All
  • All
  • Products
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • Conversations
  • Social

Does Your Sink Have a Garbage Disposal?

by partysugar 19

When I moved into a more affordable apartment a couple of months ago, one of the luxuries I gave up was a disposal. Although my kitchen is modern with a dishwasher, I can't put anything down the sink's drain. It's a total hassle, but one that I am slowly becoming accustomed to. How about you?

PollSinkGarbage DisposalKitchensKitchen SinkHome Cooks

19 Comments

silicapathways silicapathways
I'd like to add that I don't think most people "cram" food down there. I usually throw most scraps away but it's nice for the extra stuff that gets down there!
OMG! It's 2010 and I can't believe we are encouraging/promoting throwing food and waste down drains and toilets. This post is so discouraging.
sweetnspice sweetnspice
OK I don't know if there are negative long term consequences for this, but whenever I don't have access to a disposal, I will just put any wet food garbage in the toilet and flush it down. For some reason I'm terrified of putting liquids in the garbage because I can just imagine it leaking out of a tear down my leg as I walk the leaky garbage through my apartment building, down the stairs, through the parking lot to the dumpster.
Spectra Spectra
I have one now, but it wasn't there when we moved in. My husband installed it because I was getting tired of not being able to put anything down the drain. I don't grind up massively huge amounts of stuff in mine...mostly, I scrape off the plates, put them in the sink to rinse them, and rinse any debris down the drain and run the disposal. My parents totally abuse theirs...they grind up eggshells and all sorts of veggie peelings that could totally be composted.
katiekat95 katiekat95
I do now. It terrifies me since I didn't grow up with one and seem to lose shot glasses down there frequently ;)
POPSUGAR Food POPSUGAR Food
No, but I certainly wish it did! It would change my life.
Garbage disposals are rank. I can't believe people are so enamoured of them, and they are not good for the environment. Just be clean, and compost, it's totally not hard.
lilkimbo lilkimbo
Kristen, that's actually no longer true. A law was passed in 1997 allowing garbage disposals in NYC. I think they're just still uncommon there because the vast majority of dwellings were built before then and many probably haven't been renovated to include a garbage disposal.
HeyKristen HeyKristen
My new California apartment has one -- but it's the first one I've ever had! Pre-CA, I lived in New York City where you actually can't have a garbage disposal -- I'm not sure why, but I've heard it's because of the aging sewer pipes that can't handle the extra workload. I'm not sure how I got along without one until now, and if I ever move back, I'm going to really, really miss it.
bluebellknoll bluebellknoll
I have one but I rarely use it. I didn't grow up with one so I never felt like I needed it. I have a sink trap which I clean out regularly - no big deal. Funny though - it kinda freaks me out when I see my friends using their disposals. They cram tons of sh*t into it - I just don't see how that's a good idea.
lilkimbo lilkimbo
I feel like homes built after a certain time (and obviously recently renovated houses) in North America always have garbage disposals. But, I've lived in several older houses (mostly in college) that didn't have them. And they're quite uncommon outside of North America.
doogirl doogirl
I thought all sinks came with a garbage disposal! I've never not had one.
silicapathways silicapathways
I find it weird that people don't have one! I didn't know it was considered luxury!
muse2323 muse2323
We don't have one, but it's on our list of things to get. It's a pain to try to get rid of meat scraps without one. We live in coastal BC and besides our neighborhood bears (who like to explore what you might leave outside), we also have a huge population of crows that likes to go after our garbage on pick-up day. We find that freezing food scraps helps keep the birds away--at least when the weather is cooler. Not sure it'll help much this summer. We really have to get a disposal (or as they call them here, a garburator) soon.
sourcherries sourcherries
Have one, but too skeered to use it! I just clear off plates before washing and have mesh grate to catch other particles.
imLissy imLissy
We just moved into a house with one, but I'm not sure I know how to use it...
onlysourcherry onlysourcherry
oh my gosh yes. I couldn't live without it.
lilkimbo lilkimbo
Skigurl, I wasn't aware that they were illegal anywhere. Are you outside the U.S.? Anyway, yes, I have one. When I got my apartment there were certain features I wanted and I knew I was willing to pay a little more to be able to have them. I suppose a garbage disposal wasn't a deal breaker, but it was on the list.
skigurl skigurl
i am not even sure it's legal where i live
Should Servers Notify You If an Item Will Cost Extra?
Should Servers Notify You If an Item Will Cost Extra?
Is It OK For Chefs to Yell at Their Staff?
Is It OK For Chefs to Yell at Their Staff?