Before you go off and buy a spiral mixer...
As I am a huge advocate of Famag (Affiliate), I want to make sure you actually need one before you go off spending $$$$ on a beautiful, heavy, quality piece of equipment.
Let's first look into why you should consider one.
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Efficiency: Spiral mixers are designed to mix dough quickly and evenly. Gone are the days of doing stretch and folds, sticky hands and the like. Back when I was hand mixing, 10lb bags started to hurt my hands after a while. I can now easily do a batch on my Famag with no problem.
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Biga: Spiral mixers are able to mix dough to a consistent texture and consistency. Have you ever had chunky bits of biga in your dough that don't incorporate well? It can be very time-consuming and straining to really mix that biga in. A spiral mixer makes it so easy.
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Capacity: If you are using a kitchen aid- 5/6qt, and you are looking to scale, yeah get a spiral mixer. There's something anxiety driving about making dough maxing out the kitchen aid and then making another batch, hoping the dough turns out exactly the same.
- High Hydration Dough: So much easier when you have a mixer. So much! The Famag has a high-hydration option that allows you to get super fast mixes that work well with high-hydration dough.
Now let's try to save you $1500-$1800 if we can. Do not get a Famag if:
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You don't have the space: My Famag does not fit in between my counter and the bottom of my cabinets. Fortunately, I have one area right next to the sink that can accommodate it. It is not easy to move. This thing is a tank. Keep this in mind as it is not your average kitchen appliance.
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You have no plans to scale: How many dough balls are you making? Anything less than 10 and I can say that buying a Famag is overkill. If you are looking to make 15-40+ doughballs regularly, I think you should really invest in one of these beautiful machines.
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You don't know your dough: A Famag is not gonna be the silver bullet for your dough. You should already have a SOLID understanding of your dough. A spiral mixer will only lead to headaches if your dough isn't already right.
If after reading this you are like, heck yes, I want one. I'd appreciate you buying one using my affiliate link here. Make sure to get the removable bowl!!!!!
And when you receive your new toy, if you need help with it, feel free to DM me Instagram @whatsgooddough
