A meat grinder is an essential kitchen appliance that is used for chopping and mincing various food items like raw meat, fish, and even vegetables.

Earlier, these appliances were mostly used for commercial purposes, but now they have become a must-have kitchen item for most of the households. When compared to store-bought meat packages, the ones processed at home are known to have better texture and flavor.

Nowadays, there are a plethora of meat grinders available in the market. The task of picking the one that best suits your meat handling needs can be a daunting one.

To simplify things for you, we’ve compiled a list of points you need to take into consideration before buying this kitchen appliance.

Manual or electric
Before purchasing a meat grinder, it is imperative to figure out whether you need a manual or an electric one. Both types come with their own sets of pros and cons. Manual meat grinders cost less than the electric ones.

However, getting the work done with a manual one requires more effort. On the other hand, electric meat grinders, though a bit expensive, can make the whole process less strenuous.

Attachments and accessories
Most of the meat grinders come with various attachments and accessories like a meat slicer, shredder, sausage stuffer and many more. These can be used for a wide array of purposes.

You can either buy the one that comes with all the additional accessories like meat slicers or just get a basic one and purchase the accessories separately.

Size and weight
The size and weight of a meat grinder should also be taken into account. There are different types of meat grinders in the market – some come with a large profile while others are lightweight and compact.

Large meat grinders, which come with a multitude of accessories, tend to take up a lot of counter space, while compact ones can easily fit in small space but may lack a few essential accessories.

Durability
Durability is another factor that you need to take into consideration before buying a meat grinder. The meat grinders that are strong and sturdy tend to function efficiently and last longer.

For instance, the ones that come with stainless steel are known to be most durable and do not catch rust easily.

Take all of the aforementioned factors into consideration and pick the one that perfectly suits your meat handling needs.