We say it all the time. Great baking starts with a great mixer, and that goes for all types of dough. From cookie dough to artisan bread dough, having a suitable mixer will make or break your final product. When it comes to pizza dough there are a few key factors and features a mixer needs in order to produce the best dough for a high-quality pizza pie. Allow us to explain what the best stand mixer for pizza dough is.

You’ll want a stand mixer that is powerful and durable enough to handle tougher doughs. Pizza doughs are typically in the range of 65-70% hydration with a strong gluten structure so the right mixer will need to be able to handle the gluten development as it mixes. You will also need a mixer that offers control over various mixing speeds. When initially mixing your pizza dough ingredients, mixing at a slower speed allows the dry ingredients to incorporate and not create a cloud or be thrown from the mixing bowl. The low speed will ensure proper incorporation which is necessary for an optimally developed dough.

After the initial mix is underway and the ingredients are blended properly, the kneading process will start and for that phase, your mixer will need a medium or high speed to ensure the dough is properly stretched and folded in order to activate the gluten formation. This is why having control over mixing speed is crucial. The Empire IRIS Spiral Arm Mixer features automatic low to high-speed changeover that allows you to automatically transition from a slow mixer to a faster final mix.

The last feature you want your stand mixer to have in order to ensure a proper pizza dough is made is the spiral. The type of mixer you are looking for should be a spiral mixer with a rotating bowl. You may be thinking why? Can’t a normal stand mixer or planetary mixer do the job? The answer is yes, but also no. It will mix a useable dough for you, but the quality needed for a good pizza cannot be accomplished without a spiral mixer and here is why.

The spiral arm of a spiral mixer allows the dough to be kneaded efficiently. Bread doughs and pizza doughs require proper kneading to allow for proper dough development. The spiral motion's efficiency also allows the dough to develop without overheating. Keeping pizza dough at the right temperature when mixing makes a major difference in the final result. Empire’s IRIS Spiral Arm Mixer features a 2-speed spiral and bowl rotation system that rotates the spiral and bowl in a synchronized way that ensures no dough gets caught on the walls of the bowl and the dough will be properly kneaded.

The best mixer for you will always depend on your specific needs for the product, and pizza dough needs a spiral mixer. Considering the factors of power, consistency, efficiency and durability, the spiral is the best mixer for pizza dough. There is a reason pizzaiolos everywhere trust spiral mixers to produce their pizzas of all shapes, sizes and styles. There is only one stand mixer for the job if you want it done right, and that’s the spiral.