How much dry ingredients for a 20lt dough mixer?

When in doubt, if the information's not clear in the machine-supplied instructions, call the maker's phone number.  Ask them.  Once someone's on the phone with you, you may even think of other questions.

I'm assuming you've looked up the machine's specifics on the web.

A warning:  especially with a new device, call the company before doing something that may invalidate any guarantee they state.

Are you sure it's 20 liters or 20 quarts (closer to 18 liters)? For now, I will assume it's 20 qts. 

Overloading the mixer's motor is less likely than simply overfilling it... again assuming that your dough is not a brick but somewhere over 60% hydration.

Given these assumptions: 1 liter of water weighs a kilo. Flour weighs about half of what water does. Your mixer will hold (but cannot mix) 18 liters of water or 9 kg of flour. Do the math if you like, Generally, a 20 qt can handle about 10Kg of dough... more (about 12Kg) with a significant pre-ferment, without sending flour and/or water flying everywhere.

I'd start at 10Kg and increase until I find it's at max.

Cheers

I have a Globe 20 qt mixer.  their website has a chart showing the following (all based on hydration):

Heavy Bread Dough (55% hydration)   15 lbs

Bread and roll dough (60% hydration)  25lbs

Pizza dough (60% hydration)                20lbs

These are all on speed one.  Why the difference between bread at 65% and pizza at 65% is not explained.

As a professional baker and pastry chef I have burned up my share of 20 qt mixers over the years, from Hobart, Globe and many others.

I would suggest no more than 10 lbs (5.5K) for a heavy dough, 12 lbs (7K) of a light roll style dough. 

Though the manufacturers say it will hold up to their specs, the wear and tear on the mixer is not worth it. Also the type of dough hook used "J" style or other has a lot to dough with the mixers ability.

I currently have 12 20 qt mixers as well as a spiral, and 4 80 qt, so if you have more questions please PM me.

Best of luck

Chef Carlton Brooks CCE, CEPC, ACE

Hi Ilse,

Definitely stay on the low side of the rated capacity.  That capacity is total weight not just the flour.  The machine will last much longer.

Jeff

Hobarts are built like sledgehammers, we use to use 50 lb of flour in a 60 quart bowl.  Sometimes when we needed just a little more we would add more.  The problem wasn't that the motor couldn't handle the load but rather that for the first half minute or so it would puff flour out of the bowl and make a mess.

Gerhard

Hello all! I’m new to the site and hoping you all (being more well versed than I) may be able to help. I’ve recently purchased a “husky products” 20 liter stand mixer model HMX 7020 and I’m having extreme difficulty finding anything about the mixer online. I’ve found a few that have gone up for auction, including the one I purchased. It’s American made but I can’t for the life of me find any info on the machine. I was hoping to get the owners and repair manuals on a pdf so that I might go about figuring how to replace what I believe to be the shaft seals. If anyone has heard of, or owned, or been in contact with anyone whose had or knows anything about this machine I’d love to know any and all information about it. Thank you in advance for your time and patience!

Thank you so much! I hadn’t even thought of the possibility of “relabeling” but that would make a lot of sense. I intend to grab a few photos and post this afternoon. Thank you so much for the advice!