looking to buy a grinder. Use will be like most of you guys, grinding burger, stuffing sausage etc. What hp do you guys use that makes fairly quick work of the process? Any brands to look at over others? Getting ready to do more home processing. Thanks. mtmuley
What size grinder?
- Thread starter mtmuley
- Start date
npaden
Well-known member
I just upgraded to the Cabelas 3/4 hp Carnivore one a little over a year ago and it was a big improvement over my old 3/4 hp one that died.
You can usually get Cabelas gift cards at a discount so you can save 10% by doing that.
Way quieter and really sucks down the meat. Takes in pretty big pieces so you don't have to spend a bunch of time cutting into small strips.
Biggest drawback is storing it. It weighs just over 50 pounds.
You can usually get Cabelas gift cards at a discount so you can save 10% by doing that.
Way quieter and really sucks down the meat. Takes in pretty big pieces so you don't have to spend a bunch of time cutting into small strips.
Biggest drawback is storing it. It weighs just over 50 pounds.
Bambistew
Well-known member
I have a 3/4 horse LEM. It makes moose burger as fast as I can feed it through. Cabelas has a very nice selection of quality grinders, as good as my local butcher supply store. make sure the gears are all metal. Some are plastic, and while they are quieter, they won't last as long, supposedly.
I was never impressed with making sausage with a grinder, or tubing burger for that matter. Its way easier to get an actual stuffer, and far easier to control.
Get a foot pedal if you want to use the grinder for tubbing or stuffing though.
I was never impressed with making sausage with a grinder, or tubing burger for that matter. Its way easier to get an actual stuffer, and far easier to control.
Get a foot pedal if you want to use the grinder for tubbing or stuffing though.
7mm08mo
Well-known member
I have a 1 horse Weston that grinds super fast, and also have a 1/2 hp Lem that does very well.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
Either what npaden said or a weston pro 3/4 hp. I have the old Cabelas commercial 3/4 that was made by weston. It works like a champ.
PrairieHunter
Well-known member
I killed my Cabelas 3/4 horse on some slightly frozen meat early this season. Ended up finishing up with a manual grinder using a drill to power it. It was actually a huge improvement over that gutless cabelas model but much more involved holding the drill.
Got to looking and ran across a fella selling a bunch of Weston grinders and vac sealers on ebay. Ended up getting a #32 1.5 horse for only $300 including shipping. They are normally around $700.
All I can say is the grinders I had before this one were toys. What sold me was the video of a a guy throwing deer ribs in it and it does not even flinch and bone meal comes out the back side. This thing is a beast. It will grind over 10 pounds per minute, faster than I can load it or put in plastic bags in most cases. No more cutting down to small size pieces either.
I figure I will use it 30 years, so it will cost me around $10 per season. Which is way less than what I spend on the little Cebelas models I have burned up which were about $100 and I would burn one up every few years.
Got to looking and ran across a fella selling a bunch of Weston grinders and vac sealers on ebay. Ended up getting a #32 1.5 horse for only $300 including shipping. They are normally around $700.
All I can say is the grinders I had before this one were toys. What sold me was the video of a a guy throwing deer ribs in it and it does not even flinch and bone meal comes out the back side. This thing is a beast. It will grind over 10 pounds per minute, faster than I can load it or put in plastic bags in most cases. No more cutting down to small size pieces either.
I figure I will use it 30 years, so it will cost me around $10 per season. Which is way less than what I spend on the little Cebelas models I have burned up which were about $100 and I would burn one up every few years.
The TSX turboforce walks circles around the 1/2 HP LEM and is half the price. I've used both side by side at gathering with a bunch of buddies as we worked together to get our summer sausages made.. I would not want a non-commercial grinder that did not have a reverse. The LEM would bog down on a shank chunk or other silverskin cut and had to be taken apart more times than I cared and the STX would slow down but chew it up and if the plate and cutter clogged up with the silverskin a few seconds of reverse would usually cure the problem. STX makes models stronger than the turboforce now for a little more $$ and I would look hard at them.
Last edited:
MThuntr
Well-known member
I have the 1/2hp version prior to Cabelas Carnivore. I got it on super sale but wish I would have waited for a 3/4hp but it does work pretty well for me. I use a separate sausage stuffer.
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
We have a 1/2 hp Cabela’s grinder and have been really happy with it. I honestly can’t imagine needing much more than that for what we do - so far we have used it on everything from waterfowl to moose. We use it to grind and for stuffing. It grinds just as fast as we can feed it, never bogs down on anything (though I’m a meticulous trimmer). I think we will get a foot pedal for the stuffing though.
Borrowed one from a friend once that was some ridiculous hp and would grind whole legs, bone and all (he used it for that during his master’s project). Yeah, that was cool but it didn’t add much value to our meat processing workflow IMO.
Borrowed one from a friend once that was some ridiculous hp and would grind whole legs, bone and all (he used it for that during his master’s project). Yeah, that was cool but it didn’t add much value to our meat processing workflow IMO.
haiku_rodney
New member
I use the STX Turboforce. Kind of noisy and the housing is made of aluminum. However, it does work. I grind on the average 1 deer a month. I don't think it will grind as fast as a 3/4 horse grinder, but, it was a lot cheaper. It also weighs a lot less.
HighDesertSage
Well-known member
I bought a .35 HP LEM big bite two seasons ago. It does a good job, but I wish I had at least gone with a 1/2. I think 3/4 would a good place to start if your budget allows. I've been happy with LEM products.
I have an older model Cabela's 1/2 horse and have zero complaints. I'll do about 3 deer per year and do my salami stuffing with it as well. I think they were made by Westin?
If you go the LEM route, I got a catalog in the mail a couple of days ago and they have a nice promo going on until December 23. They will take 20% off of the highest priced item! Use the promo code HIGH18. That would knock off $126 from the 1 horse model as an example.
If you go the LEM route, I got a catalog in the mail a couple of days ago and they have a nice promo going on until December 23. They will take 20% off of the highest priced item! Use the promo code HIGH18. That would knock off $126 from the 1 horse model as an example.
el unit
Well-known member
I have the 1 horse Weston, that weighs as much as a horse, and can grind a horse in about 1/2 hour. Also comes with all the attachments needed to stuff sausage.
bowhuntmontana
Well-known member
This one ^^. Had mine for three years and it is fantastic.
406LIFE
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2016
- Messages
- 3,112
3/4 Hp carnivore and put 30 animals through it with no issues. Get the foot pedal for sure.
sbhooper
Well-known member
Buy the biggest one that you can afford. You will not regret it. I have a one horse and it is great, but I process so much, that sometimes I wish that I had bought the Cabela's monster. I have had three Cabela' s grinders and all have been great.
