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Meat grinders are kitchen appliances used to create ground meat, which is the ​​​​​kind of meat used in meatballs, burger patties and even hot dogs.

While they’re more frequently used in commercial settings, there’s a growing number of people who choose to skip the middle man and grind their own meat.

Their reasoning? Grinding meat at home can be safer –when you know what you’re doing– and is a wonderful way of personalizing your ground meat so that it has the exact ingredients and fat content you like.

If you’re part of this group of at-home grinders or you’re interested in grinding meat on your own, it pays to own a meat grinder that fits your needs and provides great quality; And if it can be affordable while providing all that? Even better.

That’s why we’ve reviewed several meat grinders to bring you the best the market has to offer. Below you’ll find a comparison table with our results. This way, you can save time researching and spend it planning what kinds of meat you plan to grind.

If you use ground meat in your recipes more often than not, you should consider buying your own meat grinder.

Not only is it a money saver in the long run, but it’s also a wonderful way to enjoy the following advantages:

1. Grinding your Meat is Safer

Believe it or not, in many cases, ground meat purchased at the supermarket or even the butcher isn’t always from the same day.

It’s not uncommon for ground meat to sit on the display for hours and hours, losing quality while being exposed to all kinds of bacteria.

Sure, refrigerated displays can help prevent the spread of bacteria but they tend to lower the quality of the meat’s flavor nonetheless.

2. Personalize the Flavor

One of the best advantages of owning a meat grinder is the fact that you can experiment with different types of meats in order to find the perfect mix for you.

Would you like to mix beef and veal in order to make a delicious and juicy burger patty? Go ahead!

Are you thinking about mixing low fat meats in order to create delicious meatballs? Go for it!

Would you like to make your meat juicier? Drier? Softer?

It’s all possible when you can choose exactly what goes into the mix and owning a meat grinder gives you the tools to choose exactly that.

Now that you know the advantages of owning a meat, let’s talk a bit more about this appliance.

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Tips For Using Manual Meat Grinder

Now that we’ve covered the types of meat grinders out there, you’re almost ready to get started but we want to help you out by sharing some small tips.

- Trim the Meat Before Grinding: Connective tissue can get stuck in your grinder, making it impossible to use.

- Keep Everything Cold: Grinding warm or room temperature meat is pretty much impossible and, even if you do manage to do it, it will come out mushy and puree-like.

Keep your meat in the fridge for at least a couple of hours before grinding it and, if you can, keep your meat grinder blades in the freezer to minimize friction warming up the meat.

- Always Keep an Eye on what You’re Doing: Whenever you’re using a meat grinder, remember that there’s a potential for injuries so you should always be careful when using a grinder.

Not only that, but by paying attention to what you’re doing, you can also tell when the blades are getting clogged, as the meat you’re grinding will come out wet and mushy.

- Use Your Grinder on Strong and Smooth Surfaces: This is of crucial importance if you’re using manual meat grinders, as you want to minimize the risk of slipping as much as possible and, believe us, when you’re handling meat, slippery hands is something you simply can’t avoid.

- Always Make Sure Your Grinder is Unplugged: If you own an electric meat grinder, make sure it’s unplugged before you try to check if the blades are clogged / clean / move it.

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Things To Look For To Find The Best Manual Meat Grinder

1. Consider your abilities

For the casual meat grinder, a manual grinder is the best idea, as these are generally capable of tackling simple tasks and are quite affordable.

However, manual meat grinders require a certain range of movement, and some people are just unable to use them properly.

2. Consider your needs

Keep in mind how much meat you plan on grinding. If you’re grinding for yourself or a small family, a manual meat grinder might do the trick.

If you’re grinding for a large family or a small restaurant, then consider going electric, as this will make things easier for you.

3. Keep in mind the material

Plastic, stainless steel or iron? They all have their advantages and disadvantages and you should keep those in mind.

- Plastic is easy to clean but it can move easily, which is something you don’t want in a meat grinder. If you’re planning on buying plastic, make sure your grinder comes with a powerful suction cup.

- Stainless Steel grinders look great and are heavy enough to stay in place but they’re usually very hard to clean, as they’re not dishwasher safe.

- Iron grinders are the heaviest and sturdiest of the bunch, but many of them need to be bolted to your counter. Consider if you have the space and resources for that.

Now you’re ready to buy a meat grinder!

Now that you know why owning a meat grinder is a good idea, the kinds of meat grinders out there, the best ways to use it and how to clean it safely, you’re ready to start making your own ground meat from home.

Of course, you’ll need to buy a meat grinder first so we went ahead and reviewed several meat grinders in order to bring you the Top 5 Best Meat Grinders in the market Today.

Let’s get started!

Sleek, simple and straight to the point, this meat grinder is perfect for those who are just getting started in the world of meat grinding.

It comes with a strong, pump activated, suction base that keeps the grinder from moving when you’re using it, which is something you absolutely need, considering most of this machine is made with plastic.

Don’t let the word “plastic” scare you away, though. The fact that this machine is made the way it is makes it dishwasher safe and very affordable, which means it’s perfect for those of you who aren’t planning on using a grinder daily.

It should come as no surprise that this machine can’t grind bones and can’t grind large quantities of meat, which means this machine isn’t suited for heavy duty work.

This is a manual meat grinder, so grinding the meat can be a little time consuming and tiring, but the smooth crank handle makes the task easy, even if it’s your first-time grinding.

While the suction cup is powerful, it will only work on smooth, flat surfaces so keep that in mind before purchasing this grinder.

Lastly, this grinder comes with different sized grinding plates to let you control the coarseness of your ground meat. That said, many people report holes in the “small” plate to be too small to use.

Manual grinders are not a new invention. They’ve been around for centuries and plenty of them looked like this one.

If you’re wondering why a classic design such as this one is still alive in this day and age, the answer is quite simple: They work, and they work great!

This stainless steel meat grinder is heavy, beautiful, mountable on almost any countertop and long lasting, thanks not only to the rust resistant qualities of the steel used to make it but also thanks to its solid build.

While it only comes with two steel plates, you’ll soon find that it’s all you need as they’re both the perfect size and sharpness to handle just about any type of meat.

If you think this meat grinder looks simple, think again. It’s stainless steel construction means that it can handle bone as well as meat, although only thin bones, such as chicken. As it is, it’s a wonderful little tool for your kitchen and since it’s so sturdy, you can even take it with you if you’re camping.

Since this is a hand grinder, you’re going to have to put some elbow grease when working with it, which is why it’s such a good thing that the handle is large and comfortable. That said, blood and grease from the meat might leak into the handle, making it slippery.

Watch out for that.

There’s a nut that secures the plates that can’t be screwed on all the way through. It needs some give in order to work. A lot of users have complained about this.

Our first electric grinder in this list, the Waring Pro MG855 shows exactly what electric meat grinders are all about.

This powerful yet compact unit has successfully managed to combine functionality and aesthetic by delivering a small and easy to use grinder, capable of grinding just about any kind of meat in large amounts.

This meat grinder comes with 3 different cutting plates, and while they’re not stainless steel, they’re still quite reliable and capable of delivering different levels of coarseness in your ground meat.

Perhaps one of the best things about this product is its price, as it’s affordable while still giving you the horsepower needed to grind meat for small to medium sized families.

Since only the housing is made with stainless steel, this grinder doesn’t work well with bone but it works wonders with boneless meat, regardless of the type.

That said, you might want to trim the fat before using it anyway, to ensure there are no blockages.

Overall, this is a wonderful starter electric meat grinder for those who wish to grind meat at home but can’t, or won’t, use a manual meat grinder.

With a name such as “Turboforce” you know this machine specializes in power and boy, we weren’t disappointed.

This meat grinder is mostly made with aluminum but it’s almost as sturdy as it would be if it used stainless steel. Not only that, but it’s easy to clean and it looks great.

It’s just heavy enough to be able to stay in place while grinding and it doesn’t take a lot of space in your kitchen, which makes it a great asset if you love to cook.

And what about the function?

This machine is fantastic and very, very powerful, capable of handling pretty much anything a home kitchen can throw at it and is capable of working through a lot of meat. Certainly more than you’ll be processing daily.

That said, this machine can’t grind bones (even if it excels at grinding meat) and can’t handle frozen meat but, let’s face it, grinding frozen meat isn’t a good idea anyway.

This meat grinder is not only powerful but also relatively affordable.

Sure, it’s priced higher than most of the other items in this list, but it won’t break your bank and if the affordable price wasn’t enough, this machine comes with various grinding plates and even sausage tubes to help you make your own sausage, ensuring you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

If you’re serious about getting the most value out of your meat grinder, take note and keep an eye on this simple, yet effective, grinder.

What makes it so special?

Just how versatile it is!

This little machine, barely bigger than your average coffee maker, is capable of grinding meat, stuffing sausages, mincing vegetables and even making pasta.

All of this at a very, very low price.

There’s a catch, of course, and that’s that this machine can’t handle large quantities of meat, so it should be better saved for single individuals and small families, and can’t grind bone, fat or particularly tough meat.

Yes, you’ll need to work on making the meat as grindable as possible but, trust us, as long as you’re willing to put the extra work, this machine is way better than you could possibly expect.

With a plastic body and stainless steel blades, this meat grinder is also dishwasher safe, but make sure to wash the blades by hand and never ever storing them wet.

How do I know if I own the base appliance for an attachment meat grinder?

Attachment meat grinders usually say what kind of base appliance they need to work right there in the title!

What are the parts of a meat grinder?

Meat grinders can usually be split in the following parts:

- Feeding pan or tube, where you put the meat. (This can come with a stomper which is used to push the meat into the machine)

- The body, where the handle is located if you own a manual machine and where other mechanisms sit if you own an electric one.

- Blades, which are used to cut through the meat.

- Plates, which are the little disks with holes in them, which can control the coarseness of the meat.

My meat keeps coming out mushy and making a mess.

For better results, try grinding cold (not frozen) meat, as it’s much better at holding its shape.

You can also keep the blades and plates in the freezer to make sure the meat doesn’t heat up with the friction.

What can I do to make cleanup easier?

- Always grind a loaf of bread or two immediately after grinding meat.

- Carefully hand wash the plates, blades and other washable parts with warm soapy water.

- Trim your meat before grinding to prevent clogging.

How To Clean The Manual Meat Grinder?

Cleaning your meat grinder is a crucial step to prevent food contamination, so you need to be very through about it.

- Wash every part of your meat grinder, even if it’s new. Pay particular attention to the parts that come in contact with food.

- Keep your work area clean by washing your counter before and after using.

- Avoid reusing utensils that have been used on raw meat without washing them first.

- Grind bread after grinding meat, as this will help remove fat and particles, making clean up easier.

- After use, take the grinder apart and wash each piece with warm water and soap. Be very careful when washing to avoid accidents.

Never store your meat grinder or any of its parts wet. Dry them with a towel or let them air dry before storing.