What actually matters
A jerky gun has one job: push ground meat into even strips and sticks so they dry at the same rate. Three things decide whether it does that without a fight.
Even extrusion, low effort
A smooth trigger and a well-machined barrel give you a steady, even bead. Cheap guns bind and stutter, which leaves you with fat strips and thin ones that finish at different times.
Capacity that matches your batch
A bigger barrel means fewer refills when you are running pounds of ground venison. A small gun is fine for a couple of pounds; size up if you process game in bulk.
Cleanup you will actually do
Ground meat and marinade get into every corner. A gun that strips down into a few dishwasher-safe parts gets cleaned properly, and clean gear is safe gear.
Get the fat ratio right first
Ground jerky lives or dies on lean meat. Set your meat-to-fat ratio before you load the gun, so the sticks extrude clean and keep longer.
Meat-to-fat tool