If you're the type of person who actually wants to know how the sausage is made and how to make it yourself, your first purchase should be a meat grinder. The best meat grinder breaks down even the toughest cuts, mixing it to the perfect consistency for whatever you're creating — sausage, hot dogs and more.
Built for tough jobs and regular use, LEM Products Stainless Steel Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder is a good investment when you’re serious about sausage.
Meat grinders use plates to determine the consistency and fineness of the grind. These plates are generally available in two materials.
Old-fashioned manual meat grinders that clip onto the edge of a table and function with a hand crank get the job done just as well as their electric counterparts. The main issue with a manual grinder is that people with pain in their hands or other conditions that make it difficult to crank might find these hard to operate. Even if your hands feel good, if you routinely turn out pounds of ground meat every week, manual grinders can be challenging.
Electric meat grinders make short work of pounds and pounds of food. They're more expensive than their manual counterparts, and some cooks prefer the hands-on approach imparted by a manual grinder.
Meat grinders are measured in horsepower, and you generally need at least .5 HP to get the occasional grinding task done. If you use your meat grinder on a regular basis for tough cuts of meat, consider a grinder with .75 HP or more.
The plate size of a meat grinder is used to determine both the size of the food going into the grinder and the texture of it coming out. If your grinder comes with a plate, chances are the size is a 5 or 8. These work well for domestic beef, pork and poultry.
Some meat grinders come with additional plates so you can explore the world of game and organ meats. The larger the plate size, the better suited it is to these types of meats.
Look for included accessories that make it possible to grind things like nuts and vegetables. Sausage makers should also look for specific attachments for this practice, including a tube to hold the casing as it’s filled.
While some clogs are inevitable, quality meat grinders should have an anti-clog feature. This prevents meat from getting stuck and holding up the operation.
Expect to spend more on a heavy-duty meat grinder that gets frequent use, but in general, you'll spend $50-$500.
A. There are a few ways to get the most out of your meat grinder.
A. Although some manufacturers say a meat grinder can be washed in the dishwasher, it's generally better to clean it by hand after each use.
LEM Products Stainless Steel Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder
What you need to know: This sturdy grinder can handle even the biggest jobs and toughest cuts.
What you’ll love: It has .75 HP for solid power when you need it. It has a 360-pounds-per-hour processing rate — more than enough when cooking for a crowd. It's made of durable stainless steel and comes with a meat stomper, steel knife, stuffing plate, fine plate (3/16-inch), coarse plate (3/8-inch), three tubes (5/8-inch, 1-inch, 1 3/8-inch), meat pan and plate extractor.
What you should consider: It’s big (47 pounds) and it takes up a lot of counter space.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
What you need to know: This compact countertop model is a meat grinder and more.
What you’ll love: It holds 8 cups of food and grinds with a 350-watt motor. It also functions as a chopper and food processor. The stainless steel bowl is easy to clean, and it doesn’t take up much space. It comes with four different blades.
What you should consider: It can't handle tough meats and has limited utility for fine grinding.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Cuisinart Electric Meat Grinder
What you need to know: This grinder comes from a trusted brand and offers more power and performance than other options.
What you’ll love: It grinds 3 pounds of meat per hour with its 300-watt motor. It includes a sausage-making kit for everything from breakfast links to bratwurst. The reversible motor keeps food from getting stuck.
What you should consider: Some users reported clogging, even with the reversible blade feature.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
