We eliminated the air switch or any kind of external switch by getting a batch disposal, which has its switch built into the throat of the disposal, activated by turning the stopper. The stopper can also be positioned to plug the drain or to let water & small bits flow into the drain. A batch unit does not have the rubber flange that the continuous feed units have, so it's easy to see into it, & nicer & safer if you have to retrieve anything. We have 2 Insinkerator Evolution Cover Control disposals in our kitchen, and love them.

We bought our house with a far more dangerous option - a "light switch" to turn on the disposal on the side of our island right at kid eye level. It was turned on constantly. Every new kid at our house had to try it out, especially toddlers. Sometimes it was a game. Them-turn on, mommy- turn off, them-on, mommy-off....About 8 times a kid turned it on and walked away till one of the adults would say, "what's that strange noise?". Needless to say, we went with the safer option in the remodel - air switch on the top of the island counter - not close to the edge. So far we haven't had anyone mess with it. I love it - none of the kids can even reach. Our kids are 6 and 8 and even when they were very young - ages 3 and 4, we explained that the diposal would chop someone's fingers off if their hands were by the drain so to never ever play with the switch - and they didn't. With the counter one, they asked to push it once with supervision when it was new. We let them so the curiosity and "tabbooness" wouldn't be present. They had to literally sit up on the counter (at ages 6 and 8) to get enough strength and be at the right angle to push it down far enough. It has to be depressed pretty far down before it activates, and it doesn't press easily either. Now when they help with dishes and I am about to operate the disposal they shout, "CLEAR, ALL HANDS UP IN THE AIR. DANGER - ALL HANDS CLEAR."

I see I wrote a comment on this back in 2011 when we had an air switch installed, but the sink wasn't working yet. Six years later, I'm a big fan of air switches. What I always hated about the wall switch (as still do in others' kitchens) is raising a wet hand to flip that switch. DD's switch also requires two steps to the left to reach it. In my sister's kitchen, finding which is the GD switch is always a guessing game. Water drips from your reaching arm onto the counter. It runs down your raised arm. I've always been a bit squeamish about flipping a live electrical switch with a wet hand. I don't miss it one little bit. Air switch vs wall switch kind of reminds me of the debate over the efficacy of taking your rugs out and beating them clean vs using a vacuum. Both work, yes?

Before deciding on a batch feed disposer, you need to check one critical bit of plumbing configuration. Batch feed disposers are taller and therefore hang down lower under the sink than a typical switched (air-switch or wall-switch) disposer. Because of this, the drain outlet on the disposer is also lower. It is critical that the outlet on the disposer be higher than the drain line opening on the wall at the back of your cabinet. If it isn't, the disposer will not drain properly, and you will always have water sitting in the bottom of the grind chamber of your disposer. This will significantly shorten the life of any disposer and could result in rotting food debris remaining in the bottom of the disposer. CHECK YOUR DIMENSIONS CAREFULLY. Be sure that the drain outlet on the disposer will be above the height of the drain outlet on the back wall of your cabinet. I really like batch feed disposers, but if a batch feed disposer doesn't work because of your plumbing configuration, then you definitely want a disposer with a wall switch or an air switch. Having to deal with a switch under the sink is a minor nuisance, but over time, a major annoyance. You don't want to go there. Personally, I prefer a wall switch, but there are many people on this forum who swear by the air switch arrangement. Just keep in mind that an air switch means one more thing on your sink deck that you will need to wipe around as you clean up around the sink.