Spiral Mixer Sizing: How Much Dough Do You Need?

A spiral mixer is sized by how much dough it mixes per batch. Pick one that makes your daily dough in one or two batches, and check two more things: the smallest batch it handles well, and the power your kitchen has.

Prefer to skip the math? Our pizza dough calculator works out your dough for the day from your pizzas, size and dough style, and recommends a mixer.

Step 1: work out your dough per day

Dough per day = dough-ball weight × balls per day

For example, 9 oz balls × 150 pizzas = 1,350 oz, about 84 lb (38 kg).

Step 2: match it to a mixer

Balls per batch at the mixer's maximum capacity, rounded down:

In the example above, 84 lb a day fits in one batch on a 50 kg mixer, or two batches on a 30 kg mixer.

Step 3: check the minimum batch

A big mixer doesn't mix tiny batches well. Our listed minimums are the practical ones: IM-5S 0.6 kg, IM-10S 1.5 kg, IM-20 2 kg, IM-30 2 kg, IM-50 3 kg, IM-60 4.5 kg. If some days you only need a little dough, don't oversize.

Step 4: check power and voltage

• 110V home outlet: the Famag IM-5S and IM-10S come in a 110V version that plugs into a standard U.S. outlet, or a 230V version. You choose the voltage on the product page, and if the one you need isn't available we can provide a voltage converter.
• 230V single-phase: the Famag IM-20, IM-30, IM-50 and IM-60 and the Sunmix Top Line and Smart Line need a 230V circuit. Plan the electrical work before delivery.

Step 5: hydration and features

• High-hydration dough: Famag's HH models are built for high hydration, and Famag rates the IM-5S and IM-10S for doughs up to 100%. Sunmix Top Line and Smart Line mixers run 50–300 rpm with an inverter.
• Tilting head and removable bowl: the IM-5S and IM-10S tilt and have a dishwasher-safe bowl, which helps for small batches and home bakers.
• Recipes and consistency: the Sunmix Smart Line stores 20 recipes of 12 steps each and has an infrared dough-temperature sensor.

After mixing: dividing and rounding

At higher volumes, a divider and rounder save a lot of time. Our dough rounders and dividers include the Sunmix NOVA dividers (22 or 15 portions per press) and the MOON and IGF rounders.

New to spiral mixers? See How to Make Pizza Dough with a Spiral Mixer.

Frequently asked questions

What size spiral mixer do I need for a pizzeria?

Multiply your dough-ball weight by your daily pizzas, then choose a mixer that makes that in one or two batches. For example, 150 pizzas of 9 oz is about 84 lb: one batch on a 50 kg (110 lb) mixer.

Can I plug a spiral mixer into a regular outlet?

The Famag IM-5S and IM-10S come in a 110V version that plugs into a standard U.S. outlet. Larger models need 230V single-phase power.

How many 9 oz dough balls does a 30 kg mixer make?

About 117 per full batch (1,058 oz ÷ 9 oz).