Yet another stuffer question

[mr_magicfingers]

Having just made my first batch of sausages this weekend, I'm looking to pick up a manual stuffer for future batches. I've narrowed down to 4 options and would appreciate some advice on which to choose.

I've read through the forum and found information about each but not much by way of comparison, wondered if anyone's used 2 or more of these.

Right now I'm just starting out but next year my girlfriend and I aim to buy a smallholding and keeping pigs is one of our plans so in the future there's likely to be more sausage making on a slightly larger, though not commercial, scale.

I had tried to find the shorter, wider version that they used on River Cottage Pig in a Day, made by Smith's but they don't seem to sell that anymore, which is a shame as it looked a bit easier to handle than the taller ones that are listed below.

Northern Tools stuffer: Cheapest I can find, nylon gears that may, or may not, be a problem in the future. Uses plastic stuffer tubes.

http://www.northerntooluk.com/food-prep ... ges#images

The hobby stuffer, batch size is about what I made this weekend. Fine for smaller amounts, not sure whether larger is better. Also not sure if it's all stainless or not, despite the title given that some of it is painted. Plastic stuffer tube by the look of it, doesn't say if it comes with others.

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/F ... uffer.html

The bigger 5l 'Pro' version, I'm guessing this takes 3-4Kg of mix, which is about the most I expect to make in one go, though who knows for the future. A much bigger machine I expect.

http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/P ... uffer.html

Then there's the 6l one from Biltonbox which I've seen good reports on but is bigger than all the others.

http://www.biltongbox.com/shop/index.ph ... oductId=48

Do the larger stuffers work as well with smaller (say 2Kg) loads or do you really need to load them up. Any other disadvantages of larger models?

The last two both come with 4 different stainless stuffing tubes and look properly heavy duty and likely to last a lifetime.

Price is less of an issue, I'm looking to buy something that will give me many years of use so the difference between £100 & £160 whilst significant is less so over a long working life, and even less so if you end up buying a second one down the line.

Thanks,

Justin.

[saucisson]

The main disadvantage of using a big stuffer for small batches is the amount of crank turning involved before the piston gets to the mix. With that in mind I note the Pro V has a gearing system to allow speedier cranking, although I don't know what form that takes.

I've got the Northern Tools from back when the sausagemaking site sold them, which is fine for the (small) size of batches I make.

[mr_magicfingers]

Thanks, I hadn't thought about the need to crank all the way down.

I've also seen that the larger Northern Tools stuffer looks exactly like the one from River Cottage

http://www.northerntooluk.com/food-prep ... 4015E.html

More expensive than all of the others, naturally

[wheels]

The Biltongbox one also has that facility.

I'd be happy with either of the last two on the list.

Phil

[mr_magicfingers]

Just been looking at the reviews on the Northern Tool site and they're very well thought of aren't they.

I think it's either get the small Northern Tool stuffer and just do small batches with the thought that in a couple of years when we start having our own pigs we upgrade to a bigger one then, or I buy a bigger one now for the smaller batches and at least have bought one machine to do it all. If I do that then it's either the one from Biltongbox or the 15lb Kitchener from Northern Tool.

Hmmm.

[Big Guy]

It depends on what you want to stuff. If you are only going to stuff hog sized or larger cases I'd go with the larger stuffer. One thing to look at is the design of the stuffer body and how close the piston comes to the bottom. A sloping or domed bottom will leave quite a bit of mince in the stuffer once the piston bottoms out.
If you are going to stuff small cases say sheep or smaller collagen in the 19 mm range go with the smaller capacity stuffer. The reason is a matter of physics. Thr larger the diameter of the stuffer as compared to the diameter of the stuffing tube the more force required to force the mince out.
I have a 20 Lb stuffer and if I try to stuff 19 mm cases the force require is almost to the breaking point of the metal gears. Conversly I have a 5 lb. stuffer and its a breese to stuff 19 mm cases.
an advantage of the larger stuffer is you can make large batches and only have to fill the stuffer once or twice. Filling the stuffer is not a big deal to do it several times for a large batch.
Hope this info helps.

[saucisson]

If you are going to stuff small cases say sheep or smaller collagen in the 19 mm range go with the smaller capacity stuffer. The reason is a matter of physics. Thr larger the diameter of the stuffer as compared to the diameter of the stuffing tube the more force required to force the mince out.
I have a 20 Lb stuffer and if I try to stuff 19 mm cases the force require is almost to the breaking point of the metal gears. Conversly I have a 5 lb. stuffer and its a breese to stuff 19 mm cases.

Not something I'd ever considered. Good point, thanks.

[bwalt822]

I have a 3L version of the 5L that you posted and it works great. A little meat gets by the piston but i may have been using it with the seal installed backwards, we'll find out next time. If I could make the purchase again i would have gone with the 5L so I dont have to reload it that much. Its not hard to crank for hog casings and the second gear ratio does help when raising the piston. You do need to clamp it down to make life easier though.

[mr_magicfingers]

It's been a while since I posted here, as I've been working away for the past 6 months, but I'm home again and just bought the Biltongbox stuffer as a christmas present to myself.

Thanks to everyone for their advice, I'm looking forward to getting back into making my own sausages again.

Happy new year to you all,

Justin.

[wheels]

Happy new year Justin.

I have the same stuffer!

Phil