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These machines can take solid pieces of meat and pulverize them quickly and efficiently Meat Tumbler
The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Even if you've mastered your grilling technique, you can still up your burger and sausage game by making them yourself. Store-bought ground meat is fine, but grinding it at home gives you more control over what you're getting and the ability to make custom blends. Plus, it can save you money.
Whether it's a huge and powerful professional model or a hand-cranked manual machine, there are lots of options out there. All can simply chop meat into little pieces, but some have many options for speed, coarseness, and attachments to stuff sausage or even make pasta.
We researched and tested lots of the options out there to pick our favorites in all shapes and sizes. Whether you're in the mood for gourmet burgers, juicier meatballs, or ground beef filling for spaghetti sauce, casseroles, or tacos, we've got you covered with the best meat grinders.
Doesn't come with cleaning tools
The Sunmile SM-G50 is a beast of a meat grinder. Its extra-large feed tube, powerful motor, and smart design can handle up to 200 pounds of meat per hour. We didn't test it with that much meat, but we did manage to put 2.5 pounds of fatty chuck roast through it in less than a minute, so the math pretty much works out. For the chicken thighs, we swapped out the medium grinding plate for the fine grinding plate. It did slow things down a little bit, but not significantly. Two pounds of chicken was ground and ready to go in just over a minute. The durable gearbox in the Sunmile lets it whip through easier jobs in a flash but can also turn down the speed and crank up the power with tougher cuts (or even bones if you're grinding your own pet food).
The machine comes with plates for coarse, medium, and fine grinds, as well as a sausage stuffer, to accomplish any task you might want. You can even chill the grinder head, blade, and plates in the fridge or freezer before grinding to help keep fat solid and thoroughly integrated. Its 2-inch feed tube is much wider than other models, so you don't have to cut your meat into small pieces—a big time-saver when working with large quantities of meat. We also love the storage compartment in the back, which holds the cord and the extra plates and accessories so you can't lose track of them.
When you're done, cleanup is simple enough: The blade and grinding plates are dishwasher-safe. The grinder head and other parts must be washed by hand, however, and the machine doesn't include any cleaning tools to help scrub out all the stray bits of meat. While the construction within is solid, we're not in love with the looks of the Sunmile. For this price, you'd expect a metal finish that can fit in with a home kitchen, not the white plastic housing that looks rather cheap and utilitarian.
Size: 12.2 x 11 x 15.1 inches | Weight: 13.6 pounds | Power: 350 watts | Includes: 3 grind plates, sausage stuffer, plastic pusher
Two grind sizes and two sausage sizes
Can handle large batches at once
Pusher top pops off easily
If you buy meat in bulk, go hunting, or just want to take up home sausage-making as a hobby, this grinder might be the one for you. The powerful 300-watt motor grinds up to 3 pounds per minute, and we managed to power through 12 pounds of meat in a single session with no problems. The brushed stainless steel housing is durable, and the machine product includes plates for medium and coarse grinds. What makes it great for sausages especially is its two separate stuffer attachments: a standard-sized one for links of bratwurst or hot dogs, plus a smaller version for breakfast sausage.
We tested the Cuisinart on family-sized batches of burgers and meatloaf, and even experimented with cheese and veggies, and it had very little trouble. It struggled a bit with a dense piece of very cold fat but still managed to take it down. It's also easy to set up, operate, and clean: This is clearly a machine designed for home use by someone who isn't necessarily an expert in technique. In a really clever design feature, the included plastic pusher opens up to hold the spare grinder plates and sausage stuffers. However, the pusher's lid just pops on instead of screwing down, and it popped off pretty frequently once it got greasy from use.
Size: 9.3 x 16.4 x 8.5 inches | Weight: 9.3 pounds | Power: 300 watts | Includes: 2 grind plates, 2 sausage stuffers, plastic pusher
Easier storage than a full-size grinder
Two sizes of sausage-stuffing tubes
Wear and tear on your mixer
If you already have a KitchenAid stand mixer, adding accessories to do additional tasks saves storage space, and makes the mixer more versatile. This meat grinder is great for everything from grinding meat for burgers to stuffing sausage, and can also handle the vegetables and bread that are going into the mix. We’ve found that throwing the veggies and bread after the meat helps get the last bits through the grinder and also makes it easier to clean when grinding is done.
Meat grinds best when it’s cold, and that means that it’s best when the grinder itself is cold. Unlike plastic grinders that don’t retain temperatures, this metal one benefits from being stashed in the freezer or refrigerator for a few hours before grinding to help keep everything chilly.
Since this uses the mixer’s motor to power it, it’s wise to make sure the mixer isn’t straining and to pause grinding if it’s getting tired. This accessory must be hand-washed, but the included brush is quite helpful.
Size: 8.8 x 5.5 x 8.4 inches | Weight: 24 pounds | Power: n/a | Includes: Attachment, fine, medium & coarse grinding plates, & 2 sausage stuffer tubes, cleaning brush, meat stomper, storage case
This monster of a grinder is not lying when it says "Big Bite." The huge feed tube, oversized hopper, and three-quarter-horsepower motor can take down 11 pounds of meat in 60 seconds. The heavy-duty machine is much the same as you might find in the kitchen of a butcher, deli, or sausage shop, and it'll hold up to constant use and abuse. It's great if you're a big-game hunter, an aspiring charcutier, or any other serious meathead.
The LEM 12 comes with coarse and fine grinder plates, as well as three sizes of sausage stuffer for everything from breakfast links to snack sticks to salami. (You can also buy an array of compatible LEM accessories, like a jerky slicer or a full cleaning and maintenance kit.) Operation is super easy, with just a single switch. It doesn't have a reverse function like most grinders do, but on the other hand, it's unlikely to get stuck and need reversing.
The Big Bite is a big grinder, and it comes at a big price—but this is not the machine for the mere casual grinder of meat...It is a machine that will last a lifetime.
Size: 20.2 x 9.1 x 16 inches | Weight: 33 pounds | Power: 550 watts | Includes: 2 grinder plates, 3 stuffing tubes, meat stomper
If you’re looking for a budget-priced meat grinder, a manual machine is probably the way to go. It may not have a motor, but this model offers most of the features of much more expensive electric grinders. It includes fine and coarse grind plates, plus three sizes of sausage funnel. It also has attachments that process pasta dough into spaghetti or rigatoni. You can even use it with fruits and veggies to make baby food.
The Kitchen Basics machine has a suction-cup base that won't move (or even wobble) while you crank. And thanks to the lack of electrical parts, nearly all the pieces of this machine can go into the dishwasher. The big downside, of course, is that you have to supply all the power. Hand-cranking a meat grinder is hard work, and you can't grind more than a handful of pounds at a time before getting tired arms.
Size: 7.8 x 5.6 x 5.4 inches | Weight: 1.9 pounds | Power: manual | Includes: 2 grinder plates, 3 sausage funnels
Includes many attachments and tools
Most parts must be washed by hand
This grinder is extremely powerful, with 3,000 watts of peak power, which translates to 800 to 1,200 watts while grinding and a capacity of 180 to 240 pounds of meat per hour. It also offers two speed options, with a slower mode that's best for tougher, fattier, cuts.
The STX's best feature, though, is its range of attachments and extras to help you get as much use out of the machine as possible. It comes with three blades, three different grinding plates, and three sizes of sausage-stuffing tubes. There's also a special nozzle for making homemade kibbeh, a dish of meat stuffed inside a shell made from bulgur wheat and more meat. (Versions of kibbeh are popular throughout the Middle East, as well as in Turkey, where it's known as içli köfte.) The plastic pusher opens up to store extra parts when not in use. On top of that, it includes some useful pre- and post-grinding tools: a burger press to make both standard- and slider-sized patties, and a pair of meat claws for shredding and handling hot items.
The main downside to all those different grinding options is that the machine can be complicated to put together: Different functions require different sets of pieces. Make sure you hold onto the manual, which explains everything. When it comes to cleaning, the blades are dishwasher-safe but none of the other parts are, so you'll have to do some manual scrubbing. Size: 20 x 12 x 11 inches | Weight: 12 pounds | Power: 1,800 watts | Includes: 3 blades, 3 grinding plates, sausage-stuffing plate, 3 sausage stuffing tubes, kibbeh attachment, plastic pusher, burger press, meat claws
We love the Sunmile SM-G50 Electric Meat Grinder because it checks all the boxes for power, efficiency, and ease of use. However, kitchen darling Cuisinart has a fantastic Electric Meat Grinder which is ideal for homemade sausages.
We sent several meat grinders to a few of our experienced at-home testers. They tested each machine by grinding up large and small quantities of beef, chicken, and even some vegetables and cheeses. Insights were taken down on the ease of use of the meat grinders, as well as how easy they were to clean, and how durable, loud, and quick they were.
Meat grinders can be powered by an electric motor or by a hand crank. Manual grinders are quite a bit cheaper than electric ones, and they're also easier to clean as you don't have to worry about keeping electrical parts dry. However, grinding by hand is a serious arm workout, and you probably won't be able to handle more than a few pounds at a time before getting tired.
Electric grinders vary in power and capacity, but even a small and low-wattage machine will be able to handle more meat more quickly than a hand-cranked one. If you already own a stand mixer, there are grinders designed to attach and use its motor, but make sure you're buying a model that's compatible with the exact mixer you have.
Whether you use a manual or electric model, Flannery advises grinding everything twice. An extra run through the machine will help create an even blend of fat to lean. But don't grind more than twice, as multiple runs will negatively affect the texture.
Meat grinders have lots of different parts, which are usually made of either plastic or metal. Plastic parts are cheaper but somewhat less durable and harder to clean, especially as they get scratched up with use. Pricier stainless steel is hypoallergenic, rust-resistant, and more likely to stay sharp. A metal grinder will be more of an investment upfront, but it will also last longer without needing repairs or replacement parts.
Metal also gives you the ability to refrigerate or freeze the parts before grinding to help keep the meat colder. Grinding generates heat, which can start to melt the fat and make the final product slimy and unevenly mixed. You can chill plastic parts, but they won't stay cold for as long and you might need to grind smaller batches at a time.
If the only thing you plan to do with your grinder is grind chuck roast into hamburgers, you'll be fine with a basic model that has only an on/off switch, but there are lots more options out there to make a wider variety of items. Some machines come with multiple plates that can make a coarser grind best for a dish like chili or an extra-fine grind for smooth-textured sausages. Speaking of sausages, grinders can also include nozzles of varying sizes that stuff sausage into casings. A few grinders have multiple motor speeds so you can go slower with tougher ingredients or a reverse mode to unclog the blades when they get stuck.
On top of that, there are grinder accessories to take the machine beyond meat. Pasta extruders are a common option, with different sizes and shapes of plates to turn dough into various types of noodles. You can even get specialty attachments to make specific dishes, like kibbeh with the STX model above.
The Spruce Eats / Vicky Wasik
It might take years, but at one point or another, your meat grinder blade will dull—you'll notice when it starts to smear and jam. Here's the good news: It's fairly easy to sharpen. One of the simplest methods is to use sandpaper. Use a little bit of water, and then rub the flat side of the blade back and forth about 10 times. (For best results, repeat the process with a finer grain of sandpaper.) You'll also need to do the same thing with your grind plates; just run both sides over the sandpaper a few times to ensure the best performance. Make sure to rinse all the parts thoroughly to remove any stray bits of metal, and then dry them before reassembling the grinder. If you have a sharpening stone, you can also use it in place of sandpaper.
As you're working with raw meat, it should be no surprise that your grinder needs to be washed immediately and thoroughly after each use to avoid cross-contamination and foodborne illness. To start, run one to two pieces of bread through the machine. This will help remove any small bits of meat stuck inside. Next, unplug your machine and carefully disassemble it. Some parts may be dishwasher-safe (check your manual), and those can go right in the dishwasher.
To wash by hand, soak all removable parts in warm, soapy water for a few minutes to help loosen oils and other residues, and then wash softly with a sponge. (Be careful with the blade's sharp edges!) A bottle brush can be used to scrub out the insides of parts.
The actual motor base of an electric model should never be submerged, but it also shouldn't get any meat bits inside. A damp cloth is all you need for wiping down the inside and outside of the motor housing. After cleaning, dry all the parts immediately with a dishtowel to avoid rust and other premature deterioration. You should never put the grinder back together until the pieces are completely dry.
Despite all coming from a cow, there are many different kinds of beef. Flavor and tenderness depend on the cut and fattiness. Chuck roast is a popular item for meat grinders, thanks to the fat balance. Sirloin is also a great choice, typically lower in fat but still high in flavor.
Bryan Flannery, CEO of Flannery Beef, has some words of wisdom when it comes to fat percentages and meat grinders:
"For those really adventurous souls, you could up the fat percentage, but remember: The fattier the blend, the more it will shrink during cooking. I don’t think I’d ever go beyond 35 percent fat. You could replicate the flavor of a Wagyu burger if you have access to brisket fat. Blend an 80/20 burger using brisket fat instead of general beef fat, and the flavor profile will be like Wagyu."
You can put chicken or turkey in a meat grinder, but because it's lower in fat than beef or pork, it likely won't be as flavorful. Try adding additional fat to the grind and seasoning well before cooking if you're grinding poultry.
The first step is to make the sausage filling: Grind meat and mix in spices. From Cajun boudin to Moroccan merguez to all-American breakfast sausage, every variety is made from a different combination of meats and flavorings. Once the filling is ready, put it in the fridge until it's nice and cold. You should also thoroughly clean the grinder at this point.
Next, prepare the casing. Generally made from animal intestine, sausage casing holds the meat in the familiar sausage shape and gives it that satisfying snap when you bite into it. (There are also synthetic casings available, which work essentially the same way.) Casings need to soak in water for a few hours to soften.
To set up your grinder for stuffing sausage, remove the blade and grinder plate (leave the auger in place) and screw on a stuffer nozzle. Thread a piece of casing onto the nozzle, leaving an inch or two hanging off, and then tie a knot at the end. Place a sheet pan below the grinder to catch the sausage. With the machine running on its slowest speed, begin feeding small balls of the prepared filling mixture into the hopper of the grinder. You'll get some air first, causing the casing to fill like a balloon, and then the meat will follow. Slowly guide the sausage into the casing as it feeds through the machine, trying to force out any air bubbles that you see. Fill the casing until there are about 4 inches left on the other end.
To make individual links, measure out the desired length, starting at the knotted end of the casing. Squeeze it to mark the end of the first sausage. Do the same for the second sausage, and then twist between the first and second sausages about three times. Continue to do this for the remainder of the length of casing, alternating the twist direction for each link. Coil the sausages on the sheet pan and use a needle or knife point to puncture any air bubbles—this will keep the links from splitting as they cook. For best results, refrigerate the links uncovered overnight before cooking.
Many grinders are capable of grinding soft bone, from chicken, duck, other small fowl, and rabbit. Turkey is also considered soft bone, but it's slightly denser and may be extremely difficult (or impossible) for your grinder to handle. Most at-home meat grinders can't process hard bone from beef, pork, lamb, venison, and other large animals. Always consult the manual about what your machine can and cannot grind, and never put frozen bones through a grinder under any circumstance, as they will damage the parts.
Beyond ground meat and sausage, meat grinders can be used to grind vegetables for relish, falafel, and plant-based burger patties. You can also put fruit through a grinder to get juice (albeit much pulpier juice than if you use a dedicated juicing machine) or mix up ingredients for cookie or pasta dough.
Donna Currie is a food writer and product tester for The Spruce Eats. A cookbook author and self-professed "kitchen geek," she's written many roundups on a range of essential kitchen items, from the best stand mixers to the best slow cookers. She's also tested over 100 products for The Spruce Eats, including the Cuisinart Electric Meat Grinder, which she included in this roundup.
Automatic Chicken Slaughtering Machine This roundup was updated by Katya Weiss-Andersson, a writer and editor who has nearly a decade of experience as a professional chef, Katrina Munichiello, a writer and editor who specializes in the tea and food industries, and Jason Horn, a writer and editor with a master's degree in journalism and almost 20 years of experience writing about food and drinks.