All garbage disposals, irrespective of their brand, come with a reset button. This is a method used by the manufacturer to ensure that there is no unnecessary power going through and damaging the motor. The reset button is usually found around the housing of the unit, but sometimes it may be found where it’s not apparent. For instance, you can find a reset button on some garbage disposals on its bottom side.
So in this article, I am listing the popular garbage disposal brands and the locations of reset buttons on them;
Location of garbage disposal’s reset button
Here is where to find the reset buttons of popular disposal brands;
| Brand name | Location of reset button |
|---|---|
| Waste King | At the bottom part of the front-facing side |
| InSinkErator | On the bottom facing side |
| Moen | At the bottom of the front-facing side (Read more about Moen reset button) |
| GE | At the bottom part of the front-facing side |
| Whirlpool | On their bottom facing side |
| KitchenAid | On the bottom side |
| Waste Maid | At the bottom part of the front-facing side |
| Bonecrusher | At the bottom part of their front-facing side |
| Criterion | At the bottom part of the front-facing side |
| Evergrind | On their bottom facing side |
| Everbilt | At the bottom part of the front-facing side |
| Frigidaire | At the bottom part of the front-facing side |
| Whirlaway | At the bottom part of the front-facing side |
As you can see from the above table, the reset button of the majority of garbage disposals is located at the bottom part of their housing’s front-facing side. Reset buttons are either red or black in color.
There are many garbage disposal models under one brand name. But the location of the rest buttons is the same across all the models under the same brand. For example, the reset buttons of InSinkErator Badger 5 and InSinkErator Evolution Excel disposals are located on their bottom side. For any garbage disposal model by Waste King, the reset button is located on their front-facing side.
What is a reset button for
A reset button is used to reset a garbage disposal’s motor if it has become jammed. The button is typically a recessed button on the bottom or side of the unit, and pressing this will reset the motor so you can flush food through your disposer again.
The reset button is a safety device that prevents the garbage disposal from turning on if it is jammed. When the garbage disposal is overloaded or when there is a power surge, the circuit associated with the reset button disconnects the garbage disposal from the mains thus protecting it from damages. This is important because many homeowners have small children and a jammed disposal can be a serious hazard. It’s also important to know how to reset the garbage disposal, since it may jam at any time, and you’ll want to be able to restart it so you can use it again.
Here is how to reset a garbage disposal;
- Turn off the garbage disposal
- Remove whatever is jamming the disposal
- Press the reset button
- Turn on the disposal
I also have a detailed guide to reset the garbage disposal for your reference. Also, feel free to check this article: reset button not working.
Do all garbage disposals have a reset button?
All garbage disposals have a reset button. Without a reset button, a garbage disposal risks the chance of electrical hazards. Overloading the garbage disposal can lead to a burnt-out motor, and in very rare cases, fire.
To prevent the garbage disposal and the house from possible hazards, it is made mandatory to have a reset button on all garbage disposals.
