Commercial Mixers

A mixer is a great piece of equipment to have in any kitchen! When picking your mixer, it is important to know what type, drive, and capacity that you will need.

Mixer Types

Planetary Mixers (Vertical Mixer)

Planetary Mixers (Vertical Mixer) are named this, because the motion of the mixer is similar to the motion that planets take to orbit the sun.  These are perfect for preparing cookie dough, kneading heavy dough, and can also be used to slice vegetables, chop meat, and grate cheese. In order to do all of this, you will need the proper agitators and hub attachments for optimal performance. This makes the planetary mixers great for bakeries, general kitchens, and pizzerias. They feature one motor and a non-rotating bowl.

Dough Mixers (Spiral Mixers)

Dough Mixers (Spiral Mixers) are best used for mixing bread, because they keep the dough at a lower temperature, even when the bowl rotates. These mixers are typically placed on the kitchen floor and are best suited for restaurants that create artisan breads, bagels, and pizzas. They feature two motors, one to rotate the bowl, and one to rotate the spiral arm.

Vertical Cutter Mixers

Vertical Cutter Mixers are best for mixing batters or sauces, chopping nuts, salads, bread, or cooked meat. They feature a covered mixing bowl and a higher horse powered motor.

Drive System

There are two different drive system options, when it comes to mixers. Knowing what each is and how they are different is important when selecting your new mixer.

Belt driven tend to be less expensive to repair, if an issue ever arises. They offer a wide range of speed options, that can be adjusted as the mixer is in motion. Some of the disadvantages can be belts slipping and overall life of the belt much shorter than gear driven.

Gear-Driven can usually power thru heavier ingredients. Because they don’t face the risk of slipping, they have a more dependable velocity. Some disadvantages are that gear driven systems are noisier than belts, they cost more the repair, and they only have two fixed speeds.

Speeds

You should always consult the manufacturer’s guide, before operating your particular mixer. Some mixers perform best on a particular speed. Depending on the drive, some mixers will allow you to change the speed of the mixer while it is in operation. Others cannot be changed while the mixer is in operation and require you to shut it off first.

Horsepower

The larger the mixer, typically the higher the horsepower that it will have. The heavier and stiffer the ingredients that you have (like pizza dough), you will want to have a larger mixer and higher horsepower, to efficiently mix your recipes!

Bowl Lift & Guard

The bowl on planetary mixers is usually raised and lowered two different ways.

Manual Bowl Lift

Manual Bowl Lift the most common type, features a lever that allows you to manually lift and raise the bowl. Sometimes there is no lever on smaller mixers, these types usually have an upper housing that tilts back.

Electric Bowl Lift

Electric Bowl Lift features a button that allows you to automatically raise and lower the bowl.

Bowl Guard

Bowl Guard is a guard that is placed around the top of the bowl, that’s made of either plastic or wire. This guard is used to prevent clothing, hands, or any other foreign object from getting into the mixer while in operation. Most mixers require a guard in order to comply with OSHA regulations.

Size of Mixer

When selecting your mixer, you will need to know where it will be placed in your kitchen. Knowing the amount of space that you have is important. Some mixers can be placed on countertops, these are typically less than 10 quarts. Floor mixers, take up more room, so you need to be sure that your space allows for them. They are typically 10 – 20 quarts.

Selecting the Correct Size

You will first need to look at the recipes of the items you will commonly be making. This allows you to find your absorption ratio, This is typically used for recipes involving pizza dough and bread. The absorption ratio tells you what type of mixer will best suit your needs.

After you had found your absorption ratio, you will need to figure out the type of usage that you will be using your mixer for.

Light Duty Mixers

Light Duty Mixers are best for occasional use like, light prep work and small batches.

Standard Duty Mixers

Standard Duty Mixers are best for café, restaurants and caterers. They work for things like, cake batters, whipped cream, eggs whites, and small occasional batches of pizza dough.

Heavy Duty Mixers

Heavy Duty Mixers are best for kitchens that are constantly mixing heavy and thick dough. These work best for pizzerias.

It important to remember that you cannot fill the mixing bowl brim to the rim. When thinking about what types of ingredients you will mainly be using, take this chart into consideration.

Mixing Capacity Chart

Accessories & Attachments