LEM Big Bite No. 8 Review (2026)

This grinder fits weekly grinders, sausage makers working in 10 lb batches, and hunters processing one animal at a time with quality gear. First-time grinders unsure they will continue should start with a budget or attachment option.

The Big Bite auger is designed to pull meat into the head so you spend less time pushing with the stomper and more time loading the tray. On a large batch, that feeding difference compounds into a shorter, colder session.

The 0.5 HP motor is permanently lubricated and built for steady home duty. Rated around 7 lbs per minute, it sits between light home units and No. 12 volume machines in both pace and price.

Stainless head, auger, and plates resist the corrosion that dulls aluminum care routines, and they chill effectively before a grind. Plate and knife replacements and additional sizes are widely available through LEM and retailers.

At 29 lbs, the unit stays where you put it during grinding. Plan its storage spot before the season starts, not during it.

Against the Weston Pro Series No. 12, the Weston lists 1 HP versus 0.5 HP, a No. 12 versus No. 8 head, and about 9 to 12 lbs per minute versus about 7 lbs per minute, at 48 lbs versus 29 lbs. High-volume game days favor Weston, regular serious home use favors the more manageable LEM No. 8.

Against the STX Turboforce 3000, the LEM offers stainless construction, a true HP rating, and a five-year versus three-year warranty, while the STX offers a broader included kit and lower price with a larger class neck on paper. Proven volume favors LEM, starter value favors STX.

At 29 pounds, this is a park-it appliance. Owners praise the build quality, but the product record is blunt that the weight makes moving it to storage a task and that the unit needs a stable work surface. Choose its bench or cupboard spot before it arrives, because a grinder this heavy that lives in an awkward place gets used less.

Cleanup benefits from the stainless head, auger, and plates, which resist corrosion better than the aluminum heads elsewhere in this guide. The throat still needs meat cut to strips, not chunks, so prep discipline does not change. With a fixed home and strips cut to size, the Big Bite settles into a routine owners report sustaining across multiple seasons.