Manual vs Electric Meat Grinder [2023 Review]

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If you are on the market looking to buy a meat grinder, you made the right move. It’s hard to make a choice between manual vs electric meat grinder since all are great tools.

Using a grinder at home gives the feeling of control because you decide on how to grind your meat. There are many benefits of grinding meat at home and its time to take advantage of using meat grinders at home.

Manual vs Electric Meat Grinder

Wondering which meat grinder is the best? Both have unique uses to stand out and be reliable in meat grinding. A manual grinder is better for grinding small batches of meat at a time. People grinding meat once in a while can be well suited with a manual grinder.

On the other hand, an electric meat grinder is the best for large batch meat grinding. If regular grinding is needed, electric grinders are ideal and even for people without the strength to use a manual grinder.

Both appliances offer great grinding performance but we all have different preferences. Depending on the reason to buy or upgrade your meat grinder, a great choice is important.

Each type of meat grinder has its benefits and downsides since they are many options to choose from on the market.

In this article, we will compare the manual vs electrical meat grinder. Make sure to read till the end to see the pros and cons, how they are similar, the differences for more clear understanding.

Why You Need A Meat Grinder?

A meat grinder is a vital appliance to have in the kitchen if you love a different style of cooking meat. If you have never used a meat grinder before, then here are the reasons you should consider to buy one.

• The quality of meat is guaranteed because you purchase the meat instead of buying already ground meat. The question of whether the meat is good or bad is taken care of by selecting your own meat.
• Variety of meat-based foods like pasta, burger, sausages and more which can save you some dollars.
• Save a lot of time and money for you if you grind meat at the grocer at a fee.

Knowing the reasons to buy any appliance is a great idea which will help you to acquire the best type of meat grinder. Let’s see each type of grinder what it has to offer for consideration.

Manual Meat Grinders

This type of grinders are the traditional ones with a simple design and features. It might seem to be old skool but they still have more to offer for great meat grinding at home.

As the name suggests, manual grinders to work they use a crank which is rotated using hands. No batteries and electricity are needed to power the appliance.

Due to the limited features, manual meat grinders are small because they are designed with small capacity. Lack of motors makes them have less weight to make them portable. You can use them anywhere in the kitchen or outside with no electricity required.

There are different types of manual grinders with improved designs and sizes to increase performances. They can be medium size to large and from different materials.

Manual grinders are affordable compared to electric meat grinders which makes them perfect for budget purchase.

Best Manual Meat Grinder

Manual Meat Grinders Features

Simple Design

They come with a simple design which provides easy setup and usage. No complicated features and can be used without experience in meat grinding.

Small in Size

It’s easy to store them in kitchen cabinets since they are compact. For small kitchens with limited space, they are a perfect choice. Most of the manual grinders are below 1 ft and weigh less than the electric grinders.

Easy to Clean

To clean a manual grinder, it’s a simple task because the parts are easily dissembled. Washing the parts with warm water is a great idea to keep them clean and free from bacteria.

Ease of Repairs

In case of a breakdown, its very easy to repair them. You fix it by yourself and if its a big issue, most parts can be purchased at the local store.

Portability

With no power cords like electric meat grinders, you can move it wherever you want. This means you can grind meat inside the kitchen and outside.

Pros of Manual Meat Grinders

• Affordability – Less expensive than electric meat grinders
• Compact design – for the kitchen especially for small kitchens with limited storage and usage
• Highly Durable – Manual meat grinders can last for a very long time because of there metal construction.
• Cuts added costs – Since it uses a hand crank to grind, there is no extra cost like electricity bills. Also, there are no cables to replace due to damage or so.
• Perfect home use – manual grinders are perfect to use at home because they are not used on a daily basis. Hotels and restaurants can’t use manual grinders because they grind large amounts of meat.

Cons of Manual Meat Grinders

• Tiresome – Requires a lot of energy since you have to use hands to rotate the crank. It like a muscle workout if you have to grind more than 2 pounds of meat.
• Countertop edge – Some manual grinders also require a surface that you can clamp it. This can be a challenge because most of the kitchen counters have thick edges.
• Safety Concerns – Meat doesn’t need to be exposed to some elements which can be the case grinding manually, bacteria can contaminate the meat. Grinding small batches decreases the exposer to elements for long periods.
• Uniformity – The meat might not have uniform cuts due to variations in power. Grinding power reduces as you get tired of rotating the crank.

Electric Meat Grinders

This type of meat grinders uses electricity to operate through strong motors. The motor span the blades of the grinders to grind meat in different rotation levels.

There are many different electric meat grinders on the market with also different features depending on the brand and price. You can get a meat grinder with variations of blades for more versatile and different cuts of meat.

If you want to grind meat faster with efficient performance, the electric meat grinder is a great option. They can grind large batches of meat in a few minutes which saves time.

Choosing an electric meat grinder from a well-known brand will ensure you get the best product.  The following are some of the features to expect on an electric meat grinder.

Best Electric Meat Grinders

Electric Meat Grinders Features

Versatile

They come with a variety of blades to grind meat in different sizes and shapes. This can be done faster with a uniform outcome of slices.

Heavy

Electric meat grinders can heavier than the manual grinders due to extra weight from the motor. The base is also heavy to ensure the device doesn’t move while in operation. Extra attachments are available to increase performance increase the weight of the machines.

Grinding Capacity

These grinders can grind meat faster in large amounts from any kind of raw meat. If you plan to grind large batches, the electric meat grinder is the best.

Powerful Motor

A high-performance electric grinder comes with a powerful motor to enable easy grinding of any type of raw meat.

Advanced Designs

They come with many parts which enable high performance of the grinders.

Power cords

Electric meat grinders need an electrical cable to connect to a power source. A long power cord is better easier accessibility.

Pros of Electric Meat Grinders

• Easy to Use – Using an electric meat grinder is very easy because all is needed is to fit the meat and plug the power on. Few inputs from the user are needed due to the automation of the grinding process.
• Fast and Reliable – Once the meat is poured on the feeding shuttle, the rest of the grinding is done very fast by the grinder. Electric meat grinders need less assembling of the machine, unlike manual grinders.
• Safety & hygienic – Meat is ground quickly reducing the exposure to outside elements for long periods. No hands involved in grinding increasing the safety of any harm.
• Powerful – The electric grinders offer different settings to perform different grinding like grinding hard bones. Meat can grind slowly or quickly depending on how you want it. Grinding large amounts of meat requires a powerful motor which can handle the task.
• Grinds huge amounts of meat – This is the perfect meat grinder to prepare large batches of meat in the kitchen. They are built to grind faster and save time with high performing features.

Cons of Electric Meat Grinders

• More expensive – The price to buy an electric meat grinder is higher than a manual meat grinder. Cost is increased by extra attachments and high-quality features like motor and different types of blades. In case of breakdown, an additional cost is incurred by buying a new spare part for replacement. The blades need to be sharp and maintained regularly.
• Electricity – These grinders are dependent on using only electricity to function. They can increase the electricity bill at home.
• Portability – Electric meat grinders are less portable for movement because of the need for a power source for connection.

Things To Consider While Buying A Meat Grinder

Before you make a decision to buy on these meat grinders, you should look for the following;

Budget

Budget is vital to help you minimize spending a lot of money for an appliance which can cheaper. The manual meat grinders are a budget appliance to buy if you grind meat once in a while.

The electric grinders consume electricity and if you are not ready to add extra costs, focusing on a budget grinder is great choice. There are many affordable grinders both manual and electric meat grinders.

Brand

Considering the brand of the meat grinder will ensure a quality and durable machine. Manufacturers like Weston, Cuisinart, Sunmile, STX, and Lem have the best meat grinders.

User reviews

Reading reviews from customers who have bought the product will increase the confidence of the meat grinder to buy. With more positive reviews, a great product is available.

Requirements

It’s better to choose between manual vs electric meat grinder considering your needs. A small family doesn’t require a large expensive meat grinder.

Bottom Line (Manual vs Electric Meat Grinder)

The fact is, both manual and electric meat grinders are great and also reliable kitchen appliances. Choosing the right meat grinder comes down to the user requirement, budget, type, and preference.

In terms of performance, the electric meat grinder has a high performance with faster grinding. The manual grinder performs well only for a small batch of meat.

For a hassle-free and easy usage, the electric is more convenient to use. There is no need to use human energy which is very tiresome.

Although the pricing is different, your requirements are the key to purchasing either of the manual vs electric meat grinder.