Tweeny FAQs

No – there are two main designs used for domestic disposers, Swivel Hammer and Fixed Fin.

Swivel Hammers are used on our two smaller machines, as the motor spins, the swivel hammers mounted on a plate or “turntable” are forced outwards pushing the waste against a cutter ring, if the motor cannot cope or the waste is too hard to cut, the hammers can move out of the way and have another go next time around. This cheaper to produce design is used in most imported machines, even the expensive one’s!
Advantages: Cheaper to produce and requires less power.
Disadvantages: Noisier and Unless well made, they become stuck, throwing the machine out of balance and reducing performance.

Fixed fin machines have a very hard and heavy chromium steel rotor and a fine cutting ring, these combined with a high torque, high power motor, have been developed from commercial machines and are much more effective and longer lasting. It is not uncommon for us to supply a spare part for a 35 year old machine.
Advantages: More effective grinding produces finer particles, Quieter and long lasting.
Disadvantages: Much more expensive for the manufacturer to make.

Into any sink with an 90mm (3½”) diameter outlet. If your sink is more than 12mm thick, we will need to supply you with a longer outlet (20mm for the Westminster).

Under the sink, the minimum space required between the underside of the sink and the top of the plinth is:
VICTORIA & KENSINGTON: 415mm (16½”)
MAYFAIR & CHELSEA: 445mm (17½”)
WESTMINSTER: 440mm (17¼”)

There are three main ways:

Electrical switch: Usually wall mounted.
Air Switch: Push to start and push to stop, safer with wet hands and can be mounted close to the sink. Standard on our Mayfair and an option on other models.
Sink operated: With our Westminster, you simply twist the plug or tube in the sink and the unit starts, There’s no need to install another switch in the wall or worktop.

If you can install a sink, you can install a Tweeny.

Have a look at the instructions now: click here to view the operating and installation manual. We are always here to help if you get stuck, just ring 01424 751888.

We do recommend that if you are going to need a new electrical power supply that you use a qualified electrician.

Yes, your water company process the food waste your Tweeny delivers and after treatment the majority is recycled to fertilise farmland and forestry. You are also helping to reduce landfill and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

As the CIWEM* concludes in its policy statement on waste disposers: “Food waste disposers might well be a more convenient and environmentally superior alternative to separate storage and collection.”
* Chartered Institution Of Water And Environmental Management – an independent professional body representing over 12,000 managers

Environmental Impact Study of Food Waste Disposers for The County Surveyors’ Society, Herefordshire Council and Worcestershire County Council by Dr Tim Evans BSc MS PhD CChem CEnv FCIWEM MRSC
Synopsis by J Howell-Thomas, Worcestershire County Council
“This study found that food waste disposers provide a convenient and hygienic means for householders to separate kitchen food waste at source; they divert it from municipal solid waste landfill. Importantly, food waste disposers do this using existing infrastructure and, by taking wet putrescible matter out of the solid waste stream, they make management of the dry fractions easier and less expensive and avoid odour issues, which have proved so detrimental to public acceptance of alternate weekly waste collections. There is no reason that food waste disposers should discourage home composting since food waste disposers are not designed to take garden waste and indeed exclusion of cooked kitchen food waste from home composting might encourage home composting.”

At the end of its life, send your Tweeny back to us, we’ll recycle it. Call us on 01424 751888 and we will collect it from you.

Food waste disposers encourage good home composting by providing a convenient method of recycling the cooked food waste (non compostable).

Even though a Tweeny is fitted with a very powerful electric motor, it uses very little electricity as it only runs fro a very short time. For example if one of our larger units was used for say 10 minutes a day, it would use around 20 KwHrs of power in a year around £2 at today’s prices. An independent test with a typical family of four produced an actual cost closer to 50p in a year.

We always recommend a good flow of water when disposing of waste and for a few seconds after all the waste has passed through the Tweeny. However as it is so fast, very little water is used and this can often be combined with other tasks like washing your hands.

Tweenys work with septic tanks too – you don’t need to be on mains drainage to use a Tweeny. There are thousands of successful users who have septic tanks.

1. Check that there is power to the unit – If it is wired into a plug and socket, try another appliance. If it on a switched fuse spur, check that the neon is on.
2. Now turn the power off and check that the rotor is free with the rotor release tool supplied with your machine, if you can’t find it use a short length of wood. The rotor should be reasonably free to turn. If it is stuck, try turning both ways to free it.
3. Now check the reset button, press it firmly and listen for a “click”. It is located as follows:
   Kensington and Victoria – On the base of the motor.
   Chelsea and Mayfair – On the side of the unit, close to the bottom.
   Westminster – On the bottom of the unit, at 180 degrees from the drain outlet.
4. Now restore the power and try again.

If the above fails, call us on 01424 751888 or click here for our support page.

All our models are tested by an independent UK test house and comply to the latest European standards EN 60335 parts 1 and 16.

Our last round of tests cost in the region of £20,000. We consider this investment to be justified as it ensures the highest standards of performance and safety are maintained. This is a continuous process not committed too by every manufacturer or importer.

Treat your Tweeny like you would a kettle or toaster, not for children to use, but perfectly safe if you are sensible. Remember our Westminster in batch feed has the added peace of mind of the Magnitop plug.

This will depend upon the type of waste you are processing and the type of sink you have – installations with clay, ceramic or plastic sinks tend to be quieter than metal ones. The units with fixed fin impellers are quieter than the ones with swivel hammers, our batch feed is the quietest. On average your unit will be less intrusive than a washing machine and for a much shorter time.

All new Tweeny’s are guaranteed under normal household use for two years (Kensignton / Victoria) or five years from the date of purchase, to be free from defects in workmanship and materials. This guarantee covers parts, labour and the cost of the engineer’s visit. The guarantee does not apply to any detachable items and all splashguards. Tweeny waste disposers are designed for household food-waste only.

Please note that free product registration within 30 days of purchase is required for in-home labour and to extend the product warranty beyond the statutory period of 12 months. Details come with the operating and instruction manual.