InSinkErator is an American company and brand name known for producing instant hot water dispensers and food waste disposal systems, generally called "garbage disposals" or "garbage disposers".
History
John W. Hammes, an architect, invented the first garbage disposal in 1927 in Racine, Wisconsin. After refining the design for eight years, he patented it and, in 1938, co-founded the InSinkErator Manufacturing Company with his sons. That year, the company sold 52 units. The unit utilized centrifugal force to grind and shred solid food waste into smaller particles that could be more easily flushed down the drain.[1][2][3][4] The name is a play on the word "incinerator" and refers to the fact that the mouth of the disposal unit is located "in" the "sink".
The company was purchased by Emerson Electric in 1968.[5]
On November 1, 2022, InSinkErator was acquired by Whirlpool Corporation.[6][7]
External links
References
- Denise DiFulco. Grist for the Daily Grind The Washington Post, August 23, 2007, retrieved October 22, 2009^
- How a food waste disposer works Insinkerator, retrieved May 28, 2020^
- Invention InSinkErator, retrieved September 19, 2025^
- "Kitchen appliance inventions." About.com^
- Emerson acquires In-Sink-Erator, giving stock worth $14.4 million The Journal Times, 17 April 1968, retrieved 1 February 2026^
- Whirlpool Corporation completes acquisition of InSinkErator Whirlpool Corporation, retrieved December 20, 2022^
- Staff. Whirlpool acquires major garbage disposal maker InSinkErator The Herald-Palladium, August 9, 2022, retrieved August 10, 2022^