InSinkErator Garbage Disposals Made With Corrosion-Prone Materials, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

New to ClassAction.org? Read our Newswire Disclaimer

A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that InSinkErator has manufactured and sold its Badger garbage disposals with galvanized steel that, unbeknownst to consumers, is neither durable nor suitable for long-term use due to corrosion.

Want to stay in the loop on class action lawsuits that matter to you? Sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter.

The 111-page defective product lawsuit contends that although InSinkErator has marketed its Badger Series garbage disposals as durable and “built to last,” the products are, in truth, made with cheap materials susceptible to rust and premature failure. In particular, the InSinkErator garbage disposals at issue—the Badger Models 100 and 1XL in the Model 1 family, and 500 and 5XL in the Model 5 family—are made with galvanized steel whose zinc coating will begin to corrode “almost immediately once it is installed and exposed to water,” the complaint alleges.

The lawsuit accuses InSinkErator of deceiving consumers, who would not have purchased the products or paid as much for them had they known the truth about the items’ materials.

The corrosion, the lawsuit continues, leads to the degradation of the garbage disposal, which can ultimately harm its functionality and efficiency and shorten the product’s lifespan. Per the filing, zinc corrosion can cause perforation or cracks within the metal body of the garbage disposal, which, due to its location within a sink, has reportedly been the source of leaking and water damage to floors, cabinetry and other surrounding areas.

According to the complaint, several components of the Badger disposals are made with galvanized steel that are prone to corrosion, including the uniform energy factor, the rotating shedder plate, and the stationary shedder ring.

“[D]espite the explicit representation that the Badgers’ galvanized steel materials were used in the design of the Badgers for ‘Disposer Durability,’ galvanized steel is an improper material for use in a garbage disposal due to the galvanized steel’s exposure to a consistently wet environment full of debris during regular sink and disposal use,” the lawsuit summarizes.

The case further alleges that InSinkErator, which has been owned by the Whirlpool Corporation since 2022, was aware of the fact that galvanized steel is an ineffective material to be used for a garbage disposal, yet has continued to advertise the products to consumers as a corrosion-resistant, durable option. In fact, the class action lawsuit cites the original design patent for garbage disposals from John Hammes, who would go on to establish the InSinkErator company in 1938, which “specifically calls for the use of non-corrosive materials, such as aluminum.”

Related Reading: Certain Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Kenmore Fridges Plagued by Wiring Defect, Lawsuit Says

Although the original InSinkErator design calls for the use of non-corrosive materials, when the Badger models were unveiled in the late 1980s, this specification was ignored in favor of cheaper materials, like galvanized steel, the complaint relays.

Another significant issue arising from this design choice, the lawsuit describes, is that consumers have no reasonable way to view their garbage disposals or determine the source of any complications. The case asserts that, should a consumer report concerns of rusting or corrosion to InSinkErator, the company states that it is merely “discoloration” or “cosmetic,” and that there is no need for concern.

“Thus, when consumers make warranty claims related to leaking, the claims are responded to with entirely misleading information, improperly denied, or consumers are sent or purchase another defective Badger that has failed or is likely to fail again because of the Defect,” the lawsuit claims.

The InSinkErator class action lawsuit looks to represent all consumers in the United States who either purchased a new InSinkErator Badger model garbage disposal manufactured on or after December 15, 2018 (or the earliest time permitted by the statute of limitations period; acquired a Badger model as part of a purchase of a new home or remodel; or received as a gift a new Badget model from a donor not used by any other consumers.

Did you know that some class action settlements require no proof to submit a claim? Check out the latest current class action settlements.