Cabela's Carnivore Meat Grinder???

[CoHiCntry]

I need a new meat grinder and am thinking about picking up the Cabela's Carnivore grinder .75 HP. I've got some points to spend off my Cabela's card and just got a $20 off coupon to go along with it.

Anyone have any experience with these grinders? My counter top model just isn't cutting it anymore. It took FOREVER to grind my antelope meat a couple weeks ago!

I've looked at both the Weston and LEM grinders too. They look good but are around the same price for an equivalent machine, but no coupon or points to spend which would make them more expensive. Thanks...

 

[kidoggy]

BEEN USING THE 1000 W which ,I believe is about 1 1/4 horse. done several elk and deer and speedgoats with it in last few years and did a mulie today .it is a workhorse and chews em up no sweat. only took 10 minutes or so of grinding to take care of my deer today. I steaked what I could and ground the rest.

it is probably a bit bigger then I need . but better to have it an not need it ,then need it an not have it.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I also have a 1.25 hp grinder. It spits out the meat as fast as you can feed it.

Check YouTube for videos on the grinders. There is quite a few videos with the Cabelas grinders.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I'm sure the 1.25 HP is nice but they are more than I wanna spend. The .75 is already $400, I think the 1.5 HP is closer to $700. All the reviews for the .5 HP on up seem to say the same thing... they grind as fast as you can feed them. The strap on ice pack thing looks interesting to keep the throat cold which is supposed to help with any clogging.

 

[Eberle]

Go to Northern Tool Company and look at their grinders. I bought one about 20 years ago that still works great.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

I'm sure the 1.25 HP is nice but they are more than I wanna spend. The .75 is already $400, I think the 1.5 HP is closer to $700. All the reviews for the .5 HP on up seem to say the same thing... they grind as fast as you can feed them. The strap on ice pack thing looks interesting to keep the throat cold which is supposed to help with any clogging.

I got mine on EBay for $300

Not the Cabelas and off brand.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

It was new. Not used.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

This is what we did. Instead of buying a dedicated meat grinder that we would used once or twice a year and have to store the rest of the year, we got an attachment for a Kitchenmaid mixer. They are 325 watts (around 0.43 horsepower). The Kichenaid is one of the most useful kitchen appliances ever made and is useful year around if you like to cook. My experience is they are very reliable as well. We used one at work in a tortuous environment mixing pastes for 10+ years.

If you go that route, I would recommend going on eBay and buying a "vintage" all metal grinder attachment (used). There are new blades and grinder plates also available on eBay last time I checked.

I'd recommend this for doing meat cutting now and then (maybe 30-50 pounds) but I would prefer something bigger if the job got bigger than that.

 

[Tim McCoy]

I'm sure the 1.25 HP is nice but they are more than I wanna spend. The .75 is already $400, I think the 1.5 HP is closer to $700. All the reviews for the .5 HP on up seem to say the same thing... they grind as fast as you can feed them. The strap on ice pack thing looks interesting to keep the throat cold which is supposed to help with any clogging.

I use a Cabelas branded 3/4 hp. It is plenty. It grinds 1 - 2" cubes very fast. Have to use the foot pedal because it fills burger bags so quickly it was a pita to always hit the off switch. #12 neck I believe. Does not have reverse, never needed reverse so far. We have ground 50-75 lbs of meat in one session, a pause only to get new burger bag ready, no issues in about 10 years. I bet I'd be fine with the 1/2 HP too.

 

[Musket Man]

I have a 1HP Cabelas grinder that I have had about 10 years now and I have been really happy with it!

 

[shootbrownelk]

I have the 1 1/2 hp Cabelas grinder and bought the foot pedal to go with it. Do NOT buy one without reverse. I needed to reverse mine a couple of times. And trying to find that on/off switch with meat covered hands is tough and messy, the foot pedal is great.

 

[hunter25]

I've been using the 1hp for years. Grinds as fast as you can feed it. Pretty sure if you got your fingers in there it would suck you through before you knew what happened. Lol

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[CoHiCntry]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'm more confused now then when I started though? I probably should have just bought one and been done with it!

I first started looking at Weston, LEM, and the Cabela's ones which I think used to be made by Weston but they might be made by someone else now and Cabela's just stamps there name on it. It seemed pretty straight forward that the higher you go in HP, the faster it will grind meat, therefore the more expensive they are.

After looking at the internet (probably my first mistake) and especially Ebay, I see grinders that are 1HP all the way up to 3HP that are under $100??? How can that be? There has to be some big differences or nobody would buy a $500 grinder when you can buy one for $89.99. Lol!

The ones under $100 look like the one I used to have, like they are a "counter top" unit. The others from Weston, LEM, and Cabela's say "commercial" or "industrial". Not sure if that has something to do with the price difference? The only thing I could come up with is the gears on most of the more expensive one's are metal. There has to be some significant differences in the way they are built with such a drastic price differential.

So, anyone know enough about grinders to be able to explain why some are so expensive compared to others that are the same power and a fraction of the price?

 

[kidoggy]

I would have to guess it's because some are much more durable. all metal is better then the ones with some plastic, perhaps some gears are actually built with solid metals as opposed to that cheap potash stuff.I believe it is a given that commercial or industrial are gonna be better then a cheap countertop built for homeowners.

don't know how big a hurry you are to get it but if you watch for it I WOULD BET CABELAS WILL HAVE EM ON SALE BEFORE TO LONG

 

[buckbull]

This is what we did. Instead of buying a dedicated meat grinder that we would used once or twice a year and have to store the rest of the year, we got an attachment for a Kitchenmaid mixer. They are 325 watts (around 0.43 horsepower). The Kichenaid is one of the most useful kitchen appliances ever made and is useful year around if you like to cook. My experience is they are very reliable as well. We used one at work in a tortuous environment mixing pastes for 10+ years.

If you go that route, I would recommend going on eBay and buying a "vintage" all metal grinder attachment (used). There are new blades and grinder plates also available on eBay last time I checked.

I'd recommend this for doing meat cutting now and then (maybe 30-50 pounds) but I would prefer something bigger if the job got bigger than that.

This ^^^^^^. But don't buy the plastic kitchenaide brand. Chef's choice makes a stainless steel one that I use. Looks like you can get if from amazon for $100.

https://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-Attachment-Designed-KitchenAid/dp/B00BVC0LC8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476726285&sr=8-1&keywords=chef's+choice+kitchen+aid+grinder+attachment

 

[Work2hunt]

I have an older version Cabelas 1hp. I believe the "carnivore" is there new model. I have been very hapoy with mine. As for what makes another 1hp cheaper.......quslity of parts. I have seen some grinders with aluminium gears. Guess how well they work when you hit a small bone fragment or some tough chunk if meat.

 

[CoHiCntry]

This ^^^^^^. But don't buy the plastic kitchenaide brand. Chef's choice makes a stainless steel one that I use. Looks like you can get if from amazon for $100.

https://www.amazon.com/Chefs-Choice-Attachment-Designed-KitchenAid/dp/B00BVC0LC8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1476726285&sr=8-1&keywords=chef's+choice+kitchen+aid+grinder+attachment

That would sure be nice since it's only $100 but to be honest, I'm not sure that would be any better/ faster than the grinder I just got rid of? I remember reading a post on another forum about grinders & someone said they bought the attachment for their kitchen aid mixer & it didn't work very good for processing & grinding a whole big game animal. Idk?

 

[Gr8bawana]

Here is the grinder I use. It works great for me since I rarely grind more that 15-20lbs of meat at any one time.
It outlasted my dad and I'm sure it's going to outlast me too.

 

[jjenness]

I have the .75 carnivore and it works great. I just ground up an elk last night in about 10 minutes the first time, and about 1.5 hours to get through the second time. The only problem I have had is when I want to grind meat a second time, it is a pain to get the meat through a second time. Other than that no issues at all.

 

[Work2hunt]

I have the .75 carnivore and it works great. I just ground up an elk last night in about 10 minutes the first time, and about 1.5 hours to get through the second time. The only problem I have had is when I want to grind meat a second time, it is a pain to get the meat through a second time. Other than that no issues at all.

I wint say that is an issue with all grinders but I've noticed that with all of the grinders I have used when second grinding. Try cooling the meat or getting it partially frozen. Should help you.