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Although everyone has different preferences with meat, practically no one likes to have to fight with a hard steak. For this reason, good meat lovers know the importance of good Meat Tenderizer. It is used to treat the fillets and soften their texture, breaking the main fibers and give more tender and easy to digest meat. 

Among the options that we find in the market, we have products such as the XSpecial Meat Tenderizer softener that has 48 stainless steel blades that break the fibers of the meat, making them more juicy and pleasant. This simple product is highly appreciated by consumers. If instead of cutting, you prefer the usual hammers, you can bet on the KitchenAid model, made of high strength aluminum with a double-sided system that makes the process more comfortable and efficient.

Comparison table

♕ 1st Place

XSpecial Meat Tenderizer

The good

Your meats will not only be softer, but they will also have a better flavor because it has 48 stainless steel blades. Apart from softening the cuts that you are going to prepare, it allows the meat to better absorb when marinating.

The Bad

Users recommend being very careful when cleaning this product. This is because its blades are somewhat sharp and if you are not careful, you run the risk of cutting yourself with them.

Conclusion 

It has been well-valued by the people who have acquired it, who ensure that it softens the meat in the right way, allows it to absorb the marinades well and is easy to use.

♘ 2nd Place

KitchenAid

The good

This meat tenderizer hammer has been manufactured in aluminum with an integral format, which gives greater safety and higher resistance than other models on the market.

The Bad

To prevent the product from deteriorating during washing, it is necessary to hand wash it. Also, it is recommended to wash and dry the hammer well after use.

Conclusion 

This hammer offers an integral, resistant and lightweight design to use when tenderizing meat.

♖ 3rd Place

EECOO Meat Tenderizer

The good

This hammer-shaped model has two different softening elements, so you can choose the one that suits you according to the recipe you want to prepare.

The Bad

Since much of its structure is made of wood, care should be taken both to prevent it from deteriorating and for dirt.

Conclusion 

Multipurpose meat tenderizing hammer, with two modes of use and that you can use in other types of tasks.

Best meat tenderizer in the market

If you are one of those people who love meat, surely one of your greatest pleasures will be to enjoy a good tender and juicy steak. To achieve these results in any type of meat, tenderizers play a great role. 

Below is the complete review of the best meat tenderizers in the market.

XSpecial Meat Tenderizer

Main Advantage:

This meat tenderizer stands out for its design with very resistant and durable 48 stainless steel blades. This meat tenderizer by Xspecial can penetrate the toughest meats making them soft and juicy.

Main Disadvantage:

If what you need to soften large pieces of meat, this meat tenderizer will not be suitable for your needs. Since it is designed to penetrate low cuts such as fillets.

Verdict: 9.8 / 10

A quality product, its design and its manufacture in stainless steel, allow softening all kinds of meats at its right point to get juicier and better-cooked pieces.

Format and blades

This meat tenderizer works by a system of blades that are activated manually by pressure. This system is formed by a group of 48 blades that are strategically placed in rows. These blades penetrate the meat every few millimeters to break the fibers of the meat and get softer and juicy pieces without breaking the structure of the steak.

The meat will cook faster and more evenly and the marinades and dressings will penetrate much better inside the meat. These blades are made of premium stainless steel, so they are very durable and resistant and give good results on any type of meat.

This will ensure that even the toughest meats become juicy and appetizing cuts in a much simpler and more comfortable way than with hammer design tenderizer.

Ergonomic design

One of the advantages that this product presents is its design, which makes its use comfortable, fast and simple. It’s ergonomic and non-slip handle allows a firm and safe grip during use. Its design gives the necessary pressure on the piece of meat to achieve the desired results at all times. Xspecial handle is made of high strength plastic material.

Maintenance and cleaning

As for cleaning, it is very simple and quick as it has detachable construction and you can wash it directly in the dishwasher. Of course, because these blades are extremely sharp, we recommend maximizing caution during cleaning to avoid accidental cuts and injuries.

KitchenAid Meat Tenderizer

When it comes to tenderizing meat, one of the most common solutions is softening hammers. Among these models, we find the KitchenAid meat tenderizer, which has a good aluminum fabrication with one grooved side and another flat side. This allows us to soften all types of meat easily.

KitchenAid meat tenderizer is resistant, but also light, and does not require great strength for its use. It also has two different sides depending on the treatment we want to give the meat.

Pros

Materials: The product is made of aluminum, which is a resistant material and also does not deteriorate over time.

Integral Design: The integral design in one piece improves the strength of the softener, offering a longer service life than other models.

Double-sided: By having two different faces, it is possible to perform different treatments on the meat, depending on how you want to prepare it.

Light: Precisely because of its aluminum fabrication, this product is lightweight, so it can be used by all types of users without complications.

Cons

Cleaning: The product, due to its construction, should only be washed by hand. We recommend you to dry it well afterward to avoid water remains.

Strength: The appearance of the handle can raise doubts about its strength. 

Besides, this material has the advantage of being of a food type, so it does not pose a risk to the safety of your dishes. This model has a total length of 9.5 inches, with which you can tender your meat with only a few strokes.

EECOO Meat Tenderizer

When it comes to tenderizing meats, it is necessary to get tough. And for that, nothing is more suitable than meat tenderizing hammers, which are so common in the market. 

This softener is a versatile product with quality manufacturing, suitable both to soften your meats and to perform other cooking tasks. This product consists of a 12.5-inch handle made of high strength beech wood, which is topped with the two aluminum softening plates.

Pros

Double-sided: The double-sided system makes it easier to soften the meats depending on what you want to prepare.

Comfort: According to some users, the product has a pleasant comfort of use. This is because of the length of the handle and the lightweight of the product.

Resistance: The product has aluminum heads, beechwood base and handle, so it offers good resistance during use.

Multi-purpose: The product can be used as a meat tenderizer, cracking nuts and other cooking tasks.

Cons

Cleaning: Because its handle is made of wood, we recommend you to be careful with the cleaning process.

Storage: Since the product has a total length of 12.5 inches, storing it can be somewhat complicated. However, it has a hole in the handle to hang it.

These elements have two different design plates on the sides. These side plates are made of aluminum, to give them greater resistance to use and protect against the contamination of the meat itself. A complete product weighs about 0.57lb and doesn’t require much strength to use it. 

Norpro 7032

If you do not need great features and you are not going to use your tenderizer intensively. Or you are probably looking for cheap softeners, only to help you get softer fillets. With this meat tenderizer, you will get a good product at a very affordable price.

Although it is a much more basic model than the ones we have analyzed so far. But with it, you can get more tender fillets in a short time by simply pressing this device on the whole fillet.

It has a very compact and manageable design, with only 24 steel blades that will help break the tissues of the meat to soften it.

This product is not suitable for the dishwasher, so, after each use, you will have to wash it under running water. Of course, you can let it soak whenever necessary.

Pros

Design: It is small, compact and manageable, which makes it easy to use.

Value for money: It works very well for how economical it is compared to other similar products.

Material: It is made of sturdy plastic and easy to handle. It has 24 steel blades.

Time-saving when cooking: It works very well to soften the meat and cook faster.

Cons

This product is not dishwasher safe.  

We don’t always have to buy the most expensive product to get the best quality. Sometimes we can use cheaper models that provide us with very good results. Read carefully the pros and cons of the Norpo 7032 meat tenderizer.

Buyers Guide for Meat Tenderizer

Virtually all of us have suffered the effects of some meat steak harder than a shoe sole. The structure and cutting of these meats can cause considerable hardness in them. To avoid this we can use different systems to soften them and make these meats tenderer when eating them. 

To soften the meat simply, we offer you our guide to buying the best meat tenderizer in the market according to your specific needs.

Manual or chemical system

Within the comparison of meat tenderizers that we find in the market, we have to start distinguishing between manual and chemical products. In chemical products, we talk about powders that contain enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for softening the structure of the meat by generalizing the weakening of the fibers that are part of it. They are safe products and have been approved for use in food. Although it is also true that for some sensitive palates the softening result generated by these powders, can be debatable.

On the other hand, we find the manual systems, which allow us to soften the meat mainly by hitting it with different shapes and different elements. 

These systems have the advantage of not affecting the structure of the meat beyond the elimination of the stiffness of its fibers. Although, in this type, we have to make a physical effort to achieve adequate softening.

Usage system

Within the mechanical softeners, we have three main designs. One of these designs is meat mallets. These meat mallets are nothing more than hammers that have grooved surfaces. This is responsible for providing the desired softening level by striking the meat.

Another model that we can find in the market is the shovels. These products have a flattened shape and you must hit the meat with them to stretch it. Although, these are not recommended for thick fillets.

Finally, we have the cutting softeners, which have a system of blades. These blades are pierced into the meat for cutting the fibers of the meat to make it softer. Keep in mind that these blades have been designed to make a superficial cut that then does not affect when cooking the product.

Comfort of use

When purchasing one of these meat softeners, you should not only worry about how much this type of product costs or what type it is. But you should also pay attention to whether it is comfortable to use. 

Although we have already mentioned the different existing models and for what purpose they are intended, it is true that these models also have a different comfort. In the case of striking models, the handles must be resistant and of quality. The low-quality model can cause excessive fatigue in the hand when it comes to beating and tenderizing the meat. 

As for the mallet softener, they are usually affordable and are entirely made of the same material.

In the case of the blades, these usually have a plastic handle with an ergonomic design that makes it easier to use them and strike more comfortably.

How to use a meat tenderizer

There is nothing more unpleasant than cutting and eating a hard steak. With a good meat tenderizer, you can treat the meat in advance so that they are tender and easy to digest. They also help in maintaining the rich and pleasant flavors.

Buy quality meat

To enjoy good meals it is essential to buy the best ingredients especially when it comes to meat. A good cut of meat will have the best flavor, even without much effort to soften it, since its pulp has no fat or other fibers.

But while the meat you bought is of excellent quality and the cut is thick, you will need to use your tenderizer to make it juicier.

How to tenderize meat

After buying your tenderizer, you will need a stable place to do the task of tenderizing the meat. Start by putting the meat steak on a chopping board spreading it as best as possible.

Then, with the tenderizer, beat the meat with more or less force depending on the thickness of the fillet and how soft you want it. Hit the meat until the whole steak is complete. If necessary, do it on both sides.

But if you buy the needle style tenderizer, the process can be easier. Also, extend the fillet, remove the protector from the softener blades and place it on the meat and press the top. You will see the blades bury themselves in the meat; Repeat this procedure throughout the fillet until it is soft.

Wash it properly

After tenderizing the meat it is very important that you properly wash your meat tenderizer. It is essential to remove any residue that can contaminate your food when you use the tenderizer again.

If your utensil is hammer style, put it under running water and wash it with a sponge and dishwashing detergent. Be sure to reach all of its parts, including the one that joins the handle with the softener head. Also, rub well between the tips or dentures of the mallet. Rinse well and dry.

If you bought a blade softener, you only have to remove the middle screw from the top of the device. For this, push the blades as if you were softening meat and a lid will come up that you must remove. You can also take out the blades and wash each piece separately.

Care you should have

When using the hammer softener, keep your hand away from the steak. Or if it is necessary to hold the meat, be sure to hit the other end of where the hand is and turn it as you soften.

If you use a blade softener you should be especially careful when you are removing them to wash them. When reassembling the device, secure the screw where they are inserted.