SS Meat Grinder Attachment Kitchenaid

six_egg

This is what I have found so far grinder. Please let me know what you all think. 

caliking

@20stone bought one ( smokehousechef.com ) that fits a KA mixer, and  worked like a champ when we ground up a hog's worth of sausage. A bit more expensive than the one in your link. 

DoubleEgger

I've got the smokehouse chef and would not recommend it. 

PSC

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004SGFH/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

no personal experience but good reviews.

lkapigian

http://www.harborfreight.com/electric-meat-grinder-99598.html Harbor Freight dedicated grinder for less money -Loved mine, used the heck out of it and upgraded to the LEM..I have a Kitchenaid Pro600,just dot like the attachments

bgebrent

I would not recommend the KA attachment.  It's no workhorse and not really well made.

nolaegghead

I had the KA plastic one.  Eventually cracked.  Bought a LEM and there's no comparison.  Superior.

Killit_and_Grillit

I had the KA plastic one. It was marginal and flaked out. I am going to buy an aftermarket one I can mount to a table. 

Lit

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

bgebrent

Lit said:

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

Mine cracked and was junk.  Who knows, maybe operator error.  Glad yours has served you well.

fishlessman

i use the ka plastic one, did not like it til i found bigger plates on ebay, the stock plates are too small for it

DoubleEgger

The worst part is that it takes two people to stuff the casings with a KA attachment. 

caliking

DoubleEgger said:

I've got the smokehouse chef and would not recommend it. 

what don't you like about it? I was thinking of getting one. 

nolaegghead

Lit said:

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

In full disclosure, I had mine for at least 8 years and it ground up hundreds of pounds before it cracked.  However, the LEN grinds about 4x faster and seems to macerate the meat less - don't have the squirting of juice with the LEN. 

nolaegghead

DoubleEgger said:

The worst part is that it takes two people to stuff the casings with a KA attachment. 

And you get a lot of air in the casing.   I bought the LEN piston stuffer and it's superior....and a 1-person job.

DoubleEgger

caliking said:

DoubleEgger said:

I've got the smokehouse chef and would not recommend it. 

what don't you like about it? I was thinking of getting one. 

The tab that fits into the slot on the KA to keep it in place doesn't hold the best. Three times I had it come out and shït flew all over the kitchen. It's just painfully slow as well. It's a terrible stuffer because the outlet is at the top of the machine so someone has to hold the sausage the entire time. What a PITA. The feed on my new LEM stuffer is at the bottom so the sausage feeds directly on to the counter. The stuffing part with the Smokehouse sucks so badly that I didn't want to make sausage anymore. 

lkapigian

nolaegghead said:

DoubleEgger said:

The worst part is that it takes two people to stuff the casings with a KA attachment. 

And you get a lot of air in the casing.   I bought the LEN piston stuffer and it's superior....and a 1-person job.

Yup, I have the LEM stuffer and grinder- Wished I would have gotten the 10pound stuffer though.....I don't thing any grinder doubles well as a stuffer unless you are making just a few links And Or stuffing and grinding in 1 shot

DoubleEgger

I'll sell you my Smokehouse if you're still interested @caliking

six_egg

I knew I could count on you all to give me some great feedback and things to think about. Thank you for responding all. 

Lit

bgebrent said:

Lit said:

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

Mine cracked and was junk.  Who knows, maybe operator error.  Glad yours has served you well.

I'm sure it's crappy compared to a dedicated grinder but for what I do it's more than enough. This was a 12pb brisket ran through twice with the course blade.

fishlessman

Lit said:

bgebrent said:

Lit said:

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

Mine cracked and was junk.  Who knows, maybe operator error.  Glad yours has served you well.

I'm sure it's crappy compared to a dedicated grinder but for what I do it's more than enough. This was a 12pb brisket ran through twice with the course blade.

if you havent yet, upgrade the blades, makes a huge difference
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-pc-SET-Meat-Grinder-plates-knife-new-FGA-KitchenAid-Mixer-Food-Chopper-/311450365073?hash=item4883e36c91

danguba78

DoubleEgger said:

caliking said:

DoubleEgger said:

I've got the smokehouse chef and would not recommend it. 

what don't you like about it? I was thinking of getting one. 

The tab that fits into the slot on the KA to keep it in place doesn't hold the best. Three times I had it come out and shït flew all over the kitchen. It's just painfully slow as well. It's a terrible stuffer because the outlet is at the top of the machine so someone has to hold the sausage the entire time. What a PITA. The feed on my new LEM stuffer is at the bottom so the sausage feeds directly on to the counter. The stuffing part with the Smokehouse sucks so badly that I didn't want to make sausage anymore. 

It seems like the issues you were having relate to using this as a stuffer, which based on what you describe, would be miserable. 

But I inherited a piston stuffer, so all I need is a grinder.  How does the Smokehouse Chef perform as a grinder? 

nolaegghead

Lit said:

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

Our cracked after hundreds of pounds of meat and maybe 7 years.  So it's not terrible for occasional use, but it still cracked.

DoubleEgger

danguba78 said:

DoubleEgger said:

caliking said:

DoubleEgger said:

I've got the smokehouse chef and would not recommend it. 

what don't you like about it? I was thinking of getting one. 

The tab that fits into the slot on the KA to keep it in place doesn't hold the best. Three times I had it come out and shït flew all over the kitchen. It's just painfully slow as well. It's a terrible stuffer because the outlet is at the top of the machine so someone has to hold the sausage the entire time. What a PITA. The feed on my new LEM stuffer is at the bottom so the sausage feeds directly on to the counter. The stuffing part with the Smokehouse sucks so badly that I didn't want to make sausage anymore. 

It seems like the issues you were having relate to using this as a stuffer, which based on what you describe, would be miserable. 

But I inherited a piston stuffer, so all I need is a grinder.  How does the Smokehouse Chef perform as a grinder? 

I ended up getting a dedicated stuffer and it definitely sped things up. The Smokehouse Chef grinder is just okay. I'm not fond of the way it secures to the mixer. It comes loose and the whole unit spins and slings meat all of the counter and floor. It was a gift so I'm not sure what it costs, but I wouldn't buy another one. Running 10lbs through it is a lot of work.  Get a dedicated grinder and you'll want to make sausage more often. 

Botch

nolaegghead said:

Lit said:

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

In full disclosure, I had mine for at least 8 years and it ground up hundreds of pounds before it cracked.  However, the LEN grinds about 4x faster and seems to macerate the meat less - don't have the squirting of juice with the LEN. 

I'm using the plastic KA also, though only so far for "dozens" of pounds; guess I know what to replace it with if/when mine cracks.  I also bought the blades that @fishlessman recommended, excellent!  The KA is, however, completely useless as a stuffer.  I have a new LEM that I haven't tried yet, now that tomato season is gone and its getting cooler.... 

nolaegghead

Botch said:

nolaegghead said:

Lit said:

I've had the KA plastic one for 5 plus years and have never had an issue. That thing has ground up hundreds of pounds of meat and still going strong. 

In full disclosure, I had mine for at least 8 years and it ground up hundreds of pounds before it cracked.  However, the LEN grinds about 4x faster and seems to macerate the meat less - don't have the squirting of juice with the LEN. 

I'm using the plastic KA also, though only so far for "dozens" of pounds; guess I know what to replace it with if/when mine cracks.  I also bought the blades that @fishlessman recommended, excellent!  The KA is, however, completely useless as a stuffer.  I have a new LEM that I haven't tried yet, now that tomato season is gone and its getting cooler.... 

Agreed.  The piston stuffer is a life saver with stuffing.  Turns it into a one man job, although two peeplz makes it even faster.