Meat Grinders

Common Types and Configurations

• Countertop meat grinder: Compact format that fits on a prep counter. The standard choice for small kitchens, taquerias, and restaurants grinding under 300 pounds per hour.
• Bench-style meat grinder: Larger frame designed to sit on a dedicated bench or stand. The standard format for restaurants and delis grinding 400 to 1,000 pounds per hour.
• Floor-standing meat grinder: Heavy-duty unit on its own frame for butcher shops and sausage producers. Catalog floor units rate up to 2,866 pounds per hour with 4 to 7 HP motors.
• Hub meat grinder: Attaches to a standard mixer power hub (#12, #22, or #32) instead of having its own motor. Useful for kitchens that already run a planetary mixer and want to add grinding without buying a separate machine.
• Refrigerated meat grinder: Built-in refrigeration keeps the meat cold during long grinding runs, which preserves texture and slows bacterial growth. Available as a heavy-duty floor format in this catalog.
• Mixer grinder: Combines grinding and mixing in one machine for sausage, meatball, and burger-blend production. Built for high-volume operations that batch-mix seasoned ground meat.
• Meat shredder: A different format that shreds cooked meat for tacos, sandwiches, and pulled-meat applications instead of grinding raw meat through a plate.

What to Look at Before You Buy

• Throat size: Standard commercial sizes are #8, #12, #22, and #32. Higher numbers mean a larger meat opening and more throughput. The #12 covers most restaurant use. The #22 fits high-volume restaurants and small butcher shops. The #32 is for full butcher shops and sausage production.
• Capacity: Catalog units rate from 200 pounds per hour (small countertop) up to 2,866 pounds per hour (heavy-duty floor units). Match the rated capacity to your peak production with margin to spare.
• Power: HP ratings in this catalog range from 1/3 HP on small countertop units to 7.5 HP on heavy-duty floor and mixer-grinder models. Higher HP handles tougher cuts, frozen meat, and continuous use without bogging down.
• Drive type: Gear-driven units transfer torque directly with no slip and handle frozen or tough meat better. Belt-driven and poly-V belt units run quieter and cost less to maintain.
• Construction: Stainless steel housing for sanitation and cleanability. Polished aluminum and cast iron formats are also available at lower price points. The grinding device itself is usually stainless steel regardless of the housing material.
• Forward/reverse: A reverse setting clears jams without disassembling the machine. Useful for high-volume operations grinding mixed cuts.
• Voltage and phase: Most countertop and bench units run on 110V to 120V single-phase. Heavy-duty floor and mixer-grinder units run on 220V single-phase or 220V three-phase.
• Footprint: Countertop units fit on a standard prep counter. Bench units need dedicated bench or stand space. Floor units need dedicated production-line floor space with cleanout clearance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the # number mean on a commercial meat grinder?

The # number refers to the throat size, which is the diameter of the meat opening that feeds the grinding head. Standard commercial sizes are #8, #12, #22, and #32. A #12 is the most common restaurant size and handles roughly 200 to 600 pounds per hour. A #22 is for high-volume restaurants and small butcher shops at 400 to 1,000 pounds per hour. A #32 is for full butcher shops and sausage production at 600 to 2,800 pounds per hour. Higher numbers also accept larger plates and larger feed pieces.

What is the difference between countertop, bench, and floor meat grinders?

A countertop meat grinder is a compact unit that sits on a prep counter and handles smaller volumes (typically under 300 pounds per hour). A bench-style grinder is a larger format designed to sit on a dedicated bench or stand and covers restaurant and deli volume from 400 to 1,000 pounds per hour. A floor-standing grinder is a heavy-duty unit on its own frame for butcher shops and sausage producers at 1,000 to nearly 3,000 pounds per hour. Floor units typically run 4 to 7 HP motors and need three-phase power.

How many pounds per hour can a commercial meat grinder process?

Catalog units rate from 200 pounds per hour on small countertop models up to 2,866 pounds per hour on the largest heavy-duty floor units. Bench-style grinders cover the middle range from 440 to 1,325 pounds per hour. Mixer grinders typically rate similar to comparable bench and floor models but with longer batch cycles because the meat passes through a mixing stage as well. Match the rated throughput to your peak shift and account for cleanup and changeover time between batches.

Related Categories

• Meat Slicers
• Sausage Stuffers
• Meat Mixers
• Meat Tenderizers

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