Best Electric Meat Grinders for Home Kitchens (2026): 6 Picks for Burgers, Kofta and Sausage
Six electric meat grinders and attachments compared on speed, plates and attachments, plus plate sizes and how to grind meat at home.
Best overall: STX Turboforce 3000. Best budget: ALTRA 350 W. Best for stand mixer owners: KitchenAid Metal Grinder. Best premium: LEM Big Bite #8.
Grinding meat at home means you choose the cut, the fat ratio and how fresh it is, which makes juicier burgers and better kofta. A good grinder cuts cleanly instead of smearing and clears jams without a fight.
For most homes, the STX Turboforce 3000: about six pounds a minute, a reverse switch and kubbe and sausage attachments. The ALTRA 350 W is the budget starter, the KitchenAid Metal Grinder suits mixer owners, and the LEM Big Bite #8 is the premium pick for large cuts.
Decide how much you grind at once, then choose the motor size and attachments.
Quick Picks: The Best Electric Meat Grinders
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STX Turboforce 3000 Series Electric Meat Grinder (STX-3000)
A strong home grinder with reverse, two speeds and a kubbe and sausage kit.
Check STX Turboforce 3000 Price →ALTRA Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder (350 W)
An affordable grinder with three plates, kibbeh attachments and dishwasher-safe meat parts.
Check ALTRA 350 W Price →KitchenAid Metal Food Grinder Attachment (KSMMGA)
Turns a KitchenAid stand mixer into a meat grinder, with three plates and sausage tubes.
Check KitchenAid Metal Grinder Price →LEM Big Bite #8 0.50 HP Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder
A quiet, stainless Big Bite grinder that pulls meat through without much pushing.
Check LEM Big Bite #8 Price →Meat Grinder Comparison Chart
All six side by side. Tap any name to see today’s price on Amazon.
| Meat grinder | Speed | Reverse | Attachments | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STX Turboforce 3000 Series Electric Meat Grinder (STX-3000) | About 6 lb/min | Reverse, high and low | Kubbe + 3 sausage tubes | $$ |
| Sunmile SM-G50 Electric Meat Grinder | About 3.3 lb/min | Reverse | Sausage stuffer | $$ |
| ALTRA Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder (350 W) | Small batches | Not listed | Kibbeh + sausage | $ |
| KitchenAid Metal Food Grinder Attachment (KSMMGA) | Small batches | Uses mixer speeds | Sausage tubes | $ |
| Weston Pro Series #8 0.75 HP Electric Meat Grinder (10-0801-W) | 4–6 lb/min | Forward only | 4 sausage funnels | $$$ |
| LEM Big Bite #8 0.50 HP Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder | Up to 7 lb/min | Not listed | 3 stuffing tubes | $$$ |
Specs as stated by each brand. Price tiers are a rough guide and change often, especially around Black Friday: $ under $100 · $$ $100–250 · $$$ over $250.
The 6 Best Electric Meat Grinders, Reviewed
The best all-rounder first, then a compact grinder, a budget starter, a stand mixer attachment and two heavy-duty grinders.
STX Turboforce 3000 Series Electric Meat Grinder (STX-3000)
The STX Turboforce is the best all-rounder for home cooks who grind regularly. It moves about six pounds a minute, handles tougher cuts, and has a reverse switch to clear the auger if sinew wraps around it. A circuit breaker protects the motor, and the box includes a kubbe attachment and three sausage tubes.
- Fast for a home grinder
- Reverse clears jams
- Kubbe and sausage attachments
- Loud at full speed
- Large chunks can stall it
Sunmile SM-G50 Electric Meat Grinder
Sunmile’s SM-G50 is a steady, compact grinder for smaller kitchens. It grinds about 200 pounds an hour, comes with coarse, medium and fine stainless plates, and has a reverse function and a circuit breaker for safety. It takes little counter space and stores easily between batches.
- Three stainless plates included
- Reverse and circuit breaker
- Compact footprint
- Slower than larger grinders
- Cut meat into small cubes first
ALTRA Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder (350 W)
ALTRA’s grinder is a low-cost way to start grinding at home. It comes with three cutting plates, a sausage tube and two kibbeh attachments, and the parts that touch meat are dishwasher safe. A storage box keeps everything together. Feed it slowly and in small batches and it handles burger and kofta meat well.
- Low price
- Dishwasher-safe meat parts
- Kibbeh and sausage attachments
- Feed tray and pusher feel light
- Bogs down if overloaded
KitchenAid Metal Food Grinder Attachment (KSMMGA)
If a KitchenAid already sits on your counter, this metal attachment is the easiest way to start. It plugs into the mixer’s power hub and comes with fine, medium and coarse plates, two sausage tubes and a cleaning brush. Chill the metal grinder in the freezer first and it handles small batches of burgers and meatballs.
- Uses the mixer you already own
- Metal parts chill well
- Easy to clean
- Slower than a dedicated grinder
- Can smear fatty meat
Weston Pro Series #8 0.75 HP Electric Meat Grinder (10-0801-W)
Weston’s Pro Series #8 steps up to a 0.75-horsepower motor that grinds four to six pounds a minute, enough to turn a big beef roast into burger meat in minutes. It comes with 4.5 mm and 7 mm stainless plates and four sausage funnels. It is a real investment, built for cooks who buy meat in bulk.
- Grinds big batches quickly
- Stainless plates
- Built for regular heavy use
- Expensive
- No reverse switch
LEM Big Bite #8 0.50 HP Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder
LEM’s Big Bite design grabs meat and pulls it into the auger, so it grinds up to seven pounds a minute with little pushing. The all-stainless body is easy to clean and quiet for its power, and it handles sinew and silverskin better than lighter grinders. It comes with 4.5 mm, 10 mm and stuffing plates.
- Very fast, little pushing
- Handles sinew well
- Quiet for its power
- Highest price here
- Large to store
Grinder Plate Sizes Explained
The plate decides the texture. For the cleanest result, grind once through the coarse plate, then again through the fine one.
| Plate | Hole size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Coarse | About 3/8 in (10 mm) | Chili, chunky sausage, first grind |
| Medium | About 1/4 in (7 mm) | Burgers and everyday ground beef |
| Fine | About 3/16 in (4.5 mm) | Kofta, kebab, meatballs, second grind |
| Stuffing | Large openings | Sausage, with a stuffing tube |
Sizes vary a little by brand. Head numbers such as #8 or #12 describe the plate diameter; a bigger number grinds faster.
How to Grind Meat at Home
- Cut meat into 1-inch cubes and trim away tough sinew and silverskin.
- Chill everything. Freeze the cubes and the metal grinder parts for 20 to 30 minutes until very cold but not solid; warm fat smears.
- Feed slowly and let the auger do the work. Forcing meat in causes jams and stalls the motor.
- Clear jams with reverse if your grinder has it; otherwise unplug and remove the sinew from the blade.
- Cook ground meat fully: ground beef and lamb to 160°F and ground chicken or turkey to 165°F. Check with an instant-read like the TempPro TempSwift.
- Clean right away. Push a slice of bread through to clear the last bits, then wash, dry and lightly oil the blade and plates.
Grinding in bulk? Portion and seal it with one of the best vacuum sealers, and see the best instant-read thermometers.
What to Make With a Meat Grinder
Burgers
An 80/20 chuck blend makes juicy patties. Try a turkey burger or a ground beef dinner bowl, seasoned with taco seasoning.
Kofta and kebab
Grind lamb or beef fine with onion and herbs, shape onto skewers and serve with homemade tzatziki. The kibbeh attachments shape hollow shells.
Meatballs
Fresh-ground meat makes tender meatballs: turkey meatballs, Korean BBQ meatballs or ricotta meatballs.
Grinding your own also lets you choose exactly which meat goes in, which helps in halal and kosher kitchens.
How to Choose an Electric Meat Grinder
Six things to check before you buy.
Rated, not peak
Compare rated or horsepower figures; “max” or locked watts are only the stall peak.
#5 to #12 for homes
A #8 suits most families; #12 and up are for hunters and bulk processing.
Pounds per minute
Two to three pounds a minute is fine for weekly burgers; six or more for big batches.
Clears jams
A reverse switch backs sinew off the blade without taking the grinder apart.
At least coarse and fine
Three plates cover chili, burgers and kofta; stainless plates resist rust.
Sausage and kibbeh kits
Stuffing tubes and kibbeh attachments add uses for little extra cost.
Shopping for a gift? See the Christmas gifts for home chefs and the Black Friday kitchen deals hub.
Electric Meat Grinder FAQs
What is the best electric meat grinder for home use?▼
The STX Turboforce 3000 for most homes. It grinds about six pounds a minute, has a reverse switch and comes with kubbe and sausage attachments.
What size meat grinder do I need?▼
A #5 or #8 suits most home kitchens. Choose #12 if you grind large batches often, and #22 or larger only for hunters and processing.
What do the numbers on meat grinders mean?▼
They describe the head and plate size. A #8 plate is about 2 1/8 inches across, and a bigger number means a wider plate and faster grinding.
What is the difference between rated and peak watts?▼
Rated watts are what the motor runs at; peak or locked watts are a short stall figure. Compare rated power or horsepower between models.
Can a home meat grinder grind bones?▼
Most cannot. Home grinders are made for boneless meat, and bones can crack plates and blades. Follow the manual for your model.
Is it worth grinding your own meat?▼
Yes, if you cook ground meat often. You choose the cut and fat ratio, it is fresher, and burgers and kofta taste noticeably better.
What fat ratio is best for burgers?▼
About 80 percent lean to 20 percent fat for juicy burgers. Chuck is naturally close to that ratio.
How do you keep meat from smearing in a grinder?▼
Keep the meat and grinder parts very cold, use a sharp blade and do not overload the feed tube.
Can you grind chicken in a meat grinder?▼
Yes. Boneless thighs grind best. Keep them very cold, clean the grinder well afterwards and cook ground chicken to 165°F.
Can a KitchenAid mixer grind meat?▼
Yes, with the Metal Food Grinder attachment. It works well for small batches; chill the grinder first for a cleaner cut.
How do you clean a meat grinder?▼
Push bread through to clear leftover meat, then take it apart and wash in hot soapy water. Dry fully and lightly oil the blade and plates.
Can you make sausage with an electric meat grinder?▼
Yes. Grind beef, lamb, chicken or turkey, mix in the seasoning, then fit a stuffing tube and fill the casings slowly.
The Bottom Line
- Best overall: STX Turboforce 3000.
- Best compact: Sunmile SM-G50; best budget: ALTRA 350 W.
- Best for stand mixer owners: KitchenAid Metal Food Grinder.
- Heavy-duty: Weston Pro #8 for big batches or LEM Big Bite #8 for the fastest grind.
Buy for the batch size you make most often, and keep everything cold. Cold meat and a sharp blade matter as much as the motor.
