 
My husband and I love to eat good quality meat.
We may not be serious carnivores, but we surely know the difference
between low quality and high quality meat - especially when it
comes to food items like meatloaf, hamburgers and sausage.
The ability to buy your own fresh meat in bulk,
or in some cases to use what you have hunted, is not only economical,
but gives peace of mind and assurance regarding quality control.
For those who appreciate excellent food like we do, a meat grinder
is not a luxury - it's a way of life.
This review will give you the information you
need to make the right purchase for your needs.
What does it look like?
The Waring
MG855 Professional Meat Grinder
is very similar to its predecessor, the MG800 however measures
just a little bit larger at 11.9" L x 15.6 1/4" H x
8.5" W.
It has a nice elegant design with a body of brushed
stainless steel. The pusher is black which is made of plastic
and has a removable lid.
The inside of the pusher is a convenient storage
compartment for the sausage attachments along with the three cutting
plates. The blades and plates are made of carbon steel.
How much does it weigh?
The weight is approximately 12 pounds which
allows for easy lifting and doesn't have to be kept on a counter
at all times - unless you tend to use it all the time!
Why are there 3 cutting
plates?
Each of the three plates are used to provide
different textures of the meat. They are: fine, medium and course.
The fine plate is good for creating hamburgers,
meatballs, meatloaf, spreads etc. The medium plate is more for
adding meats to soup, and the course plate delivers a courser
texture suitable for chili.
Can I only grind meat?
Only if you want to. In other words, no, you
can grind just about anything.
For example, you can grind onions and carrots
to add in with your meats. You can grind fish, vegetables, poultry
and meat. The owner's manual provides recipes for making sausage
which include combining herbs, vegetables and meat and then processing
them together through the grinder.
Is it easy to use?
I'm not sure if this
Waring Pro Meat Grinder
could be more simplistic in its operation. Simply place it on
a stable surface such as kitchen countertop and plug into the
wall (make sure the on/off switch is in the off position).
Position a bowl or plate under the grinder where
the meat extrudes in order to catch the food. Turn the toggle
switch to on and place your meat in the hopper. Push it into the
grinder/feed head.
As long as the meat is not in overly sized pieces,
the meat will effortlessly slide to the cutting blade and pass
through the plates. If the meat needs some extra help getting
through the feeder head, use the included pusher.
Is it hard to use the sausage attachments?
Some people have found it possible to create
sausage with one pair of hands after a little bit of practice.
However, it is always easier to work with 2 people when dealing
with stuffing the casing. The Owner's Manual offers some useful
recipes for sausages.
Is it noisy?
This is a common complaint among users for the
800 model, however no meat grinder would ever be super quiet.
This observation is one of very few associated with that model,
and from what I can tell, the newer MG855 is no different considering
it has a heavy duty 450 watt motor, and can peak at 1000 watts.
Despite its loud motor, it is not such a negative
that it would detract from the value of the machine, especially
when put in the perspective of its grinding capabilities.
Using the Reverse Switch
The MG855 is equipped with a reverse switch
should the food become lodged in the blade. This will cause the
motor to slow or stop. When this happens, turn the grinder off
and pulse using the reverse switch three times. Turn the grinder
back on. This is one of the most favored features as some models
do not have this convenient reverse switch.
How is an electric grinder
different than a hand crank grinder?
It is very rare to find someone who has upgraded
from a hand grinder to an electric one who wishes to go back.
For starters, when dealing with large quantities of meat, not
only will the grinding time be considerably less, but it will
also be considerably easier on your arms and hands!
With the electric grinder, all you need to do
is feed the machine the meat and it will do the rest for you.
With a manual one, you are in charge of the grinding process.
In addition, the Waring
Pro does
not need to be clamped down like a manual one. Although some comments
have been expressed wishing the machine was heavier, others disagree,
finding it very sturdy and did not experience any movement issues.
Why is a meat grinder
economical?
People who use meat grinders love the ability
to buy their meat in bulk from either a store or a butcher. You
can remove any excess fat at your own discretion prior to grinding
in order to create a healthier batch of meat.
Especially now with the concerns of growth hormones
used in many meats, it is extremely expensive to buy ground organic
beef at a general grocery store. When you are able to buy from
an organic farm, or use what you have hunted yourself, you are
able to store large amounts of healthy meat at much less than
what you would pay at retail price.
A perfect example is the common use of creating
hamburgers from your own meat. Most prepackaged hamburgers are
full of excess fat. You can buy a good quality chunk of meat such
as sirloin, and create your own hamburgers with amazing flavor
and texture. This will surely impress everyone at your next backyard
barbeque!
Is it easy to clean?
The answer is yes, but it does take time since
the pieces must be disassembled and washed by hand. Disassembly
is very simple and not complicated. Use warm soapy water and let
dry completely. It is critical that the pieces which are made
of carbon steel are fully dried and removed of any moisture. Otherwise
it could cause rust to appear over time.
There are various methods for caring for carbon
steel. One method courtesy of Alton Brown, is to store the cutting
blades and plates in a sealed bag with rice - which absorbs the
moisture. While others find drying them in the oven on low heat
with some olive oil rubbed on does the trick as well.
Tip: Both the User's Manual and testimonies
of other users, mention grinding dried bread crumbs or saltines
through the grinder when finished with the meat. This helps remove
any excess meat which may still be stuck to the blades.
What's in the box?
When you receive your Waring Pro MG-855 Professional
Meat Grinder, it will come with a food pusher with a lid (explained
further down), a large die cast hopper, a grinder/feeder head,
the feed screw, the main cutting blade, 3 cutting plates (fine,
medium, and course), 2 sausage attachments (small and large),
sausage making ring, screw ring, and the spanner for tightly securing
the rings in place.
Is it dishwasher safe?
The pieces are not dishwasher safe and must
be washed by hand.
What is UL/CUL approved?
The Waring Pro is UL/CUL approved. This means
the product meets the safety standards through rigorous testing
set by Underwriters Laboratories of the US and of Canada (CUL).
What is the warranty?
The Waring Pro comes with a generous 5 year
warranty.
Where can I find the
Best Price?
I find the best and most competitive prices
are through
Amazon.
For more details regarding the Waring Pro MG-855 Professional
Meat Grinder visit
here
where you can also read more reviews!
Liz Trementozzi Krause
Note: This review is my own
opinion based on personal research and review. If there are changes
I'll update this page. I have done my best to give you all the
information you need to make an educated decision for your purchase,
and I hope you have found it useful. Make sure when clicking through
to the merchant, to confirm you are ordering the right product
with the advertised features.
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