Baing in the market for a new standing mixer, I am looking for opinions on 10-quart mixers versus 20-quart mixers. How much stuff can you fit into them, what your volume at your shop is (how many cakes/week, cheesecakes etc), how many batches (example batter for two 8" cakes being a batch), etc..

Any and all info will be gladly accepted!

Thanks so much.

I have a 20-qt. If a 5-qt KA can hold 2 cake mixes, then a 20 quart can hold 8 mixes (4 times as big ... 4 times as many mixes). A 14/10/6 wedding cake only takes 7 mixes, so I can mix an entire wedding cake in one bowl.

I made cookie dough balls today and one of them starts with a cake mix .... I poured 9 cake mixes, 18 eggs and 5 cups of crisco into that puppy and had PLENTY of room left in the bowl.

Making icing: omg, it's priceless! A KA will hold a batch consisting of 2 lbs of powdered sugar. I make icing batches using 14 lbs of p.sugar and have lots of room left in the bowl.

I thought at first it would be too big for small jobs, like icing for decorated cookies, but I've not found that to be the case.

The bowl is not too big to handle by one person, even when full of cookie dough. It fits in my sink and my comm'l dishwasher. Be sure to factor these things when you shop.

I don't know how I got along without my 20 qt. I also have a 4.5 qt KA, and two 7 qt Kenwiods. The 20qt is worth the price even if I only used it for icing.

If your gonna spend the money...get a 20 quart...

20 qt all the way I also have two 5 qt kitchenaids.

20Q all the way, you will never know what you did without it.

You may even be able to find a smaller bowl for smaller jobs that fit your 20Q

But if you can afford it, 20Q

use the 5 or 7 Q for your smaller jobs.

I fit 3 cake mixes in my 7Q mixer.

I have been leaning toward the 20, as the 10 and the 20 are almost the same price. I'm looking for one where I can get also use a 10 qt bowl in there for smaller jobs.

Believe it or not, I'm, cranking out everything with a hand mixer.

Why pick between a 10 quart and a 20 quart? I bought a Univex 20 qt. mixer. You can purchase the optional 10 qt bowl, wisk and flat beater that works with the same 20 qt. mixer. I simply change the bowl from 10 to 20 or vice versa depending on the amount I will be mixing.

I absolutely love the versatility of this mixer. It's a planetary mixer. Everything was around $2400. That was less than half of what the Hobart would have cost. That price also included the table stand, a heavy duty plastic cover and shipping.

Thanks for all the replies! I appreciate each and every one! Anyone else care to add their opinion.

I don't live in the continental US, so my options are not the same as yours, Designer Cakes.

this might sound silly....but think of it this way...10 and 20 quart cost just about the same....what's gonna stop you from just mixing up a 10 quart batch in your 20 quart mixer?

i got a 30 quart.......i mix 30 20 or 10 in it...5 is too little of a batch in it....so for something that small i use my kitchenaid.

i still use a hand held mixer too at times....it's alot easier for real small batches.

i could never understand why someone would get a 10 quart when the cost about the same.

there was an old 20 quart hobart mixer on ebay awhile back for 300.00...it looked like an antique, but those things go forever...i wished i would have gotten it to do cookie dough in, when my other mixer is full of icing....i'll think i'll go look to see what they got now!

I am bringing up an old topic.

Any tips on using a 20 quart mixer. I am on try number 4 for SMBC. The last results were better, but I believe I need to mix the meringue to a bit stiffer peak if that is all possible.

Any tips, techniques, helpful suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

LOL LindaF14a - You read my mind! I was just thinking about starting a thread asking about the same thing.

I've been contemplating buying a 20 qt. Hobart, but then I thought, how on EARTH do you make SMBC in one of those things? (I'm having visions of trying to rig up a lobster pot double boiler, dumping a 20 qt bowl of scrambled egg whites, and the like...)

Sorry I can't help, but really hope someone else can.

And congrats on the new shop!

I figured it out. It was really training the eye again to see what stiff peaks look like in the larger bowl. It really helps to wait until there is a nice sheen to the whites and the really stiff peaks will show up on what is happening on the side of the bowl. Now scraping off that large whisk attachment.....let's just say it is not fun. I have been using the frosting today in this wicked heat and humidity and it is holding up gorgeously.

As for cooking the egg whites I forgot that one could think that you use the same bowl that you use on the mixer. However, I use a large stainless steel bowl over a pan as a double boiler and then pour it into the mixer bowl. I even do it this way with my small 5 quart mixer. It is just easier for me than using the mixing bowl. And on my 5 quart I have a glass mixing bowl and I like to use that one more than the metal bowl.