My Grinder Sucks - Grinder reviews

[MarvB]

I’ve got the LEM Big Bite #12 3/4hp, not the fastest but three seasons in and no complaints. I double grind and put the meat in the freezer for a bit in between, cold is key IMHO

 

[seeth07]

A lot of the grinders out there seem to be for folks who want to spend $60 on some wagyu and then make a couple of burgers.

I know for a fact you're not that guy, so honest review, f one buys a 10lbs of pork butt and grinds 90lbs of elk is he or she going to be sitting there for 12 hours, fighting the damn thing as the silver skin goes through.

Exactly why going commercial grade is the best way to go if you can swallow the price tag.

For meat grinders, some many cheap ones (ones that cost less than 300 bucks) just aren't built to handle the high heat that is created from 30mins-60mins of continuous grinding. Especially when your running frozen meat chucks through it (if you aren't grinding froze/partially frozen 1" chunks you are doing it wrong).

 

[LuketheDog]

I just have the one that hooks up to my wife’s kitchen aid. It does the job but very small quantity at a time need to grind multiple times to get a good grind on it.

I also have one of these, my wife bought it for me, it's adequate. I bought a weston 7lb sausage stuffer to go along with it however, THAT thing is great...

 

[Lasiocarpa]

I have the LEM hand crank. For an elk and a deer or antelope per year it works just fine.
Maybe when my elbows have arthritis I’ll upgrade

 

[jrabq]

About 20 years ago I went in with 2 other guys and bought the 3/4 hp grinder from Cabelas, it's still going strong. No idea if it's the same as what they sell now. Usually grind 30-50 lb batches, and it is plenty big enough for that job. One guy bought the bagger attachment and liked it, but for my family the bags were either too big or too small so I don't use it.

As others have mentioned, using frozen or nearly frozen meat leads to better cutting, and help keeps the grinder from getting hot.

 

[Drake4]

I literally just ordered a MEAT! 1.5hp on Monday. I've heard great things about them and the couple guys I know that have one, love them.
They just had them 30% on Monday.

 

[PNWGator]

^^^^Great Choice!^^^^

 

[kwyeewyk]

if you aren't grinding froze/partially frozen 1" chunks you are doing it wrong).

I do a partial thaw, then slice with thickest setting on my slicer, then use a butcher knife to make strips, I find strips self feed better than cubes and less cutting for prep.

 

[ZMT588]

I have a cheapo amazon grinder that has actually surprised me. I ground up about 20 lbs last year in no time. Would I buy it again? Probably not. I bought my wife a higher end Kitchenaid mixer a couple years ago. Might try and get an attachment for it next year and give it a shot. Wouldn't imagine it be good for anything more than 10-12 lbs though.

 

[Addicting]

I had to modify the plunger as it was too small originally and meat could squeeze out around it.

Any pics? The struggle is real with ours.

 

[ZMT588]

I do a partial thaw, then slice with thickest setting on my slicer, then use a butcher knife to make strips, I find strips self feed better than cubes and less cutting for prep.

Yep! Big difference doing strips vs cubes last year for me on my little grinder.

 

[CB1]

Used the kitchen aid attachment for a few years. Worked well to grind and stuff sausages but only for small quantities. The mixer also seemed to heat up and was concerned it would break over time. Just bought a .5hp from MEAT but have not had a chance to use it yet but I am sure it will be better for larger quantities.

 

[MThuntr]

I had one of those 500W grinders long ago and it did ok but you had to make sure not to let it get hot and go slow which took forever. Plastic gears failed me

Upgraded to 1/2HP Cabelas about 5 years ago and it does great as long as you make sure the pieces are cut the right size. I upgraded to a 1HP Excalibur grinder with optional meat mixer attachment. So much power that I bet it will mix cement if I let it. It is terrifying how this thing chews up meat.

Honestly I'd get one from LEM, Meat, or Weston and buy the attachments you want for said mixer at the same time (mixer, burger press, etc). Lately Cabela's stuff has been slipping in quality so I'm not sure I'd buy one.

I have a 5lb sausage stuffer and it does ok but really a much larger stuffer would be better for me. It is almost always a two person job.

 

[npaden]

I'm another 3/4 hp Carnivore user. Used a cheap $100 one that claimed 1/2 hp for several years then it crapped out and upgraded the the 3/4 hp Carnivore and it was a game changer. Biggest drawback is the thing weighs 50+ pounds so it's not like you just throw it in a cabinet. Looks like they don't have the 3/4 hp one available anymore, I would probably just go with the 1 hp one although I'm very happy with my 3/4 hp one and it does everything I need it to and then some. I for sure don't cut the meat into 1" cubes to grind it, more like 1.5" to 2" strips that are 5"+ long. It grabs them and runs them through fast!

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I have this little tiny guy:

#8 575 Watt Countertop Grinder | Roots & Harvest Homesteading Supplies

The 575-watt motor has push button forward and pulse reverse functionality and will grind up to 3 lbs. per minute. 30 day money back guarantee, 1 year warranty.

www.lemproducts.com

I find it works very well actually. I grind large batches, 20-40# at a time. Only thing is I have to have the meat slightly frozen prior to grinding, but that's it. I am able to do all venison in one pass, no need for multiple grinds even.



One thing to note about motor HP, most manufacturers fib on this a fair amount... For example, a true 1-1/2hp grinder is not able to be ran without a dedicated 25A circuit. A true motor of that size will draw 20A, which is more than a homes 20A breaker will be able to hold.

 

[Jwill]

I had a $99 Northern Tool grinder. Was a great entry level grinder and started me on the way to processing all my own meat, making sausage, etc., but it's slow and clogged and overheated on big jobs... My brother has a 1.75hp (#42) Cabelas branded Weston, I borrow it for all grinding jobs now. It's awesome and grinds fast. Downsides are it's heavy and bulky, and a little much for stuffing, so I have a separate hand crank 15# stuffer. Also, no matter what you end up with, definitely recommend a foot pedal.

My suggestion - get one that's at least 1hp, the larger neck size is really convenient to take larger chunks of meat (#22+), get a foot pedal, get a separate stuffer.

 

[gburk]

When it comes to butcher supplies, I've found it best to look at the restaurant business. My dad used to work in the food service equipment industry so growing up we had all kinds of big and fancy commercial kitchen grade grinders, slicers, vac sealers, stuffers, etc. When I moved out, I made the mistake of buying fleet, gander and cabelas stuff. That was almost 10 years ago and it's all in the trash. I went back and have my whole setup repurchased with high quality commercial grade equipment. Granted, I process probably 300 to 500 pounds of meat a year so I certainly get use out of everything.

Btw, my grinder is a vollrath and you'll probably freak at the 1k price.

I’ve got the vollrath anvil (presumably same as yours?), picked up from a restaurant auction back when I was an avid participant in such things. your post reminded me that until I get the actual grinder head for it, the name “anvil” is particularly apt... it having delivered exactly zero practical value since the day I bought it. Yes I bought it without the head not understanding the relative scarcity of that item.
Question I’m debating is whether to fork over a lot of money for a tinned #22 head from vollrath, or cut bait and start over with a shinier import from LEM?

 

[seeth07]

I’ve got the vollrath anvil (presumably same as yours?), picked up from a restaurant auction back when I was an avid participant in such things. your post reminded me that until I get the actual grinder head for it, the name “anvil” is particularly apt... it having delivered exactly zero practical value since the day I bought it. Yes I bought it without the head not understanding the relative scarcity of that item.
Question I’m debating is whether to fork over a lot of money for a tinned #22 head from vollrath, or cut bait and start over with a shinier import from LEM?

Hey you just gave away my secret of how I get my equipment!!! Restaurant closing auctions or restaurant remodel auctions are fabulous for getting used equipment for dirt cheap. I got my vollrath 1.
5hp with 22# head on an auction of a butcher shop that went out of business for 250 bucks.

 

[MTLabrador]

I have a Cabela’s 1/4 hp that sucks. It works for doing a deer or an antelope, but I want to get a better one.

 

[vanish]

I think it is from the 50s? Only takes a few minutes to grind. Coarse pass is faster than you can drop it in. Fine pass requires plunging. Have done 100+ lbs batches.