Not sure about the power rating thing with most grinders, but I've got a LEM from BassPro rated for 1 HP. This thing has metal gears (Most of the LEMs except some of the smaller models run metal gears) and with a throat on the grinder big enough to almost fit my forearm down, that's my biggest fear. The grinder would most likely suck your arm in and keep going. It is incredibly strong - strong enough to feed frozen strips of game, silver skin and all about 1.5" in diameter and never miss a beat. If the game is thawed, it just simply powers through it without even starting to slow down. I have to load up the tray, then start grinding because I can't keep up lifting from a bucket to the tray. Awesome unit, but pricey.
The reason I've got the LEM is that I bought a smaller rated High Country brand that I thought was a good deal (price) and it only went 15 minutes before electrical smoke started. And I wasn't even starting to put a load on the HC. Perhaps I got the Friday-of-a-long-weekend edition of the HC grinder; who knows. But seeing smoke after the initial 15 minutes didn't brew any confidence.
You get what you shell out for. I like the metal gears and strong motor of the LEM - too bad it's 70+ pounds. That's the only drawback.
J.
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My $0.02.... Please feel free to take my comments with a grain of salt
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