Although manual meat grinders are becoming increasingly popular in home kitchens, electric meat grinders remain an essential piece of butchers machinery. Using a manual meat grinder can often be perfectly sufficient for smaller businesses, but if you’re processing meat on a commercial scale, it’s likely to be be far too time consuming and tiring. So, if you’re thinking of upgrading your current meat grinder, here’s exactly what you should look for in a new electric meat grinder.

What features should I look for?

In an electric meat grinder, the auger is powered by an electric motor. This means there’s no crank handle or need for manual operation. Instead, all you need to do is oversee the grinding and add meat to the hopper. This means the process of grinding meat using an electric meat grinder is faster and more efficient than using a manual version of the machinery.

However, all electric meat grinders are different. Due to this, before you purchase your new grinder, you need to consider these four points:

1. Power

The higher the power, the better the performance. After all, a more powerful electric meat grinder will generally grind meat quicker and won’t struggle with any ingredients that might prove difficult to grind.

What’s more, more powerful electric meat grinders tend to last longer than less powerful versions, making them the best choice for industrial applications processing exceptionally large volumes of meat. This is because the motor doesn’t need to work as hard during day-to-day life and is less prone to overheating.

It’s also worth remembering that if you’re making hamburgers and sausages every day, then you’ll need at least 4HP of power. However, you may need more if you’re regularly creating kebab mixtures or grinding large volumes of meat.

meat mincer machine

2. Efficiency and cost

The more efficient the machine, the more meat it can grind in a shorter period of time.

It’s not uncommon for high-powered electric meat grinders to grind up to 30kg of meat per minute. However, although this makes the machine more economical and saves you time, the efficiency is often reflected in the price. So, if you don’t grind enough meat to justify the cost, then you may find that a less efficient machine that grinds 70kg/hour is better for your needs. This is a judgement call based on how much meat you need to grind, how long you’re prepared to spend grinding the meat and how much you’re willing to spend.

3. Speed control and reverse function

The possibility to control the speed of your grinding is a major bonus. While lower gears usually suit tougher or rougher pieces of meat, higher gears are perfect for soft ingredients. By spending time selecting the right gear, you ensure that you’re handling your ingredients with care and creating the perfect result every time.

In addition, electric meat grinders with a reverse function are usually preferred by commercial clients. This is because the reverse gear is highly useful if the mechanism blocks. Plus, it can also help make sure you achieve your desired blend each time. Again, grinders with these functions often cost more, but the features provide a clear benefit.

4. Spare parts

An electric meat grinder is a serious investment. As a result, before you commit to purchasing a model, you should check to see how easy it is to acquire spare parts and accessories for the machine.

For example, here at Butchers Equipment Warehouse, we stock a wide range of AMB 32EK mincer spares that fit AMB Food Tech models, including mincer plate studs, mincer worm drive shafts and head rings. However, you need to make sure that finding replacement parts for your chosen mincer is just as easy. If not, you may discover that ongoing repairs and maintenance are far more costly than what you budgeted for. We also stock a wide range of electric meat grinders from the world’s leading manufacturers. Unsure which is right for you? Call us on 01254 427761 for expert advice.