--- title: "Chicago Kitchen Remodel: What Type of Garbage Disposal Should I Get?" description: Are you looking for just the right garbage disposal to install in your new kitchen remodel? In this article, we give you things to consider that... image: https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/hubfs/images/garbage-disposal.jpg --- [![KBU-brighter-blue](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/hubfs/KBU_May2019/logos/KBU-brighter-blue.png "KBU-brighter-blue")](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com) [![CONTACT US](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/265052/7bd3552a-d2ef-4ec1-bf75-cd56b7181b8f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/265052/7bd3552a-d2ef-4ec1-bf75-cd56b7181b8f) ![Portfolio](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Portfolio.png?width=1920&name=Portfolio.png "Portfolio") Blog # Chicago Kitchen Remodel: What Type of Garbage Disposal Should I Get? [Ron Nanberg](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/blog/author/ron-nanberg) | Wed, Dec 30, 2015 | [Kitchen Remodeling](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/blog/topic/kitchen-remodeling) ![Chicago Kitchen Remodel - Garbage Disposal](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/garbage-disposal.jpg?width=602&name=garbage-disposal.jpg "Chicago Kitchen Remodel - Garbage Disposal")When's the last time you put much thought into your garbage disposal? Unless you've completed a Chicago kitchen remodeling project in the past five or 10 years, odds are - never. However, in an effort to improve safety and a more streamlined kitchen appearance, garbage disposals now come with more options than ever, including: - Continuous or Batch feed - Electrical or Air switch - Horsepower - Noise While garbage disposals - also called disposers, depending on the source - are [predominantly a functional item](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/blog/bid/393469/Innovative-Storage-Solutions-for-Your-Kitchen-Remodel), there are more options to choose from than ever. # **Things to Consider When Choosing a Garbage Disposal for Your Kitchen Remodel** Here are some of the primary considerations. **Continuous Feed or Batch Feed** Most of us grew up with *continuous feed garbage disposals*, meaning the blades operate for the entire time the switch is on, allowing you to continuously add kitchen scraps [down the sink drain](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/blog/bid/391645/Choosing-the-Right-Kitchen-Faucet-and-Sink). The plus-side is you can process a lot of food scraps quickly; the bad news is that silverware, wedding rings, baby bottle parts and - worst of all - fingers and hands can inadvertently make their way into the blade's path. For this reason, *batch feed disposals *are a wonderful invention. The unit only works when a special disposer cover is placed over the drain. For busy chefs, this may seem like an inconvenience but it's a major benefit because you know that the unit can't run when a hand is down the drain or before you've had a safe chance to check the disposer bottom for anything you don't want to be processed by its powerful blades. **Electrical Switch or Air Switch** Another safety feature that has been added to the mix is called an air switch, or air button. We've all heard a million times that water is a conductor of electricity, and you should never touch an electrical appliance with wet hands. Yet, the large majority of household garbage disposals work via an electrical switch on the wall - *that is switched on by wet hands*. Even [with a GFCI switch](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/blog/chicago-kitchen-and-bath-remodeling-what-is-gfci-do-i-need-it), it's still a bad design. Fortunately, the air switch has eliminated both the electrical hazard as well as an unnecessary extra switch plate [in your backsplash area](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/blog/chicago-kitchen-design-ideas-how-to-choose-a-backsplash). With an air switch - or button - a round, complementary button is installed on the sink itself or at a convenient countertop location. Visually, they're a more streamlined option. They work by pushing a stream of air through a hidden tube, and this "air signal" triggers the unit to turn on. To turn it off, you simply hit the air switch again. **Horse Power and Noise** Most garbage disposals range from 1/4 horsepower to 1 horsepower, and the greater the horsepower, the more powerful the unit. There is no need to go crazy and get a high-power unit if you rarely cook or if you put the majority of [your food waste into a compost bin](https://www.kitchensbathsunlimited.com/blog/what-does-it-mean-to-have-an-organic-kitchen-design), so choose a power that makes sense for you. Also, make sure you choose a unit that is well-insulated to reduce the noise as much as possible. Even something as seemingly "unimportant" as a garbage disposal is a pretty important decision when designing a Chicago kitchen remodeling project that will satisfy your household's needs on a daily basis. Work with Kitchens & Baths Unlimited to make sure you don't miss an important detail in your upcoming kitchen design. 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