Holiday time is also baking time, not only for home makers, but in restaurants, cafes and other foodservice outlets. Baked goods go hand in hand with winter holidays. When shopping for a commercial mixer, it’s important to know what you will be using the mixer for to determine the capacity, attachments, etc. Here are some commonly asked questions with answers to get you started in your mixer research.
What is the difference between a cake mixer and a pizza dough mixer?
Cake mixers are also referred to as planetary mixers. With a planetary mixer, the agitator orbits around the center of the bowl which is in a fixed position. This is different than spiral mixer which is more commonly used when a restaurant or bakery specializes in doughs. A spiral mixer rotates the agitator as well as the bowl.
What attachments come with a commercial mixers?
It is common to receive a beater, whip and dough hook as well as the bowl and bowl guard when you purchase a commercial mixer, but it is important to verify that as part of the mixer purchase because this may vary from manufacturer to manufacture.
What are the types and functions of different mixer agitators?
Agitators are the part of the mixer that is in contact with your food product. The three most common agitators included with most mixers are a beater, whip and dough hook. Other options that are more specialized include a pastry beater or different types of whips. The beater is for mixing heavier batters as well as products like mashed potatoes, the wire whip is for whipping creams, eggs or light batters and sauces and the dough hook or dough arm is used to blend and fold bread dough or light pizza dough.
What sizes are commercial mixers available?
From the five quart countertop mixer to the 140 quart floor models, commercial mixers come in a wide range of sizes to accommodate all types of production needs. Countertop mixers commonly come in 5 to 8 quart sizes. Floor mixers can be as small as 20 quart and go up to 140 quart for large institutional applications.
Cook’s can help you with any other questions you may have about commercial mixers or get you quotes or specifications on any particular type of mixer.
