When shopping for garbage disposals, you need to know the size of the space under your sink to know if a compact garbage disposal is required. If your sink is small or big, then compare the size to the list below.
As you know, garbage disposals are installed under the sink, and they take about 12 to 18 inches in height of space. It is also advised to have 6 to 12 inches of extra space under the disposal so it is easy to install and dismantle. So, in general, you need to have around 2 to 2.5 feet of space under your sink to install a garbage disposal.
But not all kitchens have this extra space, especially if you have deep sinks. So, the solution is to install compact, low-profile models. Here are the 9 best compact garbage disposals:
1. InSinkErator Evolution Excel
True to its name, this garbage disposal excels above all other disposals. This is the primary reason why people consider this to be the best garbage disposal, and due to its compact size and excellent features, this is definitely the No.1 compact disposal.
This Evolution model is always a step ahead of the Evolution Compact. It is much better looking owing to its Stainless Steel finished body. It has a 1HP motor that runs at 1725 RPM and uses a 3-stage grinding system to handle even the toughest of food wastes.
Its noise insulation is the best of all disposals, and it is ultra-quiet (Sound Seal technology strikes again).
It has a large grinding chamber with a capacity of 40oz. Just like the InSinkErator Evolution Compact model below, this is a continuous feed type disposal.
Evolution Excel comes with certain features you don’t see in other disposals. The jam sensor circuit and auto-reverse grind system are good examples. These features prevent the disposal from jamming even when disposing of tough food items. It also comes with a 10-year warranty.
Its dimensions are 13” x 9”. Some websites list its height as 13.5” but it is actually 13” according to its spec sheet.
Evolution Excel is a top-end garbage disposal. It is also costly, but the price is well justified. For further reading, please check my detailed review here.
2. InSinkErator Evolution Compact
The next on this list is the Evolution Compact garbage disposal simply because of its features. It works great as the benchmark.
The Evolution Compact is equipped with a powerful 3/4HP Dura-Drive induction motor and runs at a speed of 1725 RPM.
It has a chamber capacity of 34.6 ounces, which is ample for a large household. This is a continuous feed type disposal where you can add food wastes continuously (Further reference – Feed types of garbage disposals).
Evolution Compact disposal is made of corrosion-resistant materials, and its grinding components are made of Stainless Steel. It is built with a lot of power to grind the food up very well, so it is a great option on this list.
It also uses Sound Seal technology (a noise insulation technology) which makes it the third quietest garbage disposal by InSinkErator. It also uses a 2-stage grinding system to finely grind all food waste thrown into it. These grinding stages enable this unit to handle small bones and other hard foods that normal disposals can’t handle.
Its overall dimensions are 8 inches long, 8 inches wide, and 12.13 inches tall, which clearly puts it in the ‘compact’ category.
This disposal unit comes with a warranty of 8 years. Even for a large household, this small garbage disposal is an excellent choice. You can read my complete review of it here.
Note: Evolution Essential XTR is also a low-profile disposal, but didn’t make it to this list since it is very similar to Evolution Compact. Here is a comparison between the two.
3. InSinkErator Badger 5
Unlike the above two disposals, Badger 5 doesn’t come with any fancy features. It is the most popular disposal in the ‘Badger’ line due to its pocket-friendly pricing and reliable performance.
It is powered by a 1/2HP Dura-Drive induction motor, which runs at 1725 RPM (most InSinkErator disposals run at this speed). It has a Galvanized Steel construction. It is small in size with a chamber capacity of 26 oz.
The overall dimension of this disposal is 13 x 12 x 12 inches. Make sure you check the spec sheet for the correct dimensions. This is the second smallest disposal on our list and has an overall compact profile.
It comes with a warranty of 3 years. This disposal is the best for small households looking for an economical solution to dispose of food waste.
Check my detailed review of Badger 5
4. Waste King L-1001
This is the only Waste King garbage disposal that made it to the top compact disposals despite a long search. The L-1001 is a strong competitor to InSinkErator’s Badger 5 and sports a 1/2 HP motor much like it. But it runs at 2600 RPM (Waste King favors high RPM disposers).
This is a continuous feed type disposal with some grinding components made of stainless steel and some with Galvanized steel. Its grinding chamber is made of glass-filled nylon and fiberglass material that is corrosion-resistant.
Its overall size is 5.25 x 5.25 x 12.75 inches (as per its spec sheet).
The L-1001 garbage disposal is an economic model suitable for small households.
Here is my detailed review of Waste King 1001
5. Kitchen Aid KCDB250G
KCDB250G is the most popular garbage disposal from Kitchen Aid. Like Badger 5 and L-1001, it is powered by a ½ HP motor. The speed of the motor is 1725 RPM.
It has a medium-quality build like all other economic disposals, but it does have a noise insulator cover to reduce noise, which makes this disposal a step ahead of its competitors. Its grinding components and chamber are made of galvanized steel.
The overall size of this disposer is 11 3/8 inches tall and 6 5/8 inches wide. This makes KitchenAid KCDB250G one of the smallest garbage disposals on the market.
You can check my complete review of Kitchen Aid KCDB250G here.
6. InSinkErator Supreme SS
InSinkErator Supreme SS is a relatively new garbage disposal in the Evolution series. It is identical to the Evolution Excel in size and specifications.
It has a height of 13 inches, so it is just the right height for any confined space and it works great.
With a power of 1 HP, and features like Multi-Grind technology and Auto-Reverse, it is one of the more powerful disposals by InSinkErator. It is a perfect fit for your kitchen if you are looking for a powerful and compact disposal.
In addition, it is very quiet in its operation, just like the InSinkErator Excel model, thanks to SoundSeal technology.
Just like the Excel model, this is also a premium disposer. And it is covered under a warranty of 10 years. It is too similar to the Evolution Excel, so here is a comparison of Evolution Excel vs Supreme SS to make it easy for readers to find their differences.
If you want more details, here is my detailed review of InSinkErator Supreme SS.
7. InSinkErator Evolution Select
As you can see, this is a modified model of the InSinkErator Evolution Compact model. Both of them share the exact size and build, though they differ slightly in build quality.
The Evolution Select has a height of 12.25 inches, which makes it one of the most compact disposals on the market. It can be easily fitted under almost any sink due to its short height.
It also looks better than the Evolution Compact due to the red color, though I am sure opinions differ on that.
It is powered by a 5/8 HP motor running at 1750 RPM. It uses Multi-Grind technology, but some premium features like Auto-Reverse and Jam-Sensor are not available even though this is a premium model.
Sound Seal technology is also in use here, so it is quiet but not as much as the Excel or similar models. Here is a full list of quiet garbage disposals if you are interested.
It comes with a 4-year warranty and a premium price tag. This low-profile disposal is a good option for a mid-size family.
8. InSinkErator Evolution Select Plus
This is another low-profile garbage disposal from InSinkErator. It is a more powerful and feature-rich version of the Evolution Select.
But their sizes are the same, both have a height of 12.25 inches which will fit in any under-sink space.
It uses a 3/4 horsepower motor which runs at the same lazy 1725 RPM that all other InSinkErators run. It is equipped with technologies like Auto-Reverse, SoundSeal, and Multi-Stage grinding (2-stage) which assures awesome performance for its power.
However, it lacks the Jam-Sensor technology, which is seen on more powerful disposers. It is a little quieter than both Evolution Compact and Select models.
It comes with a 9-year warranty. I should say this is a better buy than the Compact. If you are unsure, here is my comparison of Evolution Compact vs Evolution Select vs Select Plus.
9. InSinkErator Pro750
InSinkErator Pro750 is another facelifted Evolution Compact model with slightly different specs but the same size.
The Pro 750 has a height of 12.25 inches and a width of 8.75 inches, which is exactly the size of at least 3 models mentioned above.
It is also powered by the same 3/4 HP motor, and it comes with SoundSeal technology, 2-stage grinding, and Auto-Reverse. This is a continuous feed type disposal, and it uses a 3-bolt assembly for installation.
It comes with a 9-year warranty.
Don’t forget to check my review of InSinkErator Pro 750, and Evolution Compact vs Pro750.
Can You Use Garbage Disposals for Undermount Sinks?
Undermount sinks are installed just beneath the countertop level. That means they will sit about 1.25 inches lower, which in turn means the total space under the countertop is short by 1.25 inches. But that is not a big deal since all garbage disposals above are compact enough to be accommodated in such a space. So, yes you can use the above garbage disposals for under-mount sinks as well.
Also refer: best garbage disposal for farmhouse sinks
What Is a Compact Disposal?
InSinkErator Evolution Compact has the term ‘compact’ in its name, so its height is the benchmark. There is a list of garbage disposals that have an overall height of 13 inches or less. A compact, low-profile garbage disposal is one that is 13” or less in height. It is justified because there aren’t many disposals qualifying for this criteria.
In the above list, some disposals were omitted, even though they qualified because they are very similar to the ones already listed. Also, not every brand of garbage disposal was used in the above criteria.
Heights of Compact Garbage Disposals
Here is a quick comparison of the heights of the garbage disposals:
| Garbage disposal name | Height |
|---|---|
| 1. InSinkErator Evolution Compact | 12.13 inches |
| 2. InSinkErator Evolution Excel | 13 inches |
| 3. InSinkErator Badger 5 | 13 inches |
| 4. Waste King L-1001 | 12.75 inches |
| 5. Kitchen Aid KCDB250G | 11 3/8 inches |
| 6. InSinkErator Evolution Supreme SS | 13 inches |
| 7. InSinkErator Evolution Select | 12.25 inches |
| 8. InSinkErator Evolution Select Plus | 12.25 inches |
| 9. InSinkErator Pro 750 | 12.25 inches |
Top 9 Compact Garbage Disposals For Deep Sinks
Here is a list of the top best compact garbage disposals for deep sinks:
- InSinkErator Evolution Excel
- InSinkErator Evolution Compact
- InSinkErator Badger 5
- Waste King L-1001
- Kitchen Aid KCDB250G
- InSinkErator Evolution Supreme SS
- InSinkErator Evolution Select
- InSinkErator Evolution Select Plus
- InSinkErator Pro 750
As you can see, the list is dominated by InSinkErator models. Yes, the best compact garbage disposals are made by InSinkErator. Waste King, their main competitor, hardly has any top-end low-profile disposals, but the L-1001 was chosen due to its popularity.
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