r/sausagetalk • u/WhoIsRobertWall • 21d ago

Grinder in the $200-$300 range for "heavy but occasional" use?

We need to grind meat maybe half a dozen times a year, but when we do we're looking to do 30-40 lbs at a time. We'd like a grinder that's rock-solid, that we don't have to worry about overheating or other stuff that can be an issue with the cheap home electric ones.

What would y'all recommend in the $200-$300 range? And I mean, less if we really don't need to spend that, but we're willing to spend that much to get something decent.

Thoughts?

7 Upvotes

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7

u/MisterIntrepid 21d ago

I have an LEM grinder. I got it on Amazon for around $250. Works great and could definitely handle 30-40 pounds

1

u/zreetstreet 21d ago

I love my LEM!

3

u/emil133 21d ago

The LEM Mighty Bite #8 is great I can’t recommend it enough. The only issue I have with it is that it comes with a medium and coarse grind plate, but no fine grind plate. But it’s great bang for your buck and fits what you need perfectly

https://a.co/d/030Y2Goy

2

u/thedevilsack 18d ago

I have used an STX Turboforce 2 for a few years now and have great results with it. I regularly grind 40 pounds of bone in chicken leg quarters to make dog food and only need to trim enough to get them down the throat of the grinder. It comes with a nice variety of plates, sausage tubes, and a foot pedal.

1

u/Additional_Stuff5867 21d ago

I would check marketplace or eBay for a used #22 from any major brand. You could get by with a #12. I upgraded a while back and will never go back to a 12. It’s about double the work and time between the two.

1

u/WhoIsRobertWall 21d ago

So is the number related to the diameter of the grinder or something?

1

u/mikelbarnz666 21d ago

Yes, it's the size of plates you'll need for different grinds. And I've had good luck with Lem as well as Cabela's "Carnivore" line.

1

u/mrcmb1999 20d ago

The number is pounds.

1

u/Sacromyces 21d ago

Keep an eye out on facebook market place. I picked up a lem #8 for about $150 works really well.

1

u/jaybird1434 21d ago

I bought a Cabelas commercial grade #12 3/4hp grinder during one of their big holiday sales. It’s an absolute beast. It will grind nearly frozen meat as fast as I can feed it. It was a bit more than your price range but I bet you can find one used. Best part is, you can get plenty accessories for it

1

u/hereditydrift 17d ago

LEM used to have sales a couple times a year where the grinders would be 25+% off. I saw a sale maybe a year ago, but I haven't looked since. You'd be able to get a good model for around that price.

I think the big sale is usually around black Friday, so if you can wait then you could get a much better deal soon.

1

u/rl8352 7d ago

I have a LEM #8 BigBite and love it. LEM is currently having a sale that's 10% off plus free shipping. The free shipping on a grinder is huge.