and water particles out of the sink with great velocity if you don't use the cover.
People who love them do so because they are lightweight and easy to install. Incredible torque for the size-- do chicken bones almost instantly, pork chop bones in 10 - 20 seconds. Corn cobs grind very quickly but don't feed them in non stop because the little motor works so hard that it overheats quickly and kicks out the thermal overload
Both the induction model and the series models are entirely polished stainless steel..the hopper, cutters, flywheel and swivel impellers.They rarely develop a smell and the interiors almostlook nice and shiny.
In the mid 80's, GE lent their series motor design to Anaheim to use on their GE labeled disposal. GE's advertising logo was "They're Back!". but they weren't really. I bought several of them and they just were not up to the original GE standards. Anaheim went back to their generic base models after a few years. AS they go down the assembly line, they slap on GE labeled housing, a Sinkmaster housing, or a Waste King housing depending on the need. All absolutely identitical. All are readily recognized by their small diameter throat. Hard to cram large watermelon rinds and grapefruits down. A few like Sinkmaster Elite used a three point professional mount instead of the plastic ring, and these have a little larger diameter throat.
Of all the disposals my favorites have been;
True GE built Series motor models-if you don't mind the noise and the ocasional high speed projectile, there is nothing faster. If your drains are prone to glogging these are good as the water is pushed out of the machine with so much force it helps to keep the drain lines clear. Fastest machine I ever had on pork chop bones (unbelievable, really) and peach pits.
Maytag-Built models (made through the mid 80's I believe). A good all around machine. Very quiet, dependable. Does everything well, although nothing overly great. Fine grind with the undercutting tooth, so unlkely to stop up drains when grinding corn husks. No faults, really. A very, large and heavy machine, so you need plenty of room under the sink. Wide opening in the throat.
Pre-Anaheim, Waste King (up to early 90's) Their 3/4 hp unit, is like the Maytag, in that it was a good all around unit. One of the finest grinds, especially on bones. Quality control was not always the best in later years, however.
ISE-only tried two of these but had three Kenmores, which are virtually the same, one was lower line 1/2hp, good except suffered the Anaheim problem of getting out of balance, on bones, but not corn cobs. Little pieces of bone fragments got under the swivel impeller and kept help it open. Recently I had the 1hp model(I think it was the 777 SS) was a good machine. Very quiet. Not as fast as the Maytag and definately slower than the seies wound GE. It uses a 360 degree rotating impeller. This is very good for jam reduction. But reduces the force on the food against the shredder ring as they are oftentimes swung away. Fairly slow on peach pits. Very respectable on corn cobs, great on watermelon rinds and satisfactory on pork chop bones. Beef bones take too long, so forget those. (Heavy beef bones are too hard on any machine, in my opinion, except for the Viking). Although In-Sink-Erator (Emerson) claims they use an endurance test using steer bones in their disposals.
Viking (Formerly Hobart's KitchenAid)-never had one of these, but when I save up $420, I plan on it. The advantage, it is the only brand still made with fixed impellers. The impellers cannot move away from wastes but relentlessy keep driving them agains the shredding ring. Very fast from what I hear, however prone to jams during bone grinding. that's why the "Wham-Jam" breaker feature. Except for a more powerful motor, these are the exact same units KitchenAid put out in the 80's.
If you look on ebay you will see an original KitchenAid that looks like someone put it out of the city dump, They are asking a "Buy It Now" price of $54.00. They have relisted it three times with no takers. (for obvious reasons) They are highly collectable, but not when they are a beat up piece of junk with half of the parts missing and looking like it had been dragged through a gravel street for two or three miles.
Keep your eye on Ebay if you want a vintage disposal. I have bought two of the GE series units there, one GE induction batch feed and one of the original Maytag built models. Had a really bidding war on it, but got it for round $180. I even saw a vintage Westinghouse, once.
Barry
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