# Need stuffer recomendations!



## scrantny (Jan 19, 2017)

What vertical stuffer do most of you prefer?

I would like one that will hold at least 10lbs prefereably 20lbs.

our grinder does a decent job of stuffing but its just slow..

our average size batch has been 50-70lbs at a time.

i've looked at a lot of them just not sure which one to get..

all opinions welcome 

anyone ever use this one below?


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## kajun58 (Jan 19, 2017)

I have a Gander Mountain 10# vertical stuffer it works just fine. Check out Lem VSS. They have motorized with foot pedal that's on my wish list.
Good luck!


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## murraysmokin (Jan 19, 2017)

I have the weston 11lb & have been very happy with its performance.


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## muddydogs (Jan 19, 2017)

I've not used the newer stainless steel type that you posted very much but from what I have seen I would say if you can swing the cost the Chop-rite type stuffer is very hard to beat. If you get lucky you might find an old Enterprise stuffer off Craigslist or other classifieds. The cast iron stuffers are pretty indestructible.


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## pugsbrew (Jan 19, 2017)

I have the LEM 5# stuffer.  I'm new at this hobby and wanted something that was SS and not have to worry about the upkeep between sausage making days.  I've only made about 30#, but I love not worry about constantly worry about rust prevention between stuffing days.  IMHO, SS is the way to go.


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## tallbm (Jan 19, 2017)

Two years ago I bought an Arksen 10L (23 pound, but really more like 20 pound) on ebay for $270.

Here it is on Amazon for $250 












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__ tallbm
__ Jan 19, 2017






For comparison the Lem 25 pound stuffer cost $427.

I started with a 5 pound lem (really does like 4 pounds) and it was good but gets old when you 30+ pounds of sausage.  A larger stuffer than 5 pound for your volume is really needed IMO.

In all I'm happy and satisfied with it after 2 years of usage.  I can tell you that being able to stuff 20 pounds of sausage in one loading is a HUGE time saver if not a life savor :)

The Arksen is all metal gears and construction other than plastic on the handle.  Know this thing is quite heavy so put on your big boy pants to carry and/or move or get a second person to help.  It also needs a little care and literally some polishing of the rough edges.  I use U/C clamps to hold/fasten it to a table when I use it.  Here is a little review I did on another forum when I bought this thing.

The box it comes it is not really meant to keep the item in it once taken it so plan on storing it covered rather than in the box
-The slow gear does not seem to go in reverse and is a bit stiff with the machine not bolted or fastened down. Thats ok the fast gear will work for me.
-No useful manual comes with the device but after 5-8 min of playing around with it you can figure it out
-It was FILTHY. It was completely covered in a thin grease film of some sort.
-The rubber/plastic gasket on the plunger  had some sort of sticky silicon type grease (best word to describe it) that was stuck inside the stuffing canister. This was particularly more of a pain to clean
-The machine work was rough. I had to take a my dremel with a rough sanding wheel and knock the sharp edge off the base of the device to feel like I would not cut my hands when picking it up. Also the edges on the inside of the stuffing canister that lead to the spout where sausage comes out were square and rough so I knocked the edge off them. Finally there was some rough machining marks on the inside bottom of the canister and rough spots in the spout where the sausage comes out. I took the sanding wheel to the spout part to make sure it was smooth so sausage wouldn't catch on it too greatly providing more resistance than needed.

-I first cleaned the entire device with 99% alcohol and paper towels to knock the thin grease off of it, this is very necessary and did a good enough job.
-Additionally it takes an S.O.S.steel cleaning pad to really clean the plunger  and to really clean the silicon grease on the plunger  and what is left behind on the walls of the stuffing canister. There is no way around this.
-Finally I hit the entire stuffing canister with the S.O.S. pad to get it really clean in and out. The entire device could have used the same cleaning but I was lazy and not happy to be covered in water from a water hose situation.

*Conclusion:*
In all I feel the purchase was adequate given the savings.  I simply had to use my ability to alleviate the rough edges, and 2 hour or so of my life spent sanding and thoroughly cleaning the device.

Since owning the stuffer I have stuffed at least 100+ pounds of sausage and packed 75+ pounds of pure ground lean venison into 1 pound meat bags.

It is basically mandatory to stuff as a 2 man job.  1 sturdy person to crank and 1 person to feed casing and sausage.  Pushing 20 pounds of meat and feeding is a very very very tough task if not impossible.  I was able to do ground meat bags alone but that is because there is no need to feed and avoid busting a casing.

Expert tip, do not use the smallest tube because the pressure on the crank needed to push 20 pounds of meat down and through a small diameter tube takes a quite strong human being and/or one with stamina and stubborness.  Use the largest stuffing tube you can get away with to make the cranking much easier :)

I hope this glut of info helps and other than the cleaning stuff, I think this info applies to any stuffer this size :)


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## scrantny (Jan 20, 2017)

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, this is a hard decision to make i guess with so many options out there... budget is a concern like most of us. Just want to make sure we get the right one and worth what we pay for.

I didnt realize there were reviews already for stuffers in the sticky.

Do any of you know of a LARGER water stuffer like the Dakota style - maybe a 20lb similar to that.

One man operation is something that would be great to utilize so we can stuff, grind, and mix at the same time.

we are not making this much every week as its for ourselves and friends/family but the demand is getting greater.

thanks again, i'll keep monitoring suggests.

later

ant


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## g dog (Jan 20, 2017)

I have owned and used the buffalo tools stuffer you had pictured and used it for a number of years.  It worked great and I made 100's of pounds of sausage with it.  It holds 11 pounds and many times this was adequate.  Reloading is no big deal.  The gearing is all metal and it worked very smooth.  The other benefit is that all the gaskets and stuffing tubes a can be interchanged with many common stuffers.  I upgraded to a motorized unit but I wouldn't hesitate to buy the buffalo stuffer again.


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## muddydogs (Jan 20, 2017)

Pugsbrew said:


> I have the LEM 5# stuffer.  I'm new at this hobby and wanted something that was SS and not have to worry about the upkeep between sausage making days.  I've only made about 30#, but I love not worry about constantly worry about rust prevention between stuffing days.  IMHO, SS is the way to go.


Whats there to worry about? My cast iron stuffer sat in a kitchen cabinet for 10 years before I got around to using it. I used it for 8 or so years with the beat up original finish with no rust problems. I think you are making a problem where none exist as long as you dry the stuffer after cleaning and maybe a quick wide with oil if it makes you feel better then there is nothing to worry about.


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## ab canuck (Jan 20, 2017)

Not sure what to say, I have never used a vertical stuffer, I have always used a horizontal unit. Both have their pros and cons, But i find that at a comfortable working height for stuffing the person cranking on the stuffer handle had to be on a stool or chair/bench to reach and turn the handle. I prefer the horizontal because of ease of use. I have an 8# and have put around a 1000# of sausage through this unit. IMO


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## muddydogs (Jan 20, 2017)

AB Canuck said:


> Not sure what to say, I have never used a vertical stuffer, I have always used a horizontal unit. Both have their pros and cons, But i find that at a comfortable working height for stuffing the person cranking on the stuffer handle had to be on a stool or chair/bench to reach and turn the handle. I prefer the horizontal because of ease of use. I have an 8# and have put around a 1000# of sausage through this unit. IMO


I can see were some of the tall vertical stuffers might be a problem to turn for some, the bigger units get some height off the counter that's for sure. Might be another good thing about the cast iron stuffers as they seem to be wider them most stainless stuffers so they don't have to be as tall. At 6'10" I generally don't have an issue with things being to tall myself.


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## scrantny (Jan 27, 2017)

Im Tall (6'-2") but my buddy i make sausage with is shorts at approx 5'-6'' - 

maybe i can crank the stuffer and he can hold my sausage while its stuffing. LMAO


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## hoity toit (Jan 27, 2017)

scrantny said:


> What vertical stuffer do most of you prefer?
> 
> I would like one that will hold at least 10lbs prefereably 20lbs.
> 
> ...


I have one very similar to that and it does really well. 

_Here are my thoughts :_ Sometimes bigger is not always better, it is super for doing summer sausage and large size casings because of its volume and you dont have to stop and refill it as often. It is rather tall though which I don't care for It could have been made a little shorter and bigger around. Sometimes you risk meat not staying cold enough if you don't stuff quickly. Also the handle is not attached as it only slides over the sprocket and it falls off from time to time if you don't pay attention to what you are doing. If you are doing a lot at a time with help from friends, then this is what I would use, however if you are by yourself I would do smaller batches in a smaller 5lb stuffer or use a Dakota stuffer (water powered) which I also have. The dakota holds 9 lbs of meat or less and makes 1 man work of stuffing pretty easy. Sometimes smaller is better .Ok now you have my 2 cents worth. There really isn't a one size fits all, you have to find the happy medium that works best for you. I hope I have not totally confused you on this.

HT


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## ab canuck (Jan 28, 2017)

Lots of good info, Hope that helps you out in your search and decision. Let us know how it ends up. Charlie


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## cliff43j (Jan 28, 2017)

I opted for this SS, 7L, 2-speed, manual stuffer:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/262356535489?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

It claims a 15# capacity; however, others claim 20# for the same machine.  It can be bought for less, but I like this seller.  It is so easy to operate by my son & I who are both disabled from car wrecks - bad backs and nerve damage to our hands.  Cleaning is simple too.  It has a rack instead of a threaded rod and is just about all stainless steel where practical.  I'll be dead and buried before I wear it out ;-)  you can't go wrong with this one, IMO.


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## ab canuck (Jan 28, 2017)

Glad you made your purchase, Good luck and enjoy.....


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## scrantny (Jan 31, 2017)

HT, thanks for the input - I agree with the smaller stuffers - I think that may be a wiser choice.  So far my plan is to go with a Dakota since it can be a 1 man operation on stuffing. I think that is the wise choice for us. me and my buddy will probably share this and possible end up getting another one if we need to stuff more at one time..

is your Dakota hooked to water or have you converted it to air.

I would like to take the air route since I was given an air pedal that controls air flow rate.. its similar to a wah pedal for a guitar.

I think it would work pretty darn good and I wouldn't have to worry about water hose connected and or running a long length of hose.

thanks again for the input everyone - I appreciate all of you.


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## scrantny (Jan 31, 2017)

not a bad option either. how much meat would you say gets trapped in the elbow on the bottom? looks like about a whole link or so with the stuffer tube connected.

Does the handle stay attached or does it just slip on when being used?


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## bregent (Jan 31, 2017)

>So far my plan is to go with a Dakota since it can be a 1 man operation on stuffing.

You really don't need another person if you have a good quality manual crank stuffer - use one hand to crank and the other to guide.


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## bregent (Jan 31, 2017)

OK, I just re-read your first post and see you are doing large batch sizes. With that in mind, a hydraulic or motorized stuffer would be nice.

I prefer horizonal stuffers because of the lower handle and lower center of gravity, but vertical stuffers are easier to refill and you'll be needing to refill several times to get the job done.


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## boomerangg22 (Feb 11, 2017)

did you get it yet Cliff? if so do you like it? have you used it? and comments for us looking to buy one?


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## cliff43j (Feb 11, 2017)

I watched a couple of restauranteurs on YouTube make their sausage.  They dissolved their seasoning mix in water and then mixed it into the ground pork shoulder.  This wee bit of additional moisture made it easier to mix the seasoning into the ground pork avoiding hot spots and facilitated stuffing the casing.   I shall make a point of trying this technique the next time that I make sausage.


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## hoity toit (Feb 12, 2017)

scrantny said:


> HT, thanks for the input - I agree with the smaller stuffers - I think that may be a wiser choice.  So far my plan is to go with a Dakota since it can be a 1 man operation on stuffing. I think that is the wise choice for us. me and my buddy will probably share this and possible end up getting another one if we need to stuff more at one time..
> 
> is your Dakota hooked to water or have you converted it to air.
> 
> ...


No mine is connected to water but heh I like the air idea.That would be a simple conversion I may have to try.. If you do go the air route post some pictures of how you rig it up OK?

HT


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## hoity toit (Feb 12, 2017)

Cliff43J said:


> I watched a couple of restauranteurs on YouTube make their sausage.  They dissolved their seasoning mix in water and then mixed it into the ground pork shoulder.  This wee bit of additional moisture made it easier to mix the seasoning into the ground pork avoiding hot spots and facilitated stuffing the casing.   I shall make a point of trying this technique the next time that I make sausage.


Don't use a lot of water as bacteria thrives on it, the less the better.


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## cliff43j (Feb 12, 2017)

HT, I had not considered the bacteria aspect of it.  Actually we managed quite well without the water.  It took a wee bit more effort, but not difficult.  I believe that I can stick with what I'm doing.  It works.

I looked into the electric stuffers - hmm, the makers are awfully proud of their efforts as the prices are up an additional $400-500 or so over the manual.  That is quite a premium, IMO.


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## boomerangg22 (Feb 12, 2017)

so did you like the one you got off ebay Cliff?


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## scrantny (Feb 13, 2017)

this is what i ended up getting. for the time being as it was on sale and i just could pass it up - 

it is a copy of the weston stuffer - and probably made by weston and possible some of their "seconds" models.

it sells for 179.00 at academy and was on clearance for 124.00

use it by myself to see if i liked it - ran 3 separate 5lb test batches of fresh sausage "not to be smoked" and it did fine and was actually pretty easy for me by myself and pretty fast also. doesnt quite hold 11 lbs maybe 9.75 lbs. i like it so far.

me and a buddy sutffed about 40 lbs this weekend with different batches and it was pretty quick..


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## tallbm (Feb 13, 2017)

scrantny said:


> this is what i ended up getting. for the time being as it was on sale and i just could pass it up -
> 
> it is a copy of the weston stuffer - and probably made by weston and possible some of their "seconds" models.
> 
> ...


Sounds great!

I think that once you get over 15 pounds and if you use smaller diameter tubers (plus quality of stuffer itself) stuffing gets more difficult. 

I noticed with my 10 Liter stuffer that if I use a larger tube it is much easier to crank.  If I use the smallest tube it takes some hardcore pressure to crank 20 pounds through that guy, but gets easier as the the amount of meat reduces.

Hope this info helps :)


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## boomerangg22 (Feb 13, 2017)

thanks *scrantny*  looks like a good unit


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