I see one of these for sale locally for $550.  That seems like a really good price, if it works.  I don’t really need a 20 qt, but I see myself bumping up against the capacity limitations on my 5qt KA Pro.  Any significant increase in size would cost me at least $500. Should I consider grabbing it?  How small of a batch can a mixer of this size handle?  It maintenance likely to be a factor?  The ad said “recently serviced”.

That is a fantastic price. I have fantasized about having a mixer that size, but I really don’t have the space for it. I can’t speak about the minimum capacity, but the maintenance might be an issue. You might want to call Hobart and ask them whether they would repair a professional machine in a residential setting, and find out how much it would cost.  Another option would be to call around to local appliance repair places to make sure they could service it if anything went wrong. Sometimes the independent guys have decent experience with professional equipment.

That is a good price and there is not much maintenance required for those machines. You are right to be concerned about minimum batch size. I had one of these many years ago and unless you are planning on commercial applications you won’t find it very useful around the house. I finally sold mine after it sat unused for a year.

If I had the room for it…I would buy it.  It won’t replace your 5 quart, though…will you have room for both (It is really hard to do smally batches in such a big mixer…I took a course at a cooking school where I experienced that problem.)

Now that I think about it…perhaps I can give up the apartment and live in the mixer.  Alas, to have a hobart 20 quart ...  (sigh)

I have a 20 quart mixer at home, and I use it all of the time. Maintenance can be done by the local Hobart repair person. I use it for just about everything except when I am doing very small batches, and always with breads and Italian Buttercream icing. You need to ask what attachments it comes with - I have a dough hook, wisk, and paddle with mine. When I purchased mine, it came with a cart. It is not feasible to think you can easily move the mixer by lifting it - it is heavy! The cart allows me to wheel it into in a closet when it is not being used. You should also check to see what kind of bowl it comes with. If it is an aluminum bowl, then you will want to get a stainless steel bowl. Aluminum bowls will discolor some products, and may impart an aluminum taste.

I love my 20 quart, and would not be without it. This seems to be a good price, but if it does not come with attachments or a stainless bowl, be prepared to spend some extra $.

Good luck

Jeri - 20 January 2010 06:22 PM

I love my 20 quart, and would not be without it. This seems to be a good price, but if it does not come with attachments or a stainless bowl, be prepared to spend some extra $.

Good luck

It comes with all of the attachments, but doesn’t say if the bowl is SS or not.  I’d shudder to consider the cost. I saw the price for a SS bowl for the Bosch mixer is almost $200.

Gene - 20 January 2010 01:52 PM

I had one of these many years ago and unless you are planning on commercial applications you won’t find it very useful around the house.

Yeah, realistically, I don’t have room for it.  I had to buy a set of big metal racks to store all my kitchen stuff.

Thanks

I’ve been lusting after one of those for awhile! Think about it, if you have any plans at all to bake in larger quantities. The older Hobarts are very well made. Heck of a price - depending on age/condition, of course. Is there a Hobart service centre near you to have it evaluated? Some enterprising types would buy it, clean it up a bit and resell for a profit. But if it’s missing tools, needs work, that might be the reason for the lower price. You wouldn’t be happy with it yourself and/or would find it hard to resell. Space is an issue, as you’ve discovered. And not sure, but understand the Hobart would need its own 15 to 20 amp circuit unlike machines designed for the home market.

Sounds wonderful.  HOWEVER, I don’t know anything about buying used Hobarts, and my brother (who worked in a commercial bakery for years) tell me to be careful not to buy a Hobart that has been used to make pizza dough on a regular basis.  Apparently that really wears them out.

I have a 20 quart Hobart with two S/S bowls and I use it mostly for bread but have been known to make cakes and mousseline in it - it’s absolutely fabulous for everything!  I have mine running off the regular 13 amp circuit with no problems - it was second-hand and I think is quite old.  I also have the 10 litre Hobart (new) and I have had the Hobart maintenace guy out to service it - but he told me I’d probably never had problems with the (old) 20 litre one and not to waste my money to keep him here another hour!!  If you have the room, go for it!

AnnieMacD - 21 January 2010 04:24 PM

If you have the room, go for it!

Ah, well, the temptation has been removed….it’s been sold.  I’d probably best learn how to make cakes well on a small scale before I start mass production.