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Dynamic Mini Pro stick blender……. vs Bamix
I thought I had it all figured out….was going to upgrade my stick blender for making emulsions….and kill two birds with one stone…and get a stick blender that would run at low rpm’s and could double as a stirrer. So here are a few of my thoughts….and those in the know….can correct me.
My thoughts had been to buy a Dynamic Mini Pro, which had an rpm range of 0-13000. Then I was going to add the emulsifier / homogenizer attachment: https://www.dynamicmixers.com/en/our-accessories/blender-homogenizer-tool-dynamix.html
…that is when the wheels started to fall off the bus. 1st, the attachment cost more than the entire machine! Secondly, I think they sell that combo, already paired in the EU….but not the US. So that combo went from $159.00 to over $400.00. So my questions are:1) In making emulsions using Glyceryl Stearate (and) PEG 100 Stearate, is it really necessary to get the Rotor Stator type head? (Creating formulations and making small production batches…usually not more the a gallon or 4 liters at a time.)
2) has anyone seen a stand that would allow the Dynamic Mini Pro, to double as a stirrer at low speed? Can the motor handle a continuous run….this would be a very low rpm. I know it can’t be run continuously at high RPM.
So I read as many of the old post’s on stick blenders as I could, and I think the group might prefer Bamix….for those using stick blenders. They were priced pretty close…. However, the Bamix did not seem to offer a roto stator type head….but that might not be necessary. The Bamix models seemed to be two speed….so certainly could not double as a low speed stirrer.
Sidebar: Magnetic stirrers have fascinated me….can anyone recommend one that I can get in the US…that would work in that 3-5 liter range? I assume since they have no direct drive, they give up as soon as the viscosity increases much during cool down? Is that OK for this type of emulsion (lotion).
Can anyone give insight….having owned one or the other…or maybe even both?
I guess one final question…. I have found it a little difficult finding detailed instructions on using Glyceryl Stearate / PEG 100 emulsifier…. Does it want to be stirred all the way through cool down? Any links on details for using this emulsifier would also be appreciated.
My credit card is itching to buy one of these….waiting to hear your feedback.
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21 Replies
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This is the set-up I dreamed about…
https://www.misceo-cosmetics.com/gb/emulsifier-homogenizer/47-misceo-250f.html
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I think you are in a big mistake! You can use Dynamix homogenizer only at the first 2-4 minutes of emulsification, then you should switch to propeller type of mixer, because the emulsion need of different type of mixing. Also the Dynamix does not have 0 rpm-s, so at the lower level the rotor stator head is moving but slower.
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The Dynamix (the other links seem to be rebranded Dynamix) is also on my probably-should-buy list. The other stick blender with an emulsifying rotor-stator head has been discontinued a few years back.The Bamix brand (made in Switzerland 🙂 ) has standard high-end stick blenders and was part of every Swiss household till bout 20 years ago. Unlike for example the Esge (East German brand) which has versions with similarly high RPM, Bamix has way higher torque too and, like Dynamix, can therefore handle high viscosity products quite easily. Bamix (and Esge too) is, apart from having the same exchangeable heads since the beginning (fitting to all models) and being hand-repaired back to the first model ever produced should something break (livelong guarantee), is just a ‘normal’ stick blender.Growing up in such Swiss household means that I grew up with a Bamix… it doesn’t go down to 0 RPM, the lowest speed is still quite fast, way too fast to replace a propeller stirrer (see product selection). However, it is amongst the top plan B products should I decide to buy a new stick blender which isn’t a Dynamix.Emulsifier 165 doesn’t really require a rotor-stator mixer but such a device always gives finer droplets = higher stability. Sometimes, this may result in higher or lower viscosity depending on the formulation.Correct, magnetic stirring bars don’t work with medium to high viscosities and don’t even mix well with lower viscosities if they are ‘slimy’. Thin lotions do work, especially if pre-mix with a blender or the like and go with magnetic stirring bars having cross or octagonal shape and/or with a neodymium core.And last but not least: I do have a solution for itching credit cards… although, that involves sending it to me for further treatment, preferably alongside your PIN. You can trust me, I treat your cards with the utmost respect and discretion and I promise to send it back when done! Greetings from Nigeria *cough-cough* I mean what lovely weather we have… -
Why not buy an overhead stirrer? Some cheap chinese ones can handle up to 40L (claim by manufacturer), can run for a long time and have adjustable speeds and can definitely handle higher viscosities.
For most emulsions it seems to me that a sawtoothed impeler would be more than enough. A rotor stator will give more stability, but it doesn’t seem to me that your product needs to be shelf-stable for over a year given the small batches. Have you stability-tested your lotions? You can probably achieve the same result with a saw toothed (disperser, medium-high shear) impeller on an overhead stirrer than you do with a regular immersion blender.
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@Graillotion: Overkill. You mentioned batch sizes of 4L. Frankly, a stick blender of the right type is good enough to make stable emulsions using that combo you mention. The key is to buy a stick blender with a rotor that has blade tips close to the shroud. By close I mean < 1mm. This creates high shear and at the RPMs a stick blender runs at, you can emulsify 4L of emulsion in minutes.
After emulsifying the blender should be discontinued and propellor or paddle mixing used during the cool-down phase. -
Belassi said:@Graillotion: Overkill. You mentioned batch sizes of 4L. Frankly, a stick blender of the right type is good enough to make stable emulsions using that combo you mention. The key is to buy a stick blender with a rotor that has blade tips close to the shroud. By close I mean < 1mm. This creates high shear and at the RPMs a stick blender runs at, you can emulsify 4L of emulsion in minutes.
After emulsifying the blender should be discontinued and propellor or paddle mixing used during the cool-down phase.Are you aware of one…that meets that criteria? Especially between the Dynamic and the Bamix?
Yes I am aware that stick blenders are sufficient, as that is what I have used for my operation the past year, which involved moving a reasonable amount of product. But as I prepare to add two new products…I thought about cautiously moving up a level in my equipment….both quality, and slightly in capacity.
My initial product used E-wax as the emulsifier, and as I progressed to different emulsifiers, I felt like they might be more sensitive to equipment being used.
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@Graillotion I have a Bamix pro (14,000 - 18,000) 2 speed as you said so I presume the lower speed runs at 14,000rpm. Would you like a close up shot of the blade and various heads?
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africanbug said:@Graillotion I have a Bamix pro (14,000 - 18,000) 2 speed as you said so I presume the lower speed runs at 14,000rpm. Would you like a close up shot of the blade and various heads?
Yes…hehehe….would like to see how close to the shroud they run….per Belassi’s comment.
:smiley: -
africanbug said:@Graillotion I have a Bamix pro (14,000 - 18,000)
How small of a batch can you make with that…..I tend to make 230 gram batches when I am testing.
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letsalcido said:Why not buy an overhead stirrer? Some cheap chinese ones can handle up to 40L (claim by manufacturer), can run for a long time and have adjustable speeds and can definitely handle higher viscosities.
For most emulsions it seems to me that a sawtoothed impeler would be more than enough. A rotor stator will give more stability, but it doesn’t seem to me that your product needs to be shelf-stable for over a year given the small batches. Have you stability-tested your lotions? You can probably achieve the same result with a saw toothed (disperser, medium-high shear) impeller on an overhead stirrer than you do with a regular immersion blender.
I actually have my eye on an interesting mixer…. that I have had as plan B…if I could not find something that could give me the shear and homogenization, and double as a stirrer. Anyone see and negatives to this?
https://pleasanthillgrain.com/nutrimill-artiste-stand-mixerIt has a paddle scraper attachment as well…that I think would work well with lotions. I think this company has some affiliation with Bosch…as their parts are interchangeable.
My plan was to pour into this, after creating the emulsion….and stir it through cool-down.
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@Graillotion I tried 50g but it was too small to homogenise properly, at 100g it works well
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Belassi said:@Graillotion: The key is to buy a stick blender with a rotor that has blade tips close to the shroud. By close I mean < 1mm. This creates high shear and at the RPMs a stick blender runs at, you can emulsify 4L of emulsion in minutes.
Both the Bamix, and the Dynamic have a pretty open shroud….or almost a lack of one. However…they do have very high RPM’s. Are you suggesting a different brand, with close shroud tolerance?
I think typical Amazon purchased stick blenders…top out around 7,000 rpm….from what I hear.
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@Graillotion I was thinking something like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IXXSWLE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZrZZEbVZJ5RYP
with this a disperser like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0771KTXK3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CtZZEbN7DMXKZ
I made a lotion with a $40 kitchen aid immersion blender that resisted 4 freeze-thaw cycles (didn’t try more) and a week incubated at 55C afterwards. Which tells me you don’t need the highest RPMs to emulsify a lotion, and the disperser disk will give you plenty of shear, plus you can lower the RPM and stir for a long time during cool down with an overhead stirrer.
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letsalcido said:…plus you can lower the RPM and stir for a long time during cool down with an overhead stirrer.Good point! A stick blender tends to get too warm too quickly. Most can’t even handle 1-2 minutes of high viscosity mixing.Regarding closed shrouds, what do you think of these two products?
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Pharma said:
Hey Pharma…..what would be your preferred blade for emulsification on the Steba?
This one?
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Pharma said:letsalcido said:…plus you can lower the RPM and stir for a long time during cool down with an overhead stirrer.Good point! A stick blender tends to get too warm too quickly. Most can’t even handle 1-2 minutes of high viscosity mixing.Regarding closed shrouds, what do you think of these two products?
A cursory perusal of the US internet….and Gastroback is not sold here. Looks like a nice one. Looks like Steba is also not sold here.
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At this point, I am really leaning towards the Dynamic, and probably springing for the rotor stator head…. although I might buy them in stages…and see how I get along without the expensive attachment first. I like to do things to the best of my knowledge and ability, and it seems that the Dynamic is a pretty balance approach, when weighing end product (stability and quality) vs initial cost.
Anyone got a better one (that I can buy in the US) …. or should I spring for the Dynamic?
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Depends on your product!Lets take your low viscosity lotion: It is likely the type which, under the microscope, looks like peas in soup. Such emulsions like high sheer (I’d use the cross head of the Steba but would file it as sharp as possible, probably bending it a bit to get closer to a saw toothed impeller @letsalcido mentioned).Your premium lotion on the other hand would, if made with the emulsifiers from your PM (lamellar phase emulsifiers, for those not spying on my inbox), look like lasagne wherein the pasta sheets (emulsifier combo) separate layers of béchamel sauce (water) from layers of ground meat (oil). For these, you don’t need fancy equipment, just an ordinary stick blender and, more importantly, a low speed device for cool down. The Floratech blend is likely to do half the emulsifying job by itself (you’ll probably see some hardening/ripening within hours to 1-2 days post production).I’m quite yes-no-maybe yes-maybe-no for the last few months regarding buying a Dynamix… or maybe a Rotilabo hand held device for smaller volumes and a cheap Chinese stand mixer? Or another stick blender though I have one in my kitchen (which ain’t great for 100 ml but mixes okayinsh).
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I think the Rotilabo homogenizer could be useful for for small volumes, under the 100ml for example. Dynamix should be used for volumes of 100ml and above. It’s head is too massive, and in a small beaker it will cause a “storm” then the half of the emulsion will go outside the beaker, and also it will put too much air in the emulsion. In my practice, when I test a new recipe I usually use my old Bosh CleverMixx with the baby attachment. With it i can mix properly small volumes under the 100ml.
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Graillotion said:
the Bamix pro comes with this head as well. it can handle up to 4 minutes of continuous use then it gets hot..
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africanbug said:Graillotion said:
the Bamix pro comes with this head as well. it can handle up to 4 minutes of continuous use then it gets hot..
And….that is the head you like?
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