Electric meat grinder: characteristics and types, which is better to buy for home

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to find quality products in stores, and you have to do a lot yourself. For example, if you want to make delicious cutlets or bake pies with meat, it is much better to cook the minced meat yourself than to buy it in the store. And of course, it is much more convenient to twist meat on an electric meat grinder than on an outdated, manual one. Their choice is now huge, and when buying, you should pay attention to some of the nuances.

The history of meat grinders

Surely each of us, if not used this device, then at least saw it. In Soviet times, traditional manual meat grinders were mainly used; it is rather difficult for housewives in the kitchen to do without them. Of course, this caused certain inconveniences, because everything had to be done manually. Often, the hostesses called for the help of men to wind the meat on the minced meat.

Previously, the technique was not as well developed as it is now, electric meat grinders were large and were used only in catering establishments. Now the production of equipment has stepped to a completely different level, and you can buy almost any portable equipment in the store for quite reasonable money.

Electric meat grinders appeared relatively recently, but they were immediately appreciated by the hostesses. Their price is higher than for similar hand-held devices, but they also benefit significantly in terms of functionality.

Instrument selection criteria

The electric unit can easily twist about three kilograms of meat in just 1 minute, and can do it without stopping for a long time. It doesn't matter if the hostess has experience in using an electric meat grinder, everyone can use it. You can see a lot of models in stores, and they differ in design, power, price and many other parameters. It is important not to make the wrong choice so that the device will delight you for many years.

Fundamental rules

There are just a few basic rules to consider when choosing an electric grinder. The rules are simple but important:

1. Decide on the type of device, and then pay attention to the additional functions.
2. Choose the optimal power.
3. Decide on the price.
4. Find reviews on the Internet for the selected model.

Not a single consultant in the store will tell you about the cons of a particular model. First, the main task of the consultant is to sell the product. Secondly, it is unlikely that he himself uses this particular meat grinder. Your best bet is to find real reviews on the internet.

Thanks to the electric drive, an almost complete automation of the process can be achieved. Sometimes this is just convenient, and in some cases it is necessary, especially when you need to make a lot of minced meat. Of course, just like before, there are industrial meat grinders. As a rule, these are large units that are installed directly on the floor. But small devices are interesting for the home, they can be easily installed on the table, and they will do all the necessary work.

A solo harvester can be a great option. TThis device will not only wind minced meat out of any meat, but also allow you to squeeze juice from fruits or finely chop vegetables. This is easily accomplished with special attachments. In some cases, these attachments are included, but sometimes they need to be purchased separately.

Also, a multifunctional food processor can act as an electric meat grinder. This appliance has many functions, including a mixer, juicer, blender and others. Such a device can be useful if you really cook a lot and often. Otherwise, an ordinary electric one, which is intended only for meat, is quite suitable.

Power selection

The less power, the less the device costs. But don't underestimate this parameter. Cutting meat requires much more power than cutting vegetables. Now on the market you can see meat grinders with a capacity of 200 to 1800 watts. But you need to choose wisely. If you buy the simplest device with a capacity of 200-300 watts, then it will most likely only cope with small pieces of meat. If a small bone is caught, breakage cannot be avoided.

On the other hand, if you take a 1800 watt unit, it can easily cope with pieces of meat of any size, and even small bones will not be a problem. But such a device will also cost much more. For everyday use, a 600-1000 watt meat grinder will be enough for most housewives. With this power, the device will be able to process meat at a speed of about 1-2 kg per minute.

Reliability criterion

You should not strive to buy a powerful, but cheap meat grinder, pay attention to the reliability. It is best if your equipment has protection functions:

• protection against power surges;
• engine blocking in case of overheating;
• stopping the device under excessive load.

Almost all manufacturers of meat grinders put similar protections on their devices. Basically, it doesn't matter how exactly they are implemented. The main thing is for the protection to work at the right time.

Features of trays and cutting parts

The meat loading tray can be either plastic or metal. The metal tray will last longer and will be easier to care for. Plastic trays are more common in budget models. The knives of the device must be made of stainless steel. Keep in mind that the quality knives are self-sharpening. When choosing a meat grinder, be sure to pay close attention to the knife. It must be free of jaggies and the blades must have the same sharpening angle.

When choosing, many do not pay attention to the presence of a reverse, but this is a very useful function.. Even in an ordinary manual meat grinder, you can use the reverse, for this you just need to rotate the handle in the opposite direction. The reverse will be needed if hard veins or small bones got into the meat grinder together with the meat, and the apparatus is unable to crank and cut them. Usually, in this case, the meat grinder is disassembled and the excess is removed. But if there is a reverse, it is necessary to activate it for 3-5 seconds, and the device will be able to work further as usual.

Decide exactly how you will use the grinder and where you will store it. Pay attention to the dimensions of the device. The higher the device, the more convenient it is to work with it. For example, you can substitute a fairly deep dish for minced meat under a high meat grinder, and vice versa.

Accessories for additional functions

Many manufacturers put the necessary attachments right into the kit. These can be graters for vegetables, attachments for cooking sausages or cutlets. Of course, the cost of the product as a whole directly depends on all these additional functions. But, as practice shows, 90% of owners of electric meat grinders do not use these attachments or use them extremely rarely. Therefore, when choosing, decide what exactly you need and what it is better to refuse.

Choosing a manufacturer

If you focus on the opinion of friends, which meat grinder to buy, and which brand is better to choose, then they will always praise the manufacturer whose goods they use themselves. In fact, each of the manufacturers has both successful models and not very good ones.

If you look at the rating of electric meat grinders, then at the moment there is the largest number of positive reviews about the products of Bosch and Philips. But this does not mean that it is necessary to choose these particular brands. If you approach the choice wisely, you can purchase an inexpensive compact device with sufficient functionality.

The average price of a meat grinder is about 7 thousand rubles, but there are a lot of models that are both cheaper and more expensive. When choosing, do not ignore lesser-known manufacturers. For example, Brown or Zelmer. Their models can also be of high quality, functional and affordable.

Where is the best place to buy a meat grinder

Most people are accustomed to buying goods from regular large hardware stores. But now there are a lot of online stores in which the same product will be cheaper. Why is there such a difference in price? The fact is that the costs of maintaining a regular store include renting premises, the cost of commercial equipment, the salaries of consultants, cashiers, security, etc. These costs directly affect the price of goods, and we, ordinary buyers, pay for all this. In principle, you can choose an electric meat grinder in a regular store.

In online stores, most often the same products are cheaper, because the cost of maintaining the store itself is much lower. Every year more and more people prefer online shopping. It is quite possible to buy on the Internet. Moreover, usually with orders from 5 thousand. rubles and above delivery is carried out free of charge right to your door.