Measurements of the flow pattern using laser‐doppler‐anemometry were performed in a water model system of a gas‐stirred ladle with different locations of the gas injection nozzle. The intensity of the fluid flow is determined by the gas flow rate, its pattern is given by the position of the nozzle. Dead zones at the bottom of the vessel occurring with centric gas injection can be avoided by using an eccentrically positioned nozzle.For eccentric stirring mixing can be described theoretically using a simple tank‐in‐series model with recirculation.