Since it will not be for commercial use, that makes a huge difference.

As for grinders, if you are only doing 10-20 lbs., at a time, one of the LEMs or Kirchner's should be fine. Look for one with metal gears. Also, look for one that has commonly available knives and grinder plates. I have found that HP isn't all that important for the batches we do. Most have sausage stuffer attachments. Many times I'll use one of my old hand crank grinders, but I'm thinking of getting a vertical stuffer.

If you plan on doing a lot more than 10-20 lbs., at a time, look for a used Hobart at a restaraunt supply place.

A Sawzall is pretty handy if you need to do much cutting, like on pork or beef, but a couple of sizes of hand meat saws would be very good for bone in roasts, steaks, etc. As you know, I debone all my venison, but not the pork or beef.

Also look at getting a commercial grade vacuum sealer. We've gone through several home-use units. They also are very slow, especially between cycles. We finally got a Weston that was about $400, but very well worth it. It is very fast, easy to clean, and you really can use most any brand of bags or rolls.


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