Best Meat Grinder in 2022 | Top 10 Picks by An Expert

What’s your go-to comfort dish?

Do you like to settle down with a big bowl of pasta or curl up with some hearty soup?

Personally, nothing hits the spot for me quite like a good burger. The experience of biting down on a freshly grilled or pan-fried burger is incredibly satisfying.

You can go to the local fastfood joint to get a burger, but I doubt that what you order will be able to suitably address your cravings.

If you want a really good burger, you need to make it yourself. To do that, you must have the best meat grinder in your kitchen.

In this article, we will discuss how you can find the best meat grinder for your kitchen.

Products to Consider

6 Best Meat Grinder for Your Kitchen

We will be discussing how you can find the meat grinder you need in your kitchen over the course of this article.

1. KitchenAid Food Grinder Attachment

The first item we’ll be taking a closer look at is not an independent meat grinder. Instead, it is an attachment. KitchenAid’s Food Grinder Attachment is one of the most widely used meat grinders. If you’re a big fan of cooking shows, you’ve likely seen a professional chef using one of these.

It is easy to understand why professional chefs love using this attachment.
For starters, it can help you save space in the kitchen since it can be paired with the KitchenAid Stand Mixer you already have.

On top of that, it’s just a great meat grinder. Once it gets going, it can turn a good-sized chunk of meat into finely ground bits in seconds. We’re only focusing on meat grinders in this article, but it is worth pointing out other features of this KitchenAid creation. It can also be used to process different types of bread, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables.

• Can be attached to any KitchenAid Stand Mixer
• Will be able to grind different types of food
• Put it in the dishwasher for quick cleaning
• Compatible with Food Tray and Sausage Stuffer accessories

2. Gourmia Electric Meat Grinder

I don’t mind eating burgers that feature just a single type of texture. Though I can understand why some people find that kind of food to be a tad boring. To create more interesting burgers, you can try including bigger chunks of meat along with the finely ground bits.

If you want to feature more texture in the ground meat you’re using for cooking, Gourmia’s Electric Meat Grinder will be able to help. You can make use of the three stainless steel blades included to produce grinds of varying textures.

There’s also a sizable food tray included with this meat grinder. That part of the meat grinder will help you process more meat in one go instead of having to repeatedly clean it out after working through smaller cuts.

• Includes three blades that produce different cuts
• Features a big food tray that will catch the ground meat
• Safety switch protects you from potential accidents
• Easily assembled and disassembled for cleaning

3. STX International Electric Meat Grinder

More often than not, the cuts of meat used for grinding are on the tougher side. Because they are tougher, some meat grinders struggle to process them. The STX International Electric Meat Grinder gets around that problem by providing you with more power.

You can turn this grinder up to the highest setting if you encounter a really tough piece of meat. I also love that you can make use of a foot pedal to operate this meat grinder. The feature comes in handy if you get tired from all the grinding.

This meat grinder also makes use of a cooling system that lengthens its life significantly. You should be able to keep it in your kitchen for years without worrying it will break down.

• Packs plenty of grinding power
• Foot pedal can be used to operate this grinder
• Three stainless steel blades and five grinding plates are bundled together with this item
• Sausage tubes bundled together with the grinder

4. Sunmile Meat Grinder

The Meat Grinder from Sunmile is yet another product that features plenty of power. It is capable of operating at a high level for an extended amount of time.

Working through a mountain of meat is not going to be an issue if you have this meat grinder working inside your kitchen. It helps that this is a meat grinder is easy to use. It responds well to the switch so you have more control over the grinding process.

You also don’t need to dread cleaning time if you are using this meat grinder. It can be disassembled and put back together easily. The locking knob also ensures that each part will remain in place.

• Steady meat grinder that can keep working for long hours
• Capable of grinding 150 pounds of meat per hour
• You can assemble and disassemble this meat grinder quickly
• Three stainless steel blades are useful for creating different textures

5. STX International Megaforce Electric Meat Grinder

Versatility can be a great selling point for any meat grinder. This is especially true if you’re paying top dollar for a certain item. You don’t want to shell out big bucks for a grinder that can only give you great meat for burgers and then struggle at everything else.

The Megaforce Electric Meat Grinder from STX International is one item you don’t need to worry about in terms of versatility. It can easily provide you with the ground meat you need for various dishes. Furthermore, it comes with attachments designed to help you prepare sausages and kibbeh in a hurry.

STX International’s creation is also one of the larger grinders you’ll see. That size will come in handy if you need to go through plenty of meat.

• Extra-large grinder
• Comes with different attachments
• Numerous grinding plates and cutting blades included
• Tempered steel blades excel at thorough grinding

6. Gideon Hand Crank Manual Meat Grinder

As you’ve likely already noticed, some of the top meat grinders currently available are on the more expensive side. If your pricey grinder breaks down the day before your dinner or barbeque, you may not have enough money prepared to get a replacement.

In that aforementioned scenario, Gideon’s Hand Crank Manual Meat Grinder may be able to help you out.

Aside from being one of the most affordable meat grinders, this Gideon creation also performs exceptionally well. Granted, you will need to put in more elbow grease to get your ground meat, but the results will be worth it.

You also don’t have to worry about your safety while using this meat grinder. It sticks to the countertop firmly and it also includes features designed to shield your fingers from harm.

• Affordable price tag
• Powerful suction base
• Comes with numerous safety features
• Dishwasher safe meat grinder

What is a Meat Grinder for?

The name says it all. If you want something in your kitchen that specializes in breaking meat down to small bits, what you need is a meat grinder.

Of course, meat is not the only item you can grind using these appliances. They are also useful for processing harder vegetables, cheeses, and dried pieces of bread.

What Should I Look to Find the Best Meat Grinder?

You obviously need the meat grinder to excel at turning bigger cuts of meat down into tiny little pieces. But that’s not the only thing you should be looking for. If you want to ensure that you are getting the right meat grinder for your kitchen, be mindful of the factors listed below.

1. The Size and Weight of the Grinder

If you’re just planning to feature more burgers, meatballs and meat loaves in your dinner offerings, then you can probably get away with using a small or mid-sized grinder. Aspiring dinner party and event hosts will need a grinder that can handle more meat however.

Size matters not just because it will determine how much meat you will be able to process over a set amount of time, but also because it will affect how easy or how difficult the grinder will be to use.

The bigger and bulkier manual meat grinders are going to be tougher to work with because you will have to put more force into each turn of the hand crank. Cleaning them up can also end up becoming a more labor-intensive chore simply because it will require more effort to disassemble them.

Clearly, there are pros and cons that need to be weighed when deciding how big of a meat grinder you need to get for your kitchen.

2. The Material Makeup of the Grinder

Many of the meat grinders you’ll find in stores are made up of stainless steel. As much as possible, I will try to stick to purchasing those items. Grinders are going to be subjected to long working hours in the kitchen. You need them to be as durable as they can be. Stainless steel is built for long-term work.

More often than not, plastic meat grinders simply aren’t built to endure long stints in the kitchen. You’ll save more money up front on plastic grinders.  The cost to replace one could eat into those savings though.

3. The User-Friendly Nature of the Meat Grinder

It is important for a meat grinder to feature a simple and straightforward design. Even though the vast majority of meat grinders are designed with your safety in mind, you may still be at risk of getting injured if operating the appliance is more complicated than it needs to be. Grab a user-friendly meat grinder and your time in the kitchen is sure to be better spent.

4. The Attachments Included with the Grinder

A meat grinder that is useful solely for processing meat can work fine inside a kitchen, but it will obviously be limited. You will be better off looking for a grinder bundled together with various attachments. A grinder like that will be helpful to you in more ways than one.

Sausage stuffers are useful additions. They will help you use up your spare ground meat. Food tray attachments are good inclusions too. Larger food trays will make using the meat grinder an easier experience.

Other attachments will make grinding specific meats an easier undertaking.

5. The Warranty You Need for Your Meat Grinder

Your number one goal when it comes to looking for meat grinder warranties is to simply find the ones offering the longest coverage. It should also raise a red flag if the manufacturers are hesitant to offer long warranties. That could very well be an indicator of the product’s durability. Specifically, it may be indicating that what they’re selling is not designed to last for very long.

6. The Cooling System Featured by the Meat Grinder

Meat grinders can easily get overworked inside the kitchen. When that happens to an electric meat grinder, the aforementioned appliance could start to malfunction. To prevent that from happening, an electric meat grinder has to have a reliable cooling system. Make sure to look for one in any electric meat grinder you’re thinking about buying.

7. The Wattage and Power Output of the Meat Grinder

The wattage rating of the meat grinder is a good indicator of how much power it can put out. You would think that you’ll be better off just buying the one with the highest wattage rating and calling it a day. However, you should know that the grinders that put out the most power are also more prone to overheating.

8. It would be Best to Strike a Good Balance with Your Purchase

A meat grinder with a wattage rating that goes from 2000 to 3000 should be powerful enough to process even the tougher cuts of meat while still not being prone to overheating just mere minutes after you first start using it.

If your mind is already set on getting one of the most powerful meat grinders, then just be sure that the item in question has a reliable cooling system. That will prevent it from frequently overheating.

9. The Size of the Included Grinder Plates

While out shopping for a meat grinder, you will inevitably notice that the manufacturers often like to talk a lot about grinder plates. They do so with good reason. The size of the grinder plate you’re using will greatly affect the type of ground meat the machine will end up producing.

The grinder plates that measure at one-eighth of an inch up to a quarter of an inch are best suited to fine grinding. They are great for creating burger patties and sausages that are known for featuring a smoother and more uniform texture.

Smaller Grinder Plates Tend to Require more Time when It Comes to Grinding Meat

The larger grinder plates are useful for quickly cutting through bigger slabs of meat. The resulting grind will be coarser and chunkier though. Those chunkier grinds are great for meat loaves and meatballs as they bring textural contrast.

Why Is Stainless Steel a Material Often Used in Meat Grinders?

Stainless steel is a material manufacturers often turn to when they are making meat grinders and they do so due to some good reasons.

For one, stainless steel is exceptionally sharp and it discourages oxygen buildup in the resulting grind, meaning the final product you end up getting will be a flavorful ingredient.

Durability is another one of stainless steel’s selling points. Meat grinders made out of stainless steel are capable of lasting longer in your kitchen.

Should You Get a Manual or Electric Meat Grinder?

Meat grinders are pretty easy to use, but because sharp blades are involved, it’s always best to err on the side of caution whenever you’re operating one of them.

If you’re a beginner with little to no experience using meat grinders, then it’s probably best to stick to using an electric meat grinder. With an electric meat grinder, you don’t have to do much to get a proper grind. It’ll be harder to come up with a custom grind however.

Manual meat grinders offer you more control over the grinding process. You can use them to better adjust the texture of your ground meat. You need to exert more effort when using one of these manual meat grinders, but it will be worth it.
The Basics of Using and Maintaining a Meat Grinder

To get started with using a meat grinder, you need to put it together first. During this process, you will have to pick out a grinder plate and a blade. Choose the ones that will help you achieve the grind you are looking for.

Once the grinder is assembled, you can now start feeding the meat in through the tube. Remember to turn on the grinder while doing so.

Repeat that process every time you use a grinder and it should last for a long time inside your kitchen. Included below are some more tips you can follow to extend the life of your meat grinder.

The Basics of Using and Maintaining a Meat Grinder

To get started with using a meat grinder, you need to put it together first. During this process, you will have to pick out a grinder plate and a blade. Choose the ones that will help you achieve the grind you are looking for.

Once the grinder is assembled, you can now start feeding the meat in through the tube. Remember to turn on the grinder while doing so.

Repeat that process every time you use a grinder and it should last for a long time inside your kitchen. Included below are some more tips you can follow to extend the life of your meat grinder.

1. Prepare the Meat Properly Before Putting It in the Grinder

Even if you have the best electric meat grinder working inside your kitchen, it will not function well if you are not doing enough to prepare the meat.

The first thing you want to do is to remove the silver skin that you can often find stretched across various kinds of meat. The silver skin is way tougher than it looks and it won’t be sliced easily even by a grinder with extra sharp blades. Take it off the pieces of meat you’re grinding to avoid potential issues.

Another possible reason for why the meat may not glide smoothly through the grinder is because the pieces are too big. You need to trim the pieces of meat down considerably to make it easier for the blades to chop them up. You don’t have to be extra fine with your cuts. Just break the cuts of meat down into more manageable chunks.

2. Freezing Temperatures are Your Friend When Grinding

When a cut of meat is at room temperature or something warmer, you will notice that it tends to flop around on your cutting board a lot. There’s a lot of water that’s still packed into that muscle and so it won’t be completely solid if the temperature’s not right.

I would strongly oppose putting any cut of meat into a grinder if it feels warm to the touch. At that point, you’re not giving the blades a good enough chance to get to the meat. Don’t be surprised if the warm meat just oozes out of the holes in your grinder even without being touched by the blades.

Ground meat produced in that manner will have an off-putting texture. You will not want to use it.

To avoid that issue, put the meat you want to grind in the freezer well before you are set to process it. By doing so, the meat will get a chance to harden and it will be easier to grind.

It’s also a good idea to keep the components of your meat grinder in either the refrigerator or the freezer prior to using it. Doing that will also help improve the texture of the ground meat.

How to Counteract Smearing

Let’s say that you forgot to store the meat and the parts of the grinder somewhere cold before working and because of that, the meat is being smeared instead of being chopped up finely. Is there still something you can do at that point to salvage your meat?

You can try to find the reverse function on your meat grinder and use that. Not all grinders come with that feature however. Plus, even the reverse function may not be enough to halt the continuation of the smearing.

The best thing you can do at that point is to simply take apart the meat grinder and start again. Also remember to put the meat and the components of the grinder in the freezer next time.

Should You Use the Grinder to Work on Bones?

Grinders are primarily designed to work on chopping meat finely, but can they be used on other, harder objects? For instance, will a grinder fare well if you use it to grind some of the bones included in certain cuts of meat?

Most manufacturers will indicate if their grinder is strong enough to handle bones. If it is, then go ahead and keep those softer bones in. Still, I would refrain from asking the grinder to work on bones too often. If the manufacturers made it clear that the grinder is not designed for processing bones, then be mindful of that when you are cutting the meat down to size.

How You Can Extend the Lives of the Grinder’s Blades and Plates

Meat grinder maintenance is mostly about just keeping all the parts nice and clean. After you’re done using it, disassemble the grinder, and then wash it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Wipe them down after cleaning and then put them somewhere dry to keep them free from moisture.

You may think that the grinder’s plates require extra attention, but as long as you remember to thoroughly clean it each and every time, it should remain in good shape for a while.

1. The Blades Require Just A Bit More Maintenance.

Interestingly enough, the blades of the grinder actually get sharper the more you use them. It's only after a certain point that they start to become noticeably duller. Have the grinder blades professionally sharpened at least once a year and they should be set for more extended working stints inside your kitchen.

2. The Proper Way of Grinding Meat

Certain recipes will ask you to use finely ground meat. You may think that simply using a smaller grinder plate will be enough to pull that off, but that is not the case.

What you will want to do instead is to run the meat through your grinder two times. As always, begin by trimming the meat. Remember to remove the silver skin and all the bits you don’t want in the final product.

After that, put the meat through the larger grinder plate. Scoop that meat into a bowl and then run that through a smaller grinder plate. You will end up with finely ground meat at the end with only a bit of a mess to deal with.

Add the Salt at Right Time

Many of us are taught to not shy away from salt because it brings out the best flavors in our food. That’s certainly true. Whether you’re cooking pasta, fixing up a salad, or grilling meat, you need to add salt at some point to make whatever you’re preparing as flavorful as it can possibly be.

When grinding, salting the meat is typically best left until after the meat has been thoroughly processed, but there is one exception.

If you are grinding the meat to make sausages, you can go ahead and season the meat before you put it in the grinder. The salt will work to dissolve the proteins in the meat and you’ll end up with sausages that feature a better texture.

A Few More Considerations Before Purchasing a Meat Grinder

Be Mindful of the Meat Grinder’s Size and the Space inside Your Kitchen

The meat grinder is a fine addition to any kitchen, but you can’t just buy the biggest one you see and assume that you made the right purchase. You need to have a good amount of space set aside for your meat grinder in the kitchen. There must be enough room there to set the grinder down and then you have to give yourself a sizable working area. This is even more important if you decide to get a manual meat grinder.
As for the grinder itself, you don’t have to prioritize getting the largest one. In most cases, a larger meat grinder is unnecessary. You may be able to work faster if you have a larger meat grinder at your disposal, but that alone is not a good enough reason to get that kind of item.

You can even argue that a larger meat grinder is worse to have especially if you only plan to use it every once in a while. The larger meat grinders require way more maintenance and cleaning them up is often a more tiresome ordeal.

If you’re just planning to use the meat grinder at home on certain nights, a smaller one will suit you just fine.

Don’t Forget about the Price

Price always has to be a factor whenever we’re purchasing any new piece of kitchen equipment. No matter how much you may want that fancy grinder, the realities of your spending budget may put that item out of your price range.

If you don’t have a sizable budget to work with, then you will likely have to settle for a manual meat grinder. They’ll take some time to get used to, but they can still be great contributors inside your kitchen.

Electric meat grinders with a wattage rating under 1000 are also quite affordable, so go with one of those if you don’t possess a ton of experience working with this particular type of kitchen equipment.

Final Words

Ground meat may not be the most glamorous ingredient, but the flavor it possesses is something just about everyone can appreciate. You can go down to your local butcher to get your ground meat, but wouldn’t it be better if you came up with your own mixes?

With the best meat grinder working in your home, you can enjoy burgers, sausages, meatballs, and all kinds of other flavorful dishes whenever you want to.

Ground meat may not be the most glamorous ingredient, but the flavor it possesses is something just about everyone can appreciate. You can go down to your local butcher to get your ground meat, but wouldn’t it be better if you came up with your own mixes?

With the best meat grinder working in your home, you can enjoy burgers, sausages, meatballs, and all kinds of other flavorful dishes whenever you want to.