Badger 1 Vs Badger 5 Comparison: Which One To Buy?

The Badger 1 and Badger 5 look almost identical, share the same design, and use the same mounting system. The differences come down to three things: motor power, warranty length, and price.

In this guide, we will break down the Badger 1 vs Badger 5 comparison to help you better understand which disposal is the right choice for you to buy.

Badger 1 and Badger 5 Comparison Table

Feature	Badger 1	Badger 5
Motor	1/3 HP DuraDrive	1/2 HP DuraDrive
RPM	1,725	1,725
Chamber	26 oz, Galv. Steel	26 oz, Galv. Steel
Dimensions	11.5″ x 6.3″	12.6″ x 6.3″
Weight	12.7 lbs	13.6 lbs
Amperage	5.6 A	6.3 A
Warranty	2 years	3 years
Price (Amazon)	~$99	~$113

The Real Difference: Power

The Badger 1’s 1/3 HP motor handles soft food scraps — fruit peels, cooked vegetables, bread, and small leftovers. It jams easily on anything tougher: fibrous vegetables, fruit pits, bones, or large loads.

The Badger 5’s 1/2 HP motor adds enough torque to handle fish bones, cooked meat scraps, harder vegetable peels, and slightly larger loads. It still cannot grind chicken bones or fibrous items like celery and corn husks, but it is noticeably more capable for everyday kitchen waste.

For a family that cooks regularly, this power difference matters. The Badger 1 will jam; the Badger 5 rarely will (within its limits).

Warranty

The Badger 5’s 3-year warranty is triple the Badger 1’s 2-year coverage. Both include InSinkErator’s in-home service, meaning a technician comes to your house for free during the warranty period. The warranty difference alone suggests InSinkErator expects the Badger 5 to last longer.

What They Share

Everything else is identical: same 26 oz galvanized steel chamber, same 3-bolt Quick Lock mounting, same continuous feed operation, same lack of noise insulation, same design, and neither includes a power cord.

Our Verdict

Buy the Badger 5. The average $20 price difference between these two is trivial compared to the benefit of 50% more power and a longer 3-year warranty.

The Badger 1 only makes sense for vacation homes or rentals where the disposal will barely be used.

Conclusion

Buy the Badger 5 if you want a basic, reliable InSinkErator at the cheapest practical price point. It handles everyday food scraps for small households.

Buy the Badger 1 only if you need the absolute cheapest InSinkErator for a property with minimal disposal use. The 2-year warranty and 1/3 HP motor limit its usefulness.

FAQ’s

Only for very light use — a vacation home, a studio apartment where you rarely cook, or a rental unit where cost is the only factor. For anything more, the Badger 5 is the minimum you should consider.

No. Neither Badger model can handle bones. For bone grinding, you need 3/4 HP minimum.

Yes. They share the same mounting system, splash guard, and most internal components. The main difference is the motor assembly.

Both are roughly equal. Neither has noise insulation. The Badger 5 may be marginally quieter because its stronger motor runs more efficiently under load, but the difference is minimal.