There are a number of reasons why you might wish to grind meat at home rather than opt for the pre-packaged products at the supermarket; the meat is safer, it delivers better texture and flavor and, best of all, it saves you money. If you are a meat lover, investing in a grinder could be one of the best decisions you ever make. To ensure you find the right machine for your needs, we have reviewed five of the best meat grinder machines available today.

5. Waring MG105 Professional

Waring is a brand that most people are familiar with and its MG105 is a reliable grinder at a decent price. As with most Waring products, this machine is easy to operate thanks to a simple on/off reverse function switch and packs in a 500-peak watt motor for solid performance. While it is let down by the noise and the tricky positioning of the stem, the MG105 is a good entry-level choice.

4. Sportsman MEG300 3/4HP 350W + 3 Cutting Plates

Featuring a 350-watt motor and tidy vertical design, the Sportsman MEG300 is a very capable piece of machinery that will serve beginner grinders well. The machine is capable of grinding up to 100 lbs an hour and is very easy to use, with three cutting plates (fine, medium, and coarse) allowing a wide selection of meats to be put through the grinder. Sadly, the Sportsman is only capable of handling small batches of meat.

3. Sunmile 1HP 5# Stainless Steel SM-G33 400W

The Sunmile electric meat grinder places at number three on our list of meat grinder reviews, but represents quite a big step up from the Sportsman, despite the two being similarly priced. Featuring 400W rated power and 800W max locked power, the Sunmile is capable of grinding up to 170 lbs an hour and includes a large capacity tray to handle meat. Operation is relatively quiet, ventilation is good, and the range of accessories is very useful indeed. The only drawbacks to this machine are the directions of use, which can be quite confusing.

2. LEM Products .75 HP Stainless Steel Electric Meat Grinder

LEM Products’ Electric Meat Grinder is a real workhorse of a machine and is capable of grinding for hours on end without so much as a stutter. The 47-pound grinder features all metal gears and roller bearings, and performance really benefits as a result. However, this level of quality does come at a price – this .75 HP monster is one of the most expensive grinders available.

1.  STX INTERNATIONAL STX-3000-TF Turboforce 3-Speed Electric Meat Grinder

Taking everything into consideration – price, performance and specs – the STX International is the total package and worthy of being crowned our best meat grinder in 2016. The large size of the grinder means it is capable of grinding more meat that the average consumer will need and a powerful three-speed motor ensures power is never lacking when you need it. Over 88,000 of these machines have been sold in the past seven years and customer satisfaction rate is 99.8% – that tells you everything you need to know about the quality of the grinder that STX International has produced.