vertical sausage stuffer, what size to buy?

themule69 · Jan 4, 2013

hello friends

i'm going to be buying a sausage stuffer. finished with the one in my grinder. i'm thinking vertical. i've looked at the grizzly and other like it. the questions i have are what size to buy? i can't see making any bigger than a 50# batch at a time. i want the most bang for my buck. i'm thinking 5# or 7# but then is a 15# an over kill?

then is a horizontal a better design? i'd like your .02

thanks

david

pcallison · Jan 4, 2013

Hey Mule69, The 15# is definitly not overkill, not any harder to clean up and sure cuts down on the refills. Don't know anything about the Harbor Freight version, mine is the Sausage Maker 15#,but works great. Larger is always better, ha ha. See ya Phillip

diesel · Jan 4, 2013

I have a 15# LEM and wouldn't think of anything less. At first I thought that it was too big but now that I have used it multiple times it is great.

My 2 cents.. get the 15#.

Aaron.

fagesbp · Jan 4, 2013

I have a 5# LEM and I sure wish I had gotten a bigger 1. I will likely be getting a 15# soon. Refilling really is a pain.

As far as the vertical design. It works great for me. Get one with metal gears, especially on a bigger one.

chef jimmyj · Jan 4, 2013

I have a 5# Kitchener and it works flawlessly. After extensive review the 5 and 15# work about the same with the larger being more convenient for larger batches. However, there are several reviews that suggest the 5# Stuffer is the better choice if Snack Sticks, 19-20mm Casing, will be made frequently. Apparently the longer piston shaft of the 15# is prone to bending when applying the pressure needed to stuff the small casing...JJ

shoneyboy · Jan 4, 2013

Here is some pictures of mine..... from when it was new.....It is an 11lber.....

200x200px-ZC-03df6d5a_DSCF9300.jpg

shoneyboy
Jan 4, 2013

200x200px-ZC-b6239717_DSCF9295.jpg

shoneyboy
Jan 4, 2013

200x200px-ZC-76b6450f_DSCF9298.jpg

shoneyboy
Jan 4, 2013

Now everyone has different opinions about equipment.....This is my personal way of looking at it. I had done a lot of research when I was considering buying my stuffer......I feel that there were a couple things that need to be taken into consideration when looking to buy any piece of equipment (personally I use this on anything I buy… example… tools also)...

Do I need this?
Will this be a help or a hindrance?
Do I have room for?
What can I afford?

My stuffer does take up a little more space that I figured once I bought it, after I got it home, it was one of those moments of, where am I going to put this huge thing ??? But since I started really relying on it….. It’s a part of every sausage making project……It part of the family now!!! So it seems like you have answered #1,# 2 and #3……..So onto #4. It really depends on $$$, I have seen some cost less than a $100.00 and some cost into the $100.00's of dollars….What can you afford? Better yet, what are you willing to put up with? You are saying that you are going to be making 50lbs at a time, are you willing to stop every 5lbs and fill the machine ? You will be basically filling the machine 10 times per run…….Is that going to be an issue for you? As far as the other size machines, you get the point….. When I bought mine I was making 5-10lbs at a time, having a hard time working by myself and could not see making 20-40lbs at a time…..Now that I have figured out easier ways to process, I usually make 20-40lbs easily by myself…..So what I’m suggesting is weight you options, and personally if you can afford it…Give yourself some growing room……. That’s just my 2 cents and I hope that it helps…..ShoneyBoy

diggingdogfarm · Jan 4, 2013

I have a 5 lb. and a 15 lb, if you're going to do many batches larger than 5 lb, definitely get the 15 lber!!!!!!

~Martin

BGKYSmoker · Jan 4, 2013

I have had many stuffer sizes over the years.

Here is my take on it.

If you have helpers to guide the casings, one to fill and crank, one to twist and hang then a larger 10, 15, 20 lb stuffer is for you.

If your a 1 man operation such as myself then a 5lb stuffer is the one. Even when i do larger batches of sausage i can fill my canister and have the other amount of the mix in the fridge, Then start again and not have to worry about the raw mix getting warm (unless you have a refrigerated processing area)

My peso worth

themule69 · Jan 4, 2013

looks like everyone thinks i should be thinking bigger. any in put on horizontal ?

david

fagesbp · Jan 6, 2013

I don't know of anyone using the horizontal crank type and I have heard the horn type are a real pita.

mossymo · Jan 6, 2013

Wife and I have a 5 lb. LEM and a 25 lb. SausageMaker. We use the 5 lb. for sticks because as previously mentioned the pressure on the plunger, shaft and gears when doing breakfast links and/or meat sticks can be too much for a larger stuffer. Before we purchased the 5 lb. LEM we broke the gear housing on our 25 lb. SausageMaker doing meat sticks. The 25 lb. Sausage Maker is now repaired, but there are times we wish we had something in between like a 15 lb. or so stuffer.

Here is the broken gear housing on the 25 lb. SausageMaker from the pressure from stuffing meat sticks.

CIMG1661.JPG

mossymo
Jan 6, 2013

-----

Here is the 25 lb. SausageMaker after I repaired it and the 5 lb. Lem we picked up for doing breakfast links and meat sticks from now on.

IMG_1991.JPG

mossymo
Jan 6, 2013

themule69 · Jan 6, 2013

fagesbp said:
I don't know of anyone using the horizontal crank type and I have heard the horn type are a real pita.

yeah the horn is for sure out. it's like the stuffer in my grinder. just enough to let you know you need more.

thanks

keep on smoken

boykjo · Jan 6, 2013

nepas said:
I have had many stuffer sizes over the years.

Here is my take on it.

If you have helpers to guide the casings, one to fill and crank, one to twist and hang then a larger 10, 15, 20 lb stuffer is for you.

If your a 1 man operation such as myself then a 5lb stuffer is the one. Even when i do larger batches of sausage i can fill my canister and have the other amount of the mix in the fridge, Then start again and not have to worry about the raw mix getting warm (unless you have a refrigerated processing area)

My peso worth

Rick has a good point with having help. I have a 30 lb stuffer and had to Buy the motor to be able to do larger batches.

themule69 · Jan 6, 2013

MossyMO said:
Wife and I have a 5 lb. LEM and a 25 lb. SausageMaker. We use the 5 lb. for sticks because as previously mentioned the pressure on the plunger, shaft and gears when doing breakfast links and/or meat sticks can be too much for a larger stuffer. Before we purchased the 5 lb. LEM we broke the gear housing on our 25 lb. SausageMaker doing meat sticks. The 25 lb. Sausage Maker is now repaired, but there are times we wish we had something in between like a 15 lb. or so stuffer.
Here is the broken gear housing on the 25 lb. SausageMaker from the pressure from stuffing meat sticks.

CIMG1661.JPG

mossymo

Jan 6, 2013

Here is the 25 lb. SausageMaker after I repaired it and the 5 lb. Lem we picked up for doing breakfast links and meat sticks from now on.

IMG_1991.JPG

mossymo

Jan 6, 2013

thanks for the pics. a pic is worth a thousand words. it sounds like you think a 15# would be ok with sticks? i started out thinking 5 or 10# then i started thinking maybe a 15#. then i see your pic and read what jimmy has said......i'm glad i didn't run out and buy. before the jury is in.......

thanks

david

themule69 · Jan 6, 2013

boykjo said:
Rick has a good point with having help. I have a 30 lb stuffer and had to Buy the motor to be able to do larger batches.

a 5 10 or now 15# is all i will be thinking about........anything bigger than that would be for sure an over kill. i would need a bigger grinder. to feed a bigger stuffer. then i would have to tear down the smoke house. that i haven't built yet. to have more room to smoke. then i would have to make more friends to help me eat it. so i could make more. and don't forget with more friends i would have to buy more beer. WOW...then their is the problem of i like to BBQ. when would i have time for that?

at some point you hit the point of no return.

thanks

david

fpnmf · Jan 6, 2013

I started out with a 5 pounder...then I got an 11 pounder with a motor..

Couldnt be happier..the motored one from Cabelas rocks..

Making sticks is easier when it has lots of water..

stuffer 004.JPG

fpnmf
Jan 6, 2013

diggingdogfarm · Jan 6, 2013

FWIW, the Gander Mountain 15 lber. is on sale for $200 with free shipping.
It's the stuffer I have.

http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...fer&i=401088&str=sausage+stuffer&merchID=4005

~Martin

shoneyboy · Jan 6, 2013

themule69 said:
a 5 10 or now 15# is all i will be thinking about........anything bigger than that would be for sure an over kill. i would need a bigger grinder. to feed a bigger stuffer. then i would have to tear down the smoke house. that i haven't built yet. to have more room to smoke. then i would have to make more friends to help me eat it. so i could make more. and don't forget with more friends i would have to buy more beer. WOW...then their is the problem of i like to BBQ. when would i have time for that?

at some point you hit the point of no return.

thanks

david

You never hear the saying, " If you cook it,they will come? " Once you start smoking, you will get a following of people too, family, friends and neighbors........The problem is that they are always ready to eat !!!! LOL My wife and son are the worst.....When I smoke anything .......what they don't eat, they want to share and brag about it with there friend......Then I'm out and have to do it again........Horrible cycle.......

I have to smoke something again................SB

badbob · Jan 6, 2013

I have a 5# Lem and it gets a lot of use and always works good. I usually only make smaller batches of 20 Lbs. or less so I don't mind refilling it a few times. Good Luck

boykjo · Jan 6, 2013

fpnmf said:
I started out with a 5 pounder...then I got an 11 pounder with a motor..

Couldnt be happier..the motored one from Cabelas rocks..

Making sticks is easier when it has lots of water..

stuffer 004.JPG

fpnmf

Jan 6, 2013

Hey craig... My stuffer says not to use the motor when doing sticks. I have to remove the motor and use the hand crank.
Does your instructions say anything about that

vertical sausage stuffer, what size to buy?

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