care for the working parts properly. For an even
cheaper, if slightly less sturdy option, at $29.95, a
clamp-mounted model allows you to work on any
tabletop you’d like, though sometimes getting the
pieces to fit together properly can be a pain. Still,
one of these will still grind your meat well.
Stand Mixer Attachments
The next level up is for anyone who owns a stand
mixer. All of the major brands, including
KitchenAid, Viking, and Cuisinart, have their own
attachments. I use the plastic KitchenAid grinder
attachment at home. The great thing about buying a
meat grinder attachment is that you already know
that the hardest-working part of your grinder—the
motor—is a workhorse that can power through even
the toughest grinding projects.
You are, obviously, stuck buying the attachment
for whatever brand mixer you own, but none of
them are that bad. While both the Cuisinart and the
Viking feature all-metal parts, which can stay chilled
for longer than those in the plastic KitchenAid
model, they are also three times as expensive. Stand
mixer attachments are a great choice if you make a
lot of sausage. You can grind the meat directly into
the mixer bowl, then attach the bowl to the machine
and immediately start mixing it with the paddle to
develop the protein.
Stand-Alone Grinders