Over a year go, I started out with a kitchen aid meat grinder and sausage horn and it was a good way to start for cheap beings that I owned the mixer. But, it would take me about 6 hours to do 10 pounds of 2-3 different styles of sausage. Last Xmas I got better equipment. I went L.E.M all the way. I purchase the 25# non tilt meat mixer, 10# SS sausage stuffer and the no.12 meat grinder with the big bite auger. What a difference on the end result. I always thought my sausage was good, but moving up to better equipment made a huge impact. The meat mixer connect to the grinder and does a great job of mixing while I go to the next step of prep work. I make about 26 pounds of sausage in 6 hours, including clean up. I have about 1300$ invest in those three items. The kitchen aid is great to test the waters if you already have the mixer, but if you want what works good and have the money, spend what it takes to get what is needed, and you wont be sorry. Spend some time researching and ask yourself what you want to end up with and how long you want to do it for. The equipment that cost a lot will make things easy and your food taste better as I have discovered. Spend some time on this forum and see what others have to say. This is the best BBQ resource I have found anywhere.