Design Type:  General consumer goods and appliances

Designer:  Kevin Young

The Evolution Series of disposers is the latest addition to the InSinkErator product line and was designed to elevate this product from a plumbing supply commodity to that of a high end appliance. The Evolution series is as stylish as it is capable, taking the art and science of food waste disposal to a new level. It handles more volume, more foods, and more challenges than anything that preceded it while cutting noise levels by at least 60% over standard disposers. InSinkErator is the market leader in the garbage disposer category. Because of the lack of differentiation between models, however, InSinkErator’s biggest competition was its own lower priced models. The result was that while consumers expected to pay about $150 for a disposer, when they got to the store they generally found no compelling reason to buy anything better than the $108 model. In-Sink-Erator needed to capture at least what consumers expected to pay. The design team’s initial task was to create design directions for several new models that conveyed the higher value of the benefits of each product in the line to the consumer. The first part of the project sought to align the available research and technology with insights gained through in-context qualitative research, to understand the experience consumers wanted to have when using a disposer, and to clarify the attributes to be communicated by the product line and each individual model. Extensive qualitative research and resonance testing with a representative target segment helped the design team translate high-level demand into real product designs. The main consumer audience that our firm was trying to reach were called the “Kitchen Enthusiasts.” These people enjoy cooking and spending time in the kitchen. They feel that the kitchen provides a sense of belonging and they rely on their appliances for control, confidence, and creativity. A great disposer would deliver emotive benefits to this group like organization and efficiency. This new disposer family incorporates several visual design elements that are consistent throughout the entire line. Each model has an upper chamber where the grinding is done and a lower chamber where the motor is housed. The upper chamber’s width is exaggerated to create the perception of strength and power. This strong two-chamber look reduces the mystery about what’s happening inside the disposer and also creates consistent proportion between top and bottom sections. The clinched belt at the disposer’s waist helps emphasize the separation of the chambers and provides a unifying horizontal element. A strong outer shell and real metal bands reflect an honest use of materials. Finally, the strong, consistent use of the InSinkErator branding on the outside of the housing reinforces the perception of quality and reliability to the consumer. With this foray into the arena of kitchen appliances, InSinkErator determined the Evolution Series launch would require a new logo for the company. The old logo was black and blocky, and suggestive of plumbing products while the new logo reflects modernity, cleanliness and the kitchen sink, and is more suggestive of premium kitchen appliances.