# Cookie Depositer Advice



## SliqChiq (Mar 24, 2021)

Can anyone recommend the best table top cookie depositer?
Also - when you were starting out how did you buy machinery? I mean, If we buy a table top now but need a standalone with a sheeter next year do we just try and sell the table one? In other industries sometimes you can buy a machine and then trade it in on an upgrade. Is there anyone in the bakery machinery business that does that? Who and what do you recommend?

Thank you. 😊😊


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

My best tabletop cookie depositor was a guy I hired to come in and scoop cookie dough. He was happy as a clam scooping dough for a few hours and listening to music on the radio. Old retired guy. He was also the friendliest cookie depositor. 

But seriously, in regard to equipment: NEVER buy new. I have never known a bakery equipment supplier that takes old equipment in trade. I'm not saying that doesn't happen, but it's never happened in my 30 years baking. Also, I never buy new, so what would I know about that particular subject. Best thing you can do is go to restaurant auctions. It's how I obtained most of my equipment.

I'm not sure about your production methods, but I've always found I get a better and more consistent product if I make the dough, scoop it and refrigerate the dough balls for at least 24 hours before I bake them off. I think I mentioned in another thread that I used to work for a cookie company and I was making 60 qt batches of 8 different kinds of cookies so it was a pretty good volume. I never thought to look for a mechanical depositor......my retired guy worked out just fine. And when he wore out, well I knew where to find a new one.


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## SliqChiq (Mar 24, 2021)

chefpeon said:


> My best tabletop cookie depositor was a guy I hired to come in and scoop cookie dough. He was happy as a clam scooping dough for a few hours and listening to music on the radio. Old retired guy. He was also the friendliest cookie depositor.
> 
> But seriously, in regard to equipment: NEVER buy new. I have never known a bakery equipment supplier that takes old equipment in trade. I'm not saying that doesn't happen, but it's never happened in my 30 years baking. Also, I never buy new, so what would I know about that particular subject. Best thing you can do is go to restaurant auctions. It's how I obtained most of my equipment.
> 
> I'm not sure about your production methods, but I've always found I get a better and more consistent product if I make the dough, scoop it and refrigerate the dough balls for at least 24 hours before I bake them off. I think I mentioned in another thread that I used to work for a cookie company and I was making 60 qt batches of 8 different kinds of cookies so it was a pretty good volume. I never thought to look for a mechanical depositor......my retired guy worked out just fine. And when he wore out, well I knew where to find a new one.


That's awesome, I'm going to have to go trolling for retired guys now! Lol. Thanks for the auction advice, I'll look around. The thing is, we can't make the cookies come out the same with the scoop. My sister is the scooper because we thought if only one of scooped we would get a more uniform product. But even though she tries to do every scoop the same our finished cookies range from 3 to 4.5 ounces. We're using a 3.25 ounce scoop. Is there a uniform scooping secret? Do we just need a man for consistent scooping? 🥴🤣🤣. It's making us a little more crazy than we already are!
Thanks!!


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## Seoul Food (Sep 17, 2018)

use a scoop and scrap flat with a bench scraper.

Some more practice for the person doing the scooping. Even hand scooping shouldn't have a consistent variable that big.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

A man is an interesting idea… why not? But why not re-train your sister first?


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## retiredbaker (Dec 29, 2019)

3 to 4.5 oz is a huge 30% swing in variation.


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

retiredbaker said:


> 3 to 4.5 oz is a huge 30% swing in variation.


Agreed. If you pack the scoop and level it off, any differences will be in single digit grams. Hardly a wild swing as compared to the example above.


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