The Best Meat Tenderizers In 2022

How we chose our selections

Gkrphoto/Getty Images

We create lots of lists featuring the best products of the year, so we’ve got our processes down pat. This list was unique, though, because there aren’t as many meat tenderizers on the market as you might think. No, there’s not a shortage by any means, but there aren’t nearly as many meat tenderizers as there are, say, knives or frying pans. This circumstance made creating our list easier in some ways (fewer to sort through), but challenging in others (fewer good options).

Nevertheless, we persisted, and by collecting an initial list, weeding through until we had the best ones, and assigning each on a category according to its best feature, we ended up with a list of the best meat tenderizers in 2022. You certainly don’t need all of these, but any one is going to be a worthwhile purchase. Say hello to tender, tasty meat with these stellar meat tenderizers. All prices were accurate as of the publishing date of this article.

The Best Meat Tenderizers In 2022

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By Acacia Deadrick/Dec. 25, 2022 2:01 pm EST

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Enter meat tenderizers. These kitchen tools are handy little instruments that are used to flatten and tenderize pieces of meat, making them a more suitable thickness for cooking and improving their texture. Not every kitchen has a meat tenderizer, but every kitchen should (at least the kitchens that cook meat should).

How we chose our selections

Gkrphoto/Getty Images

We create lots of lists featuring the best products of the year, so we’ve got our processes down pat. This list was unique, though, because there aren’t as many meat tenderizers on the market as you might think. No, there’s not a shortage by any means, but there aren’t nearly as many meat tenderizers as there are, say, knives or frying pans. This circumstance made creating our list easier in some ways (fewer to sort through), but challenging in others (fewer good options).

Nevertheless, we persisted, and by collecting an initial list, weeding through until we had the best ones, and assigning each on a category according to its best feature, we ended up with a list of the best meat tenderizers in 2022. You certainly don’t need all of these, but any one is going to be a worthwhile purchase. Say hello to tender, tasty meat with these stellar meat tenderizers. All prices were accurate as of the publishing date of this article.

Nevertheless, we persisted, and by collecting an initial list, weeding through until we had the best ones, and assigning each on a category according to its best feature, we ended up with a list of the best meat tenderizers in 2022. You certainly don’t need all of these, but any one is going to be a worthwhile purchase. Say hello to tender, tasty meat with these stellar meat tenderizers. All prices were accurate as of the publishing date of this article.

Best overall meat tenderizer

KitchenAid

By all accounts, this tenderizer looks like your typical tenderizer. It’s hammer-size, and it comes with both a flat side and a spiked side. The flat side is good for pounding meat until it has an even width throughout, and the spiked side is great for tenderizing the meat to give it a better texture than it would have otherwise. And yes, to a certain extent, this meat tenderizer is just like many others, but we like it best because it’s durable and long-lasting and works fantastically, all for a great price.

As one reviewer said, “Since never had I used this before, I did not know what to expect. Wow! That thing got the breasts down to the size I needed within just a few minutes. It was amazing. The next night we used it to tenderize a couple of rib eye steaks. Same thing. It was amazing. Why we waited for decades to get this is beyond both of us.” Meat tenderizers aren’t typically a purchase you put lots of thought into, and if you want to continue with that practice, do yourself a favor and just buy the KitchenAid meat tenderizer.

Best affordable meat tenderizer

OXO

The OXO meat tenderizer is a mallet-style tenderizer, and you can tell simply by the design that it’s going to work well. Unlike many meat tenderizers, this one has a square head, whereas others look a little more similar to a tapered hammerhead.

Lots of people who have used this meat tenderizer before are fans. As one said, “This is a good tenderizer due to its weight. Easy to hold and handle and yet has some heft to it. Nice-sized mallet. It gets the job done!” Another said, “Very well made!” We happen to agree with both.

Best splurge meat tenderizer

Guide Gear

Despite the effort required, it’s really not difficult to use. As one customer said, “Very easy to put together and use. Made deer meat into cube steaks in seconds and even used on boneless chicken breasts. Easy to clean. Love it.”

Seriously, don’t let it intimidate you. It comes with instructions, and once you get the hang of it and understand the machine, you’ll be able to make your own decisions about what pieces you’re going to use for which cuts of meat. It’s the perfect gift and a great way to experiment more with your meat while getting it super tender and flavorful in the process.

Best meat tenderizer for beef

JY Cookment

All that being said, if you do want to separate your tenderizers and have one just for beef, we suggest the JY Cookment. This tenderizer is made with needles that press down into the slab, poking several holes in the beef all at once. The tenderizer is also great because of its design. It clicks down like a stapler, exerting force you don’t have to exert yourself.

People who have used this before are major fans. One buyer said, “I would have easily paid $100 for a tool this useful. It makes all the difference in the world. It gives an $8 steak the texture and taste of something you’d pay $60 for at a fancy restaurant.” Another added, “Used it to tenderize chuck roast and made meat yummy and tender. Great product.”

Best meat tenderizer for poultry

GXONE

To effectively flatten poultry, enlist a meat tenderizer like the GXONE. This baby has tons of force and will flatten and tenderize chicken and other poultry like you wouldn’t believe. It’s made of stainless steel and weighs over a pound, so there’s plenty of weight behind it to get your meat to your desired thickness without too much human effort. “I read a review that said this was like Thor’s hammer. All I want to say is Sir or Mame [sic] you did NOT lie. And now I too have a piece of the god of thunder in my kitchen cabinet,” one customer said.

Best stainless steel meat tenderizer

Gourmet Easy

Gourmet Easy lives up to its brand name. You’re going to have gourmet food easily. This is a mallet-style tenderizer, and like many of the others on this list, it has a flat side and a spiked side. It’s dishwasher safe and it can be used for about any type of meat imaginable.

The reviews for this tool are great, and anyone who has used it loves it. One person who purchased it shared, “As far as kitchen tools go, it’s pretty to look at and has a good weight to it. The textured grip makes it easy to hold on to while using, even if your hands are wet or slippery. There is a side for pounding and a side for tenderizing and both are very effective.” Another added, “This meat tenderizer is easy to clean and hold. I would recommend purchasing this quality item.”

Best crank meat tenderizer

Weston

Our favorite is the Weston. With this tool, you can use different attachments to have different effects on your pieces of meat, and it flattens things way more quickly than you would be able to while using other methods, like stacking or pounding to flatten. With a crank tenderizer, meat has never had such a great texture. And though this machine does take some effort to clean, you won’t regret using it. “Great value for your money,” one customer said, adding, “Built very sturdy and heavy. Great way to cube less expensive cuts of meat tender.”

Best reversible meat tenderizer

KEISSCO

We love reversible meat tenderizers for many other reasons. They’re easy to keep clean — the dirty part is designed to be removed, and KEISSCO’s is dishwasher safe. They’re also more versatile than many other meat tenderizers. As one customer noted, “I use this for smash burgers, and crushing cookies for pie crusts.” A kitchen tool with multiple uses? Definitely worth the money.

Finally, we love this product because it works. Meat takes on a great texture when it’s employed. All the other features are just added bonuses.

Best wooden meat tenderizer

Ironwood Gourmet

We must note, though, using a wooden tool with meat does require some extra care. Of course, it’s not impossible — we wouldn’t be recommending it if it weren’t safe — but do note that wood is far more porous than other materials, meaning it will hang on to bacteria if not properly cleaned. Like with a wooden cutting board, if you use this mallet with raw meat, make sure you are cleaning it immediately after use with soap and hot water. Though you could put it in the dishwasher, we don’t recommend it, as that will deteriorate the quality of the wood over time.

That note aside, a wooden tenderizer does just as good a job with meat as a metal tenderizer, and it’s safer to keep in your kitchen as it won’t damage your countertops or cutting boards. “I find this excellent for my use. Its weight [sic] enough and gets the job done. I am very pleased with it,” another customer shared.

Best needle meat tenderizer

XSpecial

We are partial to the XSpecial meat tenderizer. This kitchen tool works like a hole punch, getting the needles deep into the meat with lots of force. The design is fabulous, and it’s very well-made. Using this tool might take some getting used to, but as one user pointed out, you’ll be happy in the long run. “At first I thought it was to [sic] heavy but after using it I was pleasantly surprised how easy to use and effortless to get the job done,” the buyer said. Weight aside, it’s easy to handle and a great tenderizer.

Best rolling meat tenderizer

Jim Beam

Jim Beam’s design makes it easy to quickly roll over a piece of meat and have it tender in no time. Cleaning this can be a little bit difficult as its wooden handle can’t go in the dishwasher and the spikes can be dangerous to wash. But if you soak it in hot water and soap long enough without submerging the handle, it’ll be clean. And per one reviewer, “I don’t like the kind that works like a hammer. For beef under an inch thick, this is perfect.”