Collectible Meat Grinders

What to Consider Before You Buy an Old Meat Grinder

Whether you are looking for an antique meat grinder to add to your collectible kitchen tools, or you are planning to use one to prepare food, you will want to take a look at eBay's large selection of old meat grinders. Before you shop, there is some information you will want to know about buying a vintage meat grinder online.

Which old meat grinder brands can you buy on eBay?

eBay has a selection of vintage grinders by Keystone, Bona, and Husqvarna. You will find items as different as Universal models No. 1 and No. 2 food grinders; an Enterprise No. 10 meat grinder and sausage stuffer; and vintage Eclipse and Russwin meat grinders from the early 1900s. You might also encounter an antique Regina meat grinder from the late 1800s, a rustic standalone Enterprise food chopper from the early 1900s, or a primitive grinder from the early 1800s.

Common vintage meat grinder features

As you prepare to make a purchase, you will want to consider some basic features that are shared by many older meat grinders.

• Material - The body of most antique grinders is made of cast iron or cast aluminium.
• Settings - Grinders usually have several settings that allow for chopping and grinding in various degrees of coarse and fine.
• Arm - The crank is often constructed of cast iron or steel. The arm might be curved or straight, and usually has a wood handle.
• Base - The most common base style consists of a vise grip that is mounted to a tabletop by tightening.
• Attachments - Some grinders include attachments like a sausage stuffing tube, several sizes and styles of grinding or chopping wheels, or shredder blades.

Styles of meat grinders for sale on eBay

The most widely available style is probably the vise-grip mounted meat grinder. Other varieties are standalone meat grinders that were built to be placed on a table and are supported on feet or have a solid base. Cranks can differ in length and degree of curvature. Wood handles might be short and stubby or longer and tapered to more closely fit the shape of the hand.

Some older grinders, such as the Universal No. 10 and the Enterprise No. 5, were intended to serve primarily as meat choppers. Other models, such as the Griswold No.4, worked in much the same manner as modern-day food processors. This type of grinder often fulfilled its various roles through the use of attachments that allowed for the shredding, dicing, and grinding of food into portions of various sizes and degrees of coarseness.