Top 8 Best Meat Grinders For The Best Home Cooking Experience

We all love a little tasty sausage, don’t we?

Yes. But the way that sausage is handled makes all the difference in how it tastes when it’s finished.

By that, we mean buying meat that’s pre-ground versus grinding meat at home.

Why does this matter, you ask? It’s simple:

When you buy pre-ground meat from the store, ground beef, for example, you can be confident that you’re getting beef.

But that’s about as far as that confidence extends.

Sure, you can buy a pack specifically labeled “ground sirloin” but I promise you that you’re not getting the most beautiful, lean cut of sirloin that cow had to offer. Because THAT beautiful cut went on to become a nice cut of steak, instead.

If you go buy a nice cut of sirloin steak instead and use the best meat grinder to make your own ground beef, well…let’s just say you might still be dreaming about that burger for a few weeks after you eat it.

The same goes for anything pre-ground or made with pre-ground meat — burgers, ground meat, Italian sausage, breakfast sausage, etc.

If you’re not handling your meat at home yourself, you can’t be sure what went into it. Since it’s typically the scraps and poorer cuts that go into the ground meats, you’re going to get the BEST quality if you grind your meat at home.

So with that less-than-appetizing visual of pre-ground meats in mind, let’s dive into the best meat grinders and help you make the right choice for all of your meat-handling needs.

Meat Grinders For Home Use vs. Commercial Meat Grinders

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of the best meat grinders on the market and how they compare, there’s something to distinguish first.

You do NOT need a commercial meat grinder for home use, to get the same quality ground meats.

That said, if you can buy a grinder that’s in your price range but offers more like a commercial quality grind, then you’d honestly be kind of crazy not to buy it.

The main differences between commercial meat grinders and meat grinders for home use are:

• Commercial meat grinders are all electric, whereas home meat grinders may be electric or manual-powered.
• Commercial meat grinders are designed for high speed and high volume, whereas home meat grinders are typically made for (slightly) smaller batches. Speed for a home grinder varies depending on electric vs. manual (vs. your arm strength).

There’s a 99.9% chance that choosing one of the best meat grinders for home, as we’ll review below, is going to be more than sufficient for your needs. The exception is if you’re planning to, for example, start a deer processing service, then you might consider going commercial and buying one of the best commercial meat grinders for deer.

Should I Buy A Manual Meat Grinder Or An Electric Meat Grinder?

Here is where we really start to get to the “meat and bones” of this article.

We’re going to get to taking a look at the top 5 best meat grinders of both manual and electric types in just a minute. First, we want you to know the differences so you can make the right choice for your home use.

We can’t really tell you what is the best meat grinder to purchase, because your use may differ from ours.

Manual Meat Grinder Features:

• Portability — Ultra-portable. You could even grind in the middle of the woods! This is perfect for those of you who might want portable camping gear to hunt, camp, and cook all in one trip.
• Durability — Many manual grinders are made almost entirely of coated cast iron with steel blades; some may be stainless steel construction. If you buy one of the cast iron options in your twenties, you likely won’t ever need a replacement (but want is another story). Sharpening or replacing blades (rarely) may be all the maintenance you’ll need.

• Power Source — Man-powered. This helps you offset the cost of buying better cuts of meat for your ground meat products, and increases the portability of these grinders.

• Grinding Speeds — With manual power, you can grind as fast as your arm can turn the crank. So…fairly slow. If you’re only making 10 pounds of homemade sausage once a year, this style grinder will be fine, but plan on setting aside a few hours to get this job done (from setup through cleanup).

• Grinding Capability — Again, with manual power you are somewhat more limited as to what you’re grinding. The after pork shoulder or sirloin cut will certainly give you a workout while grinding, but your machine can handle it. If you’re grinding meat and bones and all (making dog food, maybe?), then you’re going to be in for one heck of a sore arm the next day, assuming you can apply enough force to actually grind those bones in the first place.

• Cleanliness — Low. It’s often a fairly messy endeavor. Since one hand cranks and one hand holds the raw meat into the feed chute, there is a high chance of “contaminating” the handle during grinding if you switch hands without washing.

• Price — Cheaper than electric grinders. For a very low-cost entry point to grinding your own meat at home, a manual grinder is going to give you one of the better options for the best meat grinder on a budget.

• Recommended Use Frequency — Best meat grinder for occasional use. Technically yes, you could use this style grinder every day, if you like. Due to the manual crank power, though, you’d either want to be fairly strong/well-toned in advance or be prepared to not be able to lift a pen for a while, due to arm muscle fatigue.

• Recommended User Profile — Average adult users, without physical limitations. If you require speed, lack the physical strength/stamina to sufficiently turn the crank for your quantity of meat, or have a physical disability that prevents you from safely using a two-handed grinder (amputee, unsteady hands near the blade, etc), then this would not be the best meat grinder for you. Manual grinders tend to be heavier and may be difficult to get in and out of storage.

Electric Meat Grinder Features:

• Portability — Typically fairly portable, so long as a power source is available. While it’s pretty uncommon to see, theory has it you could take one of these on that hunting trip with you and hook it up to a generator to get some freshly ground venison straight off the bones.

• Durability — While these tend to be quite durable, they’re not always the same quality build as their manual cousins. Depending on the exact model of electric grinder you have, you may find yourself at the very least replacing a few parts on it, if not replacing the entire machine at some point. A stand mixer attachment, for example, is not necessarily the same construction and durability as a standalone electric grinder. Your use will affect this also — if you’re grinding bones in a cheap and lightweight electric grinder, don’t plan on it surviving super long.

• Power Source — Electricity-powered. This decreases portability and also typically increases initial cost.

• Grinding Speeds — Speeds can vary depending on exactly what you get. One model may offer faster speeds than another, and a standalone grinder may offer different speeds than an attachment grinder (like for a stand mixer). They are not limited by the user, but by the motor/power source.

• Grinding Capability — Good electric grinders are typically capable of grinding larger, thicker cuts as well as bones. Do research carefully as not all electric grinders have the same power/motor and while some can handle being used as a meat and bone grinder or for high volume, others may not.

• Cleanliness — Good to moderate. While handling techniques will affect the overall cleanliness of the endeavor, you are likely to handle fewer parts with raw meat-covered hands. Many electric grinders can self-feed the meat, somewhat, so you may be able to keep your hands entirely clean by using a utensil (tongs) to feed the raw meat in. Manual grinders, in comparison, require one hand to feed/press the meat into the funnel as it grinds.

• Price — Higher than manual grinders, typically. While there are more budget-friendly electric options, you can expect to pay $150+ for a quality, well-made electric meat grinder. If you’re going for a higher-throughput or higher-capability grinder, plan on spending $300+.

• Recommended Use Frequency — Typically excellent for high-frequency use. The higher quality you buy, the more you can put it through its paces, and the more often. Daily use will only hinder you with its cleanup process; the grinding itself is low-energy on the part of the user so it’s great for even daily use.

• Recommended User Profile — Excellent for any adult, including those with limitations or disabilities that make manual grinders a poor choice. Due to self-driven/motorized sharp auger edges, these grinders are NOT a good choice for those with attention issues (narcolepsy, dementia, etc), for safety reasons due to lack of attention near moving parts. Keep long hair securely out of the face to avoid mishaps.

Top 5 Best Meat Grinders – Manual

1. Weston #10 Manual Tinned Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer

Weston meat grinders are honestly some of the most well-made meat grinders on the market. These are those heavy cast iron body grinders that will pretty much last a lifetime.

If you’re wondering what is the best meat grinder for the price, this grinder is one of the best answers you’ll get.

One of the best features of this manual grinder is the clamp-on-the-counter build, making it solid and sturdy almost no matter how hard you’re cranking on your meat.

While users often complain that the cutting plates can rust fairly easily, proper cleaning and oiling of the plates will keep them in good condition and rust-free.

If you’re specifically looking for a meat grinder and sausage maker combined, this is a perfect option for that. It includes two different sizes for cutting plates and 3 different funnel sizes for sausage making.

With an entirely cast iron body and auger and a nylon auger bearing, this is definitely a grinder that’s built to work and built to last.

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2. Kitchen Basics 3 N 1 Manual Meat and Vegetable Grinder Mincer

This is definitely a super budget-friendly meat grinder, and one of the lowest priced options on this entire list. I mean, let’s be honest — this is in no way a gourmet meat grinder, but it’ll get the job done for quick home grinding jobs.

The small size makes this a great choice in terms of easy to store, easy to use, and easy to clean.

Despite the low price and small size, it does include 3 different sizes of stuffers for making this a good choice of meat grinder sausage maker combo.

If you’re making the occasional fresh-ground beef burger patties, this is a fair choice. The fact that it’s also a pasta maker makes it one of the more versatile gadgets on our list too!

You’ll also enjoy dishwasher safe cleanup with this little guy.

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3. LEM Products #10 Stainless Steel Clamp-On Hand Grinder

Here is another solid clamp-on option, and pretty durably made. This meat grinder is made of all stainless steel construction, however. You can expect solid durability, but slightly less of a non-stick surface that is still easier to clean.

Similar to the Weston, you’ll find 2 sizes of cutting plates and 3 sausage stuffing tubes.

Also similar to the Weston, without proper care you can expect the cutting plates to show some rust, but that’s easily avoidable. This grinder, being stainless, also may show rust on the body sooner than desired.

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4. Home Basics Cast Iron Heavy Duty Meat Grinder #8

Here is yet another option that’s a close look as the Weston higher on this list. This meat grinder also features a cast iron build, which is highly durable in the long term.

What makes for a nice feature on this grinder though, is the plastic pads that it includes to protect the work surface (ie your kitchen counter).

Unfortunately, however, you’ll have to buy additional cutting plates and sausage stuffers separately, as this grinder only includes one blade and plate.

That said, it’s a fairly standard construction so attachments from other brands should fit without much complaint. If all you’re using a grinder for is the occasional fresh beef (or bean) patties, this should still do the job well.

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5. Huanyu Manual Meat Grinder, Stainless Steel

This is another stainless steel construction meat grinder, so you can expect the same rust risk with improper care as others on this list, but good cleanup.

The sausage stuffer funnel on this grinder is also stainless. While some people like the entirely stainless look this offers, some prefer the plastic funnels since they have at least a slight transparency to see how the meat flows.

This is one of the best meat grinders under $200, as far as manual options go, since it offers a solid build, clamp and suction cup method of attaching to your work surface, and good versatility in what you can do with it!

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Top 5 Best Meat Grinders – Electric

1. LEM Products Stainless Steel Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder

This guy.

THIS GUY. This is perhaps the BEST meat grinder amazon offers, with a seriously impressive 4.8 stars out of 5. That tells ya something!

This option is the #32, 1.5HP, which is capable of some pretty heavy-duty grinding. Here’s your option to have on hand if you’re at all in the market for the best meat grinders for venison or the best meat grinder for jerky, or literally well…best meat grinder for anything.

Your grinder pan on here is over a foot in both linear directions, which fits a LOT of meat in at once. With 1.5HP and 1100Watts, you’ll be grinding at 17lbs per minute. Talk about professional levels!

With the brushed stainless finish, a pretty much self-feeding hopper, multiple options for cutting plates and tubes, an entire accessory pack, and a 5-year warranty, you pretty much can’t go wrong with this electric grinder, if you’re at all ready to start grinding meat at home on any sort of semi-regular basis.

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2. Weston Pro Series #22 Meat Grinder 1.5HP

Here is another extremely highly capable option when it comes to the best electric meat grinders. The #22 Weston meat grinder is also 1.5HP, like the LEM above, which puts out about 9-12 pounds of meat per minute.

Where this is guy adds some nice features is the air-cooled motor so you can grind your meat to your heart’s content without this guy breaking a sweat.

The oval hopper is a nice design change, with no corners for meat to get stuck up in.

You already may have known that Weston is one of the best brands of meat grinders, so the built-in knife sharpener, built-in storage tray, and permanently lubricated motor should come as no surprise.

You’ll get comparable throughput as the LEM, but weighing only 58 pounds itself makes this meat grinder a little easier for some in terms of storage and ability to move it around.

With all stainless construction and steel gears, plus multiple blades, funnels, and cutting plates, you can expect this to last for a LONG time, as one of the best rated electric meat grinders.

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3. STX Turboforce Classic 3000 Series Electric Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer

Here is another highly popular option, an STX meat grinder that really packs a punch!

This sucker will do between 180 to 240 pounds of prepared meat per hour, which is nothing to laugh at.

That said, although it appears pretty hefty upfront, and it’s certainly durable and good for most households, this is NOT NEARLY as powerful as the first options on our list. You’re not going to be grinding bones with this guy, and they also recommend against grinding vegetables and nuts with this.

What you’re mostly getting with this purchase, at a quite affordable price, is a powered burger or sausage maker.

That said, with durable construction and a wide variety of cutting plates, chopping blades, and sausage funnels, you won’t run out of options to try for your meat grinding anytime soon.

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4. KitchenAid Metal Food Grinder Attachment

Make a note up front to double check that this in fact fits your KitchenAid stand mixer model before you snap one up. But, assuming it DOES fit (it should)…

THIS is the best meat grinder attachment for a KitchenAid stand mixer. Built by KitchenAid, for KitchenAid, you know you’re not getting an off-brand that’s not quite right or stops working as expected after just a few uses.

Why does this meat grinder make the list when it’s not a fully standalone electric meat grinder? Simple.

Many of you reading are married or about to be. Got a registry? Chances are 99 to 1 that there’s a KitchenAid stand mixer on there.

Guys, listen. We all know that every girl wants one but few girls actually use them. Turn that oversized paperweight into YOUR favorite kitchen workhouse with this best meat grinder for KitchenAid, and make her jealous of your prowess in the kitchen.

Seriously though…so many kitchens already have a perfectly good grinding motor sitting there taking up counter space, so why not put it to good use? When you compare the price of buying this stand mixer attachment versus a standalone grinder, well…it’s pretty much a no-brainer.

With this guy, you’ll enjoy multiple cutting plates, multiple sausage funnels, easy-to-clean stainless construction, and a storage case to fit in your very own corner of the kitchen.

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5. Narcissus Electric Meat Grinder, Stainless Steel

Here’s another option that really stands alone on this list. Why?

Because it’s kind of just a cool concept to have ONE kitchen appliance that covers multiple functions.

This offers a 14-cup capacity, which is a decent volume of meat for the more hobbyist meat grinder.

It offers a pretty solid 500W motor and 3 speed levels to offer a fairly strong grind.

This design is also nice because all moving parts are quite securely enclosed in the machine while it’s running, plus it features a security lock that will stop the grinder if broken. With a 10-15 minute auto shut-off overheating protection you can feel confident you won’t blow up your machine from misuse.

With stainless construction and dishwasher safe parts, you’ll quite enjoy an easier cleanup with this little guy. Grind away on meat, veggies, nuts, and more with confidence.

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Final Thoughts On Picking The Best Meat Grinder

We hope that through all of this article, you’ve solidly come to the decision as to what’s the best meat grinder to buy for your budget and your use plans.

If, however, you’re still struggling to make a choice, you pretty much cannot go wrong with our best manual meat grinder choice, Weston #10 Manual Tinned Meat Grinder & Sausage Stuffer. As mentioned above, this is a great choice for the average user, who grinds meat occasionally and has no physical limitations.

But if you’re sure you’d like to save your arm muscle for other uses, you’ll want to grab yourself our best electric meat grinder, LEM Products Stainless Steel Big Bite Electric Meat Grinder. With enough power and features to handle what the average user needs, you won’t regret this purchase!

Remember the most important thing about grinding your meat — enjoy it or it wasn’t worth it!