{{Short description|American producer of kitchen plumbing equipment}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = InSinkErator | logo = Insinkerator logo.svg | image = InSinkErator_Headquarters.jpg | image_caption = InSinkErator Headquarters: Racine, WI | founded = 1938 | hq_location_city = Racine, Wisconsin | hq_location_country = USA | founder = John W. Hammes | owner = {{ubl|Emerson Electric {{smaller|(1968–2022)}}|Whirlpool Corporation {{smaller|(2022–present)}}}} | website = {{URL|http://www.insinkerator.com/}} }}
'''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.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/22/AR2007082200724.html| title=Grist for the Daily Grind| newspaper=The Washington Post| first=Denise| last=DiFulco| date=August 23, 2007| access-date=October 22, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How a food waste disposer works |url=https://insinkerator.emerson.com/en-gb/support/how-food-waste-disposer-works |website=Insinkerator |access-date=May 28, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Invention">{{cite web |title=Invention |website=InSinkErator|url=https://www.insinkerator.com/en-us/kitchen-better/innovation/invention |access-date=September 19, 2025}}</ref><ref>"[https://archive.today/20130628091239/http://inventors.about.com/od/kstartinventions/a/kitchen.htm Kitchen appliance inventions]." About.com</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |date=17 April 1968 |title=Emerson acquires In-Sink-Erator, giving stock worth $14.4 million |page=39 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-times-emerson-acquires-in-si/190328496/ |work=The Journal Times |access-date=1 February 2026 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
On November 1, 2022, InSinkErator was acquired by Whirlpool Corporation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/completes-acquisition-of-insinkerator/4/|title=Whirlpool Corporation completes acquisition of InSinkErator|work=Whirlpool Corporation|access-date=December 20, 2022|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Staff|title=Whirlpool acquires major garbage disposal maker InSinkErator|url=https://www.heraldpalladium.com/communities/benton_harbor/whirlpool-acquires-major-garbage-disposal-maker-insinkerator/article_3bb79ac8-453e-5a34-b599-fbedaf43acc5.html|url-access=subscription|work=The Herald-Palladium|date=August 9, 2022|access-date=August 10, 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.insinkerator.com/ Official website]
Category:2022 mergers and acquisitions Category:1927 establishments in Wisconsin Category:Home appliance brands Category:Home appliance manufacturers of the United States Category:Companies based in Racine, Wisconsin Category:Whirlpool Corporation brands
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