40th Birthday recently - Got some £££ to spend

[ExpatCanadian]

As the title suggests, I got a nice little wad of cash to spend for my 40th recently.  My Mom has known for some time that my electric meat grinder is my absolute nemesis...  and every time I make sausage of any sort I end up in the worst mood due to the POS grinder I bought back when I was just starting out.  So...  she gave me £350 to buy myself a decent new one!  However, the funny thing is, just about a week before my birthday I had already decided to ditch the electric and buy myself the best MANUAL grinder I could find, my logic being I never do more than a few kg at a time, and I'd rather have a really good manual, than a rubbish electric.  I know with £350 I could actually get a really nice electric....  but again....  I just thought what's the point when I only do small amounts?

Anyway, I settled on this manual grinder:

http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/content/classic-no10-stainless-steel-manual-mincer

I've done a couple batches already and it works a treat!! Like the description says it's a beautiful peice of gear...  and bloody heavy! I think it weighs almost as much as my electric!

But, it's left me with £250 and change to spend...  and I'm thinking maybe I might upgrade my stuffer now for one of these:

http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/catalog/788/sausage_stuffers

However, my current stuffer, although cheapish in quality, does work reasonably well so I'm actually open to suggestions....  can any of you sausage making gurus out there (Hint hint Nepas et al.) suggest a dream list of essentials and must-haves that make your lives easier?  How about a Kirby cannon?  Worth it instead of a good traditional commercial stuffer?

Thanks!

[squirtthecat]

Happy belated birthday!

[dman4505]

Happy belated birthday!

x2

[Tenpoint5]

Happy Birthday I would suggest the vertical number I think it says M5v. That one would make your stuffing a breeze. It will also take up less storage space when not in use.

Hint: I always try and keep the original packaging so I can put the equipment back in it for storage. Square boxes are easier to store than a round sausage press.

[ExpatCanadian]

Thanks for the input... My current stuffer is a vertical one, and easy on the counter space (but that's the only thing it's easy on unfortunately :-)) I was considering a horizontal one now, but we'll see....

[mikecorn.1]

Happy belated birthday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[manxman]

Hi Tyson,

Belated Happy Birthday.  :)

I have the earlier version of the Trespade stuffer, the Original Green Minnie-Plus Little Demon and it is great...... well built, robust and does the job.

Sure others will come up with other ideas but for me the Trespade stuff I have which also includes a vacuum sealer and electric grinder have stood the test of time.

Hope all goes well, Paul

[ExpatCanadian]

I have the earlier version of the Trespade stuffer, the Original Green Minnie-Plus Little Demon and it is great...... well built, robust and does the job.

Yeah, the newer version of that one is one I was considering, both on price and size.  Although I like the flexibility of a 10-11lb capacity stuffer, this little fella looks nice and compact and still holds a decent amount (6lbs) of meat:

http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/content/new-trespade-minnie-plus-little-demon-rosso-stuffer-2012

My only concern with it is that it appears to crank in-line from the end.... rather than from the side?  I normally stuff on my kitchen counter, so this wouldn't work, I couldn't attach it in a way that would allow me to crank.... well, I guess I could, but the nozzle would be about an inch from the wall!  To be honest with my new manual grinder I am having to grind on my dining room table now since my kitchen counter is too thick to attach it to....  so maybe I should just move the whole operation from the kitchen to the dining room.

But still....  I do like the look of this one:

http://www.weschenfelder.co.uk/content/mod5-rosso-sausage-stuffer

.... and it cranks from the side...