THE SPEC EXPLAINER

What Do #12, #22 and #32 Mean on a Commercial Meat Grinder?

#12, #22 and #32 describe grinder head/plate size families, not horsepower. As the number increases, the throat and grinding plate are generally larger, which supports higher production when the motor and auger are sized to match.

How head size affects production

A #12 is common for restaurants and smaller processors; #22 is a strong middle ground for butcher-shop work; #32 is chosen when larger batches and faster output justify the bigger machine. A large head with an underpowered motor is not automatically faster.

Why accessories must match

Plates, knives, stuffing tubes and replacement parts are size-specific. If a shop already owns #22 accessories, staying within that system can reduce spare-parts cost and simplify inventory.

What to check before buying

  • Head size (#12/#22/#32)
  • Motor horsepower
  • Rated throughput
  • Availability of plates and knives
PRODUCTS THAT FIT THIS QUESTION

Three products worth comparing

For “What Do #12, #22 and #32 Mean on a Commercial Meat Grinder?,” these three models give you concrete products to compare against the requirements above, instead of leaving the answer at theory.

LEM BigBite #12
BEST MID-VOLUME

LEM BigBite #12

Our strongest starting point because 0.75 HP • #12 head and Rated around 11 lb/min give the buyer two concrete traits to verify against this requirement.

0.75 HP • #12 headRated around 11 lb/min
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LEM BigBite #22
BEST OVERALL

LEM BigBite #22

A useful second comparison because 1.0 HP • #22 head and Rated around 13 lb/min give the buyer two concrete traits to verify against this requirement.

1.0 HP • #22 headRated around 13 lb/min
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LEM BigBite #32
BEST PROFESSIONAL

LEM BigBite #32

A contrasting third option because 1.5 HP • #32 head and Rated around 17 lb/min give the buyer two concrete traits to verify against this requirement.

1.5 HP • #32 headRated around 17 lb/min
Check →