What is the difference between a planetary mixer and spiral mixer?
What is the difference between a planetary mixer and spiral mixer?
In order to understand them better,we can crack them one by one.Firstly let’s talk about planetary mixer.The planetary mixer may sound a bit futuristic, but it is actually a professional equipment designed specifically for beating eggs and mixing ingredients (including dough mixing/kneading). Why is it called a planetary mixer? Because it adopts a planetary gear transmission system.The mixer rotates while revolving, just like planets orbiting the sun. This structure allows food ingredients to be thoroughly stirred, emulsified, and whipped in the container (such as batter, cream, filling, eggs, etc.), with excellent results.
The combination of planetary motion & high RPM can complete a large amount of material mixing in a short time.This can save time and labor costs. The transmission device is composed of a motor, a gear set, etc. The motor provides power. After changing speed, deceleration & direction through gears, drives the mixer to operate at a set speed and trajectory. Containers are usually vertical structures with cylindrical barrels & spherical bottoms.It is made of food grade materials such as stainless steel. Some containers are paired with lifting & positioning devices for easy operation & material retrieval. The mixer is composed of egg beaters & other components. It can be disassembled for easy cleaning & replacement. The shape & material depend on the mixing requirements. Common ones include stainless steel spherical mixers and hook shaped mixers.
There are generally two types of planetary mixers on the market. One is a regular mixer.It has a relatively small size and power, usually around 380 watts. Its main function is to beat (such as eggs and cream). It is usually equipped with only one whisk.Why? Because it can fully contact & rub the materials, quickly mix the egg whites & yolks. It can also beat the egg whites or cream to produce a delicate and fluffy texture, with no mixing dead corners Meanwhile it keeps high mixing uniformity;
Another type is the versatile planetary mixer, also known as a chef’s mixer.It can reach a power of 550 watts or more and is suitable for processing a wider variety of ingredients. In terms of rotation speed, the speed of a regular mixer is generally around 1500 RPM. A versatile planetary mixer (chef’s machine) can only reach 4200 RPM due to its high power. It is equipped with various accessories, including a whisk, a mixing beater, a dough hook. In addition to beating eggs, it can also be used to mix batter, cream, filling,whip liquids etc., making it more suitable for processing ingredients that require high rotation speed and more powerful.
In summary, if you only need to mix fresh cream or other liquids, a regular mixer is a good choice. But if you need to mix batter, filling, or handle a wider variety of ingredients, a versatile planetary mixer is a better choice.
After discussing the planetary mixer, let’s talk about the spiral mixer (and dough mixer).
The spiral or dough mixer is mainly used for mixing and kneading dough.Its design & function are focused on this task. It can quickly and evenly mix flour & other ingredients, helping chefs improve production efficiency. In addition, the mixing hook of dough mixer can effectively avoid the adhesion of the dough during the mixing process. The texture and taste of the dough is ensured. The planetary mixer has comprehensive functions but high complexity. As mentioned earlier, the versatile planetary mixer may also include various functions such as cutting, stirring, juicing, etc. Although its versatility provides chefs with more choices, chefs who only need to make pastries may find the operation relatively complicated. In addition, the chef’s mixer may generate a lot of heat when working continuously.So special attention should be paid to heat dissipation.
For chefs or hobbyists who specialize in pastry making, a dough mixer/spiral mixer is more professional and easy to operate. It is designed specifically for flour mixing and dough kneading. It can complete work quickly & efficiently, reducing the requirement for operator skills. Although versatile planetary mixers have rich functions, their professionalism in pastry production may not be as good as specialized spiral or dough mixers.
In a nutshel,what is the difference between a planetary mixer and spiral mixer?Taking all factors into consideration. If your main focus is on making pastry & you want easy operation, a dough mixer is a great choice. If you are a versatile chef who performs multiple tasks, a planetary mixer may be more suitable for you.In terms of dough mixing, a spiral mixer has more advantages than a planetary mixer.