Ground meat is one of the most commonly used ingredients in any kind of food.
It is very convenient and easy to buy ground meat from the grocery store. However, you may realize that the pre-ground meat may not have the best juiciness, tenderness and flavor you desire. Worst of all, you can’t even tell which parts of the meat were mixed in it.
Therefore, if you are looking to eat healthier, save yourself some money and get better fillings within your food, by purchasing your own household meat grinder.
Making fresh, clean, and safe ground meat at home has never been very easy. With a good meat grinder, you can enjoy mouth-watering burgers, sausages and meatballs any time.
Can You Grind Meat In A Food Processor
Both a meat grinder and a food processor can be used to chop meat, vegetables and other ingredients.
However, a meat grinder is specially designed to grind meat with different thicknesses. It can lock in moisture and maintain the meat’s original quality.
Food processors are more suitable for loosely grinding, mixing, slicing and shredding.
You can certainly use a food processor to grind meat, but the texture, taste and uniformity of the ground meat is not as good as meat prepared with a specialized meat grinder.
- Meat loses moisture when it is stirred in the food processor and moisture = flavor.
- Ground meat made with a food processor is not the best quality meat. It is likely to contain larger pieces of meat that have not been chopped evenly. It may become pasty after over-grinding, losing its original meat taste.
How To Choose A Meat Grinder
There are three types of meat grinders on the market. They all have advantages and disadvantages. You can choose the best one according to your needs.
- Electric meat grinder: The advantage of the electric meat grinder is that a lot of meat can be ground at a time. It’s also faster and can save you time. However, the price is generally more expensive. It can also take up more space.
- Manual meat grinder: The advantage of this grinder is that it is relatively cheap and simply made. It can be used anywhere and is easy to maintain. However, it only grinds a small amount of meat each time, which can be time-consuming and also physically demanding.
- Accessories for stand mixers: If you already have a KitchenAid or Cuisinart stand mixer at home, you only need to add an accessory that can grind meat. Its biggest disadvantage is that it can only process a small amount of meat at a time. The best seller on Amazon is KitchenAid Food Grinder Attachment.
Here are several things you need to consider when choosing a meat grinder:
1. Whether it is easy to clean
This is very important. If it is not thoroughly cleaned after each use, the remaining grease and stains will not only breed bacteria but also shorten the service life of the grinder and its parts.
It is best to choose a stainless steel meat grinder that can be disassembled. If you do not have the time and patience to clean and maintain complex equipment, you can choose a model with a more simple structure.
2. Multifunctional
Most meat grinders provide multiple functions, especially electric ones.
Certain types of equipment can not only grind meat of different thicknesses but can also chop vegetables or fill sausages. Additionally, some have a reverse rotation function to remove blockages.
3. Power
If you don’t need to grind very much meat each time, like maybe only a few pounds, then a general-purpose meat grinder should be enough. It has the power to process 100 to 150 pounds of meat per hour, so it can more than do the job.
There are many choices for this type of household grinder, such as STX Turboforce Classic 3000 electric meat grinder/stuffer and Sunmile SM-G31 ETL meat grinder.
Commercial meat grinders are more powerful, more efficient, faster and more durable. These grinders can handle more than 700 pounds of meat per hour. They can be used for a long time without overheating and can easily cope with tough meat such as bushmeat, cartilage, ligaments, tendons or internal organs.
If you run a restaurant, one recommendation is the Weston electric meat grinder.
The Best Meat Grinders On The Market
There are many brands and models on the market. After a comprehensive comparison, we have selected several of the best meat grinders for you to consider.
1. STX Turboforce Classic 3000 Electric Meat Grinder — Best Overall
This is a powerful and heavy-duty household electric meat grinder. This grinder can handle any kind of meat you want to process, including sausages, poultry, fish, fat and cartilage.
(Although some people use it to smash vegetables, fruits, and even make pasta, the merchant recommends a dedicated machine to get the best results.)
STX Turboforce 3000 uses a power-locked motor. It provides 800 to 1200 watts of power when mincing meat, which is equivalent to up to 2.4 horsepower.
It comes with a No.12 grinding head that is made of food-grade cast aluminum. This grinding head is larger than those that most meat grinders have. It also has a wider feed tube, which can grind a large amount of meat in a short time.
This product has two settings, low speed and high speed. The high speed is very good for tender meat. The low speed is used for meat with a harder texture, which reduces the possibility of clogging and grinds more thoroughly.
It also has a unique function: A circuit breaker. When jamming occurs, the power will be automatically shut down to prevent short circuits.
This meat grinder comes with a three-year warranty, which is longer than the warranty period of most other products.
By registering the product on the company website after purchase, you can get free parts and repairs provided by the merchant for three years.
The following YouTube video demonstrates how to assemble and use the STX Turboforce meat grinder.
[Pros]
- Powerful and heavy-duty.
- Comes with plenty of extra accessories and spare parts.
- Fast speed, which saves time and effort.
- Safe to use, with electrical protection using a circuit breaker.
- Covered by a 3-year warranty to protect it from any damage.
[Cons]
- The machine is a bit smaller than most meat grinders.
- It is a little too loud when processing meat.
2. Gourmia Gmg525 Electric Meat Grinder — Best For Tough Meat
The Gourmia Gmg525v is made of durable and super-strong materials. It is an excellent tool for grinding many kinds of raw meat. This grinder is especially great for grinding tough food, like cartilage, beef tendon, or deer meat,, just to name a few.
This product includes 3 durable stainless steel blades for various fine, medium and rough cuts.
It can automatically adjust the power consumption (from 500 watts to 1000 watts). This function allows you to process tough meat without using high power, thus saving electricity.
It has three buttons – on/off/reverse – making it easy to operate. If you need to remove impurities from food or dredge the grinder, you may find the reverse function to be very useful.
In addition, this product also has a double safety switch to ensure safety during operation.
All its parts can be removed for easy cleaning and storage. They lock back in place during assembly to ensure the overall stability of the equipment facilitating safe operation.
[Pros]
- Top-quality materials and durable.
- Fast speed, saves time and effort.
- Safe and easy to use.
- Easy cleaning and storage.
[Cons]
- Can get hot during operation.
3. Sunmile SM-G31 Electric Meat Grinder — Best Budget
Sunmile is a well-known small appliance manufacturer. As a basic household meat grinder, Sunmile SM-G31 can automatically adjust the power between 250W and 800. It can easily grind different textures of meat while keeping the power consumption low.
This meat grinder is simple in structure but powerful. It can process up to 150 pounds of meat per hour, which can meet the daily needs of most families. It is equipped with large gears and gearboxes to overcome various pressures and resistances caused by meat grinders.
It also has a safety switch (emergency cut-off) and a circuit breaker to prevent the motor from overheating or burning.
[Pros]
- Easy to assemble and operate.
- Durable material.
- Superior coil guarantees a longer motor lifespan.
- Emergency cut-off switch and circuit breaker for safety.
- Saves time and effort.
- Cost-effective.
[Cons]
- Does not have a reverse function.
- The feed port is relatively small, so the meat needs to be cut into small pieces.
- Some parts are aluminum and cannot be washed in a dishwasher.
4. Aobosi Electric Meat Grinder — Best For Home And Commercial Use
The Aobosi electric meat grinder is a powerful and practical kitchen appliance. It is suitable for any household, as well as being useful in the catering industry.
Besides processing meat, you can also use this grinder to grind fruits, vegetables and even garlic. With various accessories, you can make meat paste, hamburger patties, meatballs or mouth-watering sausages for your family or friends.
Its motor power has a range of 800W to 2000, and can easily and quickly grind 2 pounds of meat per minute.
This product has a special high torque design. By squeezing the three spiral rings of the auger attachment, the meat can be squeezed out without damaging the meat fiber. The original flavor of the meat is preserved, while also maintaining the original texture.
It also has a reverse function, which allows it to easily remove clogged debris.
It is easy to assemble and disassemble and comes with one-button control, making it simple to operate. It is also equipped with a circuit breaker to ensure safety while prolonging the service life.
[Pros]
- Simple structure.
- Easy to assemble and operate.
- Multi-functional.
- Equipped with a circuit breaker to ensure safety.
[Cons]
- Cannot be washed in a dishwasher
5. F&W 3-in-1 Manual Meat Grinder — Best Manual Meat Grinder
The advantage of a manual meat grinder is that it does not require a power source, so it can be used anywhere. This grinder also has a simple structure, making it easy to assemble and use.
This product has a powerful suction cup at the bottom ensuring that it remains fixed on the operating table. Therefore, it remains stable during use, because it is not easy to move.
This manual meat grinder from F&W is very suitable for low-budget families. In addition to making ground meat, it can also chop vegetables, grind nuts or garlic. It can even make macaroni and pasta. People with infants at home can use it to make meals for their babies, like a vegetable puree.
Although the shell is hard plastic, the blade is made of high-quality sharp stainless steel. The whole machine can be cleaned in a dishwasher.
[Pros]
- Affordable.
- Simple structure.
- Easy to operate.
- Small and portable, it doesn’t take up too much space.
- Dishwasher safe.
[Cons]
- Time-consuming.
- Cannot grind tough meat.
- The handle may break easily with excessive force.
Tips For Using A Meat Grinder Properly
Most electric meat grinders are multi-functional. They can mince meat, fill sausages and grind fruits and vegetables. Here are a few tips to get the best ground meat.
- Meat needs to be refrigerated before processing, otherwise, a higher temperature will cause the fat in the meat to separate and ooze. This results in water loss and may also affect the texture of the meat.
- Remove the fascia from the cooled meat and cut it into appropriate size pieces for easy passage through the feed opening.
- Process your meat as soon as possible, before it is completely thawed. This prevents water loss. Too much water loss and thawing can have a negative effect on the quality of the meat.
How To Maintain A Meat Grinder
Whether it is an electric or manual meat grinder, various problems can occur with prolonged use. It is important to know that, proper maintenance can extend the life of your meat grinder.
Here are a few tips for daily maintenance:
1. Under normal use, your meat grinder only needs to be oiled once a year. Use butter as a lubricant, not ordinary liquid motor oil.
2. After each use, disassemble the grinder tee, screw, blade orifice plate, etc. Wash and dry everything, along with the tray. Then reassemble it. Doing this not only prevents the growth of bacteria, which can affect food hygiene, but also maintains the flexibility of each component.
3. Keep the blade sharp. If you use it frequently, the blade should be sharpened at least once every six months.
4. If you don’t use the meat grinder for a long time, you need to clean and dry all its parts. Store it in a ventilated and dry place to avoid moisture, which can affect the life of the motor.
So, What’s The Best Meat Grinder?
Many homemakers rely on store-bought ground meat. Although it’s convenient, there is no guarantee of the meat’s overall quality.
This store-bought minced meat is usually made from a blend of cuts and scrapes, so you may never know exactly what you’re getting or eating.
By keeping a meat grinder at home, you can use healthy and safe meat of your choice to make high-quality ground meat with better texture and taste.
We have covered several well-known meat grinders in this guide. On the whole, STX Turboforce 3000 is the best choice compared to the other meat grinders in terms of durability, safety and overall performance.
If you have a limited budget or prefer a manual meat grinder, you can refer to some of the other products in this article.
