The best meat tenderizers can help take your meat recipes to the next level, so we highly recommend investing in a good quality, easy-to-use meat mallet or tenderizing tool.
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Blair regularly makes recipes that use poultry as well as thick beef dinners (like steaks), and to get the most out of the cuts, she uses a meat tenderizer to prepare the meats before she begins cooking.
To help you decide which meat tenderizer is best for you, Blair and I have created a list of our top picks, including the one she uses in her own kitchen. We also researched meat tenderizers from popular brands that come highly recommended by other chefs and culinary experts. To bring you the best meat tenderizers currently on the market, we reviewed the two main styles of tenderizers: the hammer, or meat mallet, and bladed tenderizers.
Our Top Picks:
- What’s in Blair’s Kitchen: OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer – $27.99 at Amazon
- Also Great: KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer – $16.99 at Target
- Best Budget: Norpro Meat Tenderizer – $9.84 at Amazon
- Best With Blades: Oxo Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer – $22.95 at Amazon
- Best Short Handled: HIC Dual-Sided Meat Tenderizer – $19.49 at Amazon
Reviews of The Best Meat Tenderizers
1. What’s in Blair’s Kitchen: OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer
The OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer is Blair’s top pick that she uses in her own kitchen and finds incredibly useful. This meat tenderizer has a smooth side for flattening meat and a textured side for tenderizing, as well as a soft, cushioned, easy-to-grip handle. “It’s heavy and sturdy, so it works with just about any type of meat that you send its way,” Blair says.
Dishwasher safe, the OXO is easy to clean and extremely durable. “I recommend using this meat tenderizer to make chicken cutlets, like my oven-fried chicken breast recipe, or for tenderizing tough cuts of meats like smothered round steak,” Blair says.
What Blair Says:
“I’ve owned my Good Grips meat tenderizer for at least 5 or 6 years. They last forever!”
The Specs:
- Material: Steel, silicone, and plastic
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
- Dimensions: 9.7 x 2.4 inches
- Weight: .64 pounds
The Pros:
- Soft, non-slip grip handle
- Heavy and sturdy
- Can be used for flattening or tenderizing
- Easy to clean
The Cons:
- If used incorrectly you can tear the meat
Buy the OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer:
2. Also Great: KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer
Another one of our top picks is the KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer, which comes in at a close second to the OXO Good Grips tenderizer. KitchenAid is an iconic brand when it comes to quality kitchenware, and this tenderizer is no exception. This hammer-style tenderizer has a wide surface, making light work of pounding meat and, like the OXO, it has dual sides for pounding and for tenderizing.
It can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. The only downfall we noted about this tenderizer is the handle is square which can make it slightly harder to hold compared to other round-handled ones. The KitchenAid is reasonably priced, durable, and can tenderize tougher meat cuts like flank steak with ease.
The Specs:
- Material: Aluminum and silicone
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes
- Dimensions: 9.45 x 3.35 inches
- Weight: .63 Pounds
The Pros:
- Lightweight
- Large surface area
- Popular brand
- Easy to clean
The Cons:
- Square handle makes it slightly harder to grip
What Others Are Saying
The KitchenAid Gourmet Meat Tenderizer has a 4.8 rating on Amazon out of over 20,200 reviews, and Bob Vila awarded it the best overall meat tenderizer they reviewed.
Where to Buy:
3. Best Budget: Norpro Meat Tenderizer
Unlike the other tenderizers we’ve mentioned that require entirely manual force, the Norpro has a spring-loaded mechanism that easily controls the motion. This makes it a great option for anyone with limited mobility in their hands or arms. The 24 stainless steel prongs penetrate deep into the meat to help improve the texture and flavor. It’s cheaper than the other options, so it’s perfect for anyone on a tight budget.
One drawback of the Norpro is that it can be a little hard to clean because the meat can get stuck between the prongs. This is why we recommend hand washing it even though it’s dishwasher safe.
The Specs:
- Material: Plastic and stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but hand washing recommended
- Dimensions: 7.5 x 2 inches
- Weight: .25 Pounds
The Pros:
- Lightweight
- Comfortable handling
- Easy-to-use
- Robust design
The Cons:
- Ideally needs hand washing
- Can be difficult to clean
What Others Are Saying
The Norpro Meat Tenderizer has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon out of 1,900 reviews.
Buy the Norpro Meat Tenderizer:
4. Best With Blades: OXO Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer
In addition to OXO’s hammer-style meat pounder, the company also makes a bladed meat tenderizer. The 50 blades make light work of tenderizing meat as they pierce deep into the tissues, making it excellent for tough cuts of meat like chuck, bottom round, brisket, and flank steak. The easy-grip-rounded handle makes this tenderizer comfortable to use.
For safety, it also has a toggle lock mechanism that keeps the blades covered when not in use. Although this meat tenderizer is dishwasher safe, some meat can get stuck between the blades.
The Specs:
- Material: Plastic and stainless steel
- Dishwasher safe: Yes
- Dimensions: 3 x 2 x 4.5 inches
- Weight: .25 Pounds
The Pros:
- Sharp, durable blades
- Non-slip grip
- Easy-to-use
- Safety lock
The Cons:
- Hard to clean
Buy the OXO Good Grips Bladed Meat Tenderizer:
5. Best Short Handled: HIC Dual-Sided Meat Tenderizer
The HIC Dual-Sided Meat Tenderizer is great for creating evenly-shaped cutlets with minimal tearing, making it the perfect option for chicken-based recipes such as Blair’s Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast. The ergonomic, rounded handle fits nicely in the palm of your hand, and the reversible plate means it can both tenderize and flatten.
Due to the short-handled design, it does require a little more effort than a heavy hammer-style tenderizer (you have to lift it up and slam the tenderizer down onto the meat).
The Specs:
- Material: Chrome-plated zinc
- Dishwasher safe: Yes
- Dimensions: 6 x 3.25 x 3.25 inches
- Weight: 2 pounds
The Pros:
- Well-balanced
- Nonporous
- Dual-sided
- Large surface area
The Cons:
- Requires more effort on your part
- Loud
What Others Are Saying
The HIC Meat Tenderizer has a 4.6 rating on Amazon from more than 1,300 reviews. Serious Eats found it to be the best short-handled meat tenderizer they tested.
Buy the HIC Dual-Sided Meat Tenderizer:
Other Meat Tenderizers We Recommend
Rösle Meat Tenderizer
This hammer-style meat tenderizer is appealing to the eye, lightweight, and easy to clean. The 11-inch handle is significantly longer than other meat tenderizers, and several culinary publications, including All Recipes recommend it. But it fell short of the top picks list because it’s expensive compared to other brands. The Rösle Meat Tenderizer is available at Amazon for $43.
Aliglow Meat Tenderizer Hammer
The Aliglow Meat Tenderizer is a lightweight, easy-to-use meat mallet that’s moderately priced. The one minor drawback is the lack of a comfortable grip on the metal handle (like the KitchenAid and OXO meat hammers do), but otherwise, this is a solid option for a hammer-style mallet. The Aliglow Meat Tenderizer Hammer is available at Amazon for $19.99.
If you specifically want a bladed tenderizer, this could be a good option for you, plus it’s fairly inexpensive. It’s especially good for thicker cuts of meat and has an ergonomic design, but it doesn’t have a flatten-only option like the hammers. Although it can go in the dishwasher, handwashing is generally recommended. Besides being a little bulky, this is a great bladed option. The JY Cookment Meat Tenderizer is available at Amazon for $11.89.
In addition to our favorite budget choice, Norpro also makes the Norpro Grip-Ez Meat Pounder that’s great for achieving the right meat thickness – although it’s a bit pricier than other options. The design doesn’t have the grooves (or blades) to tenderize the same way the others have, but it does an excellent job of flattening meat. The Norpro Grip-EZ Meat Pounder is available on Amazon for $28.08.
OXO Good Grips Die Cast Meat Tenderizer
One last OXO recommendation is the OXO Good Grips Die Cast Meat Tenderizer, which is comfortable, lightweight, and has two sides for both pounding and tenderizing. Customers and culinary publications highly recommend it, and it’s a little more affordable than our top pick. That said, it’s not dishwasher safe (and our top selection is). The OXO Good Grips Die Cast Meat Tenderizer is available on Amazon for $17.95.
Why You Can Trust Us
I’m Georgina Caro, an award-winning content creator, sustainable lifestyle expert, and certified vegetarian and vegan nutritionist. Throughout my writing career, I have researched and created an array of culinary gadgets and gift guides to enable my readers to become more conscious consumers. I’ve been featured in Huffpost, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Ethical Consumer, Bob Vila, Impakter, and many more.
Blair Lonergan, a busy cook, freelance recipe developer, and founder of The Seasoned Mom believes that cooking is an act of love. She regularly enjoys making her delicious, Virginia-inspired recipes for her friends and family, and has a wide collection of hearty protein-based recipes like Easy Carne Asada recipe or her hearty chicken dijon.
Blair and I have worked together to bring you a list of the best meat tenderizers on the market. We started in her own kitchen with the products she knows and loves, and then researched popular kitchen brands. We considered highly-recommended tenderizers, both by customers and top food publications. When making our selections for the best meat tenderizers, we factored in the specifications of each product such as design, weight, dimensions, cost, and the material used.
What to Know About Meat Tenderizers
What is a Meat Tenderizer?
A meat tenderizer, or meat pounder, is a handheld tool that is used to tenderize and pound cuts of meat before cooking. It works by evening out and breaking down the collagen proteins. The pounding or piercing motion helps to soften the meat.
Types of Meat Tenderizers
There are two main types of meat tenderizers: a hammer or mallet style tenderizer and a bladed tenderizer. Both are held in your hand. A hammer or mallet is the most commonly used meat tenderizer. A bladed tenderizer is best for tougher meat; whereas a hammer tenderizer is ideal for broiling or frying meat. However, both can be used for either cooking preference.
How to Use a Meat Tenderizer
Beef or pork are often the types of protein that require tenderizing, but if you’re making flatter chicken cutlets or want to even out chicken pieces, a meat tenderizer can help. You’ll want to place a cutting board underneath the cut of meat, then use a hammer-style tenderizer to hit or pound meat, or a bladed tenderizer to piece through it. Place it on top of the meat and push the blades down into the meat. It’s best to start in the middle and work your way around the edges.
Be sure to thoroughly wash the meat tenderizer in the dishwasher or by hand, depending on the specific product you purchase.
Does Baking Soda Tenderize Meat?
Baking soda is a popular go-to meat tenderizer if you don’t own a meat tenderizing tool. It works by alkalizing the meat’s surface, making it harder for the proteins to connect. This helps to keep the meat tender whilst cooking. Meat can also be tenderized by soaking it for several hours in a marinade, salting it, slicing it with a knife, or slow-cooking it.
Are Meat Tenderizers Necessary?
Although meat tenderizers are not essential, Blair says, “A meat tenderizer is one of those tools that I don’t use every day, but I’m always so happy that it’s in my kitchen when I need it!” They’re especially helpful if you don’t have time to marinate meat or slow cook it.
Beef, Chicken, and Pork Recipes
Once you’ve decided on the best meat tenderizer, try it out on one of these recipes:
- Smothered Round Steak
- Beef Burgundy (or Beef Bourguignon)
- Pork Schnitzel
- Oven Fried Chicken Breast
- Stuffed Pork Chops
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
