Mixers

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Mixers

I was thinking of trying to find a big hobart planetary mixer before I purchased the SP5. The kitchen aids mentioned above are planetary mixers as well, just smaller and make with plastic gears...

Those will be excellent for dough, the main thing you will have to worry about is friction. This type of mixer heats the dough up faster than a spiral or fork mixer does. This really just means that you need to start with colder ingredients (usually chilled water) in order to account for the increased friction. Hamelman has a good section in his book about how to do this.

Drake

[james]

Re: Mixers

What is the strategy for folks who have a KA (600 in my case). Do you run it until it dies (or kills you with the smell of burning gears)? Sell it on eBay? Keep it for some special type of mixing that it does well?

Then, it's time to pick between the Bosch, Electrolux, and SP5. I am going to keep making whole wheat bread, along with pizza and baguettes.

Which of the three is best for a wide range of doughs?

James

[jengineer]

Re: Mixers

For Jim's mixer the best best is a shooting range with a 50 caliber high energy explosive round. Short of that there is the St Larence waterway which would be a good candidate. If you are concerned about envionmental issues then he needs to take it to the nearest smelter. It is not worth repairing and he is right in the boycott. I would not try to pawn this off on some unsuspecting apprentice baker on E-Bay

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Mixers

Well James, the Bosch is substantially less expensive than the SP5. The SP5 also presents some challenges in the cleaning department, because the bowl is not removable. The SP5 is also VERY heavy, so you have to store it somewhere close and NOT up overhead...

All that said, I have been making great bread with the SP5...

I don't know what the friction factor on the Bosch is vs the SP5. But these guys are saying the Bosch will handle a larger capacity than the SP5...

Also the SP5 looks really cool, with the Italian themed buttons...

I still use my KA (older model) for smaller batches...

Drake

[Richard]

Re: Mixers

Drake

How often are you using the SP5. Understand Jim's buying one for a business, but is it justified (not that everything I buy can be justified - like the Porsche my wife questions why I bought - not family friendly) for home use.

[CanuckJim]

Re: Mixers

Drake,

The friction factor is use for the SP5 is 26; seems to work. Planetary mixers "seem" to require a factor of about 30-35, but that's a guess. I'm thinking that the SP5 is a professional tool, wheras the others aren't. Could be wrong, though. You are correct about the cleaning equation, but I've never really faulted the mixer for that. Tilt-head spirals are much larger and much more expensive. Again, it comes down to torque, plus hook shape, plus capacity, plus ability. This is a dedicated dough machine.

Jim

[dalucca2003]

Re: Mixers

After reading up on the SP5 it is clear it was designed for business use as well as home usage. The Bosch is a very good machine for home mixing and so far has been flawless for us. I have mixed dosages for 8 dough balls and also for 12. It did not seem to matter to the mixer when I mixed the higher quantity whatsoever.

I am very happy with the Bosch, was cheaper than the Electrolux and definitely the SP5 was out of my price range as well as not necessary.

[DrakeRemoray]

Re: Mixers

Drake

How often are you using the SP5. Understand Jim's buying one for a business, but is it justified (not that everything I buy can be justified - like the Porsche my wife questions why I bought - not family friendly) for home use.

Justified? Is a wood oven really justified? I am using it every time I fire the oven, or about every other weekend. I have made as much as 25lbs of dough in a weekend including bread and pizza. Since the bowl does not come off, I have to let the dough rest/Autolyse in the bowl, extending the time it takes to make different doughs. The other thing is the weight, that thing is heavy! I really like it and I know my bread has improved, but that could just be practice as well. With the KA I was always overheating my dough, but I did not really understand to start with cooler water...

I am here in Denver, and I know there are some who have spent more on baseball tickets than I spent on the mixer...Go Rockies...

I did not really know about the Bosch when I purchased the SP5, and I still have never seen one, but it sounds like a reasonable option...

Drake

[james]

Re: Mixers

Justified? Is a wood oven really justified?
Drake

Of course it is.

If you haven't read it yet, you can glance at our pizza oven justification (rationalization?) page. Basically, I have convinced myself that my wood-fired oven will save me enough money to pay for one year of college.

http://www.fornobravo.com/pizza_oven...ven_logic.html

James

[PizzaPolice]

Re: Mixers

Here's one on eBay:

MAGIC MILL DLX ASSISTENT MIXER Mod. DLX9311 - (eBay item 220160555252 end time Oct-19-07 16:14:16 PDT)

[Hendo]

Re: Mixers

No discussion about either the Viking VSM500 or VSM700 (since May, anyway). Has the Viking now been discounted? I wonder if Marcel ever got one?
Paul.

[Archena]

Re: Mixers

Mixers.....ok I confess to knowing nothing about them, but this seems a good place to ask.

A mate and I picked up 2 commercial mixers for a bargain. I think they are also known as planetary mixers. Anyway I was wondering would these be any good for mixing up large batches of dough(bread or pizza) - among other things?

They are big heavy buggers, all steel gears and cast iron bodies. Nameplate say 1/2HP one 1. One has 3 speed settings. Come with all the bowls and looks like some sort of attachment that goes on the front for mincing.They work and about the only problem seems to be they need a new seal where the mixer bit spins around and a new coat of enamel (paint).

Has any one heard of the 2 brands:
-Swallow (Swallow Engineering, says made in the UK)
-Tyrone
the tyrone one looks like an older version of this:
tyrone tooth-belt drive planetary mixers - LJ Stuart and Co Pty Ltd

I don't think the wife will allow it in the kitchen however I have a spot planned in my office (next to the beer fridge....also used for pizza dough)

Dang, I dunno what it is but Yahoo keeps finding cement mixers by the same name.

I want one!

[Bacterium]

Re: Mixers

Archena...thats funny it does. I was using Google and just had a look in Yahoo.....found a pic of a swallow though

Hobart stuff is pretty common here.

[Archena]

Re: Mixers




Marcel's link had expired. Here's the new Viking page: Viking : Products : Professional Stand Mixers

[Marcel]

Re: Mixers: Old post from 10-19-07 Re: Viking & No Knead

No discussion about either the Viking VSM500 or VSM700 (since May, anyway). Has the Viking now been discounted? I wonder if Marcel ever got one?
Paul.

(M) I never got the Viking but I would choose it over a Kitchen Aid if I do buy one.

(M) I'm into the No Knead dough (5 Minute Artisan Bread: Jeff Herschberg and Zoe ___?) and have found it very easy and highly successful.

Ciao,

Marcel