Private company

InSinkErator

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".1

Last updated Oct 18, 2026.

Overview

1927Founded1

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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".2

How it started

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. 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.

On November 1, 2022, InSinkErator was acquired by Whirlpool Corporation.

From Wikipedia’s article on InSinkErator, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Timeline

  1. Nov 1, 2022Acquired Acquired by Whirlpool Corporation1
  2. 1927Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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