Kitchen Aide Stuffer attachment? or alternative suggestions!

smokinclt · Feb 20, 2013

I have not done sausage so I am totally new to this. I have a grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aide mixer and it works great and I was thinking of getting the stuffer attachment for this mixer but was wondering if anyone had any experience with this or alternative recommendations. I found the attachment for $39 and that is a pretty darn good price but if someone thinks something else would be better and in the same price range please let me know.

I am sure I will need lots of help

but I have to start somewhere..

Doug

BGKYSmoker · Feb 20, 2013

smokinclt said:
I have not done sausage so I am totally new to this. I have a grinder attachment for my Kitchen Aide mixer and it works great and I was thinking of getting the stuffer attachment for this mixer but was wondering if anyone had any experience with this or alternative recommendations. I found the attachment for $39 and that is a pretty darn good price but if someone thinks something else would be better and in the same price range please let me know.

I am sure I will need lots of help

but I have to start somewhere..

Doug

Save your $ on the KA stuffer and get a dedicated stuffer.. There is a reason they call the KA a mixer.

For the $39 you would be better off with a jerky blaster gun to stuff sausage.

smokinclt · Feb 20, 2013

Nepas can I stuff sausage with that? And will it really work better than the KA attachment? Sorry again I am completely new

to this. I have been smoking meat for years but I have never stuffed a sausage. I do know the meat grinder works pretty nicely. I use it on eye round and it plows through it pretty nicely. Much better than the manual one I was using.

Doug

s2k9k · Feb 20, 2013

You can get a Grizzly 5# stuffer for $85, I know that's out of the price range but for the money it's a good stuffer.

BGKYSmoker · Feb 20, 2013

smokinclt said:
Nepas can I stuff sausage with that? And will it really work better than the KA attachment? Sorry again I am completely new

to this. I have been smoking meat for years but I have never stuffed a sausage. I do know the meat grinder works pretty nicely. I use it on eye round and it plows through it pretty nicely. Much better than the manual one I was using.

Doug

Yes they make stuffing tubes for the blaster. Not bashing the KA its a great machine for mixing and grinding small batches but its a PITA for stuffing. You will push the meat and get it warm causing the meat to smear and cuss word you thought you wouldnt say...LOL

smokinclt · Feb 20, 2013

Thanks S2K9K I can probably swing about 100 but may have to wait a week just to keep the toy habit down a bit. I will look into the Grizzly. I really appreciate the help!

Doug

couger78 · Feb 20, 2013

I love my KA MIXER, but I wouldn't dream of using it as a stuffer.

I used to use my cabela grinder to stuff—and it worked...but just okay.

Then I saw the light (!) and realized having a separate stuffer was the only way to go if I was serious about sausage-making.

Now I have two—one for big jobs & one for 5lbs or less.

Kevin

mdboatbum · Feb 20, 2013

$39 for the KA stuffer is highway robbery!! That would be a good deal for the grinder maybe, but the stuffer's just 2 tubes and a plastic plate. They have them on Amazon in the $12-$15 range.

That being said, they do work, but slowly and rather frustratingly. If you're going to do one batch of sausage a year, then yes, it's worth the minimal investment. If you think you'll do a lot more, go for the dedicated unit.

smokinclt · Feb 20, 2013

I see mounting brackets on the Grizzly. Will it need to be mounted to a block or can I use it free standing? Small 1950's ranch house and the kitchen counters are pretty loaded up right now. I have a 24x24x4 cutting block as one of the counters I suppose I could mount it there if needed just hate to lose more space.

Thanks for that info Nepas I will not be getting the KA attachment. The KA works for grinding but I see how having the corkscrew turning would heat up the filler and make a mess of things. Looks like the Grizzly will be a good alternative for me. Funny I have been smoking for years but I feel like such a green horn on this..

s2k9k · Feb 20, 2013

Most people including me just use a C-clamp or 2 to hold it to the counter while in use.

You might read some bad reviews on it because of the plastic gears but from all I've read if you are careful with it they will last a long time and if not LEM has some steel gears that will fit it.

smokinclt · Feb 20, 2013

Ahhhh

great idea I was ready to start thinking about drilling holes. When you say be careful with it help me to understand what you mean. Again super green at this. Does that mean don't put so much through it or push slowly or?

Sorry for the silly questions.

Doug

s2k9k · Feb 20, 2013

From what I've read if you bottom it out and then put too much pressure on the crank handle you can strip the gears. You just have to pay close attention when you start getting near the bottom and be ready to stop cranking, it's really not hard to get the hang of that. I've only used mine a couple of times and it has been very easy to learn and get used to.

fpnmf · Feb 20, 2013

You might try the handy dandy search tool up top.. plenty of discussions on these topics..

Here's one..

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...kitchenaid-attachment-vs-5lb-verticle-stuffer

smokinclt · Feb 20, 2013

Thanks all and sorry about the duplicate thread I should have searched first. I think after doing more reading I will just wait and go with the LEM 5#. That seems to be the model most will say is built the best for a starter. As always I very much appreciate all of the responses and will make sure that when I get this I post pics of my new guy sausage adventures.. Huh.. that sounds kinda weird..

diggingdogfarm · Feb 20, 2013

S2K9K said:
From what I've read if you bottom it out and then put too much pressure on the crank handle you can strip the gears. You just have to pay close attention when you start getting near the bottom and be ready to stop cranking, it's really not hard to get the hang of that. I've only used mine a couple of times and it has been very easy to learn and get used to.

Yes, it helps to be smarter than the stuffer. :biggrin:

On my Grizzly, it bottoms out when about the third thread protrudes above the chassis, once it gets to that point, it's done stuffing.

Stuffing with a very small tube, 3/8". also puts a lot of strain on the gears, but if care is taken and the handle is backed off when you feel a lot of pressure build, there shouldn't be a problem.

I've ran many hundreds of pounds of sausage through mine without a problem.

~Martin

mickey jay · Feb 20, 2013

I used my KA mixer as a grinder for about a year, and started getting involved with larger batches, and I started noticing burnt smells coming from the motor, and this odd black greasy liquid in my meat. It became very clear that it was time for real equipment. Not sure how much life I took out of the KA, but it's happy once again mixing up pancake batters and cookie doughs rather than twenty lbs of meat.

smokinclt · Feb 20, 2013

LOL Mickey Jay I use it for a couple pounds every couple of weeks. I am sure when I start the sausage I will need to get a better grinder but the small hand grinder I had was a major PITA and this one does the trick. For now I want to get the stuffer and start making sausage and i will need to wait a little bit to get a good one is the consensus I am hearing. So for now I will keep reading recipes and tips on making them and salivating over all the Qview.

mickey jay · Feb 20, 2013

Agreed, a couple lbs here and there should be fine :-)

squirrel · Mar 1, 2013

I had the KA stuffer attachement and used it once. Big time pain, I couldn't get it to go through without backing up, what a mess. I have the Grizzley 5 lb. stuffer. I have not had a problem with it. Yea, it has plastic gears, but it's not like they came outta a cracker jack box or something.

They are pretty sturdy and if you don't act like a 5 year old (only cuz I do sometimes) and keep trying to grind when you shoudn't, it's all gonna be just fine. Good luck!!!

goingcamping · Mar 1, 2013

Squirrel said:
I had the KA stuffer attachement and used it once. Big time pain, I couldn't get it to go through without backing up, what a mess.

They are pretty sturdy and if you don't act like a 5 year old (only cuz I do sometimes) and keep trying to grind when you shoudn't, it's all gonna be just fine. Good luck!!!

X 1,000,000

I've used my KA for beef/elk sticks...the grinder portion works okay, but stuffing is an exercise in patience. It will make the consistency of the sausage like toothpaste as the auger used for grinding destroys the texture of the meat. I'm ordering the 5#LEM (all stainless). I don't make much sausage, but would like it to be less frustrating when I do!

~Brett

Kitchen Aide Stuffer attachment? or alternative suggestions!

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