Manual meat grinders still creating values to the uses despite the dominance of the electric meat grinders among the users. Both types have some unique values that have differentiated one from another. In this article, I am going to discuss the important features and attributes of a typical manual meat grinder. After the read, the readers will understand what to expect from this type of meat grinding machine. I will individually discuss the common features such as the size of the feed tube, built-quality, grinding speed, longevity, price, and so on. I think it will help the readers take the right decision during their purchase.
Appropriate Size of a manual meat grinder
The size of a manual meat grinder is usually #5 or #8 if it is plastic made. The metal made manual meat grinder can be of varying sizes. For example, Weston manual meat grinders range from #8 to #32. Therefore, if you need a larger feeding tube, then do not get a plastic made grinder. The advantage of a larger feeding tube is that you do not need to cut the meat in small pieces before you put it in the tube. When you grind a lot of meat, you may not have enough time to cut individual pieces before grinding it. Therefore, a larger size will be more appropriate in that case.
Grinding speed
This is an important aspect of a meat grinder. Maximum grinding speed determines how fast you can get your job done. Grinding speed is more of a term for the electric meat grinder. However, for a manual meat grinder, you need to do the job by hand cranking. Therefore, there is not rated speed for any manual meat grinder. You have to keep it in mind that you can not grind a lot of meat with it because there is no electric motor to crank it. But it will be sufficient to grind the regular meat that we consume in a small to medium family.
Expected Built-quality of a manual meat grinder
A manual meat grinder is usually made of plastic. However, metal made meat grinders are not unusual. The plastic made manual meat grinders have stainless steel grinding plates and blade. These accessories are prone to corrosion. Therefore, to prevent these from rusting, manufacturers of all kinds of meat grinders make these accessories with stainless steel. On the other hand, the metal made manual meat grinder is usually made of cast aluminum. I have not seen any stainless steel made manual meat grinder. As the price is of this kitchen appliance is lower, the metal alloys that are used to manufacture it is also cheaper.
Value for the money
The value that is generated with a manual meat grinder is great. If you occasionally need to grind meat, then you do not need to spend a few hundred bucks to purchase an electric meat grinder. A manual meat grinder is a perfect solution in this kind of situation. On the other hand, a camper who needs to grind the meat and therefore, needs a portable meat grinder, can rely on this. Compared to its electric counterpart, a manual meat grinder is at least 4 to 5 times cheaper.
Appropriate application
A manual meat grinder is appropriate for the residential kitchen only. Because you have to crank it with your hand, the volume of the meat matters. For this reason, a manual meat grinder is not suitable for commercial use. Metal made manual meat grinders can be applicable for grinding bones to prepare pet foods.
Clamping
Fixing of a manual meat grinder can be done in two ways. One is clamping it on the table or countertop. The majority of manual meat grinders come with this system. However, there is another type of system that is called the ‘suction cup’ system. In this system, there is a cup at the bottom of the grinder that is used to suck the air to fix the grinder on the flat surface. The latter type is better and more convenient to set the grinder up.
Bottom line
You need to know what to expect from a top quality manual meat grinder. Many people expect too much from it and end up with frustration and negative comments. If you compare the prices, it is so much inexpensive. Therefore, the value generated by a manual meat grinder is not insignificant. For this reason, I tried to explain the common attributes and features of a manual meat grinder so that readers can get an idea of what to expect from it. I think it will help. If you find this helpful, you can share it with others. Have a good day.