Recommend a Serious Commercial Mixer for Bread

[fooey]

I've read through all the mixer threads before, the ones with endless Kitchenaid vs. Bosch vs. Electrolux posts.

All of those brands are prosumer, not professional or commercial.

I want a mixer I don't have to worry about, one that can crank through 10 lbs. of dough for 10 minutes and not "break a sweat".

I have $2000 to spend.

I wish I could afford a Hobart, but even at $2000, they're out of my league (except for the 5qt which is too small).

I'm looking for a 10 to 20 quart planetary, spiral, or fork.

Ideas?

So for, the Berkel FMS20 looks like the best option, but it's truly gigantic. I'm 5'11" tall and it stands to my waist.

[Joe Blowe]

Are you including used and auctioned items in your search? Ebay, Craigslist and local liquidation auctions should open up your options...

[fooey]

Are you including used and auctioned items in your search?  Ebay, Craigslist and local liquidation auctions should open up your options...

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I'm not, as the purchase is reaction to my PTSD after breaking several mixers.

I guess I don't want someone else's problem.

If I was making cake batter, I would; but, this is for bread, so I want something new.

Someone tipped me off to a Canadian brand called BakeMax, saying they're basically Hobart without the service organization, a Canadian Hobart.

When I saw the price of their 20qt with near identical specs to the Hobart 20qt, at 1/3 the price, I jumped for it.

I hope not in error, but we'll see.

[Dave Hatfield]

Not truly commercial, but the Kenwood range is top notch. This is the British made Kenwood, not Japanese. They are available in the states the last time I looked.

We've had them on both sides of the pond and have had excellent results.

I'm assuming that you are a serious home cook and not running a commercial bakery.

[Tony Boulton]

Why do you need a "serious commercial mixer" for a mere 10 pounds of bread dough? Don't diss the Bosch - it will comfortably handle 15lbs and kneading takes no more than 10 minutes in my experience. I sell them, so I have an interest to declare, but my wife has had a Bosch longer than she has had me and it will probably go on way beyond my sell-by date.

[dougal]

Why do you need a "serious commercial mixer" for a mere 10 pounds of bread dough? Don't diss the Bosch - it will comfortably handle 15lbs and kneading takes no more than 10 minutes in my experience. ...

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As will the Electrolux DLX.

The advantage of the Electrolux and Bosch is that they can easily be put away in a cupboard after use.

It might well be that the advantage of the "Hobart" would be in remaining on view ...

[Chris Hennes]

I'm not, as the purchase is reaction to my PTSD after breaking several mixers.

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Have these all been the KitchenAid variety, or have you already trashed a Bosch or an Electrolux model as well?

[fooey]

I'm not, as the purchase is reaction to my PTSD after breaking several mixers.

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Have these all been the KitchenAid variety, or have you already trashed a Bosch or an Electrolux model as well?

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I didn't like the Electrolux at all. Using it felt like going to the gym and staring at one of those weird machines and trying to figure out how it's supposed to work. Then you go back next week and realize you've forgotten how to use it. I just plain didn't like it.

I haven't tried the Bosch, but after breaking a Professional 6 and Commercial 5 Kitchenaid and a Viking, I said "That's it, I need something serious."

For most doughs, I mix to dough ball, rest 20-25 min, salt, finish mix, so the dough is really strong by the time I need to mixer to do its work. If I didn't rest the dough, the usual prosumer machines would work fine.

Edited August 19, 2009 by fooey (log)

[fooey]

Why do you need a "serious commercial mixer" for a mere 10 pounds of bread dough? Don't diss the Bosch - it will comfortably handle 15lbs and kneading takes no more than 10 minutes in my experience. I sell them, so I have an interest to declare, but my wife has had a Bosch longer than she has had me and it will probably go on way beyond my sell-by date.

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I don't believe the Bosch could handle 15 lbs of dough. If it can, how long or how many times before it gives up the ghost.

I think a lot of people overestimate how much dough these prosumer machines can comfortably mix (and still have a long operational life). After breaking three, that includes me!

The one I just bought is the equiv. of a 20 qt. Hobart and, like the Hobart, has surprisingly low capacity guidelines

Edited August 19, 2009 by fooey (log)

[fooey]

It might well be that the advantage of the "Hobart" would be in remaining on view ... 

Surely, not! Ahem!

Edited August 19, 2009 by fooey (log)

[Okbrewer]

Have you considered the Anvil 10 qt. It's a counter top model that appears to be tough enough to handle what you are asking it to do. I don't have one nor have I used one, but it is one that I have considered. Prices vary from $999 to $1200 depending on vendor.

Bob R in OKC

[fooey]

Have you considered the Anvil 10 qt. It's a counter top model that appears to be tough enough to handle what you are asking it to do.  I don't have one nor have I used one, but it is one that I have considered.  Prices vary from $999 to $1200 depending on vendor. Bob R in OKC

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I went with a Canadian manufacturer called BakeMax, and I'm impressed. The build quality, the price, the service.

This machine is not just like a Hobart; it is a Hobart for 1/3 the price.

I paid $1645 USD including to-my-door liftgate delivery.

I certainly underestimated the size of the 20qt, though.

It's gigantic.

The wire whisk attachment is 1.5 times the size of my head.

It weighs 250 lbs and stands to my waist.

Edited September 2, 2009 by helenjp (log)

[eatrustic]

Have you considered the Anvil 10 qt. It's a counter top model that appears to be tough enough to handle what you are asking it to do.  I don't have one nor have I used one, but it is one that I have considered.  Prices vary from $999 to $1200 depending on vendor. Bob R in OKC

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I went with a Canadian manufacturer called BakeMax, and I'm impressed. The build quality, the price, the service.

This machine is not just like a Hobart; it is a Hobart for 1/3 the price.

I paid $1645 USD including to-my-door liftgate delivery.

I certainly underestimated the size of the 20qt, though.

It's gigantic.

The wire whisk attachment is 1.5 times the size of my head.

It weighs 250 lbs and stands to my waist.

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Yeah, a 20qt. is surprisingly big and heavy. No one-handing this bad boy off the counter and into the cupboard .

At this weight the upside is they don't dance around while mixing.

Did you get a spiral dough hook with it and how well does it work?

[Moopheus]

This machine is not just like a Hobart; it is a Hobart for 1/3 the price.

So now I suddenly feel a need to save up about $900, then deliberately burn out my old Kitchenaid, so I can justify buying the 7 qt model. Which, unlike the 20 qt, might actually fit in my kitchen.

[dougal]

Now that we all properly understand the size issue, let me reiterate that the Electrolux DLX, while it does look strange, WILL handle up to 15 lb of dough, doesn't 'dance around while mixing', seems to be (domestically) bullet-proof, and is easily hand portable for cupboard storage. (And that's quite apart from being much cheaper.)

I believe the same goes for the Bosch.

As I said ...

It might well be that the advantage of the "Hobart" would be in remaining on view ... 

[fooey]

Now that we all properly understand the size issue, let me reiterate that the Electrolux DLX, while it does look strange, WILL handle up to 15 lb of dough

I asked about commercial mixers. Neither the Elecrolux nor the Bosch qualify, but thanks for the opinion.

Out of curiosity, can you show us capacity guidelines for these from a manufacturer's specification?

Edited September 1, 2009 by fooey (log)

[dougal]

Aaah, but what you said was

I want a mixer I don't have to worry about, one that can crank through 10 lbs. of dough for 10 minutes and not "break a sweat".

which prompted several here to point out that a commercial mixer wasn't actually needed for that specification. (Although it is well out of KitchenAid territory.)

Fooey, can you find any "manufacturer's specification" online for the DLX?

In the Electrolux DLX User Manual, at the top of page 6, it says that you can make dough with "up to 23 cups of flour" - using the roller! The dough hook is easier IMHO for more than about 800g of flour (it doesn't like much less than 800g).

I can't now find the download on Electrolux's own site, (my original printed manual was in Swedish so I found the download there), but the same manual now appears to be here

http://safemanuals.com/user-guide-instruct...OLUX/DLX2000-_E

Its an 8mb download (my v1.4 is "8135269 bytes").

Let me state (yet again) that I hate cup measurement of flour, nevertheless ...

Pleasant Hill Grain (who sell the thing) claim "the Magic Mill holds up to 28 cups of flour (7 lbs.), to make approximately 15 lbs. of bread dough"

http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/magic_mill_dlx_mixer.aspx

I don't believe the 100%+ hydration, so I question the conversion to 7lb.

However, 9lb flour (15 lb dough at a plausible 66%) as 28 cups means something like 146g per cup -- which is entirely within reason (150g per cup is often quoted).

Really, "approximately 15 lb of dough" is NOT a wild overestimate of the Electrolux's capacity.

And it could do your 10 lb "without breaking sweat". (And it could be put away, without lifting equipment, in an ordinary kitchen cupboard!)

[fooey]

That was my mistake. I meant 10 lbs. of flour, not dough, so I suppose I can see how you would believe the machine so capable.

I compromised with the new 20qt, because it has a capacity of 8 lbs. of flour with water at 70 F, so when you said the Electrolux could do 15, well, just imagine my incredulity. Amazing the difference one word can make...

I've seen the DLX in action and knew immediately it's not what I wanted. I'm sure it'll work for for most home bakers, however. I doubt we'll ever know if it could do 10 lbs. of dough in a commercial situation, as no one would be crazy enough to buy one for such an application.

As for specification, I would still be interested in seeing one, but not interested enough to look for it myself.

Edited September 1, 2009 by fooey (log)

[llc45]

As a home baker, I now seriously want the Electrolux. I do lots of large quantities and have burned out a few mixers. But I also do small quantities and am concerned that it is too big. Can I mix up a single cake recipe? Does it come with all of the extras you can get for a Kitchenaid? Would really like a pasta attachment but could do without if I had to.

[fooey]

Yeah, a 20qt. is surprisingly big and heavy. No one-handing this bad boy off the counter and into the cupboard .

At this weight the upside is they don't dance around while mixing.

Did you get a spiral dough hook with it and how well does it work?

I've named him Fred, as he's now a fixture in my kitchen.

He doesn't dance around while mixing, but I'm afraid to try high speed. He might fall through the floor.

There's something perverse about being able to make a quadruple batch of brioche (only 80 tablespoons of butter and 2 dozen eggs) and not have to worry about the mixer imploding or butter-egg-flour goop flying across the room.

[Tony Boulton]

Why do you need a "serious commercial mixer" for a mere 10 pounds of bread dough? Don't diss the Bosch - it will comfortably handle 15lbs and kneading takes no more than 10 minutes in my experience. I sell them, so I have an interest to declare, but my wife has had a Bosch longer than she has had me and it will probably go on way beyond my sell-by date.

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I don't believe the Bosch could handle 15 lbs of dough. If it can, how long or how many times before it gives up the ghost.

I think a lot of people overestimate how much dough these prosumer machines can comfortably mix (and still have a long operational life). After breaking three, that includes me!

The one I just bought is the equiv. of a 20 qt. Hobart and, like the Hobart, has surprisingly low capacity guidelines

Apologies for this late response, but I was on vacation.

Having been using a Bosch for several years now and (declaring again an interest in this) having talked to numerous customers who have had earlier Bosch Universal models for, in numerous cases, up to 30 years, I have to disagree. But if you really want a commercial model and all that goes with it, God bless. But I can assure you that the Bosch has received some thorough testing and it comes out really well.

[fooey]

I'm not sure how many more ways I can say this, but the Bosch and Electrolux are not serious commercial mixers. I would break both of them in short order with the volume I put out.

They not marketed as such, they wouldn't hold up, and were I to check, I'm sure the warranty wouldn't even be honored if it were so used.

Edited September 12, 2009 by fooey (log)