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Basic features of the modern meat grinders

The popularity of these devices has provided high demand for many decades. The reaction of producers is quite adequate. Today, the market offers a wide range of different kitchen appliances with this function. For example, a food processor can be qualified as a meat grinder with an expanded functionality. Nevertheless, the implementation of this function in a separate model still provides maximum performance and efficiency that positively affects the ratio of their cost and quality. Therefore, meat grinders remain one of the most popular devices in this segment. Of course, functionality is one of the main characteristics of the model and significantly affects the choice of the optimal meat grinder.

Reverse

Practically all modern models have reverse function. Reverse mode provides a screw rotation of meat grinder in the opposite direction. Almost any meat contains connective tissue that includes the pleura and tendons. Model with a powerful engine and a sharp knife easily grinds their. The less powerful model does not always solve this problem. In this case tendons are wound up on the shaft near knife, reducing the minced meat quality and performance of meat grinder. Auger rotation in the opposite direction pushes meat back, ensuring its re-grinding. This process eliminates the need of disassembly and cleaning the meat grinders in most cases. This function is very important for models with low and medium power. However, inattention can also be a cause of jamming. Bones and cartilages should not fall into the meat grinder. The activation button of this mode is combined with the power button or is located near.

Self-sharpening knife

Cutting edge of self-sharpening knife is exposed to laser processing. As a result, notching with reflow remains on the metal surface. Then, the notching is tempered. This treatment provides non-uniform metal hardness on cutting edge. The metal wear is a more intensive in points without hardening due to lower hardness. Accordingly, the micro tooth is formed during mechanical load exactly in such point. The set of such micro teeth is constantly formed during operation and provides increasing the cutting efficiency. Knives with such blades are called self-sharpening. Material of such knife contains elements that deprive blade of its anti-corrosion properties. Therefore, self-sharpening knives require special care. They are thoroughly wiped off after use to prevent rust. Sharpening such blades is possible only at the special equipment. Otherwise the expensive knife loses its unique properties. The high cost is its main drawback.

Motor protection from overheating and overloading

Almost all modern models are equipped with motor protection from overheating and overloading. Companies use the motor lock or automatic interruption of the power supply circuit. The first method uses inexpensive plastic parts as a fuse. Interruption is carried out by means thermal fuse.

Additional compartment, rubberized feet and pasta attachments

Modern models use a large number of nozzles that are supplied complete or sold separately. Therefore, many manufacturers equip the housing by additional compartments. But such nozzles as graters and juicers, of course, do not fit into compartment and require separate storage. Therefore, additional compartment solves the storing problem only partially. Cord storage in housing is especially convenient when the meat grinder is rarely used. Rubberized feet or sucker reduce vibration and prevent slipping on the table during operation. Pasta attachments replace a standard grating for minced meat after removal of the knife. It provides forming the noodles, spaghetti or of classic pasta in the form of tubules. Dough for pasta is preloaded into tray. Form of pasta depends on holes shape on the pasta attachment. Biscuit attachments work similarly. Such accessory often has different holes to select the shape of the biscuits. Of course, the composition and the consistency of dough for biscuits and pasta are different. Pasta and biscuits during molding are cut off by hand.

Preparation of sausages and juicing

Preparation of sausages use a long cone. The cone diameter affects the shape and size of sausages. The shell for sausage is collected in the bellows form on the cone. Modern meat grinders of the middle and upper price segment often provide the juicing function. Such models operate similarly to a conventional auger juicer and often are equipped with additional plastic screw of conical shape. Some models have a press for citrus that is a rotating nozzle with ribbed surface. Half of orange, lemon or grapefruit is manually pressed to a nozzle. Video demonstrates the operation of multifunctional mincer. Read the full article

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How to choose a meat grinder

Of course, the meat grinder has long been a mandatory attribute in the kitchen. Moreover, all modern food processors and many other kitchen appliances also support this function. However, only its implementation as a separate device ensures maximum efficiency and performance. Therefore, companies still produce and successfully sell these devices. As a consequence, modern market offers in abundance different meat grinders.

Therefore, the choice of the optimal meat grinder sometimes causes difficulties. Their classification can slightly simplify this task. Model cost mainly depends on the following factors: - functionality; - technical values; - meat grinder attachment set.

Operating principle, performance and maximum time of continuous operation

Full cooking cycle a mincemeat using meat grinder contains the following steps. - Initially, meat is cleared from bones and cut into pieces. - Then, pieces of meat are fed with the help of pusher into screw canal. - The screw captures a piece of meat, moves it to the rotating knife for cutting and pushes its through a grate in the form of a minced meat. Of course, meat grinder performance is one of the main parameters and directly depends on the model power. According to this criterion, modern meat grinders are classified as follows: - low-powered (up to 450 W) - up to 2,5 lb / min; - average power (from 450 W to 800 W) - up to 3,5 lb / min; - powerful (800 W or more) - 3,5 lb / min or more. Of course, maximum time of continuous operation also affects the performance. It's obvious that electric motor heats up during operation and requires cooling. But today this problem is solved by the cyclicality of operation. Unfortunately, many manufacturers do not accentuate the consumer's attention on this aspect for marketing reasons. However, this value significantly affects the model usability. Of course, almost all modern models are equipped with a special motor protection from overheating and overloading. But it's intended mainly for emergencies. Normal operation assumes the absence of engine overheating. Of course, cyclicality protects the motor from overheating due to its natural cooling during periodic pauses. Usually, the modern models provide duration of continuous operation from 10 to 15 minutes. But the duration of their cooling reaches 10-20 minutes. Of course, this ratio affects performance and usability. As a rule, the instruction contains this information.

Auger

As known, the auger is a massive metal screw for the meat supply on the knife.

Of course, its shape significantly affects the device efficiency. Today, engineers design them on a PC using special programs. The knife is placed between the screw and the grate with holes. Of course, the holes diameter affects the consistency of the minced meat and the engine load. In fact, channel of feeding meat to the screw is a vertical tube with tray for a meat at the upper end. Its lower end is connected to the screw channel. The screw channel is a horizontal tube with a screw inside. One end of the screw connects with driving shaft of the motor by clutch. But other end for placing a knife and grating has square form.

Knife of modern meat grinders is made of high-strength tempered steel. Many manufacturers use a self-sharpening knife but it's significantly more expensive. Knife for meat grinders has four blades. They are bent in the screw direction and sharpened on one side only.

The grating is a perforated plate that connects with a screw by nut.

Diameter of holes differs between manufacturers. But these values are approximately the same. They are equal: - up to 5 mm - for the soft meat; - from 5 to 7 mm - average diameter; - from 7 mm and more - for the hard meat with tendons. Tray for meat is made of plastic or metal. The pusher is a special tube for pushing the meat to the auger. The body of some models has compartments for storage of nozzles and power cable. Reverse button and switch are usually located on the side panel.

Motor

A motor with reduction gear and drive shaft are placed in a plastic or metal housing. Electric motor of meat grinders is characterized by nominal and maximum power. Nominal power is indicated on the certification label. Maximum power corresponds to the maximum permissible load that usually is indicated on the package or housing. Motor provides the drive shaft rotation with the help of reducer. Coupling with a screw are located on end of shaft. Types of couplings are differ between manufacturers. Today, the companies use the following couplings: - hexagon (plastic or metal); - cotter (metal); - fork (Bosch meat grinders).

Main and additional functions

Low-powered models of the lower price segment mainly provide only cooking a minced meat. Models of middle segment have usually a few additional features (for example, shredding vegetables, etc.). More expensive models are equipped with a wide range of different functions (molding a pasta, juicing, etc.). In fact, they differ little from a food processor. Reverse provides screw rotation in the opposite direction. Reverse pushes the meat from the working chamber into feeding channel. It's conveniently, for example when winding the tendons on shaft. Mode is designed for clearing a screw without disassembling the meat grinders. This feature is present in almost all modern models. Meat grinder motor protection protects the motor from overloading and overheating. Today, companies use engine blocking with the help of failure of low-cost plastic parts or automatic power circuit breaker (thermal fuse or thermostat). The video shows cooking sausages using a powerful modern meat grinder. Read the full article