Viking 7qt Mixer...anybody own this product ?

[Crusty]

I recently purchased one and am generally pleased. I am able to mix two pies but it struggles with three while on "stir".  My recipe for a pie is 11.8oz flour and 7.7oz water.

Any thoughts?

Crusty

[canadave]

I have a Delonghi 7-qt mixer and it, too, can handle two batches easily but struggles (read: safety mechanism kills the motor) at three.  I hate that

Recently-joined member varasano has an Electrolux DLX, which seems to be the Holy Grail of mixers--seems to be able to handle quite a bit more dough than even the "heavy-duty" home mixers.

[Trinity]

 

I think If I were to get a mixer,,, I would just look up a 20Qt. Hobart... (used) with a hook, and a paddle. 

[pizzamagic]

I just got an Electrolux DLX 2000 (N24) this week and used it this morning. I used 25oz flour and 60% water to make enough dough for two 14 inch pizzas (3.14x49x1.3). It handled the job flawlessly and easily. In under 10 minutes I had a beautiful smooth bouncy dough ball. I had seen the mixer on line at numerous places for $469-549. I went into a place called The Buzz on Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn and got it new for $399. Their web site www.thebuzzelectronics.com listed it for $469. I checked with the distributor. It's not a fake or repack.

[varasano]

I've used the DLX for as much as 3000g of dough (10 pizzas) and it doesn't struggle at all. Great machine.

Jeff

[pizzamagic]

Varsano,
I was about to buy the Viking until I saw your posts about the DLX. Thanks!
A question. I noticed this morning that even though I set the arm about 1/2 - 1 inch from the rim of the bowl and lock it down, as the dough develops the arm keeps getting moved farther away from the rim when it springs back towards the bowl rim. Instead of 1/2-1 inch it gpes to 2-2 and 1/2 inches. I have to stop the machine, reposition it and lock it down. Have you experienced this? Should I reposition it or just leave it?
Regards,
scott

[varasano]

Hey Scott,

I loosen the bolt all the way and let it swing on it's own. Occasionally I move the scrapper towards the center by hand to let the dough extrude through the gap.  FYI, The bolt does NOT lock the arm towards the rim. It ONLY locks the arm so towards the center (keeps it away from the rim).  It can always swing in towards the center no matter how tight the bolt is.  This took me a while to realize this.

Anyway, if you find that the arm is swinging towards the center it's probably because the dough is sticking to the roller and then it's just spinning kind of uselessly. If this is happening to you, read my web page again about how to mix. If you are experiencing this, especially with such a small batch, it's because you are adding too much flour at the beginning, when you really should let most of the mixing occur before adding the last amount of flour.  Also, pay attention to the autolyse periods, which are THE real key to making smooth dough.  Get to my page by clicking the globe under my name.

Jeff

[pizzamagic]

Thanks for replying. The problem I have, if it is a problem is not the free rotation of the arm to the center of the bowl (left). That is occuring. What I am questioning is this :
1. I set the minimum distance to the rim at about 1/2 inch. The arm can swing to the center and back to not less then 1/2 inch from the rim.
2. As the dough develops and starts to kick the arm to the center, the minimum distance the arm can be moved to the rim grows. With no dough between the roller and the bowl, it can only retract to about 1 and 1/2 inches from the rim unless I loosen the screw. It is as if there is a series of steps on the post that holds the arm to the mixer and that the retaining screw bites in to. As the dough develops, it is as if the retaining screw comes to lie on a higher step and prevents the roller from getting closer to the rim. The only way to reduce the distance to the rim is to loosen the srew and reposition the roller arm.
Regards,
scott

[varasano]

It takes a while to get used to.  Loosen the screw all the way and let it float free.