Garbage Disposals
The best garbage disposals for a double sink
A double bowl needs one disposal, not two - and the thing that decides whether it works is the waste tee, not the motor.
Disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through the Amazon links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Commission never decides a verdict or a ranking position — read our editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.
How we assessed these: we compared published manufacturer specifications for the named model numbers, read from each maker's own product page or specification sheet and linked at every figure. We have not installed or tested these disposals and we do not own them. No manufacturer publishes a comparable decibel rating for a domestic disposal and no independent laboratory measures them, so no noise figure appears anywhere on this page.
Short answer
Fit one disposal, under the bowl you prep in, and the InSinkErator Evolution .75HP is the one to fit: 3/4 HP, three-stage MultiGrind, and 12.25 inches overall, which leaves room for the continuous waste tee that a double sink needs underneath it. Two disposals in one double sink is a waste of money and cabinet space.
A double-bowl sink has two drain openings and one trap, joined under the cabinet by a continuous waste tee — a horizontal run from one bowl into a tee below the other, then down into the P-trap. Add a disposal and the geometry gets tight, because the disposal takes up the vertical space the tee wanted and discharges into the same run. Almost every double-sink disposal complaint traces back to that joint rather than to the unit.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. There are no scores here because we run no test lab — how picks are chosen is published in full on our methodology page.
| # | Product | Best for | Our read | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  InSinkErator Evolution .75HP Best overall | Households of three to five | 3/4 HP, three stages, 12.25" tall - height matters here | $239.99 · View on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 17, 2026 |
| 2 |  InSinkErator Badger 5 Best for a crowded cabinet | One or two people, tight cabinets | 11-1/2" overall, which leaves room for the tee | $110.90 · View on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 17, 2026 |
| 3 |  Waste King Legend L-8000 Easiest to fit | Value 1 HP with a cord fitted | 11.94 lb, EZ Mount flange, cord pre-attached | |
| 4 |  InSinkErator Evolution 1HP Most capable | Large households, frequent jams | 1 HP with Jam-Sensor, at 13" and 23 lb | $355.86 · View on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 17, 2026 |
Which bowl gets the disposal
The bowl you prep in, which for most people is the one nearer the trash and the dishwasher. Two things make the decision for you if you are unsure.
The dishwasher drain. A dishwasher drain hose normally connects to the disposal's dishwasher inlet, so the disposal needs to be on the side the dishwasher can reach. On a Kraus KHT302-33 — two equal 15-1/2 inch bowls, 10 inches deep, in a 33 by 22 footprint — the divider sits in the middle and the hose run decides the side.
Which bowl you leave full. If one side habitually holds soaking dishes, put the disposal under the other one. A disposal under a bowl full of standing water is a disposal you cannot use, and a standing bowl above a disposal is where smells start. Single bowl vs double bowl covers how people actually use two bowls.
The plumbing rule that matters
The disposal's side discharge must enter the waste run above the level of the horizontal arm coming from the other bowl, and the whole run must fall toward the trap. Get it the other way round and the disposal pumps its discharge up the other bowl's drain, which is why the classic complaint is "I run the disposal and the other side fills up". That is not a blocked drain and it is not a weak motor. It is a tee fitted the wrong way up, or a run with no fall in it.
This is also why unit height matters more on a double sink than on a single. You need the disposal's discharge high enough to give the tee somewhere to go and still fall into the trap. Published overall heights in this registry run from 11-1/2 inches for the Badger 5 to 14.95 inches for the Cover Control — and the Cover Control is the wrong choice in a double-bowl cabinet for exactly that reason. How to install a garbage disposal covers the assembly order.
| Model | Overall height | Weight | Mounting | Cord |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| InSinkErator Evolution .75HP | 12.25" | Not published | InSinkErator mount | EZ Connect cord and hardwire adapter in the box |
| InSinkErator Badger 5 | 11-1/2" | Not published | InSinkErator mount | Not published |
| Waste King Legend L-8000 | Not published | 11.94 lb | EZ Mount twist-and-lock | Pre-attached |
| InSinkErator Evolution 1HP | 13" | 23.0 lb shipping weight | InSinkErator mount | Not published |
As published by each manufacturer and linked below. Waste King publishes no overall height for the L-8000, which is worth knowing before you plan a tight double-bowl cabinet around it. No decibel figure appears here because no maker publishes a comparable one.
Product photograph supplied by Amazon for this listing, used under the Associates program.
1. Best overall
InSinkErator Evolution .75HP
InSinkErator · Best for households of three to five
The disposal we would fit in most houses. Three-quarters of a horsepower with three-stage grinding and stainless grind components is the point on the range where fibrous waste stops being a gamble, and SoundSeal makes it noticeably quieter than a Badger. The nine-year in-home warranty is the longest of any InSinkErator continuous-feed unit we checked.
Published specifications
- Motor
- 3/4 HP Dura-Drive induction source
- Grind stages
- Three-stage MultiGrind source
- Grind components
- Stainless steel source
- Overall height
- 12.25" source
- Sound
- SoundSeal — quieter than a standard disposal source
- Septic
- Safe for properly maintained septic tanks source
- Warranty
- 9-year We Come to You limited service warranty source
What works
- Three grind stages and stainless components — the two specs that decide whether fibrous scraps jam
- Only three-quarters of an inch taller than a Badger 5, so it fits most cabinets that took one
- Nine-year in-home warranty, which is a real statement about expected service life
- EZ Connect cord and hardwire adapter in the box, so it suits either wiring situation
What does not
- InSinkErator publishes no decibel figure, and neither do we — SoundSeal is a comparison, not a measurement
- 3/4 HP still stalls on bones and fruit pits; no domestic disposal is a bone grinder
- Chamber capacity is not published for this model
Skip it if
Skip it if you are one or two people who scrape plates and little else — you would be paying for capability you will not use.
#ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 17, 2026
Raw specifications: InSinkErator’s own page for the InSinkErator Evolution .75HP.
Product photograph supplied by Amazon for this listing, used under the Associates program.
2. Best for a crowded cabinet
InSinkErator Badger 5
InSinkErator · Best for one or two people, tight cabinets
The baseline every other disposal is measured against, and an honest buy for a small household as long as you know what you are getting: half a horsepower, one grind stage, and galvanized steel grind components rather than stainless. It is short at 11-1/2", which is often the deciding factor in a shallow cabinet.
Published specifications
What works
- Shortest unit here at 11-1/2" — it fits cabinets a 1 HP unit cannot
- Cheapest route to a working disposal from the brand with the best parts availability
- Genuinely adequate for soft scraps: peelings, plate scrapings, coffee grounds
- In-home warranty service rather than ship-it-back
What does not
- Galvanized grind components, not stainless — this is the real difference between Badger and Evolution
- One grind stage, so fibrous waste like celery and corn husks is where it stalls
- No sound insulation of any kind, and the product page makes no noise claim
Skip it if
Skip it if you cook for four or more, or if anything fibrous goes down the drain. Buy 3/4 HP with three stages instead.
#ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 17, 2026
Raw specifications: InSinkErator’s own page for the InSinkErator Badger 5.
Product photograph supplied by Amazon for this listing, used under the Associates program.
3. Easiest to fit
Waste King Legend L-8000
Waste King · Best for value 1 hp with a cord fitted
A different engineering answer to the same problem: a 2800 rpm permanent-magnet motor instead of a slower induction motor with more grind stages. High speed rather than high torque, in a lighter and narrower body, with a 20-year warranty and a factory-fitted power cord. This is the value 1 HP unit.
Published specifications
What works
- 2800 rpm is the highest motor speed here; speed does the work that extra grind stages do on an InSinkErator
- Under 12 lb, which makes a one-person overhead installation genuinely possible
- Power cord pre-attached — no separate cord kit, no wiring
- A 20-year limited warranty at this price is unusual
What does not
- High-speed permanent-magnet motors are louder in character than slow induction motors, and no party publishes a comparable decibel figure
- Single-stage grinding, so output fineness is not comparable to a three-stage MultiGrind
- Waste King's parts network is smaller than InSinkErator's
Skip it if
Skip it if grind fineness matters — on a septic system, for instance, where finer output is the whole point. Three stages beat high rpm there.
Raw specifications: Waste King’s own page for the Waste King Legend L-8000.
Product photograph supplied by Amazon for this listing, used under the Associates program.
4. Most capable
InSinkErator Evolution 1HP
InSinkErator · Best for large households, frequent jams
The full-horsepower option, and the only one here with a published jam-breaking mechanism: the Jam-Sensor circuit raises motor torque by 500% to clear a stall instead of tripping the reset. If you have a large household and a history of resetting a disposal weekly, this is what that problem costs to solve.
Published specifications
- Motor
- 1.0 HP, single phase, 120 V, 60 Hz, 1725 rpm source
- Grind stages
- Three-stage MultiGrind, against one on a standard disposal source
- Jam handling
- Jam-Sensor circuit increases motor torque 500% to break jams source
- Sound
- SoundSeal, plus the Quiet Collar sound-reducing baffle source
- Overall height
- 13" source
- Weight
- 23.0 lb shipping weight source
- Warranty
- 7-year parts and in-home service source
What works
- Jam-Sensor is the one published feature that addresses the most common disposal complaint
- The Quiet Collar baffle is included rather than sold separately, and the baffle is most of the perceived noise fix
- 1 HP with three stages handles the fibrous waste that stalls half-horsepower units
- InSinkErator publishes a full spec sheet including amperage and RPM
What does not
- 13 inches tall and 23 lb — the largest unit here, and the most likely to foul a shallow cabinet or a P-trap
- Seven-year warranty is shorter than the 3/4 HP Evolution's nine
- 1 HP does not make it a bone grinder; the failure point just moves
Skip it if
Skip it if your cabinet is shallow or your trap arm sits high — measure the 13-inch height before buying horsepower you cannot fit.
#ad Affiliate link · Price as of October 17, 2026
Raw specifications: InSinkErator’s own page for the InSinkErator Evolution 1HP.
Why not two disposals?
People ask, and the answer is no — not for cost reasons alone, but because it makes everything worse. Two disposals means two motors drawing on the same circuit, two sets of mounting hardware in a cabinet that is already crowded, two more joints to weep, and two units sharing a single trap. You also lose the one genuinely useful property of a double sink, which is having one bowl that is always clear.
Where two units occasionally make sense is a very large sink with two separate traps and two separate waste runs, which is a commercial arrangement rather than a domestic one. In a standard 33-inch double bowl on a single trap, fit one.
Horsepower, and why 3/4 is the right answer here
On a double sink the bowls are narrow, so you are feeding smaller quantities more often rather than clearing a full basin in one go. That is exactly the duty the 3/4 HP three-stage Evolution is built for, and it is why we would not buy 1 HP for a double bowl unless the household is large. The Evolution 1HP's Jam-Sensor — which InSinkErator states raises motor torque by 500% to break a stall — is a genuine feature, but 13 inches of unit in a cabinet that also needs a tee is a real cost.
The Waste King L-8000 takes the other engineering route: 1 HP from a 2800 rpm permanent-magnet motor rather than a slower induction motor with more grind stages. It is light at 11.94 lb and arrives with a cord fitted, which in an awkward double-bowl cabinet is worth something. The garbage disposal horsepower guide and 3/4 HP vs 1 HP cover the step.
Which one to buy
- Buy the Evolution .75HP for most double sinks. Three grind stages suit narrow bowls, and 12.25 inches leaves room for the tee.
- Buy the Badger 5 if the cabinet is crowded. At 11-1/2 inches it gives the waste run the most space to work in.
- Buy the Waste King L-8000 if the lift and the wiring are what worry you — 11.94 lb, twist-and-lock flange, cord already on.
- Buy the Evolution 1HP only for a large household with 13 inches of clearance to spare.
- Fit one disposal, not two, and put it under the bowl you prep in rather than the bowl you soak in.
What to take away
- One disposal per double sink, under the prep bowl, on the side the dishwasher can reach.
- The continuous waste tee is what fails, not the motor - the discharge must enter above the other bowl's arm with fall toward the trap.
- "The other side fills up when I run it" is a tee fitted wrong, not a blockage.
- Unit height matters more on a double sink, because the tee needs the space too.
- Narrow bowls mean smaller loads more often, which favors grind stages over horsepower.
- Two disposals on one trap makes every problem worse and solves none.
How we sourced this page
Every figure on this page came from one of the following. Where a manufacturer or an independent lab does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate it.
- InSinkErator Evolution .75HP product page (published specifications)
- InSinkErator Badger 5 product page (published specifications)
- InSinkErator Badger 5 job specification sheet (PDF)
- Waste King Legend L-8000 specification sheet (PDF)
- InSinkErator Evolution 1HP specification sheet (published as Evolution Excel, PDF)
- InSinkErator Evolution Cover Control product page (published specifications)
- Kraus KHT302-33 drop-in / undermount double-bowl sink product page (published specifications)
Common questions
- What is the best garbage disposal for a double sink?
- The InSinkErator Evolution .75HP: 3/4 HP with three-stage MultiGrind, which suits the smaller, more frequent loads a narrow bowl produces, and 12.25 inches overall, which leaves room for the continuous waste tee a double sink needs below it.
- Do you need two garbage disposals for a double sink?
- No. Fit one, under the bowl you prep in. Two units on a single trap means two motors on one circuit, two more sets of joints to leak, and a crowded cabinet - and you lose the main advantage of a double sink, which is one bowl that stays clear.
- Which side of a double sink should the garbage disposal go on?
- The side the dishwasher drain hose can reach, and the side you do not leave full of soaking dishes. A disposal under a standing bowl is a disposal you cannot use, and it is where smells start.
- Why does the other sink fill up when I run the disposal?
- Because the waste run is wrong, not because the disposal is. The disposal's discharge must enter the run above the horizontal arm from the other bowl, with fall toward the trap. Fitted the other way, the disposal pushes its discharge up the second bowl's drain.
More in Garbage Disposals
Horsepower is the number on the box and it is not the number that decides whether your disposal jams. Grind stages and component material do. Here is how the three fit together.
Read next
Head to head
Single vs double bowl
What a divider costs you, who genuinely benefits from two bowls, and what is involved in swapping a double for a single.
Guide
Disposal sizing and fit
A height chart for common units, the two measurements to take first, and what thin or deep sinks change.
Best for deep sinks
Best for deep sinks
Bowl depth plus unit height plus trap height is the sum that decides whether a disposal fits. Four units ranked on published overall height.
How to
Install a garbage disposal
Flange, mounting ring, trap and electrical — plus the dishwasher inlet plug that stops a new install draining.
Best drop-in sink
Best drop-in sinks
Four top-mount sinks chosen on gauge, bowl depth and cutout — plus the measurement that decides whether a new one drops into your existing hole.
Guide
Disposal horsepower guide
A horsepower-to-household table, what the number measures, and why grind stages predict jamming better than horsepower.
Found something out of date, or a figure you can source better than we did? Tell us — corrections get read first. Our methodology explains how picks are made, and contact is one click away.