3/4 HP and 1 HP are the most popular garbage disposal sizes available for household use. They are similar to each other in features and performance; however, the 1 HP garbage disposals are slightly more powerful and usually comes with a little more features. That being said, 3/4 HP disposals are usually cheaper.
Differences between 3/4 and 1 HP garbage disposals
Here’s a comparison table summarizing the key differences between 3/4 HP and 1 HP garbage disposals:
| Feature | 3/4 HP Garbage Disposal | 1 HP Garbage Disposal |
|---|---|---|
| Power | Less powerful | Has more horsepower |
| Household Size | Suitable for households with up to 4 adults | Recommended for households with more than 4 adults |
| Frequency of Cooking | Suitable if you cook twice a week or more | More suitable for regular cooking |
| Types of Food Waste | Can grind tough items like raw meat, chicken bones, and fruit pits | Can grind very tough items including ribs |
| Type of Garbage Disposal | Available in both batch feed and continuous feed types | Mostly available in continuous feed type; limited batch feed options |
| Price | Cheaper compared to 1 HP models | More expensive |
| Warranty | Second-longest warranties in the industry | Longest warranties in the industry (e.g., lifetime warranty on Waste King L-8000) |
| Build Quality | High-quality and durable construction, stainless steel grinding components | High-quality and durable construction, stainless steel grinding components |
| Features | High-quality features, good noise insulation | Slightly better noise insulation and overall improved features |
1 HP disposals are better for large households
Garbage disposals are typically sized by the amount of food waste they can process in a day. The size of your garbage disposal will depend on how many people live in your house and what types of foods you prepare.
A 1/2 horsepower garbage disposal is sufficient for up to two people, but if you have more than two adults living at home, consider upgrading to a 3/4 or 1 horsepower unit.
The more food you waste, the more power your garbage disposal should have. Even though both 3/4 HP and 1 HP garbage disposals are good options for a large household, a 1 HP garbage disposal is recommended if there are more than four adults in the house. This is because more people waste more food, and the load on the garbage disposal increases accordingly.
1 HP disposals are better with higher frequency of cooking
It is a no-brainer that more food is wasted when you cook more. Frequent cooking increases the volume of food wastes going into the garbage disposal. A 3/4 HP garbage disposal is good enough if you cook twice a week or even more. But a more powerful garbage disposal is recommended if you have more and more food wastes going into it. A 1 HP garbage disposal is more suitable than a 3/4 HP one if you cook regularly.
1 HP can grind harder food wastes
Not all food wastes can be put in a garbage disposal. Food items like celery, rice, corn husks, etc., are not to be ground in a garbage disposal for various reasons. Here is a list of what you shouldn’t put in a garbage disposal for more reading.
Even though many food wastes are garbage disposal friendly, some of them are not suitable for some garbage disposals. One cannot grind food wastes like chicken bones with small size 1/3 and 1/2 HP garbage disposals. The horsepower of the garbage disposal needs to be more to grind tougher food wastes.
You can grind tough food items like raw meat, chicken bones, fruit pits, etc with a 3/4 HP garbage disposal. However, if you plan to grind ribs, you better opt for a 1 HP garbage disposal.
3/4 HP have more batch feed choices
There are two types of garbage disposals; batch feed and continuous feed. Batch feed disposals are safer to use since you need to cover the sinkhole with a special magnetic cover to run them. They are a good fit if you are worried about your child’s safety. This also prevents any utensils from accidentally falling into the running disposal. But this also means that you cannot put wastes into the disposal when it is running; you have to first fill it up and then run it. In short, the batch feed type disposal grinds food wastes in batches.
A continuous feed type disposal is the one you see in movies where people accidentally maim their hands and fingers. They do not have a safety cap, and you can add more and more food wastes into them as they are ground.
There are only a few batch feed models compared to continuous feed type models. So your choice is limited by the disposal’s horsepower you choose. For example, InSinkErator’s only batch feed model is Evolution Cover Control, which is available only with a 3/4 HP motor. If you are looking for a 1 HP batch feed disposal from InSinkErator, you will be disappointed. Luckily, Waste King, another leading brand, has a 1 HP model named WK L-8000TC. But as I said before, your options are limited if you choose to go for a batch feed type disposal while there are plenty of units to choose from the continuous feed type category.
1 HP are pricier with longer warranties
3/4 HP garbage disposals are cheaper than 1 HP garbage disposals across the same brand. So if you don’t plan to spend a lot of money on a garbage disposal choose a 3/4 HP model.
The warranties of garbage disposals get longer with higher horsepower ratings. 1 HP garbage disposals come with the best warranties in the industry, and 3/4 HP ones have the second-longest warranties. A 1 HP model like Waste King L-8000 comes with a lifetime warranty.
1 Hp disposals have slightly better features
The build quality of 3/4 and 1 HP garbage disposals are at par with each other. All of them come with high quality and durable construction. Their grinding components are made of stainless steel alloys to increase durability.
The features of garbage disposal belonging to these horsepower ratings are similar even though the 1 HP models have slightly better noise insulations and overall improved features.
1 HP recommendations
Waste King L-8000
L-8000 is made by Waste King. It is often rated as the most value for money 1 HP garbage disposal. It was also once rated as the best garbage disposal by ConsumerReports.
I addition to its powerful and high-speed motor, this garbage disposal comes with decent noise insulation and a lifelong warranty. It comes with a pre-installed power cord and an EZ-mount to make the installation easy.
InSinkErator Evolution Excel
Known for its quietness, Evolution Excel is one of the top-selling garbage disposals by InSinkErator. Even though it runs slower than L-8000 it comes with an array of technologies that enable it to grind tough food items like beef ones with ease. It is pricey but its quietness and performance make it one of the best and popular garbage disposals in the market.
3/4 HP recommendations
InSinkErator Evolution Compact
Evolution Compact is very popular for its compact size which allows it to be installed under deep kitchen sinks. It is only 12/25 inches in height but it can accommodate up to 34.6 oz of food wastes.
It is also quiet but has a powerful grind enough to dispose of chicken bones and fruit pits. It comes with a standard 3-bolt assembly swappable with any other InSinkErator disposals.
Waste King L-3200
L-3200 is a value-for-money garbage disposal with a 3/4 HP motor. It high-speed motor provides ample power to grind tough food items like chicken bones with ease. Its grinding components are made of stainless steel, and its grinding chamber is made of high-quality polymer.
Conclusion
Both 3/4 and 1 HP garbage disposals are good options. If you are not sure which one to buy, go for the 1 HP disposal model.
That being said, there are garbage disposals of other sizes as well. You can choose from 1/3 HP, 1/2 HP, 3/4 HP and 1 HP garbage disposals. Here is a detailed guide comparing different garbage disposal sizes for further reference.
