GE Disposall Green 1/2 HP Garbage Disposal In-depth Review
Overall Verdict
The GE Disposall Green Garbage Disposal is a nice surprise in the 1/2-horsepower category. It has a neat design with a grainy plastic casing and can take care of a wide array of scraps with little to no struggle, from vegetables and fruits to tougher ones like corn cobs or cooked bones. More remarkably, the grinder not only outperforms its peers but also larger and costlier models.
Around $120, this is not the most affordable small disposal you can find, even costlier than certain cheap 3/4-hp models. But with what it puts on the table, such as its jamless magnet motor and stainless steel grinding components, it’s easily one of the best you can buy. For better cost-saving options, you can also check out the Waste King L-1001.
Things We Like
- High capacity
- Stainless steel grinding components
- High-speed motor
- Affordable
Things We Don’t Like
- No noise/vibration insulation
The GE Disposall Green looks like a piece of modern appliance but it’s now more than ten years old. Across retailers, the disposals receive positive feedback regarding its straightforward design and performance. On Amazon.com, for example, the Disposall Green is rated 4.6 out of 5 stars for its favorable values. Right from the start, it appeared well-made and felt solid, which are great signs.
7.3 Performance
We did not expect the GE Disposall Green to deliver as well as it did in performance testing, outdoing so many more powerful rivals in dealing with varied food types. The disposal did exceptionally well with raw chicken bones for such a compact unit while handling common, easier scraps adequately.
Though it couldn’t waltz through the Raw Fish Scraps challenge, it still managed comparable results, which is not typical of its power rating, which is very impressive. Considering everything, this is hands-down the most powerful 1/2-hp disposal we’ve tested so far.
7.8 Scrap Mix
The disposal finished the task rather quickly, leaving in the chamber only 0.1 ounces of shredded fish bones in about 2 minutes 30 seconds. Meaning, more than 99% of the input, including assorted veggies and fruits, corn cobs, avocado pits, even cooked chicken bones, was thoroughly processed.
However, the disposal’s basic chamber layout wasn’t intricate enough to break up some materials, specifically the slim bones from the fish. We filtered out enough long pieces from the output to raise such a concern. The rest of the materials appeared to be dealt with sufficiently and consistently.
5.2 Raw Fish Scraps
Our expectation was confirmed when the first few pieces entered the chamber and the disposal couldn’t really handle the input. Roughly 4 ounces worth of materials, including the battered-up yet still distinct fin, remained in the chamber after the run.
The quality of output also suggested that the GE Green wasn’t able to process the materials in time before they slipped through the grinding mechanism. If anything, the results on this particular run emphasized how 1/2-hp units are not appropriate for resilient fibrous materials.
8.0 Raw Chicken Scraps
With raw chicken scraps, the disposal was surprisingly effective. Although its output quality was not ideal, the GE Green was able to pulverize most of the input fairly quickly. With less than 0.1 ounces of materials left behind, the disposal practically processed more than 99% of the scraps we flushed down.
These results showed both potential and inconsistency when using the GE Green to handle leftovers from tougher ingredients.
8.6 Design
The GE Disposall Green has a quality look and feel that many 1/2-hp garbage disposals don’t. It has a thick and well-fitted protective case, the grinding components inside are all stainless steel, and the permanent magnet motor runs like a dream.
Similar to other compact models, the GE Green doesn’t have any major noise treatment. It’s compatible with 3-bolt mounting sets and comes conveniently with a pre-wired power cord.
In the Box
- GE Disposall Green
- 3-Bolt mount assembly
- Removable splash guard
- Stopper
- Discharge tube and rubber gasket
- Flange and bolts (2 sets)
- Documentation
- (Pre-installed) power cord
The package we received wasn’t in the best condition, both the disposer and the box it came in. There were heavy smudges everywhere on the box, and a few on the content disposer itself, which made us suspect that the product wasn’t brand new. Luckily, it appeared to be fully functional after a few test runs.
Other than the usual content, we also found an extra set of a flange and bolts for the discharge tube.
Dimensions
The disposal has a nice and compact design, which makes it suitable for cabinets of many different sizes. Its minimum weight introduces very little to the sink’s overall burden.
Mount Assembly
- Stopper
- Sink flange
- Cushion mount
- Fiber gasket
- Removable splash guard
- Lower mount ring
- Mount ring
- Backup flange
- Snap ring
The GE Disposall Green connects to a 3-Bolt mount assembly that has a removable splash guard and a stopper capped with a sleek stainless steel finish. 3-bolt mounting sets are heavier than EZ sets due to their metal parts, and they have a more complicated design.
If you’re not too handy, they are more difficult to handle compared to the EZ. That said, 3-Bolt assemblies are relatively more rigid and can bear more load.
Power Cord
The disposer comes pre-corded. There’s no other version without a power cord, at the moment, so if you want to hardwire it to your mainline, you will have to remove the cord yourself.
Accessories: Discharge Set
Completing the ensemble is a discharge set consisting of a 1.5-inch elbow pipe, a rubber gasket, a metal flange, and a pair of bolts with slotted hex heads.
7.5 Grind Chamber
For a 1/2-hp garbage disposal, the GE Green can handle impressive amounts of scraps. The chamber’s total verticality when the disposer is all set up is 6.4 inches, which offers more leeway for scraps that are tough and long.
Components of the grinding assembly are all made of stainless steel. Compared to galvanized steel parts, they should last and stay sharp longer.
9.0 Motor
Boasting a 1/2-HP permanent magnet motor, the GE Disposall Green delivers high speeds instantly when switched on. The flywheel’ rotational velocity can reach up to 4587 RPM, as our speed test shows. The fast spin rate of permanent magnet motors help significantly reduce the risk of jamming in the chamber. Permanent magnet motors also generate much less heat compared to induction motors. This directly links to higher efficiency and lower risk of overheating.
9.0 Build Quality
In spite of GE’s claim regarding the Disposall Green’s quietness, the disposal is pretty loud during operation, especially against crunchy materials, since it has no soundproofing worth mentioning. That said, we haven’t seen any small in-sink grinders that can keep their noises down.
Other than that, the disposal is a well-crafted unit. Every detail seems to have the right amount of attention as they fit together nicely and they remain so even after the testing we’ve put it through.
8.4 Usability
The Disposall Green is one of the nicest 1/2-hp disposals we’ve seen so far. It’s capable of consistent performance against common food and may considerably cut down the time as well as the amount of cleanup in the kitchen.
Its low-weight and compact build contribute to its easy installation process. The disposal ran smoothly in all of our tests, save for when it was dealing with raw meat scraps.
9.0 Ease of Use
Most small units have narrow grinding chambers, which means they don’t do well with long scraps. The GE Green, however, has enough space that lets it handle long pieces of raw chicken bones like it did. The disposal also has a sleek stainless steel drain stopper and a sink baffle made of quality rubber that can be removed.
9.5 Installation
If you’re switching from another 3-bolt disposal, you should be all set after mounting the unit and plugging it in. If not, disassembling and then installing the mounting set is the only thing you need to do. The 3-bolt design can be a little tricky if you’re not familiar; spending some time getting used to the mechanics of the snap ring should help.
(tips: *For safety reasons, you should ALWAYS set up to control your garbage disposal via a dedicated switch with a clear “Off” position.)
8.0 Smooth Operation
The Disposall Green runs like a charm from start to finish in our testing phase. Granted, it couldn’t really produce drain-safe output, but the unit itself stood rigid through everything. For a 1/2-hp with minimum special treatment, it’s an option worth keeping in mind.
0.0 Unjam Mechanics
The disposal doesn’t have a way to turn the motor or the grinding assembly from outside of the machine. If jamming happens, we can use a stick to rotate the flywheel through the disposal’s collar.