A meat grinder is an integral part of the kitchen, where people like to cook delicious and healthy home-made food. For the most diverse dishes, it is often necessary to grind, mash or squeeze the ingredients. And for this, the modern housewife needs the appropriate equipment – a meat grinder. Naturally, you need to choose not a tame one, such have already gone into the past and turned into rarities, which, if only by their appearance, can remind you of the wonderful moments when your grandmother made meat pies. Let’s consider how to choose an electric meat grinder for the home.
In fairness, we can mention that now there is a huge selection of food processors, which can also replace old meat grinders. However, as in the case of any universal device, combines only partially replace it. Thus, for the necessary functionality, it is better to supplement the combine with a normal meat grinder.
Main characteristics
To choose a suitable electric meat grinder, you need to decide on a number of questions about its main characteristics:
- power;
- productivity;
- form and convenience;
- availability of necessary nozzles;
- additional functions;
- price.
The main task of an electric meat grinder, which is also the most difficult, is the preparation of minced meat. In order not to attach particular importance to the presence of veins and cartilage in the meat, you need to choose a powerful meat grinder that will grind all this without problems and without much effort on the part. The main part of the electric meat grinder, which is responsible for this, is the electric motor. Its power determines the limit of the device’s capabilities. All other components are selected and calculated by manufacturers according to this fundamental characteristic.
Power
Conventionally, all electric meat grinders can be divided into:
- low power,
- semi-professional,
- powerful units.
The simplest low-power electric meat grinders consume 300-800 W and are mainly intended for infrequent use. It is better to choose meat for preparing minced meat that is softer and without veins, cartilage, because the meat grinder may not be able to cope with their grinding and stop. They consume little, do not take up a lot of space, in fact, they are equal in their capabilities with combines in the function of grinding products.
More powerful devices, from 800 to 1500 W, are already a suitable level for constant use. Such devices are able to grind and grind almost everything that is put into them, therefore the choice of an electric meat grinder of this class is fully justified. They are already larger than their cheaper counterparts and stronger, but also allow you to perform much more tasks. It is with the help of such meat grinders that you can afford to cook high-quality home-made pasta or a variety of pastries, grinding and squeezing thick dough through the necessary nozzles. Grinding vegetables and fruits, as well as squeezing juices, will go much better, despite their density, if you choose a powerful device.
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The most powerful options of electric meat grinders (from 1500 W and above) should be chosen for the home only if necessary. Their main disadvantage is high electricity consumption, and their performance may be too much for your needs. Such an electric meat grinder for the home is irrational, they are already used for industrial and commercial purposes, for example in butcher shops, where it is necessary to constantly grind a huge amount of meat.
Productivity
The second most important parameter that you should familiarize yourself with when deciding which electric meat grinder to buy. Its value determines the amount of meat in kilograms that can be ground per minute. This parameter varies in different models within 1-2.5 kg/min. Options with a capacity of 1-1.5 kg/min are suitable for home use.
It is worth learning one more feature of electric meat grinders: no matter how powerful it is, they can work for no longer than 15 minutes. After that, it should be given a break, otherwise it will break. So, when choosing the required performance, this point should also be taken into account.
What is a meat grinder made of
The main part of the meat grinder is a block with an electric motor and control. It should be massive and stand rigidly on the legs, which ideally are also adjustable. What is directly related to the grinding process is: a tray, a pusher, an auger, knives, a knurled nut and a set of nozzles.
A tray is a tray in which products for grinding are placed. Actually, the bigger it is, the more convenient it will be to use it. It can be both plastic and metal. There are no special complaints about the reliability of the plastic tray, but if you have a dishwasher, it is better to choose a metal version that can be washed and rinsed in it without problems.
The auger is a spiral part that actually pushes the products to the knives and nozzles. Don’t be surprised if the meat grinder has a metal auger as well as a plastic auger. It is intended for vegetables and fruits and is often much better suited for this.
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The number and variety of forms determine the versatility of the meat grinder. After all, in addition to grinding meat, you can squeeze juices from fruits, make pastes from vegetables, pates, cook homemade sausage and many other delicacies. The standard set includes nozzles for fine, medium and coarse grinding, as well as options with different forms of outlet holes. It doesn’t matter how to choose an electric meat grinder for the house in terms of power, if it will have a few nozzles of different types. It is advisable to pay attention to this aspect.
Knives for chopping products in most meat grinders should be sharpened at least once or twice a year. Some manufacturers equip their devices with self-sharpening knives. It is worth learning that the knives of different meat grinders are unlikely to fit each other, so if it breaks or becomes too dull, you will have to contact the service center. The material of the knife must be steel.
Main manufacturers and price categories
Electric meat grinders presented on our market of household appliances are conditionally divided into three price categories. Which electric meat grinder is better for you to decide, based on your finances and needs.
The most expensive models are produced by companies from Germany, Sweden and France. They are distinguished by high-quality assembly, reliable materials and a long service life. The most popular manufacturers are Bosch and Braun. Also present in this market are such companies as Tefal, Moulinex, Kuechenbach, Mado, Feuma and De’Longhi
The average price category is represented by Italian, Japanese, Chinese manufacturers (Sirman, Fimar, Zelmer, Scarlett, Panasonic, Kenwood). Such electric meat grinders have an attractive appearance and a large set of additional options, but they are not suitable for processing large volumes of products. Such an electric meat grinder for the home will be effective if its use is not constant.
Domestically produced electric meat grinders are the most affordable. Mainly, the stores present the models of the Belarusian companies Torgmash or Baranovichi. The low cost of the product in this case is due to the use of inexpensive materials. If Western European electric meat grinders are mainly made of wear-resistant stainless steel, domestic ones have cheaper cast iron and aluminum alloy. In this case, it is difficult to say how to choose an electric meat grinder correctly, since by saving money, you risk getting a device that will quickly fail. Although if you use it relatively rarely and in small portions, as well as store it correctly, then it will last a long time.