Anyone else find replacing a garbage disposal harder than it looks?

it's mostly awkward rather than hard. power off at the breaker or unplug it, take off the drain pipe and the dishwasher hose, then turn the mounting ring and the old unit drops out. support it while you do, they're heavier than they look. if the new one is the same brand you can often keep the old sink flange and mount. different brand, swap the flange too and bed it on fresh plumber's putty. the one that gets everybody: if a dishwasher drains into it, knock out the plastic plug inside the dishwasher inlet on the new unit before you fit it. forget that and your dishwasher won't drain and you'll be blaming the wrong thing.