Meat Grinders?

Neal Haarberg

Neal Haarberg

Active member
I have an old #12 Waring Commercial grinder that has worked well for me but the last couple times I have used it just seems like it is at the end of it's useful life. The motor seems to be struggling more that it used to. So I am starting to shop around for a new one. A #12 is big enough since I typically will not do more that 12Lb's at a time and grind about 50 lbs a year. So I have no desire to go with a bigger size. The big question I have is what brand? I think I have narrowed it down to LEM and MEAT! but if anybody wants to suggest something different I am all ears. Typically I am pretty price conscious but in this case I want quality. Something that will work well for a long time.
 
LEM hands down. My son got lucky and found a #12 LEM for $200 on FB marketplace. MEAT isn't the same quality as LEM. I use a #12 LEM and it'll go through 25lbs of meat in minutes.
 
Neal Haarberg said:
I have an old #12 Waring Commercial grinder that has worked well for me but the last couple times I have used it just seems like it is at the end of it's useful life. The motor seems to be struggling more that it used to. So I am starting to shop around for a new one. A #12 is big enough since I typically will not do more that 12Lb's at a time and grind about 50 lbs a year. So I have no desire to go with a bigger size. The big question I have is what brand? I think I have narrowed it down to LEM and MEAT! but if anybody wants to suggest something different I am all ears. Typically I am pretty price conscious but in this case I want quality. Something that will work well for a long time.
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I'm pretty sure the Meat! and the Cabela's Carnivores come out of the same factory (if you see actual pictures of the two they are identical, the pics on the websites dont' 100% reflect what they actually sell), so go with price if looking there. People seem to like the LEMs as well. The thing I'd say is when looking at this level of grinder, make sure the inside of the head is cast with a spiral pattern and machined not just cast with flutes. I had a grinder like that (Cabela's #8 bought decades ago made by Weston and just never worked right) and it just never worked well (I found some online discussion on it as well).

I have a Cabela's Carnivore #32 that is probably too big, but after struggling with a #8, I went with the go big or go home strategy.
 
I second the lem. I have the big bite #8 and it is plenty for me.. I like the fact when I wanted to buy different size blades and plates I got to talk to somebody that I could understand that also knew the product. While ordering I asked them about a sausage grinder. They were very helpful .
 
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