If you’re looking for a gift for a serious cook, a high quality stand mixer is a perfect idea. If you yourself are a serious cook, you won’t want to pass one of these up either. There are a few reliable brands to choose from. Don’t get overexcited, however, by buying a full size industrial mixer unless you’re sure the motor strength and mixer size are absolutely needed. Industrial mixers are bulky. They’re also not very aesthetically pleasing. Purchasing a professional industrial food mixer is a serious investment that you’ll want to be very confident with.
Large scale operations, like bakery chains, rely on industrial food mixers with bowl capacities between 100 and 300 quarts. That’s huge. If you’re looking for an industrial kitchen mixer for a café from home, you hold large bake sales on a regular basis, or have a small home catering business, then a professional counter top floor mixer should be sufficient. These machines have bowl capacities between 5 quarts to 30 quarts.
One of the most reliable names in kitchen appliances is KitchenAid. The KitchenAid industrial mixer is no exception. There are a number of models to choose from. The differences revolve around bowl capacity and motor strength. Some stand on the floor, some on countertops. Depending on your needs and available space, you can choose from a variety of quality products.
There are other industrial mixer manufacturers, as well. Quattro and Metcalfe both have at least one line of industrial stand mixer with a good reputation. You will have to do some research on the sizes and scales for which their machines are relevant. Quattro definitely has a line of 7 quart and 12 quart countertop mixers. Metcalfe designs are usually larger, more appropriate for hotels and restaurants.
As these machines can be fairly expensive, easily around $1,000, it might be worthwhile to look for used industrial mixers. They are expected to last an incredibly long time, so buying from a café that is going out of business or a small motel closing down may be a good bet. You will pay a fraction of the price for a machine in wonderful condition. Be sure to ask about malfunctions. Look out for obvious signs of wear and tear. And, as with any appliance or piece of electronics, only buy used machines from a worthy company and within the product’s warranty. Expired warranties can easily lead to disappointing purchases.
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