Meat Grinder recommendations


 
JohnTak

JohnTak

TVWBB Pro
I have the original Kitchen Aid meat grinder attachment, it is plastic with metal meat grinding parts. It works pretty good but considering I use it very little the plastic housing cracks. I got a second one free under warranty but it has cracked. I want to start grinding all of my meat fresh to eliminate the problems with ground meat recalls. What are you good people using at home that works for you?
 
got this for $35 on an Amazon Lightening deal in 2020. it does go on sale frequently from past experience. it works very well. hand wash only. freeze for 30 minutes before use to keep a cold working environment. and 1/8 turn back off the locking nut ring that keeps the cutting plate in place to avoid over pressure on the plate and potential for metal shavings in your food. let your protein provide the pressure to the plate and nut.

 
I have a no-name Chinese made manual hand-crank grinder that I actually spin with my 1/2 hp electric drill (instead of using the hand crank). Works great, but is a two person job as someone has to hold the drill. I don't grind too often though...was super cheap. I often dream of a one-person setup....
 
I have a LEM #5. May be too much for what you want to do. Mine gets used almost weekly for everything from ground meat to sausages to dry bread crumbs.
I‘ve had it for quite a few years and it has worked perfectly.
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I have a LEM #22. I am a charcutier in my other life so I use mine a lot. I would recommend the LEM line of grinders. They often sell reconditioned ones on their site for a much reduced price but with a full warranty.

I wouldn't go to small on a grinder as a lot of those models require you to shut down and cool off the motor after only 10 mins of grinding.
 
Yeah, if using a KA this is what I would recommend buying. https://www.kitchenaid.com/countert.../p.metal-food-grinder-attachment.ksmmga.html? Stay clear of the plastic one. Garbage.
Understand even like the old Hobart made ones these are NOT dishwasher safe being made of cast aluminum. They also are not large enough to replace a heavy duty stand alone machine such as a Lem version. Those have much larger grind chambers and can feed more meat through much faster.
It's not that any (full size) KA mixer does not have the power or durability. (Artisan Mini aside). Every one from the Classic on up to the large Commercial has MORE than enough shaft horsepower to withstand this work. The issue is the tiny little grinder attachment not the power head.
Honestly all of them have enough power to EASILY run a grinder head as large as a Lem. I honestly don't know why KA does not market a large enough grinder attachment to actually compete. But, that's on them.
So if you REALLY want to grind a lot of meat (doing it very often or in large quantity) invest in a solid stand alone machine like the Lem mentioned above.
But if you already have a good KA mixer and just want to make a few meatballs once in a while or a few burgers now and then. Invest in the attachment. It does work and work well and believe me it will NOT over tax the mixer. But it will be ssssllllllooooowwww going due to the small size.
 
LMichaels said:
It's not that any (full size) KA mixer does not have the power or durability. (Artisan Mini aside). Every one from the Classic on up to the large Commercial has MORE than enough shaft horsepower to withstand this work. The issue is the tiny little grinder attachment not the power head.
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Excellent analysis, Larry. The market for KA is mostly serious bakers, because KA isn't cheap. I suspect there simply isn't that much overlap among bakers who also need to grind large quantities of meat. I could probably come up with a better analogy, but it seems like an attachment for an engine hoist that converts it into a belt sander. They are both tools that go in your garage, but how many engine hoist buyers also need a belt sander?
 
LMichaels said:
But if you already have a good KA mixer and just want to make a few meatballs once in a while or a few burgers now and then. Invest in the attachment. It does work and work well and believe me it will NOT over tax the mixer. But it will be ssssllllllooooowwww going due to the small size
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I run 6# of beef through a typical session. No issues and it doesn’t take that long.

I’d say I use my attachment around 8-10 times a year. Chicken grinds super easily too. Just no chicken skin in the grinder.
 
Brett-EDH said:
I run 6# of beef through a typical session. No issues and it doesn’t take that long.

I’d say I use my attachment around 8-10 times a year. Chicken grinds super easily too. Just no chicken skin in the grinder.
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Yeah, that is doable. Understand I am not saying the KA attachment is "incapable" just not really built for the task of being an everyday grinder. But you certainly will not break that metal grinder or the power head of the mixer. Even the least powerful of a KA full size mixer is every bit if not more powerful than even the Lem pictured above.
Honestly KA could make an accessory as large and capable as the grinder portion of the LEM or any other. They just don't
 
If the demand was there, capitalism suggests that LEM or somebody would make the more capable aftermarket attachment that KA won't.
 
LMichaels said:
Yeah, if using a KA this is what I would recommend buying. https://www.kitchenaid.com/countert.../p.metal-food-grinder-attachment.ksmmga.html? Stay clear of the plastic one. Garbage.
Understand even like the old Hobart made ones these are NOT dishwasher safe being made of cast aluminum. They also are not large enough to replace a heavy duty stand alone machine such as a Lem version. Those have much larger grind chambers and can feed more meat through much faster.
It's not that any (full size) KA mixer does not have the power or durability. (Artisan Mini aside). Every one from the Classic on up to the large Commercial has MORE than enough shaft horsepower to withstand this work. The issue is the tiny little grinder attachment not the power head.
Honestly all of them have enough power to EASILY run a grinder head as large as a Lem. I honestly don't know why KA does not market a large enough grinder attachment to actually compete. But, that's on them.
So if you REALLY want to grind a lot of meat (doing it very often or in large quantity) invest in a solid stand alone machine like the Lem mentioned above.
But if you already have a good KA mixer and just want to make a few meatballs once in a while or a few burgers now and then. Invest in the attachment. It does work and work well and believe me it will NOT over tax the mixer. But it will be ssssllllllooooowwww going due to the small size.
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What speed should be used when grinding meat? I thought may be that's why my plastic housing cracked but now I know it cracked because it was a poor idea to use plastic for the housing. Thanks for that. (y):)
 
www.meatyourmaker.com

MEAT! | Meat Processing Tools

Sausage stuffers, meat grinders, and jerky dehydrators are just a few of the high-quality meat processing products MEAT offers to home cooks, butchers, and hunters. Make sure it's made with MEAT
www.meatyourmaker.com www.meatyourmaker.com

Hey all, I'm on my dads account (this is Brandon). I was talking to my dad about a sausage grinder/stuffer and brands. This is a brand (above) I saw and was wondering if anyone on here has utilized this brand? Majority if not all of the reviews I have seen have been 4 or 5 star. With me and my brother hunting, my dad starting to want to make home made sausage now, we are looking to upgrade to a grinder which we will use probably 6-10 times a year. Deer season we will be processing probably 40-80 #'s hopefully x 2. If we are just making regular sausage I would say 20# batches. Any input on this brand would be much appreciated.
thanks all,
Brandon and Tim
 
timothy said:
www.meatyourmaker.com

MEAT! | Meat Processing Tools

Sausage stuffers, meat grinders, and jerky dehydrators are just a few of the high-quality meat processing products MEAT offers to home cooks, butchers, and hunters. Make sure it's made with MEAT
www.meatyourmaker.com www.meatyourmaker.com

Hey all, I'm on my dads account (this is Brandon). I was talking to my dad about a sausage grinder/stuffer and brands. This is a brand (above) I saw and was wondering if anyone on here has utilized this brand? Majority if not all of the reviews I have seen have been 4 or 5 star. With me and my brother hunting, my dad starting to want to make home made sausage now, we are looking to upgrade to a grinder which we will use probably 6-10 times a year. Deer season we will be processing probably 40-80 #'s hopefully x 2. If we are just making regular sausage I would say 20# batches. Any input on this brand would be much appreciated.
thanks all,
Brandon and Tim
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@EricV. IIRC, Eric makes sausages with a dedicated grinder. You can search the forums as I believe he has posted this info previously.
 
Brandon, it cracked because it was cheaply made. Best to keep the speeds to the lower end. Otherwise heat tends to build up, starts melting the fats and the grinder becomes all clogged up. Like I indicated. For whatever reason, KA has not made a grinder that is up to the capability of the mixer itself. In any case, those products you posted look awfully amazing for the $$$$. If you're seriously into the craft definitely looks to be worth the investment
 
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