I have used several grinders over the years from a handgrinder run via a jackshaft with an electric motor, to a commercial butchers grinder. They all worked except for an attachment for a kitchen aid mixer which broke. All work best when the meat has some ice in it, and all get stopped when connective tissue wraps around the shaft between the cutter and plate. The difference between the big commercial and the smaller versions is speed, you have to cut the meat smaller for the less expensive grinders.
This year I wanted a grain mill and a machine called the Family Grain Mill is pretty well thought of so I bought one and for another $50 or so bought a meat grinder with it. We ground 6 antelope and 4 deer from last season. It took some time, I think we spent 4 half days at it, but the grinder just kept chewing it up.
I learned that having the meat in just the right condition is key to happy grinding. When I butchered I threw hamburger meat into large plastic bags and froze it. We ground it a couple months later. As it thawed, it worked best when I could just slice slabs off the outside of these big blocks of meat, the slabs were still frozen but not so hard I couldn't cut them. Then I diced the slabs into 1" chunks and ground with 12% beef tallow by weight. Our hamburger this year is as good as any you can buy.
