Yes, buying pre-ground meat is good, but there’s a lot of risks associated with it. You’ll never know how the meat is prepared, the cleanliness of the equipment used, and when it was prepared. And you don’t want to think of the consequences that come with eating stale food. Well, that’s why we have meat grinders you can use to prepare fresh meat. The majority of them are affordable, versatile and grind meat well.
Our team reviewed the best meat grinders in the market and based the selection on electric vs. manual models, motor power, the number of blades, grinding capacity and other meat grinder features. Electric models are much more convenient, and they can grind more meat amounts in less time. Manual electric grinders suit people who make small meat amounts for their friends or family. You’ll also want to pick a device with a high motor power if you prepare meat in large quantities.
Extra features: 110/120 Volt, AVI auger, comes with complete kit
The STX Turboforce Cadet Complete Kit is a powerful device featuring a 1200 W locked motor and 550 W grinding power.
Its grinding plates are 2-7 or 16 inches, meaning it’s a size eight grinder. Experts note that its meat placement hole sizes are 8mm, 6mm, and 3mm, respectively.
This machine also comes with a meat tray and polished aluminum meat grinding head.
You’ll find 3 “Quad Beveled” cutting blades, three grinding plates, three sausage stuffing tubes, two meat shredder claws, a burger patty maker press, one meat surfer, and a Kubbe maker, among other awesome accessories.
The good thing about STX Turboforce Cadet Complete Kit is it’s designed with AVI (Advanced Variable Intake) technology in mind, and when you combine it with Meat Auger and a high-volume feeder tray, you can grind up to 180 Lbs. per hour. However, that will depend on the grinding plate size you use.
What we liked: Unlike some meat grinders, this one includes a shredder attachment/ vegetable slicer with four steel cutting blades of different sizes.
Inside, you’ll find nice accessories like a 2mm grating blade, a 3 mm and 5 mm shredding blade, and a slicing blade that make grinding easy and enjoyable,
We also noted STX Turboforce Cadet Complete Kit is easy to assemble and lasts long.
What could be better: STX Turboforce Cadet Complete Kit is not designed for grinding bones, tendons, nuts, fruits, and plants. If you use it for this purpose, you’ll get inconsistent results. We also noted that the stuff casing isn’t effective.
Extra features: copper motor, long-lasting, low noise, anti-overload and anti-overheat protection system
The Camoca Electric Meat Grinder is an impressive little machine. The fact that it can grind 5 pounds of meat in a minute (we actually tested that) is awesome, which means you can even use it for commercial applications where only a small volume of ground meat is required.
In terms of quality, we did notice how heavy the Camoca meat grinder is. Weighing in at over 11 lbs, it is made of cast aluminum and food-grade stainless steel, making it really strong where it matters.
The Camoca MGH-12A is also the most powerful meat grinder in its category at 2000W, which we got to test with some really fatty pork. We did have to stop and back up a bit to clear up a clog, but the reverse button made that really easy.
Extra features: stainless steel attachments; fine, medium and coarse grinding options
If you are looking for a meat grinder to make perfect cuts, grind meat to the texture and tasty cuts, this Panasonic meat grinder is the right one for you.
It comes with three stainless steel attachment plates for coarse grinding, medium grinding, and fine grinding plates. Panasonic MK-G20NR-W claims you can grind several types of meat from meatballs, plates, meatloaves, and many more.
The Panasonic MK-G20NR-W has two sausage attachments for you to stuff your pre-grounded beef. You can also use its two casing sizes for homemade links of chicken apple, sausages, duck, and other meat you might like.
We saw that it’s easy to assemble, clean, and use. You can also disassemble it fast. Its grinder cap, hopper, feed screw, and attachment plates but remember to clean them with warm and soapy water.
Overall, experts add that this grinder suits preparing meat from small to large quantities and in your preferred amounts.
It’s also among our top-heavy duty grinders with a large metal hopper for holding large chunks of meat.
What we liked: Panasonic MK-G20NR-W is crafted in Japan, known for top-notch kitchen equipment.
It’s easy to operate and makes perfect cuts. We also loved its versatility and high-quality components like the sausage attachment. You can also use the Panasonic MK-G20NR-W in multiple places.
What could be better: Compared to similar models, this Panasonic meat grinder is loud, and meat can get stuck sometimes because its motor does not reverse.
Extra features: full and slow speed, plus Pulse Reverse, # 8 head, comes with 3 stainless steel plates and 3 plastic stuffing tubes
Weighing 16.5 lbs., the LEM products 1158 meat grinder is a good machine for grinding meat at home.
It’s electrically powered, and you need to plug into a wall switch to operate it. We noted that its 5-foot power cord is placed under the housing for easier management.
The LEM products 1158 meat grinder has a durable aluminum motor housing and heavy-duty handles that make it easy to use.
LEM says it can hold up to 3 pounds of meat. You’ll also find three stainless steel plates and a plastic stuffing tube for preparing sausages.
The manufacturers include a meat stomper for feeding your grinder with meat and the Goof Proof steel knife to cut the meat to your desired size.
We found an oversized hole at the top is a feed tube, which allows large meat sizes to be fed and ground.
The good thing with this device is that it’s ETL approved, making it safe as it meets the quality requirements.
What we liked: The LEM Products 1158 Mighty Bite motor is permanently lubricated, allowing you to switch from the low to high-speed functionality. It also has a pulse reverse that makes cleaning easy.
Most users say it’s durable, and its metal gears are effective.
Other users said LEM Products 1158 Mighty Bite is quiet.
What could be better: Its pusher is tricky to use. You’ll have to apply high pressure when grinding large chunks of meat.
Extra features: all stainless steel body, Low Speed Spiral Cutting Technology
Huanyu NO.12 meat grinder capacity has a large capacity that reduces the time you’ll spend grinding your meat.
It has a labor serving lever, which is a significant improvement compared to its predecessors. Its ergonomic design makes it easy for children and the elderly to use it.
This manual meat grinder has a stainless-steel meat plate. Its design simulates that of a manual cutting machine.
We noted that the handle is designed from a strengthened aluminum alloy that is long enough to grind your meat smoothly and save on energy. The grinder uses a low-speed spiral cutting design that grinds your meat in minutes.
Overall, experts love that Huanyu NO.12 is easy to clean. Customers also appreciated that their meat tasted better.
What we liked: The nice thing about Huanyu NO.12 is that you can fix it firmly on your kitchen countertops to keep it stable during the grinding process and prevent injuries.
Experts confirm it’s very safe and convenient. They loved its spiral capacity and large capacity.
What could be better: Compared to most models we reviewed, Huanyu NO.12 is a bit slow. You’ll spend more time grinding your meat or ingredients.
Meat grinders come with lots of benefits, and that’s why we prefer them to buying ready-made meat from the supermarkets.
With these machines, you’ll take charge of the grinding process, meaning you can grind your desired meat amounts depending on your needs. The best part is you’ll have more control over hygiene to avoid food contamination.
Remember, we have lots of meat grinders in the market, meaning choosing the right one can be daunting, especially if you’re a beginner.
But with the proper guidance, you’ll find the right one that suits your kitchen needs.
In this guide, we will cover what you should expect when purchasing a meat grinder under $300 and the features to look into during your selection process.
Meat grinders under $300 may seem cheap, but the truth is most of them match the standards or are even better than some high-end models costing $1000 or more.
Majority of the models costing less than $300 are easy to use and come with fantastic components like slicing, shredding, or grating blades.
We have some that come with a high capacity for you to grind meat depending on your needs.
And if you know the right places to look into, you’ll be lucky enough to find versatile models that make perfect cuts.
Experts love that some meat grinders under $300 have longer handles that will save you energy during your grinding process.
Like most kitchen equipment, meat grinders under $300 are built differently. Some have less capacity, while others have more.
You’ll also find makes with components designed from different materials like plastic, steel etc. Some are good for grinding meat for burgers, mince, or sausages.
Our point is, you should know the right features to look into before you make any purchase. So, in this section, we will cover some of those features like the operation, motor power, the number of blades, and many more.
Meat grinders come as automatic and manual, and the best one for you depends on your preference.
Automatic meat grinders like STX Turboforce Cadet and CAMOCA Electric Meat Grinder are for users who grind meat or food in large quantities. Compared to manual models, they grind foodstuff much faster though they’re more expensive. The good thing is you’ll get a reversing function considering that jamming problems are common in some grinders.
Manual meat grinders like Huanyu NO.12 are used for grinding meat on a small scale. They suit families or anyone who owns a small butcher or meat shop. Most of the manual meat grinders grind up to 3 pounds of meat per minute. They’re less expensive compared to automatic models.
If you want to grind more meat fast with an electric model, you’ll need a device with high power and vice versa. These high-powered models also suit people with big hotels and butchers.
A meat grinder’s power is measured in horsepower or watts. The more power your machine has, the better. If you pick a manual model, it’s obvious that the power will depend on the amount of pressure you exert on the handle.
Our models have varying power capabilities. STX Turboforce Cadet comes with the highest power capability (1200W), followed by LEM Products 1158 Mighty Bite with 1000W.
The next thing you should look at is the number of blades your machine comes with. The more it has, it has, the better.
More blades mean you can customize how you want to grind your meat, whether you want your meat to be fine or coarse.
The two main types of blades include carbon steel and stainless-steel blades. Stainless steel blades are good though they’re less sharp than the carbon ones.
The STX Turboforce Cadet kit has four steel cutting blades of different sizes. You’ll find the setting for tweaking your blades in your manual.
You should factor in the grinding capacity of your machine. Do you intend to grind more or less meat? And how fast do you want the process?
If you’re preparing large chunks of meat every day, it’s a no-brainer that you’ll need equipment with a high grinding capacity like STX Turboforce Cadet. You can go with Panasonic MK-G20NR-W if you want to grind meat in smaller quantities, say a family or three or four.
Remember not to focus too much on the capacity and neglect a machine’s effectiveness. You should target one that will give you the right balance between the two.
Pick a meat grinder according to the space available in your kitchen. If your counter space is small, go for a smaller model and vice versa.
Your equipment’s size also correlates with the amount of meat you can grind. Most large-sized meat grinders like CAMOCA Electric Meat Grinder are heavy-duty, and they grind more meat amounts than small models.
You can also look for a lightweight model to carry along when camping or engaging in outdoor activities.
Overall, we selected grinders weighing as low as 8 lbs. to as high as 35 lbs.
Models that come with more accessories make grinding meat more enjoyable.
Some of the accessories you can get with a good model include plastic stuffing tubing, stainless steel plates, sausage attachments, beaner plates for making sausages, and many more.
You’ll also want to consider the materials used to make the accessories. Experts say some accessories are designed from plastic while others metal.
Our top picks like the CAMOCA Electric Meat Grinder have nice accessories like sausage stuffing tubes, a plastic pusher, grinder plates and stainless steel meat tray.
Now that meat grinders differ in terms of several features, it’s obvious that all models aren’t easy to use.
Some will require you to go through their detailed manuals first before you begin, but with some models, you can study the process in some minutes and grind your meat.
The STX Turboforce Cadet is easy to assemble and disassemble. Customers also said that models like the CAMOCA electric meat grinder are easy to use and clean. It’s always worth going through the manual to know the dos and don’ts of a machine before you use it.
First, design a makeshift grease spot using pieces of bread. Disassemble your meat grinder. Remove the plate, cover, feeding tube, etc.
Put the parts to soak in water for some time. Next, wash the parts and allow them to dry, then assemble your machine.
You now know the best meat grinders in the market you should be looking out for instead of scanning through hundreds of products online. Landing a good model can be as simple as looking into the features we’ve reviewed above and selecting the right one that suits your needs.
Our first pick is the STX Turboforce Cadet Complete Kit with lots of awesome accessories like slicer, steel cutting blades, etc. Customers said it’s easy to assemble, and long-lasting.
CAMOCA Electric Meat Grinder is our second pick. It’s a has a strong build and has plenty of extra accessories, so you can use it for grinding beef, wild game, and sausages. It works well for commercial purposes where a small volume of ground meat is required.
The Panasonic MK-G20NR-W is our third pick. It’s another durable model designed in Japan. We noted it’s versatile, and you’ll operate it with ease.
