How much power (hp) does an average family need? We are holiday-central for our families but otherwise are average users I would expect. 3/4 enough or should we go 1?

3/4 is plenty in my experience. I just put in a new one for us (our old disposal finally quite). For about $200, I got an Insinkerator Evolution. It is 3/4 and much more powerful and quieter than what we had before. It also has 2 stage grinding for a finer grind. Been pretty happy with it so far.

Thanks!

we have 3/4 as well. FYI, if you can't find the wine bottle corkscrew....carefully check the disposal before using it.

Yeah, get the high end (more insulation) 3/4. Well worth the money.

Agreed, 3/4 HP is plenty. I personally don't mind the noise of a cheaper model. I mean it runs for what, 10 seconds a day?

Oh Mom, yikes. That must have sounded HORRIBLE!

Ya know, you flip the switch and immediately it isn't right and you flip it again. My husband was all WtH? and I said, I found the corkscrew! I felt down inside the drain and there was something but it was sharp and who wants to get cut on something as gross as the disposal? When we opened the cabinet it was obvious as it was sticking out the side of the housing!! Once he removed it, I took it all apart to see how it worked!

We had a run of bad luck with disposals...the kids dropped popcorn kernels into one, blade mechanism broke on another so in the span of 18 months I think we replaced THREE of them! Of course there was the time a beer bottle cap was in one but no damage was done.

Check out the Waste King Legend series disposers, they have them on Amazon. I got the 3/4 horsepower a couple years ago to replace a cheapo 1/2 that died when a homebrewing friend put too many spent hops down it. Love it, and also quite inexpensive.

Waste King is on it's way! Next up...installing it. Or hiring someone to install it.