Garbage Disposals. Some people love ’em. Some people hate ’em. Other people resign to an existence in which their lifeless garbage disposal is nothing more than a below-the-sink waste of space (my parents). I’m in the first category of people.

Garbage disposals are great:

1. Convenient: when cooking, baking, or scraping dishes, most of those food scraps can go right into the garbage disposal.
2. Odor-reducing: banana peels, egg shells, chicken bones, fruit pits, etc. All of these things would normally stink up the garbage. Not with a garbage disposal!
3. Eco-Friendly: In the City of Appleton (where I live), the Wastewater Treatment Plant turns these ground-up particles into compost, which the city then offers back to the citizens for free.

Why the preamble? Because early last fall, my disposal kicked the bucket. Bit the big one. Bought the farm. It died.

Now, I could have been one of those people to resign to an existence in which I’d angrily search for cleaning products and garbage bags below the sink, cursing the “useless” disposal for taking up so much space. But I refused. My course of action? Buy a new one and install it myself (for dramatic effect, read the bold part in your head with the voice of a demon). Why not just pay someone to do it? Because I was quoted just over $150 for time and materials. Plus I’d have to buy the garbage disposal on top of that.

Step One: Buy a new garbage disposal

My go-to method of shopping for larger purchases is online. At least, that’s how I begin the process. If at all possible, I’ll do my research online, and then make the purchase in-store, locally. Unfortunately, the best deal for a new disposal was on Amazon. Regular price: $339. Sale price: $124.99. Amazon Lightning Deal price: $87.97. And I got it delivered in two days. “Free” delivery, because I’m a snooty Amazon Prime member.

Step Two: Make Sure I have the right tools (and resolve) to install the garbage disposal.

The only tool I needed to borrow was a pipe wrench. Otherwise, I had it all covered. As far as the resolve goes, I’m basically one of those people who think they can do nearly anything, until they actually try to do nearly anything. I’m not beyond humility. I’ll admit defeat. But I’m just also really optimistic.

Step Three: Install garbage disposal.

Fortitude. This is the word that comes to mind. I’m not claiming to be the Amelia Earhart of garbage disposal installation here but I’d like to think we’re kindred spirits.

It took just over two hours, from the removal of the old piece of junk, to the installation of the new disposal. I also referenced a couple of YouTube videos during the install process. The “EZ Mount System” wasn’t so straightforward in the instructions. Thanks YouTubers for your help!

Step Four: Bask in the afterglow of mission accomplished and dispose of some garbage.

I saved $150 by installing the unit myself, as well as saving a good chunk of money on the actual garbage disposal (I take the MSRP with a grain of salt, though). When all was said and done, I had a beautifully working brand new garbage disposal and the satisfaction that I did it myself.