How to Select a Commercial Dough Mixer

Dough mixers are a vital part of restaurants, bakeries and pizza shops. They save tons of time and can allow your business to meet the demands of a growing customer base. Just as there is no shortage of usages for commercial mixers, there’s no shortage of types of mixers, so finding the right one can feel a bit overwhelming. But don’t worry, here are some tips to help you select the best commercial dough mixer for your business.

Dough Mixers

Dough mixers are different from other mixers because of their unique design. Also known as spiral mixers, they feature a bowl that spins around a mixing device. The mixing device, or agitator, remains stationary. Dough mixers are generally best for mixing large quantities of ingredients, which gives them a distinct advantage over planetary and vertical cutter mixers.

Speeds

Depending on the model, some dough mixers feature different operating speeds. Unlike household mixers, commercial mixers usually only offer one or two speeds. Models with two speeds generally offer a high speed setting that allows for more evenly distributed ingredients and better oxidation, and a low speed option that keeps things from getting messy. Some models allow you to change speeds during operation and some even do it automatically. 

Horsepower

Commercial dough mixers come with motors in a variety of horsepowers, from less than one horsepower to more than six horsepower. Depending on the quantity of dough you are making at once, as well as the speed at which you will be operating, you will need different breadths of power. For instance, thicker doughs like pizza dough will require higher power models to create better quality dough. 

Capacity

How much dough you will be making in a single batch depends on your specific business needs. Commercial dough mixers come in a variety of sizes, from 20 to 300 pound capacities. Larger mixers generally have more horsepower in order to handle several hundred pounds of ingredients at once. This also means they are more expensive than the smaller ones. While it’s nice to be able to produce a lot of dough at one time, finding a mixer better suited to how much you will actually be handling will result in a better allocation of resources and kitchen space.

Voltage

Smaller dough mixers often require a voltage connection of 110 volts, while larger ones need 208 or even 240 volts to operate at peak efficiency. Be sure your kitchen has the electrical capacity to handle these machines before you make a decision. Determining whether or not it’s worth it to improve your kitchen’s electrical infrastructure depends on how better off you will be with a larger dough mixer over a smaller one. 

Batch Size

Despite the larger capacities, there are still several advantages to producing smaller batches that result in better quality dough. Small batches can result in higher flour protein levels, less water in the dough, more shortening in the dough and higher mixing speeds. It really comes down to quality over quantity. Still, sometimes you just need to produce a lot of dough at one time.

Heavy v. Standard Duty

For larger quantities and heavier ingredients, be sure to select a heavy duty mixer that can deal with the stress you’ll be putting it through. Standard duty mixers are better suited for versatility and are not really suited for pizza or pasta doughs unless in smaller quantities. 

Choosing the right commercial dough mixer really comes down to how much dough you’ll be making at one time, and how high you want the quality of the dough to be. Smaller dough mixers create smaller batches, which might be enough for some businesses but can leave larger ones with much to be desired. Likewise, larger dough mixers can handle a lot more at one time, but are much more expensive and might not be worth the investment.

Texas Restaurant Supply offers everything you need to get your kitchen in full operation. Check out our mixer selection and the rest of our inventory today!