Dough mixers, also known as spiral mixers, consist of a spiral-shaped agitator that remains stationary while the bowl revolves around it.They're essential for anyone baking with an injury or disability, and they also make life easier for people who just prefer to avoid the intensive work of kneading or creaming for long periods of time (ahem, me).Mixers come with a range of bowl sizes. It's important to choose a size that will be most useful to you. The standard size is between 4.5 and 5.5 quarts. This is large enough to bake a batch of cookies or knead a loaf of bread.