All About Meat Grinder Knives

A meat grinder is a very necessary device in the kitchen. There are other devices for grinding food today, but a meat grinder is a more traditional option, and it also has a simple functionality. The cutting knife is practically the main element of the meat grinder. Unfortunately, in low-quality models, this is also the most fragile part.

The meat grinder knife is characterized by different modifications. A popular variety with four cutting blades. There are also three- and two-bladed cutting parts, but they are less common. Knives for an old manual meat grinder differ in the material of manufacture. For example, now this part is made of soft stainless steel. Previously, knives were made from high-carbon, high-strength tool steel.

The main differences between knives of domestic and foreign production are in the appearance of the cutting edge... The cutting edge of a classic knife is in front when viewed from the vertical. The cutting process is provided by sliding, but it is small. Such a knife is not very efficient at work.

Modern electric meat grinder knives are usually saber-shaped. The highly displaced cutting edge ensures good glide. The efficiency of saber-shaped knives is high. They are widely used for household electric meat grinders.

These profiles provide the same sliding force. The cutting conditions of the product with such a knife ensure good efficiency.At the same time, unlike the saber-shaped knife, which acts as a spatula, smearing the minced meat in front of the grill, knives for a professional meat grinder crush the product, and in 10-15 minutes.

A knife with saber-shaped points has recently been less commonly used in household meat grinders, since it has the main drawback - it pushes the meat to the edges of the screw. The body in front of the grate is "overgrown" with the product, the productivity decreases, the device needs to be cleaned periodically. When a limited amount of meat needs to be processed, it goes unnoticed. The process becomes difficult with large processed batches.

It is important to pay attention to the features of the knives at the unit, especially if it is planned to process a large amount of meat or other products at home. The optimal power of a home electric unit is considered to be 250-700 W, which allows you to make minced meat from 2-3.5 kg of meat in 1 minute. If it is customary in a family to harvest a sufficiently large amount of minced meat, you can take a closer look at models from 800 W - they usually have increased functionality.

The configurations of meat grinders are different, but the wider the functionality, the higher the price of the device. If many attachments are not needed in use, it is better to choose a simple model, but with a high-quality cutting element.

These parameters are closely related to the type of grinder. Among the manufacturers of meat grinders are popular Bosch, Moulinex, Philips, Zelmer, Kenwood, Redmond, Polaris. Manual and electric models have no other fundamental differences, except that the latter are characterized by greater power. They can successfully process even veined frozen meat. In addition, with the help of the device, you can get not only the classic minced meat, but also the version chopped into small pieces.

The largest number of positive reviews is collected by the German manufacturer Bosch. The models, although not the most powerful, are distinguished by high-quality assembly and durable components. Zelmer - the second most popular manufacturer, supplies quality equipment with inexpensive components. The more popular this or that type of equipment, the easier it is in the future to select the component parts. They are often used interchangeably and are inexpensive.

For example, the listed types of meat grinders work according to an identical scheme, the main components are made of the same material - stainless steel, the body of the electrical appliance is plastic, there is a necessary minimum of additional attachments that are used to prepare sausages and other delicacies. Despite the simplicity of the device, there are many manufacturers today, therefore there are a large number of types and forms of accessories.

In addition to the blades, the knives have a different base configuration. The most common elements are:

• hexagon;
• square.

Due to the difference in the shape of the base, it can be difficult to select an element for a specific model of a meat grinder. In addition, some manufacturers produce different types of knives for different series of meat grinders. So, a popular brand Moulinex meets the base "hex" and "square". Zelmer offers accessories with square seat only. Bosch, Braun, Kenwood, Gorenje also available with a square base.

The blade shapes vary from species to species, but this only plays a role in processing efficiency. The problem can only arise if a large amount of meat is processed. The blades are single-sided and double-sided. The operation of the latest models is easier, since they can be inserted from either side. The first type of difficulty occurs in inexperienced housewives. In this version, the flat side of the knife must necessarily touch the grate, which is installed behind the disc. The convex side should be on the auger.

Self-sharpening knife included Moulinex ME 6201, Kenwood MG-700, Bosch MFW 68660. The price of devices is from 6500 to 18000 rubles.

In a separate type of cutting elements, you can include two-blade scoring knives, which are included in the set of professional old-style meat grinders. Element is set to MIM-300, MIM-300M, M-250 (UKM), TM-32, TM-32M and others, with a diameter of the parts used 82 mm. Such an element has holes, and at the entrance they are narrower than at the exit. This is necessary in order to make the processed product easier to come out.

If you put the wide side from the entrance, and the narrow side to the exit, then there will be some pre-pressing of the product. In enterprises, such a knife is used for processing dough products, for example, pasta.

The quality of the cutting blade affects the performance of the grinder, so it is important to choose the right metal accessory. Steel is the most common material for making knives, but recently cast iron elements have been found. They have a longer service life.

The processing efficiency of the product will increase from more cutting edges. The most widespread are four-blade structures with a landing hole in the center - it must reliably fix the knife on the auger element.

Meat grinder knives can be forged or stamped. The first version of the product is distinguished by its increased weight, but improved strength. The cost of such cutting elements is usually high. Punching will be lighter in weight, but with less strength. Stamped knives are cheaper in price.

The assortment of meat grinders found in the stores of the country is quite large. Chopper knives are also varied in characteristics, but some models are considered interchangeable.

For example, if you are looking for a cutting element for your Moulinex meat grinder, take a closer look at the parts from Tefal. HV3, HV4, HV6 series fit ME7001, ME7011, ME7108 and Crups HV6, GVM2 series. The knives of these devices made of high quality steel have the same dimensions - 4.5 cm, relatively inexpensive.

The knife from the Zumman unit with a square seat is compatible with many models, for example, Daewoo, Verloni, Scarlett, Panasonic. The product has excellent strength characteristics, is easy to install and inexpensive.

Bosch offers customers a set of knives along with a meat grinder, but if they become unusable, you can use parts from Zelmer or Philips. The quality of the strength of the products is high, the price is low.

Good compatibility with knives from Braun, Philips meat grinders. The cutting parts of these devices have a long service life, but if they are dull, you will have to spend a significant amount from the family budget, since the elements are expensive at a price.

Redmond - Chinese manufacturer's meat grinder features cutting knife performance, which is difficult to find among the interchangeable elements. The knife is larger than all others - 5.4 cm, thickness - 8 mm, with a fairly wide seat. The quality of the knife is good, but it has the main disadvantage - the high price and the lack of interchangeable elements.

Scarlett is a widespread brand, and therefore the elements for these meat grinders are quite expensive. Kitchen has the only suitable knife option. The product practically does not differ from a standard element, has a long service life, good strength.

Domestic meat grinders of different brands - "Rotor", "Miracle", "Diva", "Extra", "Electrosila" are equipped with an identical cutting part and are therefore considered interchangeable. The products are distinguished by good strength, durability, the price of the cutting element is low.

For a long service life of the shredder, the following recommendations will come in handy.

• For processing, it is better to use meat that has been stripped of tendons.
• To protect the metal, it is better to rinse the product immediately after use with running water. Do not soak the knife in liquid solutions. After rinsing, the cutting part must be dried immediately.
• Do not overload the meat grinder with large pieces. An element may simply not cope with a large amount of meat.
• Even the best knife gets dull over time. For sharpening it is better to give it to knowledgeable people. A do-it-yourself approach requires practice and appropriate complementary elements. At home, it is possible to sharpen knives that have not yet become very dull.

This will require fine sandpaper, which should be spread out on the table. The cutting element must be driven along the surface of the sandpaper in a circular motion. The knife itself can also be processed, but it is better to take even finer sandpaper.

After processing, it is recommended to rinse the product with warm water using detergents. Remains of grains from the paper must be completely removed. A sharpened knife should be dried, and only then used in work.

For sharpening, you can also use a regular "whetstone". With this method, the abrasive element must be placed under running water, take a knife and start rotating clockwise, right under running water. In this case, the pressure on the sharpener should be uniform. The sharpened part will have a smooth and shiny surface.

For information on how to sharpen a meat grinder knife, see the video below.