sausage stuffer/meat grinder

[mfreel]

 
What grinders use metal gears that are sub $100?

None that I'm aware of.  You're probably looking at $150 for a good one.  I think that's what I paid for my LEM on sale.

 

[mummel]

Yeah Im all set on the stuffer.  Im going to go with the LEM.  I just need to decide on a half decent grinder. 

• The $100 Northern Tools Kitchener uses carbon steel plates so thats out.
• The $95 LEM is cheaper and uses stainless plates, is rated 575W vs the Kitchener at 350W, so between these two, the LEM is the clear winner on paper, but still has plastic gears.
• The $80 Sunmile SM-G33 is cheaper than the LEM and comes with an extra grinding plate, but is rated 400W vs the LEM at 575W and only comes with the 30 day Amazon return window, whereas the LEM has a 1 year warranty.  For the extra $15, I'm inclined to go for the LEM.

So no grinders with metal gears around $100?  Any other grinders I should add to this list?

 

[mummel]

 
None that I'm aware of.  You're probably looking at $150 for a good one.  I think that's what I paid for my LEM on sale.

Oh and BTW, what LEM grinder do you have?

 

[mummel]

Also, does the Weston #8 come with metal gears?  It looks like a LEM #8 clone.

 

[dward51]

 
Also uses carbon steel plates :(

Been using my Northern Tool Kitchener grinder for over 2 years and nary a bit of rust on those "carbon steel plates".   All I do is clean them as soon as the meat is ground and spray them with LEM's food grade silicone lubricant and then put them in a zip lock bag.  They still fit in the storage compartment of the grinder while in the bag.

And yes the Northern #12 has metal gears and they are not exposed, so rust should not be an issue with them either.

As to the Kitchener 5lb stuffer with the "plastic" (nylon?) gears....  Nary a problem with it either.  And I use it to stuff 18mm snack stick casings which puts the maximum pressure on the plunger plate.  The trick is to pay attention to where the plunger is and don't bottom it out against the cylinder.  I mark the threads on my stuffer with a permanent sharpie marker.  That way I know when I'm getting close to bottoming out.  As soon as I feel pressure I stop cranking.  Works every time and there is hardly any meat left in the stuffer.

I give a big thumbs up to both the Kitchener #12 grinder and the Kitchener 5lb stuffer from Northern Tool (and you can use the discount codes for $20 off the grinder and $10 additional off the stuffer if you buy them in two transactions).

 

[woodcutter]

I have a LEM #22 and I'm very happy with it. I can throw hand fulls of meat at it and hardly changes sound. The Big Bite Auger pulls the meat right in. It performs great on second grinds as well. Second grinds can are sometimes harder with small throat grinders. I also have a .2hp #5 from Gander Mountain that looks like the one in you video. It works well on the first grind but requires a lot of pressure on the plunger for second grinds. I'll probably give the small one to one of my daughters but the LEM #22 they will have to wait to inherit. 

 

[timberjet]

the plates are stainless. I have never seen modern carbon steel plates. Plates are pretty much universal for that size grinder anyway and cheap.By the way all steel is carbon steel including stainless. If you don't clean and dry your metal no matter what kind it is you will get corrosion.

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

 
Also uses carbon steel plates :(

Been using my Northern Tool Kitchener grinder for over 2 years and nary a bit of rust on those "carbon steel plates".   All I do is clean them as soon as the meat is ground and spray them with LEM's food grade silicone lubricant and then put them in a zip lock bag.  They still fit in the storage compartment of the grinder while in the bag.

And yes the Northern #12 has metal gears and they are not exposed, so rust should not be an issue with them either.

As to the Kitchener 5lb stuffer with the "plastic" (nylon?) gears....  Nary a problem with it either.  And I use it to stuff 18mm snack stick casings which puts the maximum pressure on the plunger plate.  The trick is to pay attention to where the plunger is and don't bottom it out against the cylinder.  I mark the threads on my stuffer with a permanent sharpie marker.  That way I know when I'm getting close to bottoming out.  As soon as I feel pressure I stop cranking.  Works every time and there is hardly any meat left in the stuffer.

I give a big thumbs up to both the Kitchener #12 grinder and the Kitchener 5lb stuffer from Northern Tool (and you can use the discount codes for $20 off the grinder and $10 additional off the stuffer if you buy them in two transactions).

Well said, could not have said it better ! I have both units as well, no issues here whatsoever ! Great expaination ! Thumbs Up

 

[mfreel]

I have a LEM 5 and 15 lb stuffer.  I have a Cabela's 3/4 horse grinder with the 44 lb mixer.

 

[mummel]

I've been watching the LEM 5lb stuffer on Amazon for months.  It was as low as $99 and Im really sorry I missed it.  Yesterday I ordered the LEM directly on the LEM website and they had it for $153 after tax and shipping, but it comes with stainless steel tubes, and one of the tubes is the 3/8 sheep casing tube that I need (which would cost $16 if I bought it separately anyway).  All in all its probably fair market price.  Not exactly a screaming deal but I only have so much of the summer left!  It should arrive in 10 business days which works because I'll be on vacation :)

So all I need now is the grinder.  I'm probably just going to get the LEM #8.  Seems like the best choice on the value curve considering the limited options.  Still trying to make sure I'm not missing any other options out there.  A grinder with metal gears and stainless blades rated 400W+ for around $100 would be a no-brainer. 

• The $100 Northern Tools Kitchener uses carbon steel plates so thats out.
• The $95 LEM is cheaper and uses stainless plates, is rated 575W vs the Kitchener at 350W, so between these two, the LEM is the clear winner on paper, but still has plastic gears.
• The $80 Sunmile SM-G33 is cheaper than the LEM and comes with an extra grinding plate, but is rated 400W vs the LEM at 575W and only comes with the 30 day Amazon return window, whereas the LEM has a 1 year warranty.  For the extra $15, I'm inclined to go for the LEM.

 

[boykjo]

FYI, Stainless steel plates have a high carbon content. If they are not taken care of they will also rust....... My cabelas Stainless steel plates will stick to a magnet......

 

[mummel]

 
FYI, Stainless steel plates have a high carbon content. If they are not taken care of they will also rust....... My cabelas Stainless steel plates will stick to a magnet......

Yeah I think those two things are completely unrelated.  Sounds like the Cabelas ones were being sold with too little chromium in the alloy and therefore not really stainless steel.  I would send them back or try exchange them.

A ferritic stainless steel owes its magnetism to two factors: its high concentration of iron and its fundamental structure.

 

[mummel]

LEM #8 review after 2 years: