A meat grinder is one of those kitchen appliances that often gets overlooked as an unnecessary space filler. After all, it’s easy to pop down to the store and buy ground meat that’s ready to cook. For those of us that grind our own meat, we’ve discovered that the opposite is true. Their meat grinder has become an indispensable item that plays a key role in their kitchen. It provides incredibly good mince meat that’s fresh, nutritional, and full or taste.
Let’s Get Started!
Where does a meat-lover start when they’re looking to buy a meat grinder? The options are endless. Who has time to weight up the pros and cons of each model? No one, that’s who.
The good news is, here at Italian Barrel we’ve used loads of different grinders over the years. If we haven’t used it, we know someone that has. This insight allows us to pull together a review that, we think, will really help you make a good decision.
We hope you agree!
Best Meat Grinders for 2022 – Comparison Table
![KUUNLESIN Meat Grinder, Electric Meat Grinder, 350W[2800W Max], Sausage Maker, Meat Mincer, Meat Sausage Machine, 4 Sizes Plates,Sausage & Kubbe Kit for Home Kitchen & Commercial Using.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41DHsemhCdL._SL160_.jpg)
![ALTRA LIFE Meat Grinder, Sausage Stuffer, [2800W Max] Electric Meat Mincer with Stainless Steel Blades & 3 Grinding Plates,Sausage Maker & Kubbe Kit for Home Kitchen & Commercial Using (MG090-M)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51yqZG-v58L._SL160_.jpg)
Why your kitchen needs a meat grinder
Grinding meat the old fashioned way.
⇒ Produce fantastic tasting ground meat that’s fresh.
⇒ Combine different meats to create exciting flavors.
⇒ Reduce the fat content by choosing lean cuts of meat.
⇒ Save money buying and processing bulk cuts of meat.
⇒ It’s actually a fun activity you’ll look forward to.
I guarantee that when you produce your first pound of meat at home, you’ll be impressed. Taste, texture, freshness, price: making your own wins hands down whichever way you look at it.
Now let’s take a look at the recommended brands to find out which is best for you.
Domestic Vs Commercial Grinders
The difference between the two are significant. Commercial units are beasts with huge blades that carve through anything that gets ion there way. You could toll a whole dear into one and it would process it with ease. They have huge capacity and require a massive investment to purchase one. The domestic version is obviously designed for much smaller runs and you’ll need to cut up much smaller pieces. Some of the higher end models should be more than enough for at-home use. Even if you’re needing to process a whole beast – you’ll just need to cut it up to fit into the feeder.
This review will focus on domestic models only.
How does a meat grinder work?
There are very few parts to a meat grinder and they are quite simple to operate.
- Clean all the components of your meat grinder. Hygiene is an important part of meat processing.
- To improve your grinding, thoroughly chill all the parts of your grinder in the freezer. This includes the blade, plates, and grinding tray.
- Decide what meat to use. See the above section on choosing the best meat.
- Use a sharp knife to cut meat into small enough pieces to fit in the opening of the grinder. Remove any skin on the meat.
- Pop the meat onto a lined baking tray, cover with wrap and freeze for 1 hour. Firm the meat but don’t let it freeze.
- Select which grinder plate to use: coarse or fine. Note: if you’re making sausage a finer plate is a good choice.
- Switch on your grinder and feed the meat into the grinder. Use the stomper to push down the meat, not your fingers!
- Catch the meat in a large bowl.
- Get cooking! Burgers, sausages, meat balls? It’s up to you and your imagination.
Each meat grinder in this review requires you to use the same basic steps. To learn more about this process visit this article about how to grind meat.
Although grinders are simple in concept, don’t assume that choosing the right product for your needs will be simple. There is actually a bit more to it and we’ll look at all this now.
What to consider when buying a meat grinder
1. Commercial Vs Domestic
As I mentioned above, this article looks at domestic machines only. If you have a large budget, plenty of space, and you’re going to be making a lot of sausage, you may want to consider a commercial unit. But for the vast majority of people, this will be an unnecessary expense.
2. Grinding Performance
Stop and think for a second. How much meat are you likely to grind in one session? If you hunt, and need to process large quantities of meat then you’ll need a unit that churns through the meat. Some domestic models can process six pounds of meat a minute or more. You’ll be thankful for this when you have a deer and a couple of pigs to process at the same time!
3. Safety
Fingers are fairly important to most of us so you probably want to keep them. Meat grinders were notorious for injuries a few decades back; thankfully modern appliances have a lot of focus on safety.
4. Number of cutting plates
Would you like the option to grind really fine meat for sausage, then thicker meat for Shepherds Pie? The more plates that come with your machine, the more flexibility you have.
5. Number of sausage attachments
Most of us are partial to the occasional sausage. Check to see how many sausage attachments there are. Some units will have multiple sizes for different types of sausage
6. Speed options
It’s handy to have a slower option for when you first start grinding, then faster options for when things get a little tedious.
7. Warranty
Peace of mind is a good thing and that’s what a warranty gives you. The well known brands will generally offer at least a 1 year warranty. If you have the option to extend this, I’d recommend doing it.
8. Price
It can be tempting to choose a cheap model to save a few dollars. If you can get a good deal then that’s great! But remember that often the cheaper models will lead to headaches further down the track. Production capacity, build quality, speed options: they’re all features you may trade off by choosing the low-cost option.
When choosing a meat grinder spend a little more to get yourself a higher quality appliance that’s made to get the job done.
Top Meat Grinders for 2022 – Reviews
Here are my absolute favorite meat grinders all on one page.
1. LEM Products .75 HP Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
- Unit size: 20″ L x 9″ W x 15″ H
- Capacity: 6 lb/min
- Weight: 37.5 lb
Overview
The LEM .75HP Electric Meat Grinder
It grinds a whopping 6 pounds of meat per minute which is a lot. This unit is for the serious contenders who have a lot of meat. If you only need to produce a small batch of sausages of some meat for dinner each week, this probably will be overkill (excuse the pun).
This machine comes with a large meat holding tray, three stainless steel plates (stuffing, fine 3/16″, coarse 3/8″) and three sized stuffing tubes for making sausage.
The Good
- Built with quality materials.
- Grinds meat and even the bones.
- Powerful unit designed for the serious meat processor.
- 3 stainless steel plates.
- 3 stuffing tubes.
Potential Issues
- Very noisy.
- Some will find it hard to move due to its weight.
2. Kuunlesin Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
- Unit size: 16.81″ L x 8.94″ W x 7.48″ H
- Capacity: 3 lb/min
- Weight: 7.16 lb
Overview
The unit comes with three cutting plates to grind a variety of meats. Fine, medium chunkier options mean you can make any dish you could imagine.
There’s also a sausage attachment – we’d love to have seen some different size sausage attachment sizes. If you are really into your sausage, and creating chipolatas through to chorizos, you may want to consider the STX International model mentioned next.
The Good
- Lightweight and easy to move.
- Excellent value for money.
- 3 cutting plates.
- Quiet when operating.
Potential Issues
- Only comes with 1 sausage attachment.
- Not all parts are stainless steel.
3. STX International STX-3000 Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
- Unit size: 14.5″ L x 6.5″ W x 16.5″ H
- Capacity: 5 lb/min
- Weight: 12lb
Overview
This is a well built unit with three cutting plates to give you a variety of meats as well as three sausage attachments.
Having three grinding speeds is a huge bonus. Once you get your rhythm going, chuck it into top gear and watch that beast do it’s thing.
The advanced variable intake allows the user to grind larger pieces of meat than most other models.
The Good
- 3 processing speeds
- 3 sausage attachments
- Aluminum grinding head and meat hopper
- Advanced variable intake
Potential Issues
- Plastic casing is vulnerable to damage
4. Altria Life Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
• Unit size: 20.08 x 11.22 x 8.66 inches
• Capacity: 3 lb/min
• Weight: 10.47 lb
Overview
The Altria Life Meat Grinder
The Altria Life will produce up to 3 pounds of meat per minute. For those that don’t eat a lot of meat, this will be fine.
The Good
- Grinds meat quickly and efficiently
- Easy to clean and disassemble
- Includes a sausage attachment
Potential Issues
- Heavier than most other meat grinders
- Relatively low grinding performance
- Sausage stuffing process can be time consuming.
5. Sunmile SM-G73 Heavy-Duty Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
Unit size: 20.08 x 11.02 x 9.06 inches
Capacity: 185 lbs./hour
Weight: 12.41 pounds
Overview
The Sunmile meat grinder comes in a sleek and shiny white stainless-steel material that would look fantastic with any kitchen décor. All of the parts and pieces are put together by highly skilled technicians making this grinder a safe option for your countertops.
Each grinder head is made with polished cast aluminum, and the entire unit is food grade and ETL certified.
This food grinder comes with three different grinding plates for coarse, medium, and fine grade meat chopping, providing the perfect size for anything from hamburgers to sausage and everything in between.
The Good
- Easy to operate
- It has lots of grinding power
- Very sturdy and durable unit
- Works for long sessions without issues
Potential Issues
- The pushers are flimsy plastic, making it a little challenging to push the meat through
- It will start to rust once wet
6. CHEFFANO Heavy Duty Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
Unit size: 16.6 x 9.9 x 8.9 inches
Capacity: 3lbs/min
Weight: 8.68 pounds
Overview
The Cheffano heavy-duty meat grinder comes with a convenient, easy-to-grip handle and nine highly efficient accessories that can be used to grind up and make almost any meat product you desire.
The Cheffano company is well-known for its reliable and well-made products, crafted by a team of kitchen appliance experts. Their products are manufactured to make home appliances easy to use, which this meat grinder really is.
This grinder can be used in three different ways with three buttons, making it quick, efficient, and fun.
The Good
- Compact size, perfect for easy storage
- Handles tough jobs
- Easy to set up and use
- Easy to clean
Potential Issues
- Silver paint comes off if wet (not dishwasher safe)
7. Yabano 3-In-1 Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
Unit size: 16.45 x 10.24 x 7.76 inches
Capacity: 3.3lbs/min
Weight: 7 pounds
Overview
This Yabano electric meat grinder is easy to assemble, disassemble, and clean. The parts are made of food-grade stainless steel material, preventing pollution or tainting the flavor of your meats.
The ways to use this meat grinder are almost endless; with the multi-use ability, you can juice, cut, chop, shred and blend.
Another great thing about this option is the safety features built right in. The four feet are made with non-slip suckers, keeping the machine in place during use. It also includes a reverse feature if your meat gets jammed, saving you from shoving your fingers near the blade.
The Good
- It comes with non-slip feet suckers to keep the machine in place
- Removable parts for an easy cleanup
- It comes with handy attachments for extra use
- Cuts smoothly
Potential Issues
- Not ideal for sausage stuffing
- The Hopper tray and push stick are plastic
8. AAOBOSI Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
Unit size: 19 x 11.4 x 9.4 inches
Capacity: 2 pounds/min
Weight: 12.82 pounds
Overview
The AAOBOSI meat grinder is a polished stainless-steel appliance that can slice, shred, grate, stuff, and kubbe with all accessories included.
While this is not an industrial-strength meat grinder, it is perfect for those who want to prepare fresh meats and meals at home.
These easy-to-use electric meat grinders can make meal prepping so much easier and will cut down on time with the 2 lbs. per miniature grinding feature. If you are searching for a small, simple, and quality meat grinder, this is it.
The Good
- Small yet efficient grinder
- It comes with handy accessories and tools
- Easy to assemble
- Powerful and reliable
Potential Issues
- It cannot be used for more than ten minutes at a time
- It can only be used for light-weight jobs
- Its motor gets really hot during use
9. Cuisinart Electric Meat Grinder
Product Specifications:
Unit size: 9.25 x 16.38 x 8.5 inches
Capacity: 3 pounds/min
Weight: 8.5 pounds
Overview
Cuisinart is a well-known and reliable appliance brand, and they definitely hit the nail on the head with this electric meat grinder. This stainless steel/ aluminum machine weighs eight pounds and can grind any meat of your choice at 3 pounds per minute with its powerful 300-watt motor.
This meat grinder comes with two metal plates for different sized meats and two sausage tube sizes so you can easily make small breakfast sausage links or the regular average-sized sausages.
This Cuisinart electric meat grinder is simple, yet effective, and has a great look and versatile design.
The Good
- Made by a well-known and reputable brand
- Very powerful for its size
- Easy to clean and assemble
- Sturdy and durable
Potential Issues
- Aluminum parts will rust when washed
- It does not work well with heavy-duty meats
Tips for Maintaining Your Meat Grinder
Cleaning your meat grinder is only half the battle. In order for your appliance to run smooth and simple every time you turn it on, it requires frequent maintenance.
Keep Your Blades Sharp
Sharp blades allow the plates to easily cut through the meat, giving you a clean-cut and well-formed product. If your blades are dull, the meat is more likely to be pushed up against the inside of the grinder, creating a large mess.
Stay Away From Dishwashers
Even if the labels state “dishwasher safe,” it is highly beneficial to steer clear of it. Although that may make cleaning up quicker and easier, it can also create harmful effects on your grinder’s parts.
The length of time dishwashers run exposes these metal parts to warm water for long periods of time, which is bound to create rust. Also, dishwasher soaps are made to be abrasive, which can damage the grinder’s metals.
Oil Your Meat Grinder
You should oil your meat grinder every once in a while to prevent rusting and oxidation. Oiling the parts will also keep the blades spinning properly and will require less energy, increasing production.
Keep Meat Partially Frozen
Warm or room temperature meat is not ideal for the meat grinding process. Warm meats tend to stick and spread and will not cut or grind right. This creates a mess won’t give you the consistency you are looking for.
When meat is slightly frozen, it is easier to control the cut and obtain a perfect outcome.
Final Verdict
As with any appliance, choosing the overall best option can be a challenge. The reality is, everyone has different needs. If money is no option, then I’d definitely opt for the LEM Meat Grinder because it’s an absolute beast. It makes short work of even the most challenging meat. The build quality is excellent with stainless steel used for the body and all metal gears.
For those on a tight budget, the Kuunlesin Grinder is a good option. Want to really save some money? Go for the Homdox meat grinder. It looks pretty stylish and is fine for small amounts of meat processing. Remember this is a manual grinder so you’ll have to turn the handle to get the job done.
I encourage you to do a little research on meat grinders before paying out any money. Make sure you understand the main features each model has and that it suits what you need. Before you know it, you’ll be making your own sausages, beef patties, dumplings, meat pies and so much more.
I wish you well on your meat grinding journey!
Frequently Asked Questions
Now that we have gone over tons of the basic information regarding meat grinders, let’s take a look at a few questions we haven’t gone over yet.
Does the Size of Your Meat Grinder Matter?
The size of your grinder will depend on the jobs you plan on assigning it. If you are looking to make a batch of hamburgers or sausage for your family once in a while, a smaller meat grinder will do just fine.
If you are a hunter or love to prepackage and freeze meats, you may want a larger grinder that can handle big jobs.
While the size of the grinder only matters to how much you plan on preparing, the size of the plates is a different story.
The smaller the plate size, the finer the grind. A size 3¼ inch plate is ideal for things like hotdogs and sausages, whereas a 5-inch plate is very coarse and used for things like hamburger patties and pepperoni.
What Can You Put in a Meat Grinder?
Don’t let the name of this appliance fool you; your meat grinder can be used for a lot more than just chopping up your meat. Other items you can put in a meat grinder include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Cheese
- Cookie dough
If you are looking for a meat grinder that can do more, make sure you choose one that comes with different accessories and tools. Most grinders on the market today are often advertised as three in one or five in one, providing you with everything you need to prepare an entire meal.
Can You Grind Meat Without a Grinder?
Having an electric meat grinding is a great way to get the job done quickly and with a lot less effort than doing it by hand. However, you can grind up meat by hand, and many people today still prefer the old fashion method.
You can also grind meat with other products in your kitchen, including a food processor, blender, or mixer.
Can Meat Grinders Grind Bones?
Technically there are meat grinders out there that are plenty strong enough to power through bones successfully. However, many of the home kitchen options really shouldn’t be used to take on such a task.
Grinding bones can be dangerous for you and your meat grinder if the machine isn’t powerful enough to do so. Without enough force, bones can break, chip, or dull the blade and clog the machine. Then the bones will shred down and splinter, creating a huge health hazard to anyone who eats the meat.
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