We tested the Wolf stand mixer and here's what we thought.

Home bakers may be all too familiar with the tedium (and arm fatigue) required of kneading the chewiest, crustiest loaf of sourdough. So whether you’ve been nurturing your starter since long before quarantine, or you’re a pandemic-influenced convert to the delicious world of home baking, you may consider upgrading your kitchen to include a stand mixer. 

There are several great options on the market, and these countertop appliances can take a lot of the elbow grease out of making doughs, batters, custards, and more. One brand that always sits at the top of the premium appliance category is Wolf gourmet. Known for durability, gleaming stainless steel, and professional performance, Wolf sets itself apart by offering restaurant-quality products for home kitchens. But their stand mixer costs just shy of $1,000, and for that amount of bread we expect some high quality, well, bread.

We put the Wolf Gourmet High-Performance Stand Mixer to the test to see if it's worth the price.

The Wolf high-Performance Stand Mixer is a countertop appliance with a seven-quart mixing bowl and three mixing attachments: a whisk, a paddle, and a dough hook. It’s a replacement for old-fashioned hand mixing or an electric hand mixer that’s especially useful for bakers. 

The Wolf gourmet stand mixer

This stand mixer has some smart design features that make it especially easy to set up and operate. First, the bowl sits on the base of the mixer (other stand mixers, such as KitchenAid, use arms to hold the bowl in place, but it can be tricky to set things in the exact right position for use). The bowl uses a simple rotating lift mechanism to rise up for mixing and lower down for adding ingredients and changing attachments. 

The mixing attachments are quite large to match the spacious 7-quart mixing bowl. However, they do all fit inside the bowl for storage. The mixer also comes with a clear plastic splatter guard that’s especially useful if you’re mixing a loose batter or splatter-prone whipped cream. The guard has a large spout for adding ingredients mid-mix. 

Overall, this is not a small appliance. The mixer measures 11 x 18 x 18 inches, which can dominate a small kitchen space and be difficult to store. It also weighs over 29 pounds, so it’s not the type of appliance you’ll want to stick on a high closet shelf. 

That said, despite being made from stainless steel, I was still surprised by how light this mixing bowl is. It feels thinner than other stand mixer bowls I’ve used.  

When it comes time to beat, whisk or knead, you really can’t beat the power that this mixer offers. The mixer has a 500-watt motor, which is enough power to make quick work of an especially sticky or tough dough. The power is controlled with a 10-speed knob that rotates smoothly to offer “infinite” speeds (in other words, the knob doesn’t click into place, so you’re not limited to 10 preset speeds). 

I especially appreciate that the mixing attachments are long enough to reach nearly to the bottom of the bowl. There’s nothing worse than mixing a batter, only to find that most of the flour is still dry at the bottom of the bowl because the paddle doesn’t mix fully. 

The mixing bowl and attachments are dishwasher safe, which makes clean-up easy. The machine can be wiped down with a damp cloth, or buffed with stainless steel polish for an extra shine. 

Because of its size, this mixer is best for a dedicated baker with counter space to spare. The Wolf High-Performance Stand Mixer is exceptionally powerful and durable, so if you foresee a long and active baking career in your future, it’s a worthwhile investment that you can plan to rely on for years, if not generations. 

Lizzy Briskin is a freelance food writer and product reviewer. She runs the content creation business Earthen Food Co (https://earthenfood.co/), where she develops and photographs recipes, shares food stories and her (usually strong) opinions about all things related to cooking and eating. She's also a trained chef and marathon runner who lives in Boston. Contact her at lizzy@earthenfood.co and follow on Instagram @lizzybriskin.