Wolf Gourmet Stand Mixer review: The powerful motor and precision speed dial give unbeatable performance at a luxury price

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A stand mixer can make quick work of mixing batches of dough and batter, whether you're prepping pizza dough for a party or making dozens of cookies for a bake sale. While options such as the ever-popular best KitchenAid provide power and versatility, if you're an avid baker or you're looking for a stand mixer for a commercial kitchen or baking business, you need more power, a larger capacity, and unquestionable sturdiness.

As a professional baker, I've put dozens of stand mixers and hand mixers to the test. I also used several stand mixers from KitchenAid's Professional Line in my own bakery kitchen. Now, I've found that the Wolf Gourmet Stand Mixer is just as impressive in terms of performance and versatility. Read on to see why this mixer gained a top spot on our list of best stand mixers after multiple tests.

Design

The Wolf Gourmet Stand Mixer is larger than many other stand mixers on the market: 17 inches high and 29 pounds. It's incredibly sturdy, but not easy to move on and off the counter.

The industrial stainless steel construction makes it durable, and it has a 500-watt motor to bring plenty of power. Instead of a tilt head or traditional bowl-lift mixer, the Wolf Gourmet has a unique twisting bowl-lift system. This design feature provides greater stability and leaves plenty of room between the opening of the bowl and the motor head, making it simpler to add additional ingredients while mixing.

The red speed dial can be swapped out for black or silver knobs included in the box. The mixer also has a magnetized attachment cover at the front to remove and insert a separate food grinder attachment for greater versatility.

Variable speed dial

A key feature of the Wolf Gourmet Stand Mixer is its variable-speed dial with a range of 10-speed settings. The dial is incredibly smooth and easy to turn. Because of the variable speed, the mixer slowly moves up to a higher speed, rather than the quick jerk of other mixers.

You have more precise control over your mixing speed, including a pulse setting that helps to incorporate ingredients without overmixing. Plus, we didn't notice any jolting while kneading tough doughs and attribute this to the strong motor and smooth speed adjustment.

Performance

There was no difference in performance when we used large batches of dough, and the increase in the amount was barely even noticeable in the large bowl. The mixer powered through cookie dough with ease, evenly incorporating chocolate chips without the motor snagging or the mixer walking on the counter.

While you can certainly hear the motor throughout the mixing process, it's surprisingly quiet given the amount of power. It didn't get any louder at higher speeds or with double batches. Remarkably, it was also able to thoroughly mix smaller, single batches in the large bowl without leaving unmixed ingredients at the very bottom.

The wire whisk has a large, defined triangle shape. Throughout testing, it was evident that the whisk's shape helped to efficiently aerate liquids, making quick work of whipping one cup of heavy whipping cream in just five minutes.

Is it worth it?

This mixer has a much larger footprint and weighs more than most other home kitchen options. And with a $1,000 price tag, it's certainly an investment on par with some of the best espresso machines. For those who are beginner bakers or looking for an introductory stand mixer, this is probably overkill. The Wolf Gourmet Stand Mixer is a professional-grade stand mixer that could easily be considered for industrial or commercial use. However, if you are a home baker who is looking for power and stability and making multiple batches of dough or batter on a consistent basis, it's worth the cost.

What are your alternatives?

Our top pick for the best KitchenAid and the best stand mixer is the KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Tile Head Stand Mixer. It balances capacity with strength to be the ideal mixer for active home bakers. However, if you're looking for something more akin to the Wolf Gourmet, you'll need a mixer with a stronger motor. The KitchenAid 7-Quart Bowl Lift Stand Mixer has a 500-watt motor that can handle multiple batches of dough.

You may see some movement of the motor head while mixing at higher speeds with these stand mixers, especially with tough doughs.

If you're searching for power and the ability to keep the stand mixer under your kitchen cabinets or tuck it away after use, Cuisinart's 12 Speed Tilt Head Stand Mixer is surprisingly powerful at a significantly lower price point than KitchenAid or Wolf Gourmet. It only has a 5.5-quart capacity, but comes with a 500-watt motor.

Cons to consider

The main con with the Wolf Gourmet Stand Mixer is the high price tag, coming in at hundreds more than other stand mixer options. The weight and large size of the mixer make it difficult to fit and maneuver in a home kitchen. It only comes in one color, with a stainless steel exterior that is prone to smudge marks and fingerprints. Additionally, the Wolf Gourmet doesn't have as many options for attachments as other stand mixer options.

The bottom line

The Wolf Gourmet Stand Mixer is a powerful kitchen appliance. The 500-watt motor and large bowl capacity mean you can whip up multiple batches of dough at a time. This stand mixer comes with a high price tag, along with a large footprint, but it also boasts excellent power, sturdiness, and speed control.

Given its qualities, it's ideal for any home baker who plans to make large batches on a regular basis, someone starting a home baking business, or for use in a small bakery or restaurant kitchen.