Clearing a Jammed Disposer

How to Clear a Jammed KitchenAid Food Disposer

Today's food waste disposers take advantage of the latest engineering advancements in grinding, sound, and corrosion resistance technologies. These advancements allow one to quickly and quietly grind a greater variety of foods. However, even with these latest technologies, the unintended entry of foreign material can cause any disposer to jam. In the unlikely event the disposer becomes jammed, release it by following these steps. 

1. Turn the wall switch to the Off position (continuous-feed disposer), or remove the stopper (batch-feed disposer). Turn off the cold water.
2. Insert an end of your wrenchette (provided with your disposer), into the center hole of the bottom of the disposer.  (See figure A)
3. Work the wrenchette back and forth until it turns one complete revolution. Remove wrenchette.
4. Use long-handled tongs to remove foreign object(s).
5. Allow the motor to cool 3-5 minutes, then lightly push the red reset button on the bottom of the disposer. (See figure B)
6. Restart the disposer by turning on the water and power.
7. If the motor remains inoperative, check the service panel for tripped breaker or fuses.