Bakeries are magnificent places. Cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. Artisan breads of all shapes and sizes. Delectable desserts that are sure to make the taste buds dance with delight.  When you open your own bake shop you’re given the opportunity to make people happy by selling them the baked goods that they love; and you get to earn a living doing something you have a passion for!

When you open your own bake shop you get to decide what type of bakery business you want to run. Perhaps you want to open a high quality Artisan bread bakery, or a more traditional shop offering customized cakes and desserts. Maybe you want to specialize in bagels, donuts or cookies. Whichever you decide, it's natural to wonder "What equipment do I need to open a bakery?" Check out the list below for some of the essential bakery equipment to get you started!

Commercial Bakery Ovens

Perhaps the most important investment you can make is in your oven.  Baking, after all, is the final testament to your art.  All of your hard work and preparation you put into your product culminates in the baking process.  A good, high quality bakery oven will provide you with consistency and reliability for years to come.  Choosing the proper oven depends not only on the type of products you make, but the volume you wish to produce.  Your options include:

Convection Ovens

Perhaps one of the most common and affordable options, the Convection Oven uses fans to circulate hot air throughout the baking chamber.  They are popular for a wide range of products including cookies, cakes, pies and more. Although Convection Ovens are available in a range of sizes, they are really better suited to lower production volumes.

LFR-2_Rack_Oven_smRotating Rack Ovens

Considered by some to be the Convection Ovens older brother, the higher-volume Rotating Rack Oven allows for one or two full bakery racks to bake at the same time.  Simply load your baking trays on the oven racks and roll the racks into the oven.  Product consistency and evenness of baking are achieved as the rack rotates within the baking chamber. Built in steam systems mean Rack Ovens are not only great for cakes, cookies, pies and pastries, but also good for breads, bagels and more!

Stone Hearth Deck Ovens

miniTube_withLoader_cropped_070609If you're looking to bake high quality Artisan breads like ciabatta, baguettes, rustica breads and more, than a Stone Hearth Deck Oven is right for you.  Like traditional brick ovens they bake so well because of their ability to retain heat. Breads and rolls are baked directly on the stone hearth providing that unmistakable bottom finish and steam systems allow you to control exactly how much steam you supply each deck allowing you to achieve the perfect crust. Since there are very few moving parts Deck Ovens usually require less maintenance than some of the other oven systems. Available in wide range of sizes, Artisan bakers looking for old-world style results will find the Stone Hearth Deck Oven hard to beat.

Revolving Tray Ovens

Volume and versatility make the Revolving Tray Oven the right choice for many bakers.  The Revolving Tray Oven features 4-8 shelves on a carousel that rotates horizontally throughout the baking chamber. This unique design gives you the capacity to bake a variety of products at the same time.  With the addition of optional stone shelves and a steam generator, the Revolving Oven can handle everything from bagels, breads and rolls to pastries, cakes, cookies and more. They're also perfect for roasting meats and other food service applications.

EMP_StationaryBowl_MixerCommercial Mixers

As many bakers will attest, great baking starts with a great mixer. As with an oven, the mixer you choose will vary based not only on the type of products you make, but the volume you wish to produce. Vertical Mixers, sometimes called planetary or orbital mixers, are perhaps the most common mixer found in bakeries today.  Designed to emulate the stirring motion of a bakers hand, this "planetary" design drives the mixing arm in an orbital fashion around the mixing bowl as it turns.  The Vertical Mixers ability to utilize a variety of mixing attachments make it extremely versatile, allowing a baker to mix everything from cake batters to dough. Vertical Mixers are available in a wide range of sizes from table-top units much larger floor models.

For those bakers working with yeasted dough where gluten development and dough temperature are a concern, a Spiral Arm Mixer would be well suited. Utilizing a fixed position spiral mixing arm with rotating bowl, Spiral Mixers are known for both minimizing dough punishment and flexibility.  Strong enough for bagels and gentle enough for ciabatta and French dough, Spiral Mixers are a popular choice for a wide array of bakeries - from retail bagel shops to Artisan bread bakeries,  large commercial bread plants and everything in between.

Dough Divider/Rounders

Perfect for the production of buns, rolls and small loaves of bread, Dough Dividers and Divider/Rounders will maintain consistent and uniform divisions of your dough ensuring an even end product.  Dough Dividers are available in square, round and even octagonal shapes.  Dough Divider/Rounders are able to divide and round your dough at the push of a button so that it’s ready for baking or moulding into other shapes.  Dividers and Divider/Rounders are available in a wide range of sizes, from table-top units to large scale production lines.

SPT-3_Floor Model SheeterReversible Dough Sheeters

Often referred to as the great multi-tasker of the bakery, many bakers find the Reversible Dough Sheeter an essential piece of bakery equipment. Allowing you to sheet croissant dough in the morning and fondant in the afternoon, the Reversible Dough Sheeter utilizes a table that passes the dough back and forth between two large rollers.  By lowering the roller opening with each successive pass, you effectively sheet your dough thinner and thinner.  The addition of an optional cutting attachment allows for even more versatility, giving you the capacity to sheet donuts, cookies, pie crust and so much more!

Bakery Proofboxes

If you’re planning to specialize in bread, pastries or anything else that requires a rising dough, a proofbox, or proofing cabinet, is an important addition.  Proofboxes give you precise control over the temperature and humidity in the cabinet allowing you to control the proofing process of your product. This control over the proofing process also affords you some leway in your production planning.  Proofboxes are available in full-size units, allowing you to roll-in one or more full-sized racks, or smaller units that fit multiple trays of product.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for starting your own bakery.  Efficiency is going to be key to your profitability so selecting the right bakery equipment for your products and baking process is important. Do your research and speak with a qualified bakery equipment representative today.  Finding someone with the knowledge and experience and help you make an informed decision will not only help you invest in your equipment wisely, but will also help support you for years to come. Happy Baking!