Since ground meat is often expensive, the best meat grinder Consumer Reports is a one-time investment that can fix your meat-related needs for good.
A meat grinder helps you take control of the type of meat, salts, and fats that you’re putting in your body. You never know how long the mince was sitting in the supermarket’s fridge.
Instead, if you have a meat grinder machine at home, you can grind fresh meat for every meal.
Page Contents
- 1 Top 7 Best Meat Grinders of 2024 Reviews by Consumer Reports
- 1.1 1. Best Overall Meat Grinder: STX Turboforce II”Platinum” w/Foot Pedal Heavy Duty Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer
- 1.2 2. Best High-End Meat Grinder: LEM Products Stainless Steel Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder
- 1.3 3. Best Home Meat Grinder: The Powerful Stx Turboforce Classic 3000 Series Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer
- 1.4 4. Best Electric Meat Grinder: Weston (08-1201-W) Pro Series Electric Meat Grinders
- 1.5 5. Best Manual Meat Grinder: LEM Products #10 Stainless Steel Clamp-on Hand Grinder
- 1.6 6. Best Commercial Meat Grinder: Kitchener Elite Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer
- 1.7 7. Best Industrial Meat Grinder: Pro-Cut Kg-22-W Meat Grinder
- 2 How to Choose the Best Meat Grinder?
- 3 How to Use a Meat Grinder?
- 4 How to Clean a Meat Grinder?
- 5 Conclusion
Top 7 Best Meat Grinders of 2024 Reviews by Consumer Reports
We’ve compiled a list of the best meat grinders that you can count on to take control of your meat intake and save money.
1. Best Overall Meat Grinder: STX Turboforce II”Platinum” w/Foot Pedal Heavy Duty Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer
Featuring a whopping 2000 watts motor, this STX electric meat grinder has three speed options and a safety circuit breaker.
You can choose high, low, and reverse speed, depending on your meat-grinding needs.
If the power is out or you just need enough meat for a burger, plug the good pedal in for manual control.
Owing to the Quad Air Cooling system, the machine will dissipate heat quickly, lasting much longer than an average grinder.
Being a #12 meat grinder, it has a diameter of 2 ½ inches and a 2-inch feeding tube.
Features
- Three stainless blades
- Grinder size #12
- Five grinding plates
- Kibble attachment
- One beaner plate
2. Best High-End Meat Grinder: LEM Products Stainless Steel Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder
This LEM electric meat grinder features a 1HP motor, which allows you to grind 13 pounds of meat per minute.
Despite being so fast, the machine is ultra-quiet.
Besides, there’s a tray on the top for keeping knives and plates. Having a stainless steel construction, this meat grinder machine retains minimal fingerprints, making cleanup a breeze.
Since it has a rifling head pattern, you won’t have to do much to put the meat forward.
Features
- 22 meat grinder
- 1 HP motor
- Brushed steel finish
- Rifling head pattern
- Tray for knife storage
- Three stuffing tubes
- Meat stomper
3. Best Home Meat Grinder: The Powerful Stx Turboforce Classic 3000 Series Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer
It’s hard to match STX when it comes to making meat grinders. With a 3000-watt motor, this meat grinder grinds up to 240 lbs. of meat per hour.
You can function the grinder to make stripped or cubed meat.
With a #12 size grinder, the machine can quickly grind meat for a barbecue party or game night. Moreover, it has a burger-slider patty press to get that Burger King patty at home.
Additionally, it comes with a Kibble attachment and a Sausage tube, so you get multiple meat grinding options.
The 2-1/8″ Hopper Opening, coupled with Advanced Variable Intake technology lets you grind larger portion sizes with ultimate ease.
Features
- Sausage stuffing plate
- Two free meat claws
- Burger-slider patty press
- 3000 watts motor
- 180 to 240 lbs. of meat per hour
- Three speed switch systems.
4. Best Electric Meat Grinder: Weston (08-1201-W) Pro Series Electric Meat Grinders
The 550-watt motor and offset head design make this machine the best meat grinder for sale, catering to domestic needs.
While the steel finish offers durability, the air-cooled motor ensures longevity.
Besides, it features a sturdy handle that you can use for transporting the meat grinder conveniently.
More importantly, it has non-slip rubber feet that ensure stability while functioning.
With three sausage funnels and two grinding plates, the grinder caters to different meat-grinding needs.
Features
- Stain steel construction
- Non-slip rubber feet
- 550-watt motor
- Two grinding plates
- Three sausage stuffing funnels
- Size #12
5. Best Manual Meat Grinder: LEM Products #10 Stainless Steel Clamp-on Hand Grinder
If you have limited meat requirements and want to put your arms to work, this manual meat grinder is a good option.
With a stainless steel build and a rust-resistant finish, the machine is built to last.
Since it has a wide clamp opening, you can place it on any table or countertop. Along with being easy to operate, this manual meat grinder is also easy to clean.
Featuring two stainless steel plates, one steel knife, a stuffing star, and three stuffing tubes, this meat grinder is suitable for smaller families.
Features
- One stainless steel knife
- Manual operation
- Three stuffing tubes
- One stuffing star
- Rust-resistant stainless steel construction
6. Best Commercial Meat Grinder: Kitchener Elite Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer
The Kitchener commercial meat grinder has a steel construction with a gear-driven design for reliable functionality.
Powered by a 550-watt motor, this commercial meat grinder grinds up to 720 lbs. of meat per hour.
To ensure your safety, it comes with a circuit breaker. Additionally, the grinder is water-proof and rust-proof.
At the bottom, there’s a drawer to keep all your grinder accessories stored in one place.
Even when working to its full capacity, the motor stays cool and quiet, thanks to the air-cooling and noise-reduction technology.
Since it has four stuffing tubes, fine stuffing plates, and a meat stomper, you can grind any kind of meat for your backyard barbecue.
Features
- Stainless steel cutting knife
- Four stuffing tubes
- Cutlery feeding tray
- 550-watt motor
- Large meat pan
- Stainless steel cutting knife
7. Best Industrial Meat Grinder: Pro-Cut Kg-22-W Meat Grinder
A 1HP motor combined with gear-driven design makes the Pro Cut Kg-22-W the best industrial meat grinder. If you run a small food business or a burger stand, this meat grinder would be ideal to fulfill your daily meat needs.
It’s a size #22 grinder, which can grind up to 1700 lbs. of meat per hour.
Along with the stainless steel construction, the removable headstock makes cleaning much easier.
Furthermore, it has a large tray, where you can put knives, ingredients, and plates.
Featuring the Washerless grinding system, this industrial meat grinder reduces maintenance costs and extends the grinder’s lifespan. Being NSF and UL-approved, this industrial meat grinder is reliable in terms of safety, too.
By changing the grinder plate, you can make anything from salsas to marmalades.
Features
- Washerless grinding system
- Removable headstock
- 1700 lbs. of meat per hour
- 22 grinder size
- Compatible with 12 grinding plates
- 1 HP motor
- Extra-large storage tray
How to Choose the Best Meat Grinder?
Despite being useful in the kitchen, meat grinders are still a lesser-known machine in any home. Most people have never owned one, so they don’t know what to look for in a meat grinder.
Let’s talk about some factors that should influence your choice of a meat grinder.
Grinder Size
First and foremost, you have to determine the grinder size you need. Depending on how much meat you intend on grinding or how frequently you’ll use it, you can come to a decision.
The hashtag (#) refers to a grinder’s size and is measured according to the grinder plates. For household use, look for the following sizes: 32, 22, 12, 8, or 5.
Choose the grinder size according to your family size, frequency of meat consumption, and amount of meat you eat for one meal.
If you often host guests, you’d need a bigger grinder size, as it has a bigger plate.
Bigger grinder plate means more meat will be ground at once. Also, the power increases with motor size.
Motor
If you’re interested in an electric meat grinder, make sure you consider the motor size.
An electric meat grinder with a powerful motor will grind meat faster. Choose the motor size according to your consumption and demand.
The motor determines how much meat will be ground per hour. 350-watt motor is sufficient for common use, as it can grind 200 lbs. of meat per hour.
Higher-end meat grinders have 750-watt motors, which can grind up to 720 lbs. in an hour.
Construction
Although meat grinders come in different builds, stainless steel is considered the best material for grinder construction.
It removes contaminants that may be present in store-bought meat, ensuring healthy meat intake for your family.
Moreover, stainless steel meat grinders grind much better and improve flavor.
Since they limit oxygen-degradation of meat flavor, stainless steel grinders are a favorite among pro chefs.
Lastly, a manual meat grinder with stainless steel finish adds moisture and texture to your food.
Accessories
You don’t necessarily have to buy a commercial meat grinder to get your hands on extra accessories. Nowadays, household meat grinders also come with accessories such as sausage attachment and stomper.
If you can’t say no to a good homemade sausage, you should consider looking for a meat grinder machine with additional accessories.
Make sure the meat grinder for sale comes with accessories. Some grinders are compatible with up to ten accessories, but these attachments are sold separately.
How to Use a Meat Grinder?
Once you’ve gone through the meat grinder reviews and chosen the best meat grinder for your kitchen, you have to learn how to use it.
Although meat grinders look complicated, they’re easy to use.
- First of all, slice the meat into thinner sections of up to five centimeters long. Doing this will make it easier for you to shove them through the grinder opening.
- Then, place the meat strips in the freezer for about half an hour. Cooling the meat makes grinding easier, but don’t let it freeze.
- Put the grinding plate you intend to use in the freezer as well.
- When grinding large batches of meat, make sure to plop everything in the freezer beforehand to minimize bacterial growth.
- Take the meat out after 30 minutes and place it in a bowl.
- If your meat grinder has a tray, put the bowl on it for easier access.
- Place a bowl under the grinder’s spout, so that it can catch the ground meat.
- Switch the meat grinder on and start feeding the meat hopper. If you want to add other ingredients, such as garlic, shove them through the hopper too.
Some electric grinders have pushers that assist in pushing the meat into the hopper safely.
You’ll see ground meat falling into the bowl from the spout. As meat grinders have strong motors and sharp parts, keep your hands safe and keep the countertop clean.
Tips for Using a Meat Grinder
Remove bones, tendons, and ligaments from the meat you’re grinding, as they can block the grinder.
Anything that’s not meat or fat needs to go.
Secondly, do the first grind before fine-grinding meat. In the first grind, you push the meat through a coarse plate first. If you skip this step and start with finer grinding, you’ll end up clogging the grinder.
When you’re done grinding, there will be some leftover meat in it. Instead of letting it go to waste, push a piece of bread through the grinder.
It will push the meat out and break down some of the greases.
How to Clean a Meat Grinder?
Ensure cleaning your meat grinder regularly as grease is hard to remove when built-up over time.
- Start by disassembling the meat grinder into its parts: plate, blade, screw, pusher, and blade/plate cover. The parts may differ depending on the grinder you’re using.
- Fill a bucket with water and add a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
- Place the parts in the bucket for about 30 to 40 minutes. Do not put motorized parts in the water.
- Most of the grease and stray meat pieces will break away. However, if there is any stubborn grease, scrub it lightly.
- After washing the parts thoroughly, dry them with a cloth.
Never wash a meat grinder’s parts in a dishwasher. Being exposed to water for so long can cause rusting, while the heat can affect their lifespan.
A pro tip is to grind the meat cold. Colder meat makes a smaller mess than warm meat and makes cleanup easier.
Also, sharpen the blades as necessary. If the blade is dull, it will smear the meat instead of grinding it, causing a mess.
Conclusion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjXRA3oRYBQ
Having a meat grinder at home means you don’t have to rush to the store every time you need ground meat.
Buying a meat grinder also saves you the additional cost you’d otherwise pay for mice or sausages. Depending on your requirements, you can find a meat grinder for sale at an affordable price.
Hopefully, our meat grinder reviews would have helped you find the best meat grinder Consumer Reports for your home or small food business.
