There are two main types of mixers found in a bakery, planetary and spiral. Bakers know how important it is to have a reliable mixer that is capable of producing high-quality and consistent products, however not all of them may realize that choosing the right mixer is even more important.

Before choosing the right mixer for your bakery, bakers should think hard about what types of products and recipes they plan to mix within the mixer. Thickness and consistency are key factors in choosing the proper mixer for your products. Specialty breads, cookie doughs, muffins and pastry doughs have various consistencies to them and each requires the proper mixing equipment. Maybe you’ll be creating multiple types of products and require both types of mixers. All of this should be taken into consideration before making the final purchase.

The best way to know which mixer is best for your bakery, is to understand the capabilities and features that make up planetary and spiral mixers.

Planetary Mixers:

Planetary mixers, also know as vertical mixers, offer a variety of options for bakers. While they are primarily used for mixing cookie, cake and pastry doughs, they can also be used to chop meat and whip up creams, meringues and icings. Planetary mixers also have a variety of attachments that work for specific types of recipes. Planetary mixers have one motor with a non-rotating bowl and come in a variety of sizes from table-top to larger 60-quart bowl mixers.

Empire’s EMP-V and EMP-TS Vertical Mixers deliver efficient and consistent energy at three speeds for blending, mixing, and aerating all ingredients for a consistent high-quality mix that will produce exceptional results. Empire’s planetary mixers come standard with a stainless-steel bowl, flat beater, spiral dough hook and wire whip allowing for a variety of uses. These mixers will be right at home in your bakery, pizzeria, restaurant, commissary or supermarket.

Spiral Mixers:

Spiral mixers are generally larger mixers and placed on a kitchen floor. Space in your bakery area should be accounted for when looking for a spiral mixer as they take up more room than a planetary mixer. The types of dough’s that require a spiral mixer are artisan breads, bagels, pizza and other heavier denser doughs. Unlike the planetary mixer, both the arm and bowl are able to rotate. The bowl's ability to rotate in both directions allows for proper dough consistency and perfectly blended ingredients. The reason you want to mix your bread doughs in a spiral mixer as opposed to a planetary mixer is that the spiral hook attachment mixes and kneads the dough all at once. The movement of the bowl and spiral arm keeps the dough from overheating and fermenting too quickly.

Empire’s IRIS Spiral Dough Kneader uses precision mixing controls providing high output, fast mixing times and maximum consistency. It’s 2-speed spiral and bowl rotation system provide optimal ingredient blending and dough development giving you a high-quality product each time. The IRIS’ front-facing controls make it extremely easy to use in tight spaces when bakery space is limited, making it the perfect addition to smaller bakeries. This unique combination of features, advanced engineering and rugged construction means that the IRIS Stationary Bowl Mixer will mix a superior end product time and time again!