The Occasional Grind: Game Winner Number 12 Meat Grinder Review

Sure, it takes extra work to process your own game, but it will save you money in the not-so-long run. Depending on how much meat you’ll process at one time will determine what kind of grinder you should invest in.

If you’re butchering a few deer every year, a large commercial grinder is probably overkill. Instead, a small meat grinder like the Game Winner Number 12 provides plenty of muscle for most home grinding or sausage-making needs.

With multiple stuffing tubes, fine and coarse grinding plates, and a small footprint, the Game Winner Number 12 meat grinder should appeal to the home butcher looking to process their own game, but who doesn’t live solely on the game they kill.

In short: This affordable meat grinder makes a great option for hunters who don’t need to process several animals at once but still want to make their own sausages or burger meat.

Game Winner Number 12 Review

Testing the Game Winner Number 12 Meat Grinder

To test its speed, grind consistency, and overall performance, I used the Game Winner Number 12 meat grinder to make several pounds of burger meat from various cuts of venison. I sliced the venison into various strip sizes to see how it handled different cuts.

Both the ¼-inch and 3/16-in. plates produced consistent grind sizes, and the grinder didn’t slow down drastically or rev up when I fed meat into it. While there wasn’t a ton left over, there was a bit of meat that wouldn’t get pushed through the plates each time I did a new grind. I would also have a few pieces that would get stuck in the grooves of the auger each grind session.

Other than those few pieces, the grind sizes were consistent, and I never felt like I needed to run the meat back through the grinder. I would also recommend having all your meat prepped to grind, as this grinder excels when it’s constantly fed. I tried to intentionally overload it, but this grinder never felt like it bogged down.

What It Does Best

Personally, the cleanup is always the worst part of processing your own meat. However, the minimal parts and breakdown of the Number 12 Meat Grinder make cleanup a breeze.

All the parts you’ll need to wash can fit into one side of the sink and won’t take up unnecessary space. I’m also a fan of this grinder’s small footprint. The electrical cord conveniently stows underneath, and the other accessories, including the stuffing tubes, stuffing plate, and extra grind plate, neatly store in the meat stomper.

Again, this meat grinder isn’t intended to handle the workload of a commercial grinder, but that’s the beauty of the Game Winner Number 12. It’s made for occasional grinding sessions or hunters who process a handful of animals every year.

Compare the cost (less than $80) of this grinder to a trip to your local processor, and it’s hard not to buy one. Even if you buy one and decide home processing isn’t for you, you’ve earned your money after a single deer.

Where It Can Improve

I think 7 pounds per minute is a generous figure. I ran 4 pounds of venison through the 3/16-in. grind plate, which almost took a minute. While grinding the venison, I filled the meat tray and steadily fed cuts into the grinder. So, while I wasn’t blazing through, I did move at a realistic pace. This isn’t really a knock against the machine itself. If you’re purchasing this grinder, it’s not because you have several deer to process at one time.

The meat tray on the sample model I tested had a loose fit. Every time I fed meat into the grinder, the tray would wobble and I would have to readjust it. Similarly, the locking handle that holds the grinder head on the motor housing doesn’t have a definitive “lock” position. It held the grinder head in place, and I didn’t have any issues with it moving, so I thought it worth noting.

Game Winner Number 12 Meat Grinder: Final Thoughts

For hunters looking to save a few bucks and process their own game, the Game Winner Number 12 meat grinder makes a great starter option or small-operation setup. If you’re shopping for a hunter this holiday season, the Game Winner Number 12 is a practical and underrated gift. For occasional grind sessions or homemade burgers, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more affordable grinder.