Electric meat grinder: how to choose the best one for home, overview

In a family where cooking and joint dinners are considered a tradition, there is always a meat grinder. Very often this device belongs to the previous generation, it was once handed over by your grandmother to your caring hands. Such devices are distinguished by quality and reliability, they can regularly serve several generations, and their service life is calculated not in years, but in tens of years.

Not everyone, however, was lucky to have grandmothers with useful gifts. If mechanical labor does not seem modern to you, then it's time to think about purchasing an electric meat grinder. In this article we will talk about what an electric meat grinder is, how to choose the right model and not make a mistake.

A bit about the meat grinder

A meat grinder is a kitchen appliance designed to grind meat and turn it into minced meat. The design consists of the following parts:

• auger - long swirling tube, spiral;
• grill with holes - from there comes the finished stuffing;
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• knives - cut meat into small pieces;
• nozzles - help to increase the functionality of the meat grinder, to make it suitable not only for working with meat.

The principle of operation of an electric meat grinder is approximately as follows. The meat is put into the hole, the screw rotates, pushing the meat through the knives to the exit of the meat grinder. Passing through the holes, the ground meat takes a certain shape.

The screw in modern models can be both plastic and metal. The first is suitable for processing vegetables or soft dough, and the second is suitable for working with meat and poultry.

Lattices are responsible for shaping the processed product. Usually, 3 types of wire racks are supplied with the meat grinder: small, medium, large. They can be changed depending on the composition and density of the substance loaded inside. Small grids do an excellent job of such tasks as preparing a paste and gentle mashed potatoes for children. The large grill is suitable for working with meat, hard vegetables and fruits.

Knives must be made strictly of high quality stainless steel. Dull metal should not be sharpened by yourself, where it would be better to turn to a professional, giving the blades for sharpening to the workshop.

Nozzles do not always go in the kit with the device. If this is the case in your case, then there is no reason to worry: they are usually not very often used. Special nozzles are designed to work with fruits and vegetables, as well as for cooking homemade sausages. A hollow tube feeds any filling into a thin film, a kind of stuffed sausages is obtained.

What are the types of meat grinders

We have already paid attention to the existence and loyal service of mechanical meat grinders, but now we will not talk about them. Consider a variety of meat grinders working on electricity. Usually, there are 3 types that differ in power, performance, size and purpose of the device.

1. For home use.

Small in size, the easiest to manage and with the most uncomplicated functional set. The production features are most similar to the mechanical version, but there is no need for manual labor. Also pleased is the grinding speed, which is much higher than that of mechanics. Holds firmly and stably on the work surface, does not require additional fixing. Of the main advantages: good speed, compact size, ease of use. A home meat grinder copes with simple tasks and can serve you for a long time, if you do not overload the motor, give it short breaks to rest. This option will not pamper you with a set of interesting nozzles and modern functions, but it still has vital basic skills.

1. Reinforced.

Something between the first and second option. Such meat grinders are large, priced above average and multifunctional. High indicators of power and productivity, the speed of processing products. In the kit there are many nozzles, a special extended tray in order to accommodate more material at a time. The device provides a reverse system and built-in self-sharpening knives. Despite the fact that the design seems complicated, it is not so difficult to understand it. The instructions attached to the purchase describe in detail the purpose of each of the nozzles and buttons. Among the shortcomings: a larger size than that of a simple home option, and the fact that the meat grinder can be noisy during operation.

1. Professional.

Such models have the highest power and performance among competitors, they are usually located in cafes or restaurants where it is necessary to produce mincemeat in especially large sizes. The electric motor is protected from overheating and overloads, a reliable housing is made of durable material. Cons are considered particularly large sizes and the cost of this option, as well as heavy weight and too loud sounds during operation. All that we can advise in this case: there is clearly no place for such a machine in your modest kitchen.

What is reverse and is it needed?

The reverse is necessary in a situation when the meat is poorly cut by the hostess, that is, all veins, cartilage, bones are not removed from it. In this case, the mass may clog between the knives and the grill, wrap on the auger and stop the operation of the device. It is in this situation that reverse will be a good helper. You just need to press the desired button, thereby starting the reverse operation of the screw. It will begin to rotate in the opposite direction, and the uncooked meat will return to the loading hole.

If you ask: “Which electric meat grinder is better to buy? Is a reverse really necessary? ”, Then our advice will be of the following nature. Pay attention to your culinary habits. If you do not use the meat grinder too often, use it only for cutting sirloin parts, then you do not need an automatic back-up system. Its presence in the device significantly increases the price. However, if you are not confident in your abilities when cutting meat, then it would be better to play it safe and purchase a device with a built-in reverse function.

Do not forget about ergonomics

In the question of how to choose an electric meat grinder for the home, factors of design and ergonomics of the device play an important role. For cooking food, the external design of the device, of course, does not matter. But the housewife is much more pleasant to mess around in the kitchen with equipment that not only copes well with everyday tasks, but also pleasantly pleases the eye.

Judging by the reviews of the happy owners of electric meat grinders, models made of plastic are preferable, since they are easier to care for. Fingerprints and other dirt are more clearly visible on the metal case, so you will need to clean the surface more often.

A huge plus is the presence in the design of the mechanism of additional boxes and compartments. It is convenient to store knives, nozzles, small parts in them. The meat tray is also a nice addition; it facilitates the cooking process. Here, make a choice in favor of metal, plastic is more fragile, will quickly crack. An equally important aspect for the meat grinder is the presence of rubber legs located on the bottom. They contribute to reliable fixation of the device on the table surface.

Which company is better to buy a meat grinder?

Much has been said about the functions, features and varieties of models. But it’s time to ask the question a bit, turn to more accurate data and finally find out about everything an electric meat grinder, which is better of all the options presented.

There are many firms and manufacturers on the home appliance market. The most famous of them:

• Philips
• Bosch;
• Polaris
• Braun;
• Scarlett
• REDMOND.

Philips, Polaris, Brown and Scarlett represent the segment of low-cost models with standard equipment and a simple mechanism. The more expensive brands are Bosch and Redmond. Here, the devices already boast a brilliant metal case, a set of nozzles, as well as high power and performance.

Electric meat grinder: a little about the price

The cost of an electric meat grinder directly depends on the configuration of the device, its size, material of manufacture, level of productivity and power. Prices for budget models in Moscow stores start from 2,599 rubles - any hostess can afford such an acquisition. Options for the premium class start at 8,999 rubles, and they can reach the figures of 14,299 rubles, without stopping at this.

Conclusion

Thanks to this article, you familiarized yourself with the various features and basic characteristics of electric grinders, learned how to choose the electric meat grinder, what parameters should be stopped when "Casting." The selection of household appliances is a simple task, if you understand what you are looking for. Observe your cooking and eating habits, they will help you orient yourself.

Video: expert advice on choosing an electric meat grinder