Shopping for a grinder

pfowl01 · October 28, 2006, 07:35:11 AM

Hey guys,

I'm looking for some feedback on grinders. What model do you have and how do you like it? Easy to use and clean.....any recomendations?

Chez Bubba · October 28, 2006, 07:49:49 AM

Cuisinart DCG-20 here. It was fairly cheap and I figured I could gain more knowledge about what I really needed (how much I actually use it) and then move on to a more expensive one when this one expires.

Still going strong but in reality, only gets used about 6 times/year. Does a great job though and cleanup is a snap. Just wipe it out with a paper towel.

Kirk

West Coast Kansan · October 28, 2006, 09:38:02 AM

Anyone use the grinder attachment for the kitchen aid machines? We have the kitchen aid but have not yet invested in the grinder attachment.

Arcs_n_Sparks · October 28, 2006, 10:50:36 AM

pfowl01,

I have the "baby" Cabela's commercial grade grinder, 1/2 h.p. with #8 neck. Very happy with it. All stainless and is typical clean-up for machines like that. I use a separate stuffer for sausage.

WCK,

Prior to the above, I used the attachment to the Kitchen Aide. Not too bad if you are not going to grind and stuff a lot. After a couple of years, I cracked the housing and decided to move up. If you don't overload it, should be fine for modest jobs.

Arcs_n_Sparks

Habanero Smoker · October 28, 2006, 11:13:41 AM

Pfowl01;

What type of grinder are you referring to. A meat grinder or a grinder for spices.

If it is spices I use what Kirk uses. To clean I run about 1/4 cup of rice through it. I also use the Cuisinart Mini-Mate Plus, and use the dull side of the blade.

If it is meat, I don't grind that much at any given time, so I use the meat grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I've never done more then 3 pounds at any given time, but the machine works well. It is also easy to clean.

3rensho · October 28, 2006, 11:21:32 AM

I've got a Kenwood grinder with a number 8 throat and so far am happy with it. It's nothing like a commercial unit but I never do more than 10 lbs of meat at a time. Had it three years and no problems so far.

I've tried the stuffer attachment with this grinder, with the Kitchen Aid as well and a couple of no-name types. I finally gave up on the grinder/stuffer attachments and bought a dedicated piston type stuffer. My blood pressure went down 20 points. It's worth the money.

Tom

Chez Bubba · October 28, 2006, 06:21:32 PM

??? ??? ???Oooooohhh! Meat grinder. I'm a little dense sometimes. ::)

I have the Kitchenaid attachment but think it's pretty inefficient. I'll take the old hand crank models any day.

Then again, if I had 100# to grind, there's probably a better machine out there.

Kirk

Habanero Smoker · October 28, 2006, 06:24:06 PM

Quote from: Chez Bubba on October 28, 2006, 06:21:32 PM
??? ??? ???Oooooohhh! Meat grinder. I'm a little dense sometimes. ::)

I have the Kitchenaid attachment but think it's pretty inefficient. I'll take the old hand crank models any day.

Then again, if I had 100# to grind, there's probably a better machine out there.

Kirk

I wasn't sure what he was referring to either. To me, a good grinder for spice is an important appliance to have.

coyote · October 28, 2006, 07:23:19 PM

A_n_S, We're on the same trail on grinding and stuffing.Works great for me.

Coyote

West Coast Kansan · October 28, 2006, 07:47:00 PM

A_n_S & Guys, I will try the Kitchen Aid... my requirements will be pretty light duty. Also, would feel bad having spent the money on the stand and passing on the attachments.

Kirk, I remember the butcher days in the fall when I was a kid. My folks would do a pig and a steer every fall. My job was turn the crank on the hand grinder. I was pretty young and remember the pain.

Smudge · October 29, 2006, 06:38:30 AM

I also use the Cabela 1/2 horse grinder. I use it infrequently, mainly to grind 10 pounds or so of beef chuck when it goes on sale.

The attachments for stuffing have been a disappointment, especially the horn I bought separately for stuffing sheep casing-sized snack sticks. I could use my finger to manually stuff the meat into the casing more efficiently. I'm not sure why this is, and I burned out my first Cabela grinder attempting to get the job done. It simply does not want to move the meat mixture through, turning it instead into pulverized meat mush.

The horn for the pork casing-sized sausages worked acceptable, though it labors a bit with the same problem of restriction.

BTW, Cabela's replaced the grinder, no questions asked.

Arcs_n_Sparks · October 29, 2006, 06:53:54 AM

I use a stuffer from The Sausage Maker. Very easy to control. Problem with using grinders as stuffers is that they are always "on." That means you control the flow by how much/fast you push material into the corkscrew. Smudge: assumed you removed the cutter plate and knife, that can make life more difficult.

Arcs_n_Sparks

Smudge · October 29, 2006, 07:06:49 AM

Yes, I took out the plate and knife and used the attachment that's designed to keep the worm seated in place. Tried it without as well with no more luck.

In my opinion, a larger grinder is needed to be effective in sausage stuffing. I have exclusively used large, commercial grinders for stuffing. (I used to be a meatcutter.)

My only solution is to purchase a piston stuffer, as I have no use or room for a 220 volt grinder.

pfowl01 · October 29, 2006, 03:10:17 PM

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the replys ;D Yes I was talking about meat grinders, but thanks for the info on spice grinders ;) I've used the kitchenaid grinder and wasn't impressed. I think I'm gonna go with the cabela's 1/2hp grinder.....kinda had my eye on it anyway. Thanks for all the help everyone ;D :D