The Difference Between Dough, Heated and Planetary Mixers

Food mixers are a common sight in bakeries and professional kitchens. These machines are heavily relied on for streamlining food preparation and saving time. There are a variety of mixers available, including dough mixers, heated mixers and planetary mixers. Each of these mixers has different features to help meet the demands of commercial food production. We’ll explore the differences between these mixers by outlining how they work, their different types and the benefits they offer to professionals.

What are Commercial Food Mixers?

Sometimes food preparation can be the most time consuming and labour-intensive part of cooking or baking. This is especially true for commercial kitchens and bakeries where large quantities of food need to be produced quickly. Tasks such as kneading dough by hand require a significant amount of time and effort. This can be strenuous when there is a high demand for fresh products.

Food mixers have become a valuable kitchen tool, streamlining food preparation and enabling chefs and bakers to meet high demands with ease and efficiency. Think of them as an extra set of hands in the kitchen. Commercial mixers help speed up food preparation by tasking over the mixing of large batches of dough or batter. This reduces the strain on staff and makes repetitive jobs much faster. 

What are the Different Types of Food Mixers

Different types of mixers can be suitable for either domestic or commercial settings. Your typical household mixer is designed to work with smaller batches of ingredients. This makes them suitable for home cooking or baking. Commercial food mixers are much bigger in size because they are built to handle the large volumes used in commercial kitchens. The most commonly used commercial mixers include:

-Dough mixers

-Heated mixers

-Planetary mixers

The main difference between these mixers is the type of batches they work with, how fast they work and how they mix. They often come with different attachments and power settings. These allow them to mix a range of ingredients in different ways.

Dough Mixers

Dough mixers are used for bread, pizza dough and other recipes that involve kneading. This makes them ideal for bakeries, pizzerias and other commercial food settings. 

How Dough Mixers Work

The dough ingredients are mixed with the mixing arms. They have tools, such as spiral or hook attachments. These attachments mimic the kneading process by continuously folding and stretching the dough. Many dough mixers feature a rotating bowl. The bowl itself may rotate or remain stationary while the mixing tool moves. This gives you a gentler mix, helping the dough develop the proper gluten structure and preventing it from being overworked. 

These features mean dough mixers don’t just perform generic mixing. Instead, they can be controlled to replicate the specific techniques needed when working with dough, just like a baker would.  

Types of Dough Mixers

Dough mixers are sometimes called spiral mixers or fork mixers. Spiral mixers use a spiral-shaped hook, whilst fork mixers use a fork-shaped tool to fold and knead dough. These different mixers can be matched with certain baking styles.

For example, a dough mixer with an oblique fork is ideal for bakers who specialise in French-style artisan bread. This type of mixer uses a slanted fork to gently knead the dough and is commonly used in European baking.

Benefits of Dough Mixers

-High capacity for ingredients.

-Save time and effort compared to hand kneading.

-Programmable controls for various dough types and baking techniques.

-Prevents overworking dough by controlling speed and friction.

-Designed to be durable and work for long periods of time.

While dough mixers are perfect for bread and pizza dough, heated mixers excel in combining and cooking ingredients simultaneously.

Heated Mixers

Heated mixers heat and mix simultaneously, making them ideal for preparing creams, custards, soups and sauces in commercial kitchens and bakeries.

How Heated Mixers Work

Heated mixers are useful in a professional setting because they can both heat and mix at the same time. They are made from durable materials, such as stainless steel. The machine’s jacket contains thermal oil, which is heated slowly to cook the product inside. While heating, the mixer evenly combines all the ingredients. They feature temperature controls and speed settings, which can be for processes such as melting, emulsifying and cooking. 

Types of Heated Mixers

A popular choice of heated mixers is tilting kettles. These mixers have a tilting mechanism, which allows you to easily pour and transfer the contents. They are suitable for large batches of soups, sauces and custards. Typically the food heated in these mixers is liquid. So, the tilting function is ideal as you can safely pour the food out without any mess.

Benefits of Heated Mixers

-High capacity for ingredients.

-Used for a wide range of recipes, including creams, custards, soups and sauces.

-Multi-purpose in both heating and mixing.

-Controls allow for accurate temperature and speed control.

-The cooling system rapidly cools the unit after use for safety and efficiency.

-Designed with durable materials to withstand continuous use in commercial settings.

Planetary Mixers

Planetary mixers are mainly used by professional bakers and pastry chefs in commercial kitchens. They’re ideal for businesses that need to mix small to medium amounts of dough or other mixtures. These mixers are also popular with home bakers who want to get professional results in their kitchens.  

How Planetary Mixers Work

Planetary mixers get their name from the way the mixing tool rotates on its axis while moving around the bowl, similar to the motion of planets. They are mounted on a sturdy base and can be either free-standing or placed on a countertop. Many come with a variety of attachments, such as a whisk, hook and beater. These can be easily switched out for different recipes. 

Many also feature adjustable speed settings, so you can control the mixing intensity. This high-speed mixing function can be used for whipping and creaming different dishes. They’re great for mixing ingredients, such as flour, sugar, butter and eggs. You can also use them for different types of dough, including bread, pizza and pastry dough.

Types of Planetary Mixers

Planetary mixers are available, designed to accommodate different ingredient capacities. They come in two main styles: standard-bodied, with a compact and shorter frame and tall-bodied, featuring a taller frame with a higher bowl position. Both types offer variable speed settings and are capable of performing multiple tasks. The choice between the two depends on the volume of ingredients you typically work with. 

Benefits of Planetary Mixers

-High capacity for ingredients.

-Has a range of mixing attachments, making them a versatile mixer.

-Large bowls allow you to mix a high volume of food.

-Electronic speed variation systems for different mixing tasks.

Commercial Food Mixers at Creeds Direct    

At Creeds Direct, we offer a wide selection of high-quality commercial mixers. We provide dough mixers, heated mixers and planetary mixers, which speed up food preparation in commercial kitchens and bakeries. Explore our range of mixers today and get in touch with our team at Creeds if you have any questions.