Waste King L-1001 Garbage Disposal In-depth Review
Overall Verdict
For an affordable alternative, the Waste King L-1001 1/2-HP Garbage Disposal offers economical and practical values. The clever design, utilizing a compact body and high-velocity motor, allows for flexible applications in households of different sizes.
The disposal has its shortcomings as any unit under $100, specifically the lack of noise treatment as well as cheaper components in the grinding chamber. However, judging from how well the disposal performed in its evaluation tests and how little it costs, it’s one of the best small disposals we’ve seen in action.
Things We Like
- High-speed motor
- Affordable
- Easy installation
Things We Don’t Like
- Small capacity
- No noise/vibration insulation
The L1001 was one of the cheapest models we could find. It was cheap because it’s a small unit and because Waste King has always been an affordable brand, not because of the disposal’s quality. Those who look for a compact grinder that can fit in their tight budget and sink cabinet would be interested in this disposal.
Based on its specifications alone, the Waste King L1001 1/2 HP Garbage Disposal looks like it should be comfortable with a family of two people. Stick with us as we share our insights and evaluation results regarding the disposal’s functionality.
6.8 Performance
Although the L1001 did not have the best runs out of the twenty models we were testing, it was certainly vigorous for such a small unit. In the tests, the disposal handled a wide range of kitchen scraps effortlessly despite the toppling amount. The disposal was inadequate at processing raw bones and failed to deliver safe output. It had a better breakage rate with bones that were cooked; raw bones and meat scraps were too tough for such a limited build.
7.5 Scrap Mix
As daunting as 90 ounces of food scraps can be, the disposal didn’t really struggle. It did seem to slow down slightly for a few seconds when the tough foods, namely the avocado pits and the cooked chicken bones, entered the chamber.
The disposal released satisfying output, save for a few pin bones from the fish remains. Most dietary fibers in the input were processed heavily, even the cooked chicken bones. With less than 0.1 ounces of input left behind in the chamber, the L1001’s efficiency rate was more than 99% for this task.
5.9 Raw Fish Scraps
Although the L1001 couldn’t really handle the raw fish scraps, judging from what was left over. It couldn’t really shred down either the skin parts or break down the vertebrae. The slim pin bones that managed to slip through the grinding chamber were largely processed, but a few pieces are still distinguishingly long.
In short, the L1001 is not meant to deal with tricky scraps like flexible bones or slippery soft tissues. You’d usually have to pay a couple of extra hundred dollars for that level of capability.
5.7 Raw Chicken Scraps
Compared to what the L1001 delivered with the raw fish scraps test, it did have a better go here. Still, the results were far from sufficient for the drain. Most of the crunchy tissues from the boney parts were processed heavily, which is impressive, but everything else from the spongy tissues (of the cartilage) to soft tissues (fat and skin) was very clumpy.
7.9 Design
If it wasn’t for the easily scratchable coat of paint, the L1001 would have been perfect. Admittedly, it isn’t a heavily featured product, but for a compact and affordable garbage disposal, it offers a good extent of practicality.
The disposal is a simple combination of a high-speed motor and galvanized parts, which is effective against many types of food waste. However, it operates with a fairly limited grinding chamber and makes a lot of noise if there’s something crunchy.
In the Box
- Waste King L1001 1/2 HP Garbage Disposal
- EZ mount assembly
- Removable splash guard
- Stopper
- Discharge tube and rubber gasket
- Flange and bolts
- Documentation
- (Pre-installed) power cord
The box includes the disposal and a few essential pieces. All texts in the user manual and on the box are in English, Spanish, and French.
Dimensions
With its minimal dimensions, the L1001 almost looks like it is a piece of the sink drainage system. It barely takes up any space and should fit in most sink cabinets. Its humble and lightweight build is also something you would want for weak or old sinks and counters. On the current market, you’re not going to find a smaller in-sink grinder; for reference, the InSinkErator Badger 5 is 4.4 pounds heavier.
Mount Assembly
- Fiber gasket
- Rubber gasket
- Support ring
- Mount ring
- Cushion mount
- Sink flange
- Stopper
- Removable splash guard
The EZ mounting set is one of the reasons why installing the L1001 is not a hassle. Even if this is your first time with the mounting system, it should only take you but a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the design. The instructions are also clear and easy to follow so make sure to check them out in the manual.
Power Cord
Most Waste King garbage disposals have pre-installed power cords, and so does the L1001. If you prefer hardwiring, you’re going to have to remove the cord yourself.
Accessories: Discharge Set
The discharge set that comes along the L1001 comprises an elbow PVC tube, a rubber gasket, a metal flange, and two bolts. The tube is a standard 1.5-inch, and the bolts have slotted hex heads.
6.5 Grind Chamber
The Waste King L1001 is one of the smallest garbage disposal we’ve tested. Its chamber is not generous and fairly shallow, but considering its grinding configurations, the chamber is reasonably sized.
The chamber houses a grinder assembly with parts made of galvanized steel. The material doesn’t stay sharp as long as stainless steel, but it’s the more inexpensive option of the two.
8.5 Motor
The disposal’s permanent magnet motor is one of the main reasons it’s favorable in the market. The motor is fast which helps break scraps better and it doesn’t run hot which means it can run for longer without overheating. The high rotational velocity also reduces the risk of jamming in the chamber.
8.5 Build Quality
The Waste King L1001 is a well-made product with securely fitted details and quality parts. Its finish, however, scratches very easily, which is a shame but an aesthetic issue at best. And because the disposal doesn’t feature much of anything other than the core machinery, its noise control is underwhelming.
7.4 Usability
If you’re in need of a quick and capable grinder, the L1001 1/2 HP Garbage Disposal is a promising buy. It’s easy to set up and its grinder performance is not bad at all as long as you don’t abuse it. The disposal is far from perfect; still, its utility in the kitchen is something anyone would benefit from.
6.0 Ease of Use
The Waste King L1001 is restricted in a lot of ways due to its design. Its chamber is sometimes too shallow for long pieces of scraps and doesn’t deal well with bones. But with everything else, the disposal is qualified; so far, organic foods have been no match for it, even toughies like avocado pits or fibrous celery.
10 Installation
The Waste King 1/2-HP Garbage Disposal scores a perfect 10 in this category mostly because anyone could install it. Unless you know absolutely nothing about plumbing, connecting the disposal to the drainage is not difficult. The disposal appears not much more than a device that you install in between the sink and pipes.
(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
If you’re careful about what you flush down the sink drain, the disposal can last a long time. The way it handled the performance tests showed that the L1001 is at its best when it’s processing common kitchen foods (i.e. egg shells, peels, stems, etc.). Its most annoying flaw is the loud noise profile; then again, it’s not particularly louder than any other budget garbage disposal.
0.0 Unjam Mechanics
Turn the power off completely then use a stick to rotate the flywheel through the sink drain if the disposal jams (which it rarely does). There’s no other way to free the grinding assembly.