Introducing the KitchenAid Commercial Planetary Mixer

What is a KitchenAid stand mixer doing in your restaurant, bakery, or catering kitchen?

If it's a KitchenAid Commercial 8-quart countertop planetary mixer with bowl lift, it's mixing 156 macarons for the dessert special, whipping mashed potatoes, working egg yolks into pasta dough, or even grinding venison for sausage.

Although it's as easy to use as your little egg-beating buddy back home, this Empire Red bombshell features a powerful motor, sturdy design, and expanded bowl capacity fit for commercial kitchen and bakery applications. Mounted on an offset shaft, the unit's attachments spin independently in continuous rotation around the bowl, turning in the opposite direction on their own axis. This planetary action enables the whip to touch the bowl at 67 different points, ensuring all ingredients are mixed smoothly and uniformly.

With its included bowl lift and locking mechanism and variable speed settings, the KitchenAid Commercial KSM8990ER countertop planetary mixer provides professional results in a compact package. Continue reading to learn more about how this equipment works and whether this model is the best fit for your operation.

Features & Benefits

NSF Certified: KitchenAid Commercial series planetary stand mixers are Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed and National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certified, meaning mixers from this series are safe in commercial foodservice applications. Mixers from KitchenAid's commercial series are the only models designed for high-volume use in a professional restaurant or bakery, as NSF certification means this mixer uses food-safe raw materials, has been tested for safety, design, construction, and performance, and can be fully cleaned and sanitized in accordance with foodservice standards.

Heavy-duty Motor: Able to power through 8 pounds of dough at a time, the mixer's 1¹⁄₃-horsepower motor provides more power than any other KitchenAid stand mixer and is designed to operate with minimal heat buildup. Coupled with a direct-drive transmission with all-metal gears, the mixer's powertrain is built to last. It has ten speeds, enabling users to perform mixing tasks from gently folding beaten egg whites into batter to whipping cream into soft, fluffy peaks.

Large Capacity: The KitchenAid Commercial planetary stand mixer's bowl has a generous 8-quart capacity – large enough to mix dough for 13 dozen cookies or eight loaves of bread in one go. For professional applications where recipes are typically made on a larger scale, this capacity enables operators to turn out more product with less labor and cleanup.

Bowl Lift: To reduce arm and back strain, this mixer model features a built-in bowl lift that enables users to slide the filled mixing bowl into the mixer, then lift it into place with a gentle lever action. This design adds stability to the larger, heavier mixing bowl found on professional and commercial models, locking it into place during operation.

Attachments & Accessories

KitchenAid manufactures attachments and accessories for all its mixer models, enabling users to perform a range of tasks with one piece of equipment. For locations short on space or funds for additional equipment, operating KitchenAid attachments can be a cost-effective way to accomplish many tasks. Attachments include simple items such as dough hooks and wire beaters as well as complex additions such as grain mills and ice cream makers.

Below, we'll cover some attachments that may be included with a KitchenAid commercial model:

• To prepare ingredients for pasta, pizza, and bread, the stainless steel spiral dough hook kneads, stretches, and folds heavy dough, saving staff time and labor in high-volume environments.
• The stainless steel flat beater makes it easy to prepare smooth cake batters, mashed potatoes, and creamy icing, dispersing ingredients evenly for uniform flavor and quality.
• Aerating light and fluffy sponge cakes, butter, mayonnaise, icing, and marshmallow, the stainless steel wire whip froths and creams mixtures for savory or sweet recipes.
• Shielding the mixer's moving parts without obstructing the user's view, the stainless steel bowl guard keeps hands and fingers from becoming entangled in rotating mechanisms as the mixer operates.

More complex attachments are also available to help users maximize the mixer's functionality. To save time and space, various other ingredients can be prepared alongside the dough or batter for signature recipes, such as grinding fresh meat for mince pies or preparing housemade ice cream for pie a la mode. Having such attachments provides a low-cost option for chefs to experiment with new or limited-time menu offerings without purchasing hundreds or thousands of dollars of new equipment.

Here are some mixer attachments that can be purchased separately and are designed for any KitchenAid stand mixer:

• Food grinder
• Sausage stuffer
• Food processor
• Fruit and vegetable peel, core, and spiralizer
• Pasta roller and cutter set
• Ice cream maker
• Citrus juicer
• Grain mill