Pros
The LEM 1 HP is one of the most powerful meat grinders on the market today. It uses an industrial strength one horsepower engine to power through anything that you put inside of it. The unit can grind tough cuts of meat like whole chicken legs and thighs without straining the motor. Basically, if your meat fits into the feeder hole, the LEM will grind it.
This unit is powerful and fast. It grinds through over 500 pounds of meat per hour, and it does this without overheating or straining. Its 15.5 x 11 x 3 inch meat pan allows you to stuff this unit with meat quickly, and its “Big Bite” auger automatically sucks meat into the machine. The unit does come with a food pusher, but the unit is so fast that it’s a piece that you probably won’t ever use. The auger does a great job of pulling your meat right through this machine, and the machine’s large Size #22 head never gets clogged when working through massive amounts of food.
This machine was designed to be a powerhouse; it weighs 64 pounds, and it measures in at 20.4 x 17.5 x 20.1 inches. This isn’t a grinder for the faint of heart; it’s a serious machine that has the capability to grind hundreds of pounds on a daily basis. If you pick this machine up, you can really feel the weight of the steel gears and heavy-duty motor inside of it.
The grinder doesn’t come with a reverse function, but that’s because it is almost impossible to clog. It does come with a permanently lubricated motor for easy care, a circuit breaker, a steel knife, three cutting plates and three stuffing tubes. You get all of this, and it’s all covered by the manufacturer’s two-year factory warranty.
Cons
When you buy this unit, its weight may prevent you from moving it around a lot, so you have to be conscious of where you place it. It’s a heavy machine, but it does have a handle to make moving it a little easier. Most people have the best luck just leaving this grinder in one spot. It’s a heavy-duty machine, and it’s not as portable as some of the other cheap models on the market today.
LEM 1 HP Features
- Size # 22 meat grinding head
- Large meat tray; 15.5 x 11 x 3 inches
- One horsepower motor
- Stainless steel housing; steel roller bearings
- “Big Bite” auger for easy use
- Three stuffing plates; coarse, medium and fine stainless steel plates
- Three stuffing tubes
- Meat pusher and knife included
- Two-year warranty
What Conditions Is The LEM 1 HP Best For?
As we mentioned earlier, this machine is a powerhouse, so you can really grind anything that you want with it. It will grind through chicken legs and bones without a problem, and you don’t even have to cut your meat into chunks or strips when using this grinder. If you can fit your meat through the opening of the auger, this grinder will be able to handle it.
The “Big Bite” auger sucks meat into the grinding plates, so most people never really even use the pusher included with this unit. Just drop your meat into the machine’s throat, and watch it quickly transform into butcher quality ground meat.
The LEM is so powerful that you don’t even have to freeze your meat before you place it in the grinder. You always get a professional grind the first time you put it through this machine; you’ll never even have to grind the meat for a second time like you do with inferior models. The grinder doesn’t overheat, so you are free to grind as much meat as you want. You can easily grind 20 pounds of meat in a couple of minutes, and the LEM won’t even feel warm when you are done.
You can grind skin, bones, tendons and all types of meat with the LEM. It won’t get clogged, and this makes the grinding process ridiculously easy.
How Do You Use The LEM 1 HP?
Using the LEM is very simple; you choose your grinding plate, and then you place your meat into the auger. Really, that’s all you need to do. The “Big Bite” auger automatically grabs your meat. When it does, it sucks the meat through to the cutting plate. You can literally grind hundreds of pounds of meat per hour. If the meat fits in the auger, the LEM will grind it for you.
The grinder can handle all types of different textures. Cheaper grinders tend to get clogged up when you are doing something like a second grind; a vacuum gets created, and the meat gets stuck in the grinder. With the LEM and its “Big Bite” auger, you can literally put something mushy like liverwurst in there without having to worry about it clogging up the inside of your machine.
Inexpensive grinders take hours of preparation to get your meat cut up and frozen, but with the LEM, you can be up and running in less than five minutes. Just drop your meat in the machine, and it’ll be ground up.
How Do You Clean This Unit?
The LEM is very easy to clean, but it’s going to take you a couple of minutes. After you have used the unit, remove the auger nut, the auger, the grinding plate and meat pan. Take these items and let them soak in your sink or a bowl of warm soapy water. Most people let them sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes to make sure that all the meat residue is loosened from the parts.
After soaking, take a bottle brush, sponge or a rag and wipe the pieces down well. The sponge or rag is best for smooth surfaces, and the brush works best for the blades and grinding plates.
Clean the base of the unit as well; a damp cloth for the outside
of the motor housing works best. After you’ve cleaned all
of your pieces, let them sit out and air dry before putting them
away.
What’s Our Verdict
The LEM 1 HP provides everything you can ask for from a home grinder. It gives you industrial power and speed right from the convenience of your own home. When you buy this heavy-duty grinder, it’s probably going to be the last grinder that you buy for a long time. It comes with attachments and different grinding plates, so it gives you the flexibility you need. This is an awesome grinder, and we definitely feel that it’s something that you should pick up.
