Salvajor 300 Review

Salvajor has been providing waste handling systems and commercial waste disposers to the food service industry since the early 1940s. The privately held company runs out of Kansas. Founder George C. Hohl originally set out to create a product that would keep silverware from disappearing down the drain during the process of scraping dishes.

The company’s current products are specifically designed to save energy and water. They are also compatible with grease interceptors and septic systems, and are even typically permitted in areas that have restrictions on the use of garbage disposals. Salvajor has won several “Best in Class” awards from Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Magazine.

Disposal systems are the most sanitary way to handle scraps in a food service environment. They work best in restaurants that have a single-door dish machine. When paired with a pre-rinse spray, one disposal can handle the scraps from 800 dishes in just one hour. There are many reasons to install a commercial-grade garbage disposal in your establishment.

Let’s face it: garbage is gross. No one likes to touch it and no one likes to smell it. Diners are certainly turned off when they see restaurant staff hauling stinky bags out the back door and into a dumpster. A disposal reduces the amount of time your staff needs to spend handling trash. Plus, if you use garbage bags, you’re incurring the same costs every month.

Trash bags aren’t reusable, which also makes them detrimental to the environment. Garbage bags gather in landfills and never fully disintegrate. Even the food scraps themselves will emit environmentally harmful methane gases when disposed of at a dump. Waste disposers don’t cause any pollution at all.

A waste disposer can help you save money on your water and electricity bills. Plate scraping and rinsing are combined, so dishwashers aren’t letting the faucet run while they turn around to toss scraps into the trash. When disposals aren’t in use, it’s easy to turn them off entirely. Additionally, with a disposal you may require fewer dishwashers per shift, saving in labor costs and keeping precious kitchen space clear of extra bodies.

A clogged drain is a real problem for a packed restaurant. Dirty dishes stack up, making a big mess and even leaving you without enough plates and glasses to serve your next guests. If you need to call an emergency plumber, you’re racking up another big, unexpected cost. That’s bad for your bottom line. Disposals reduce the risk of clogging. Even big scraps are ground into tiny particles and flushed straight down the drain with the right amount of water.

Cleaning a waste disposal is a cinch. These units pretty much clean themselves as they process your food waste. If they require an extra scrubbing, baking soda is usually all you need to get them looking clean and smelling fresh.

We can’t overstate the fact that open, full trash containers emit a terrible odor, especially during the hot summer months. It can be nauseating to both your staff and your guests. With a disposal, you eliminate the need for all those cans of rotting food, taking care of that smell and giving pesky bugs one less reason to come flying through your doors.

So, now that you’re convinced you need a waste disposal system for your restaurant, you’re probably wondering which one to purchase. Each food service establishment has its own needs. A convenience store or a standalone coffee shop can likely make do with a smaller, less powerful unit than a fast food restaurant or a cafeteria.

Horsepower is the most important factor to consider. If you run a small coffee shop, you probably don’t require much more power than your average household garbage disposal. A unit with just one-half horsepower should serve your needs.

A typical restaurant kitchen will require a disposal with one to three horsepower. This includes fast food joints, bigger restaurants, and cafeterias. The fewer guests you serve per day, the lower you can go with the horsepower.

Disposals of five to 10 horsepower are great for big businesses that generate an extra-large amount of food waste every day. Hotels, hospitals, and universities fall into this category.

Bottom Line: The Salvajor 300 has nearly the same disposal capacity of competitor units and is designed with exclusive features and superior materials that prolong the life of the unit and prevent work stoppage due to clogged drains. 

The Salvajor 300 is a restaurant-grade waste disposal system suitable for heavy-use kitchens in fast food establishments, busy restaurants, and cafeterias.

The ease of installation is on par with other disposals of this size and type. The rubber drain outlet does make the process a bit easier. If you have previously installed a garbage disposal in your kitchen, you should have no trouble. You can also hire a professional plumber to do the job for you.

The Salvajor 300’s permanent mold body is made with an aircraft-grade, heat-treated aluminum alloy that is water-tight and corrosion-resistant. It is computer machined to achieve a smooth, chrome-like and polished finish. The 9-inch diameter shredder is constructed of high-strength, hardened carbide alloy that is highly resistant to wear. The disposal also comes with a support leg that can be adjusted from 6 1/8” to 11 5/8” for maximum stability.

The Salvajor 300 has three exclusive features that instantly place it ahead of the competition. The first is the permanent mold body. Most models feature exteriors that are crafted from stainless steel or painted cast iron. No other brand offers the superior aircraft-grade aluminum alloy.

This strong material makes it less susceptible to corrosion than other units, an important feature for an appliance that gets consistent, heavy use in water. Second is the water-cooled motor. While other units use only air, the Salvajor has a dual air and water cooling feature.

This increases the life of the motor and maximizes energy efficiency, saving you money on replacement parts and utility bills. Last is the extra-large mixing chamber. A clog in the waste disposal can be disastrous on a busy Saturday night. The size of the chamber allows for the ideal water-to-scraps ratio to prevent backups and clogged drains.

Again, the Salvajor 300 costs about $2,100. While that is on the high end for commercial disposals, the price reflects the unit’s elevated horsepower, exclusive features, and ability to stand up to heavy use. It is generally comparable with other brands that handle the same amount of waste.

You may find a competitor that can handle a bit more at a lower cost, but the other benefits of the Salvajor 300 outweigh this perk. Other brands that cost less will likely be less durable and not as environmentally friendly. You’ll save money in the short term but end up paying more in replacement parts and energy bills. You may also have to replace a cheaper unit sooner rather than later.

The Insinkerator SS-300-25 and the Hobart FD3/300-1 are the most closely matched to the Salvajor 300 when it comes to cost. Compare the below stats to help figure out which model is best for your kitchen. The prices listed reflect the current lowest price found online.

The Salvajor 300 is an impressive waste disposal system. Its heavy-duty construction is unmatched. The motor cooling system is an innovative design you won’t find in any other brand. It’s pretty ingenious to use the water that pushes the food down the drain to also cool the motor – talk about efficient. The aluminum alloy exterior and hardened carbine alloy shredder resist damage from water and regular wear and tear.

The Salvajor 300 is likely to last longer than similar products in its price range. The one little hiccup is that those similarly priced units have a bit more crushing capacity, able to shred more meals per shift. However, this shouldn’t be a concern for establishments that serve around 500 meals each day. Each Salvajor disposal also comes with a one-year parts and labor warranty so you can purchase with confidence.