The Best KitchenAid Mixer for Grinding Meat

The stand mixers of today are so much more than mere mixing tools. These machines have evolved into multi-tasking marvels. 

One of the things I love most about my KitchenAid mixer is how versatile it is. One minute I can be whipping up a delicious dessert and the next I can be rolling freshly cut pasta. An hour later you would probably find me grinding beef for a freshly prepared spaghetti bolognese. All it takes is the help of some trusty attachments.

Of all the handy mixer accessories available (and there are a lot by the way) the KitchenAid grinder attachment is certainly up there as one of my favorites. I don’t just use this for grinding meat either; fruit, vegetables & nuts… you name it and you can grind it the way you want!

If you are new to using a KitchenAid mixer grinding food, here’s a quick video to show what you have been missing out on.

Pretty great, right? In homage to my favorite attachment, I want to so share with you a few of my favorite KitchenAid mixers for grinding meat.

The best KitchenAid mixer for grinding meat: My Top 5 Picks

Before we get into it, allow me to offer a few words of wisdom. If you are just looking for a machine that grinds meat, then your money will probably be better spent buying a regular grinding machine. You can often pick one up for as low as $50.

If, however, you are looking for a multi-functional machine to tackle all your tedious cooking and baking tasks, as well as grinding up meat, then a KitchenAid stand mixer is a must-have.

If you plan on grinding meat frequently, you are going to need a stand mixer with a bit of power under the hood. All that grinding is going to take a toll on your mixer motor, and gears, so I suggest you have a look at the mixers with more powerful motors and all-metal gear systems.

Here are the mixers I recommend to take a look at. 

KitchenAid 7-Quart Pro Line

They don’t come any bigger, or better, than the 7-Quart Pro-Line. It is truly the apex predator of the Kitchen countertop.

Not only is it the largest capacity stand mixer model designed for home use, but the KitchenAid 7-Quart Pro Line also comes with a huge 1.3hp DC motor. This puts this machine on par with the KitchenAid Commercial, both of which are the most powerful KitchenAid mixers currently available.

Thanks to that massive DC motos, you can effortlessly grind meat in the Pro-Line for hours on end and this machine won’t skip a beat.

Professional 6500 Design

Another bowl-lift mixer with a beefy motor, the Professional 6500 series is fitted with a 1 hp DC motor and designed to handle heavy and stiff dough mixtures. If you are looking for a mixer with a bit of style, then this could be the one for you, the 6500 is one of the few models that come standard with a glass mixing bowl. 

Despite mixing big batches of dough, this bowl-lift mixer makes considerably less noise compared to smaller models thanks to its DC motor. When it comes to grinding your meats, the powerful motor ensures that this mixer will make short work out of anything you push through the tubes. 

Professional 600

This brings us to the third-best mixer for the meat grinder attachment. This is the largest residential mixer that is actually preferred by home bakers who bake a lot or feed a large family. While the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series has a strong motor that offers 575 watts of power, it will create noticeable less torque than the models mentioned above.

Nevertheless, at full capacity, you can grind most meats and even crush nuts and tubers with ease.

Artisan 5 Series

The Artisan 5 is the most popular KitchenAid model for home bakers. This is my personal favorite tilt-head mixer, it’s more powerful than the Classic model and has a large capacity bowl than the Artisan Mini. 

In terms of technical specs, Artisan weighs 26 pounds and is fitted with a 325-watt motor that runs on an AC system. This is the most popular model among KitchenAid fans and does a decent enough job of grinding lean meats and vegetables although, you can’t hold it to the standard of the Professional models. 

It is worth adding a meat grinder attachment to your Artisan, provided you’re not planning to grind big batches of meat. 

Artisan Mini

Artisan Mini is the smallest and lightest member with a 250-watt motor. Thanks to the DC motor it can produce just as much output as the 5 Series, so it will still be capable of grinding up meat and veg.  This provides good control over the rotation and makes it energy efficient in the process.  

Unlike other tilt head mixers with AC motors, the Mini can handle the stress and pressure of grinding without overheating or gears disintegrating. 

KitchenAid metal vs plastic grinder attachment 

Thanks to these handy attachments, your KitchenAid mixer can grind almost anything you can think of. If you have been doing your research on the grinder attachment, you will probably already know that it is available in both plastic and metal. 

What’s the difference between the metal vs plastic grinder attachment, I hear you ask?

The short answer is not much, although there are a few small differences, which I will explain shortly,

Of course, both the plastic and metal grinders will fit every stand mixer, regardless of the model and both are also compatible with the food tray.

Plastic

The plastic KitchenAid grinder is the older version of this attachment. While this is compatible with the fruit/vegetable strainer models, the attachment has only two plates – coarse and fine & coarse.

If you’re not grinding meat as often and don’t need a variety of textures, this is a budget-friendly option at $49.99. 

Metal

The metal food grinder is the newer version of the KitchenAid grinder attachment, which has one clear advantage over its plastic counterpart. This one can be chilled in the freezer or refrigerator. This is a pretty great benefit because when preparing meat, a cold grinding temperature gives you a clean grind.

In addition to a sausage tuber and sausage plate, this grinder also has three different plates for fine, medium and coarse grinding, as opposed to just two. Create numerous fresh and inventive foods from beef burger patties to vegan meatballs. 

The only downside here is the price. The metal attachment will set you back $90, although it is undoubtedly more durable than the plastic alternative.

Does the KitchenAid meat grinder attachment work with every model?

Of course, it does! Any attachment that connects via the hub on the front of the machine will work with any KitchenAid stand mixer you buy –tilt head or bowl lift. It will work on a Cuisinart stand mixer too.

But can all stand mixers go about grinding ingredients with ease and in a consistent manner? Sadly not! Some mixers are better suited to using the meat grinder while others do a poor job that you’re better off with a standalone meat grinder.

I wouldn’t recommend the Classic model which has the smallest motor and a Nylatron gear. When the motor is put under stress the gear will shred forcing you to get a replacement gear every time. If you are looking for the best KitchenAid stand mixer for grinding meat, then I suggest you stick to one of the machines I mentioned above.

Is KitchenAid Meat Grinder Dishwasher Safe?

According to KitchenAid, some parts are dishwasher safe while other parts have to be washed by hand.  

You can put the grinder body, ring, food pusher and removable food tray in the top rack of your dishwasher. 

The housing, grinding plates and tubes and grinding blades are not dishwasher friendly. You need to wash them by hand with warm soapy water to prevent rusting.

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There you have it! Five of the best KitchenAid stand mixers that work perfectly with your meat grinder attachment.

A meat grinder machine is more useful if you don’t plan on using your KitchenAid for baking and cooking activities. But for those who enjoy ground meat dishes and want to make the best use of this versatile appliance, the grind attachment is a must-have accessory. 

Time to make some mouthwatering lasagna with ground meat!