Ankarsrum: How To Use The Swedish Mixer
by Kristin Lohse
Meet the Ankarsrum Assistent Original – the Swedish stand mixer that has been helping ambitious bakers make bread, brioche, cakes and pastries since 1940. It's a household name in Sweden, and our stand mixer of choice at Sous Chef.
How Does an Ankarsrum Mixer Work?
The clever part is that the Ankarsrum's bowl rotates, rather than the mixing head. Combined with a roller and scraper that mimic the movement of human hands, this creates a remarkably effective way to knead dough. It's powerful, impressively quiet, and can handle up to 5kg of dough at once.
We asked Sous Chef's baker Kristin what makes the Ankarsrum special, explored the attachments, and gathered everything you need to know before choosing one for your kitchen.
How Does an Ankarsrum Mixer Work?
Unlike a conventional stand mixer, where a beater or dough hook moves around a stationary bowl, an Ankarsrum mixer turns the bowl itself.
A powerful 1500W motor sits inside the base of the machine, driving the large stainless steel bowl from underneath. Above it sits a dough roller or hook, which works against the rotating dough.
The dough roller gently presses the dough against the side of the bowl, while a flexible dough knife continually scrapes and folds it back towards the centre. The result is a continuous kneading action that closely resembles working bread dough with your hands.
Imagine pressing bread dough forwards with the heel of your hand, then folding it back on itself. That's essentially what the Ankarsrum is designed to do – without tiring your arms.
With a generous open bowl, you can see the dough developing, add ingredients easily and check its texture without stopping the machine.
It's a fundamentally different approach to mixing, and one of the reasons bakers are so enthusiastic about it.
Six Reasons the Ankarsrum Mixer Is Different
1. The motor is in the base
Rather than sitting in a heavy overhead arm, the Ankarsrum's motor is housed underneath the bowl. This gives the machine a low centre of gravity and exceptional stability, even when working with large batches of bread dough.
2. It kneads like human hands
The combination of dough roller and dough knife presses, stretches and folds dough as it turns. This gentle, consistent action develops gluten while allowing the baker to monitor how the dough is changing.
3. It's remarkably quiet
Despite the powerful motor, Ankarsrum is much quieter than many conventional stand mixers. You can still listen to the radio or have a conversation while it kneads your bread.
4. It has a built-in timer
Set the timer and the Ankarsrum will stop automatically when the selected mixing time has elapsed. It's especially useful when making bread, where consistent kneading times help you develop a reliable routine. For unfamiliar doughs, it's still worth checking their progress occasionally.
5. Its 7-litre bowl holds up to 5kg of dough
That's enough capacity for a serious weekend baking session: multiple sourdough loaves, a generous batch of cinnamon buns or pizza dough for a crowd.
The Ankarsrum can handle dough made with up to 1.5 litres of liquid, although the precise quantity of flour you can add depends on your recipe and hydration.
6. You can actually see your dough
The wide, open bowl is one of our favourite details. There isn't a large mixing head blocking your view, and it's easy to watch the dough develop. You can check its consistency with a spatula, add a little more flour or water, and see exactly what's happening.
The machine also comes with a lid, so you can leave bread dough to prove in the same bowl after kneading.
How to Use an Ankarsrum Mixer for Bread Dough
The Ankarsrum works differently from most stand mixers, so there is a small learning curve. The most important thing to remember is to add your liquid ingredients first, followed by flour gradually.
Here's how to get started with your first loaf.
- Fit the stainless steel bowl. Make sure it sits securely on the machine, then attach the dough roller and dough knife.
- Add your liquids first. Pour in the water or milk, along with the other ingredients your recipe requires, following the recipe's instructions for yeast and salt.
- Start the mixer at a low speed. Gradually add the flour as the bowl turns. Avoid tipping a large quantity of flour in all at once.
- Let the roller move freely. At first, allow the dough roller to follow the inside of the bowl. The dough will begin to gather and strengthen as the ingredients combine.
- Adjust the roller as the dough develops. When the dough becomes firmer and starts climbing the bowl wall, Ankarsrum recommends locking the roller approximately 2–4cm from the edge.
- Watch the dough, not just the clock. Kneading time depends on your flour, hydration and recipe. Look for smoother, more elastic dough, and use the windowpane test where appropriate.
- Leave the dough to prove. Remove the attachments and fit the bowl's proving lid. Your dough can rise in the same stainless steel bowl, saving on washing up.
Kristin's tip: If you're accustomed to a planetary mixer, resist the temptation to keep adding flour because your dough looks different. Ankarsrum dough often develops more gradually. Give it time to come together before making adjustments.
Ankarsrum Dough Roller vs Dough Hook: Which Should You Use?
One of the questions new Ankarsrum owners ask most often is whether they should use the dough roller or the dough hook.
The answer depends on what you're baking.
When to use the Ankarsrum dough roller
The dough roller is the original Ankarsrum attachment, introduced with the machine in the 1940s. It was originally made from wood.
Use it together with the dough knife, which folds and scrapes the dough as the bowl turns. It's particularly good for:
- Soft white bread and everyday loaves
- Brioche, cinnamon buns and other buttery doughs
- High-hydration doughs
- Small batches, including a single loaf
- Gluten-free bread mixtures
Think of the roller as the heel of your hand pressing the dough, and the knife as your other hand folding it back.
When to use the Ankarsrum dough hook
The dough hook is particularly useful for larger batches and firmer doughs. Rather than pressing the dough against the bowl, it pulls and stretches it as the bowl rotates.
Choose the dough hook for:
- Large batches of bread dough
- Firm pizza and bagel doughs
- Dense rye and wholemeal doughs
- Recipes where you prefer a stronger pulling action
Both attachments are supplied with the Assistent Original, so there's no need to choose between them when buying your machine. You can experiment to discover which works best for your favourite recipes.
What Can You Make with an Ankarsrum Mixer?
There are plenty of reasons to fall in love with an Ankarsrum if you're an ambitious baker. Bread may be its particular strength, but the machine has a much wider repertoire.
Beautifully soft brioche
Brioche is a demanding dough, requiring plenty of kneading and the gradual incorporation of butter. The dough roller is especially well suited to buttery mixtures, helping you build elasticity without having to knead a sticky dough by hand.
Trays of Swedish cinnamon buns
It seems only right to use a Swedish mixer for kanelbullar. Make a generous batch of cardamom-scented dough, roll it around a buttery cinnamon filling, and bake until golden. Ankarsrum's large bowl makes baking for a crowd much easier.
Sourdough bread for the week
Use the roller or hook to mix your sourdough ingredients and develop the dough, before following your usual resting, folding and fermentation schedule. The open bowl is especially helpful when working with wetter doughs.
Pizza dough for a party
The 5kg dough capacity means you can make enough dough for several pizzas in a single batch. Use the dough hook for firmer mixtures, then divide and prove the dough before shaping.
Towering white meringues
Switch to the whisking bowl and balloon whisks to turn egg whites into glossy meringue. Use them for pavlova, meringue kisses or a spectacular lemon meringue pie.
Layer cakes, cookies and buttercream
The beater attachments can cream butter and sugar, mix cookie dough and prepare cake batters. There's no need to bring out a separate handheld mixer every time you want to bake something sweet.
Once you add the optional attachments, you can go considerably further – from milling your own flour to rolling fresh pasta and churning ice cream.
Ankarsrum Mixer Attachments: What Does Each One Do?
One of the joys of the Ankarsrum Assistent Original is that it isn't simply a stand mixer. Its motor can power an impressive selection of attachments, turning it into a machine for ambitious cooking as well as baking.
Whisk and beater attachments
Use the whisking attachments for light, airy mixtures such as meringues, whipped cream and sponge cakes. Beaters are useful for creaming butter and sugar or mixing cakes and biscuits.
Grain mill attachment
Imagine making a loaf of bread with flour you've milled yourself. The Ankarsrum Grain Mill Attachment lets you grind suitable dry grains for freshly milled flour, giving enthusiastic bread bakers another way to experiment with flavour and texture.
Try freshly milled wholemeal wheat flour for an aromatic loaf, or grind rye for darker, more robust bread. Remember that wholegrain flour absorbs water differently from refined flour, so your recipe may need adjusting.
Pasta roller, spaghetti and fettuccine attachments
Make fresh egg pasta dough, then use the Ankarsrum Pasta Roller Attachment to turn it into smooth, even sheets for lasagne or ravioli.
For a different supper, fit the Spaghetti Attachment or Fettuccine Attachment to cut your pasta into long strands.
Ice cream maker attachment
Turn a batch of homemade custard into ice cream, or make fruit sorbet with the Ankarsrum Ice Cream Maker Attachment. It can make up to 1.5 litres of frozen dessert.
Think proper vanilla bean ice cream, pistachio gelato-style desserts or a sharp raspberry sorbet.
Vegetable shredder attachment
For savoury cooking, the Ankarsrum Vegetable Shredder Attachment makes quick work of grating and slicing vegetables. Use it for finely shredded carrots, potato rösti or generous bowls of coleslaw.
Blender attachment
The Ankarsrum Blender Attachment is useful for smoothies, blended soups and sauces. It means your stand mixer can do another job without needing a separate countertop motor.
Citrus juicer attachment
Use the Ankarsrum Citrus Juicer Attachment for oranges, lemons and other citrus fruit. Fresh orange juice for breakfast, or the juice of several lemons for a big batch of lemon curd.
Ankarsrum vs KitchenAid: What's the Difference?
If you're choosing between an Ankarsrum and a conventional stand mixer such as a KitchenAid, the biggest difference is the way they mix.
Most traditional stand mixers use planetary mixing. The tool spins while travelling around the inside of a stationary bowl. This works well for cakes, biscuits, batters and many bread recipes.
Ankarsrum takes the opposite approach. The bowl turns while the kneading tools work the dough from above. Its design is particularly appealing for bread makers who regularly work with larger quantities, wetter doughs and enriched breads.
| Feature | Ankarsrum Assistent Original | Typical planetary stand mixer |
|---|---|---|
| Mixing mechanism | Rotating bowl with dough roller or hook | Rotating attachment in a stationary bowl |
| Motor position | In the base | Usually in the mixing head |
| Bowl capacity | 7 litres | Varies by model, often around 4.5–6 litres |
| Maximum dough capacity | Up to 5kg | Varies significantly by model |
| Dough visibility | Wide, open bowl | Often partly obscured by the mixer head |
Kristin's Verdict: Why We Love the Ankarsrum
Our in-house baker Kristin has worked with a wide range of baking equipment. Here's what makes the Ankarsrum stand out for her.
"Essentially, the Ankarsrum replicates the kneading action of human hands better than any other I've tried – making it virtually impossible to overknead your dough."
Kristin, Sous Chef's in-house baker
That's a big part of why we've chosen the Ankarsrum as our favourite stand mixer for ambitious bakers.
The machine makes demanding doughs less physically exhausting, but it also keeps you close to the baking process. Rather than disappearing underneath a large mixing head, your dough is right there, easy to watch and adjust.
And when you're making several loaves at once, the generous capacity really comes into its own.
It's worth remembering that any mixer can overwork dough under the wrong conditions. We still recommend checking your dough's texture and gluten development rather than relying entirely on a timer.
What Do Independent Reviews Say About the Ankarsrum Mixer?
We're not the only ones enthusiastic about the Ankarsrum Assistent Original. Independent reviewers have been particularly impressed by its bread-making performance.
America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen has repeatedly recognised the Ankarsrum as a leading stand mixer, praising its performance in testing. It's a strong endorsement for a machine whose unusual design can look a little surprising at first.
Serious Eats
In its extensive Ankarsrum stand mixer review, Serious Eats tested the machine over two months. The reviewers were impressed by its performance with both sticky and firm bread doughs, as well as its large capacity.
They also found it effective for cookies, cakes and whipped cream, while acknowledging that learning the unusual mixing method takes some practice.
WIRED
WIRED's assessment singled out the Ankarsrum's ability to handle substantial quantities of bread dough, making it especially interesting for dedicated home bakers who've reached the limits of smaller machines.
olive magazine
In its Ankarsrum Assistent Original review, olive magazine gave the mixer five stars and was particularly enthusiastic about its results with cardamom buns.
The testers praised the texture of the finished bread and its gentle kneading action. They did find that cake batter occasionally needed additional scraping and folding by hand, which is useful to know if you're mainly a cake baker.
Which Ankarsrum Mixer Should You Buy?
All the Ankarsrum Assistent Original stand mixers share the same fundamental mixing design. Choosing between the different colours is largely a matter of personal taste. You can also choose bundles that include attachments for your favourite kinds of cooking.
For the dedicated bread baker
The Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer in Black is an excellent place to start. It includes the essential equipment for kneading dough, mixing and whisking, and has the capacity for everything from a single loaf to a large batch of bread.
If you want to make bread with freshly milled flour, consider the Ankarsrum Avid Baker Bundle, which brings together the stand mixer, grain mill and stainless steel beating bowl.
For the all-round ambitious cook
The Ankarsrum Deluxe Bundle is worth considering if you want to go beyond bread and cakes with a selection of additional food-preparation tools.
For homemade pasta lovers
The Ankarsrum Pasta Making Bundle includes the mixer, pasta roller, spaghetti attachment and fettuccine attachment. It's a lovely choice for anyone who dreams of making fresh pasta from scratch.
For ice cream enthusiasts
The Ankarsrum Ice Cream Making Bundle combines the stand mixer with the ice cream attachment, opening up homemade frozen desserts as well as everyday baking.
For someone who wants to do everything
The Ankarsrum Complete Bundle brings together the machine with a broad range of accessories, including pasta-making tools, grain mill, mincer, blender, vegetable shredder and ice cream maker.
And of course, there's the colour. Choose from classic Black, soft Harmony Beige and the other colours in the Sous Chef Ankarsrum collection.
Ankarsrum Mixer: Frequently Asked Questions
Is an Ankarsrum mixer worth the money?
If you make bread frequently, bake in large quantities or enjoy challenging doughs, an Ankarsrum can be a worthwhile investment. Its 1500W motor, 7-litre bowl, generous dough capacity and unusual kneading action make it particularly well suited to enthusiastic bread bakers. If you only occasionally make small cakes, a simpler mixer may be more appropriate.
Is Ankarsrum better than KitchenAid for bread?
For frequent bread baking, particularly large or demanding batches, we prefer the Ankarsrum. Its rotating bowl and kneading roller offer a different mixing action, and its 5kg dough capacity is a major advantage. However, results depend on the specific KitchenAid model and the recipes you make.
Can you make sourdough in an Ankarsrum mixer?
Yes. The Ankarsrum is particularly useful for mixing and kneading sourdough, including high-hydration recipes. Use the dough roller or hook according to your recipe, and monitor gluten development. You may still need resting periods and folds during bulk fermentation.
Can you overknead dough in an Ankarsrum?
Yes, although its distinctive kneading action gives you excellent visibility and control. Overkneading is still possible with prolonged mixing, especially with delicate or enriched doughs. Check the dough's elasticity and strength rather than assuming longer is always better.
Can you make cakes with an Ankarsrum mixer?
Absolutely. The whisking bowl and beater attachments are designed for mixing cake batters, whipping cream, beating eggs and creaming butter and sugar. Some cake mixtures may need a final scrape and fold to ensure everything is incorporated evenly.
Can an Ankarsrum mixer handle small batches?
Yes. Although the bowl is unusually large, the machine is also designed for smaller quantities. Ankarsrum recommends the dough roller for small bread batches, including a single loaf.
How much dough can an Ankarsrum mixer make?
The Ankarsrum Assistent Original can handle up to 5kg of dough in its 7-litre stainless steel bowl. The manufacturer also specifies a maximum of 1.5 litres of dough liquid. Actual capacity depends on dough consistency and the recipe.
Does the Ankarsrum mixer come with attachments?
Yes. The standard machine includes essential mixing and baking equipment, including a stainless steel bowl, dough roller, dough hook, dough knife, proving lid, separate whisking bowl and whisking tools. Additional accessories for pasta, flour milling, ice cream, mincing and more are sold separately or in bundles.
Is the Ankarsrum mixer noisy?
It's notably quiet for a powerful stand mixer. The base-mounted motor and drive system help make it comfortable to use in a busy kitchen, even when kneading bread dough. Like any mixer, the noise level varies with the speed and workload.
Where is the Ankarsrum mixer made?
The Ankarsrum Assistent Original is made in Sweden. The design dates back to 1940 and has evolved over the decades while retaining its distinctive rotating-bowl approach. Each machine is individually tested before leaving the factory.
What is the Ankarsrum warranty?
Ankarsrum provides a seven-year manufacturer's warranty on the machine base and a three-year warranty on accessories and attachments, subject to its warranty terms. The company also provides user manuals, instructional videos and replacement parts support.
How do you clean an Ankarsrum mixer?
Unplug the machine before cleaning. Wipe the motor base with a damp cloth, and wash the bowls and attachments according to their individual care instructions. Many of the principal mixing components can go in the dishwasher, while the whisks are best washed by hand. Check the instructions for specialist attachments separately.
Our Verdict: A Stand Mixer for Bakers with Big Dreams
The Ankarsrum Assistent Original isn't quite like any other stand mixer. It takes a little practice, but once you understand how the rotating bowl and dough roller work together, the possibilities are enormously exciting.
It's the mixer we'd choose for pillowy brioche, cardamom buns, sourdough loaves and ambitious weekend baking. And with the optional attachments, you can mill your own flour, make fresh pasta, churn ice cream and much more.
Made in Sweden, with a design that has stood the test of time and a seven-year warranty on the machine, it's an investment for someone who genuinely loves to bake.
For bakers with big dreams, this is our favourite stand mixer.
Explore the complete Ankarsrum mixer collection at Sous Chef
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About the author
Kristin is the Purchasing and Buying assistant at Sous Chef. She has several chefs and excellent home cooks in her family, and grew up in the kitchen in Sweden. Cooking and baking with her mum happened pretty much every day. Cinnamon rolls were always stocked up in the freezer, and if they were running low, more baking had to be done. Kristin always loves learning more about food and ingredients to continue improving her skills.
