# The best mixers for challah dough

- Link: https://www.challahbake.org/resource/best-mixers-for-challah-dough/
- Published: 2026-10-22T09:21:43-04:00
- Author: Shira

Challah dough is a workout: it is enriched, a little stiff, and many of us make 
it by the five pounds. The mixer you choose decides whether Friday morning feels
easy or like a fight with a motor that is slowly giving up. Here is how the three
machines you will hear about most really compare.

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## What the community says

A Bosch is the best for challah, a KitchenAid the best for cakes. Others describe
a KitchenAid motor that stops or burns out partway through a five-pound batch.

> A Bosch is the best for challah, a KitchenAid is the best for cakes.

Professional testers agree on the pattern. In Food Network’s test of 13 mixers, 
the KitchenAid Artisan was the best pick for the everyday baker, and bread-focused
tests rank belt-driven machines like the Bosch and Ankarsrum highest for heavy dough.

## Our three picks

![Hands kneading a smooth ball of dough](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://
www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201024%201024'%3E%3C/svg%3E)

 1

Best for big batches

Bosch

### Bosch Universal Plus

The community favorite for challah. A powerful belt-driven motor, a wide 6.5-quart
bowl and a dough hook that folds rather than tears. Bakers who make five pounds 
of flour at a time reach for this one.

 * Handles heavy, stiff dough without straining
 * Large bowl for hafrashat-challah batches
 * Easy to use; widely supported in frum kitchens

 $499.00as of October 22, 2026 [Get it on Amazon ](https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Quarts-NutriMill-Extender-Bundle/dp/B0CJCKHQGK/?tag=challahbake-20)

![Ankarsrum Original mixer with dough](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://
www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20533%20533'%3E%3C/svg%3E)

 2

Best for bread texture

Ankarsrum

### Ankarsrum Original

A Swedish classic with a roller-and-scraper system that mimics hand kneading. The
maker says it handles up to 5 kg of dough in its 7-liter bowl, and bread bakers 
praise the open, tender crumb.

 * 600 W belt-driven motor and a 7-year warranty
 * Gentle on dough, so it can stay cool
 * Ideal for a few loaves at a time, rather than huge batches

 $749 [Check price on King Arthur ](https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/ankarsrum-essential-stand-mixer?srsltid=AU7gw4Vl9rkCLU1w_KgGP7BpIxakr1g4SNyoeg9R_PHdvSJBrrqyYYXKuTs)

![A KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer on a kitchen counter](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%
20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201024%20683'%3E%3C/svg%3E)

 3

Best for small batches and cakes

KitchenAid

### KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart

The all-rounder that lives on so many counters. Wonderful for cakes, cookies and
a one- or two-loaf challah. For batches of several pounds, bakers report the motor
working too hard.

 * Great for everyday baking and attachments
 * Easy to clean, and parts are everywhere
 * Perfect for one or two loaves

 [Check price on Amazon ](https://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KSM150PS-Mess-Free-Ingredients-Tilt-Head/dp/B07QHQ8CD3/?tag=challahbake-20)

## How to choose

 * **Baking for the whole street?** Choose the Bosch. Its bowl and motor are built
   for it.
 * **Love a soft, open crumb and bake a few loaves?** The Ankarsrum is a joy.
 * **Bake all kinds of things, with a family-sized challah?** The KitchenAid Artisan
   is the friendly choice.
 * **Not sure?** Pick the one whose bowl holds the amount of flour you usually use,
   with room to spare.

Planning a larger batch? Our [hafrashat challah guide](https://www.challahbake.org/resource/hafrashat-challah-step-by-step/)
shows the amounts where a blessing applies, so you can pick a mixer that fits.