Meat grinders are meat grinders. These machines and attachments have a lot of uses. If you are thinking of a burger or a sausage, you are thinking about ground meat. And where do we get ground meat? We get ground meat from meat grinders. There are also cases where people look for meat grinders that grind bones. People look for meat grinders that grind bones for their pets. Pets such as cats or dogs like bones a lot considering the risks;
There are hundreds of meat grinders or grinder attachments out there. People usually know about the Kitchenaid grinder attachments but don’t know that there is a whole industry of meat grinders. There are quite a lot of meat grinders out there other than the Kitchenaid attachment. Standalone units such as those of Gourmia or Altra are also quite popular. When looking for meat grinders that grind bones, people look for standalone companies such as the previously mentioned ones.
Types of Grinders
There are mainly two kinds of grinders:
- Commercial (Large, medium).
- Domestic (Small).
In simple words, commercial meat grinders are used in restaurants or meat processing plants. Domestic grinders are used for home uses.
There are also subtypes of meat grinders. For example, the kind of hero used in restaurants/hotels are not used in meat processing plants. Meat processing plants use giant meat grinders that can grind almost anything. Not kidding, you can drop a tank in the meat grinder, and it will eat it up. On the other hand, the ones used in restaurants are smaller than those of meat processing plants but larger than domestic ones.
The domestic meat grinders, as the name suggests, are used at home. In most cases, people use meat grinder attachments for mixers, which you can buy as aftermarket products or buy as a whole unit from your mixer’s manufacturer. But other than that, there are also standalone units from multiple manufacturers. The advantages of standalone units are that they are sturdier and more potent than attachment setups.
Purpose
Meat grinders are investments. If properly invested and taken care of, a meat grinder can last upto 4 or 5 years (conditions apply). If wrongly supported and not taken care of, the meat grinders may also fall apart. And we all know falling apart is not very good for people or grinders. The purpose of your meat grinder should be the most critical factor in choosing the meat grinder. The critical questions:
- Why will you be using the meat grinder?
- How much will you use the meat grinder?
Most people buy a meat grinder because they regularly need to grind meat. The regularity maybe once a week or twice a week. In these cases, it is better to get a standalone meat grinder that you can use heavily. If you opt for a plastic mixer attachment, then it might not be the best idea. The metal standalone meat grinder will last long and will also have a better stainless steel finish, which will preserve the meat grinder. The metal attachment is also a good option, but getting an attachment can be a bit annoying. The continuous setting up of the meat grinder attachment can be a bit taxing. Plus, if you need a meat grinder that can grind bones, the full metal standalone option is better.
Suppose you are getting a meat grinder for the occasional use. You can go for the metal or plastic attachment for the mixer. But a disclaimer, the plastic attachment may not last as long as the metal attachment. However, getting the plastic option is better because metal tends to rust if damaged. However, if you need a meat grinder that grinds bones and effortlessly grinds meat, the metal attachment becomes level with the plastic.
Build quality and Performance
When you are “grinder hunting,” go for the one with the best build quality. Let it be a standalone or an attachment; you need to be the best of the best. Thoroughly checking the grinder to see all the edges, joints and looking for any trouble in the system should be a habit.
For the full metal version, the build quality is expected to be fantastic. The overall metal pipes and cylinders are also perfect for water flow. It is also not very good for bone grinding. The metal standalone system is the best solution if you are looking for a grinder to use regularly.
The overall situation of meat grinders are quite tight. But you can get the right grinders at reasonable prices. The most costly setup may be the standalone system.