Breadmaker - which ones are worth buying?

[Wolveryeti]

Then why not just buy it?

I've never used a machine to make bread and can't understand why anyone would want to, but each to their own.

The taste of breadmaker bread is far superior to most mass produced loaves. Freshly baked bread is a joy (though even a few days old it still knocks the spots of the supermarket stuff). It's also cheaper. I estimate mine works out at around 65p a loaf and I use nice flour.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Yes, wouldn't want to buy mixes. I've still got a fair bit of unbleached organic from when I do have time time to bake.

With the seeds thing gentlegreen does that mean you'd have to wait a bit before adding them. One of the appeals was having it on timer or being able to set it of and go out. Don't think I'm fused a out olives or other fruits as not baked with them up to now.

 

[gentlegreen]

Yes, wouldn't want to buy mixes. I've still got a fair bit of unbleached organic from when I do have time time to bake.

With the seeds thing gentlegreen does that mean you'd have to wait a bit before adding them. One of the appeals was having it on timer or being able to set it of and go out. Don't think I'm fused a out olives or other fruits as not baked with them up to now.

You can just chuck the seeds in. I suppose it depends how many you're using.
I wore out the Teflon and shagged the bearing on the MR I had before the Panasonic - but I used to use massive amounts of seeds - hemp was especially good - pretty well the only way to use whole hemp seeds without them catching in your throat... I also pushed fruit content to cake threshold....
I suspect the Teflon is better quality on the Panasonic ...

More than once I put seeds in the seed dispenser on the Panasonic and forgot to select the option and ended up with slightly steamed seeds ...
I suspect the Teflon is better quality on the Panasonic ...

 

[gentlegreen]

Incidentally - although I'm a massively lazy baker, so perhaps I'm not a good judge...

If anything, the 3 hour "rapid" option bakes better bread than the 4 or 5 hour cycles - rises better, holds together better over the 7 days I make a loaf last ...

I only use it if I happen to wake too late to use the 4 or 5 hour cycles - with or without added time ...

Even the 1h55 rapid cycle works reasonably well...

 

[platinumsage]

I do 1h55 every time, works fine. Make it at breakfast and it’s ready for lunch. No way I’m running it overnight.

 

[gentlegreen]

I do 1h55 every time, works fine. Make it at breakfast and it’s ready for lunch. No way I’m running it overnight.

Never have hot bread delivered just in time for breakfast ?

 

[platinumsage]

Never have hot bread delivered just in time for breakfast ?

I‘ll settle for hot bread at lunchtime and not having my sleep disturbed by worries of fire and the noise of paddle-thwacking action in the kitchen.

Whenever I do pizza dough there’s the additional problem of the machine moving around the counter, i’m sure it will try to jump onto the floor one day, so I don’t really trust it to be left alone for long.

 

[gentlegreen]

I‘ll settle for hot bread at lunchtime and not having my sleep disturbed by worries of fire and the noise of paddle-thwacking action in the kitchen.

Whenever I do pizza dough there’s the additional problem of the machine moving around the counter, i’m sure it will try to jump onto the floor one day, so I don’t really trust it to be left alone for long.

As Crispy said upthread, why have it taking space on the kitchen counter ?

 

[platinumsage]

As Crispy said upthread, why have it taking space on the kitchen counter ?

Not sure where else it could go where there are sockets tbh. Behind the TV? On the bedside table? By the front door on the floor?

 

[gentlegreen]

Not sure where else it could go where there are sockets tbh. Behind the TV? On the bedside table? By the front door on the floor?

The house is your oyster - and it only needs 550watts max
(actually amazed by that. I assumed 1kw at least)

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Have ordered the Panasonic 2502 - they're out of stock in many places so delivery is going to be a few weeks. Presume lots of people have bought bread-makers recently.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Breadmaker now delivered so will give it a go at the weekend.

 

[gentlegreen]

I ignored all the instructions ... and they always put milk in the recipes

And I put liquids in first - helps to get the yeast working while the cycle is on "rest"
(My MR book said liquids first, Panasonic says otherwise.)

 

[Badgers]

Breadmaker now delivered so will give it a go at the weekend.

Hanging on your every word...

 

[farmerbarleymow]

First loaf is in so will find out what it turns out like in about four hours. Have done a seedy loaf and chucked some additional poppy seeds in.

 

[platinumsage]

If it doesn't work well it's normally the yeast (too much, too little, wrong type, not enough gluten for it, mixed it with the oil too early, not enough or too much salt for it etc etc)

 

[gentlegreen]

If it doesn't work well it's normally the yeast (too much, too little, wrong type, not enough gluten for it, mixed it with the oil too early, not enough or too much salt for it etc etc)

When I first used a machine, I forgot the yeast at least once, forgot the paddle ... I feel sure there must have been other mistakes I made when setting the machine in the middle of the night ...

 

[platinumsage]

When I first used a machine, I forgot the yeast at least once, forgot the paddle ... I feel sure there must have been other mistakes I made when setting the machine in the middle of the night ...

I have forgotten the water before.

 

[gentlegreen]

I have forgotten the water before.

It was a very long time ago now, but I surely must have done that at least once ...

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Loaf now done - came out perfect - shapewise anyway. Have to leave it to cool for a while before trying it. Going to buy some posh butter from Marks later to slather on it.

 

[Badgers]

Loaf now done - came out perfect - shapewise anyway. Have to leave it to cool for a while before trying it. Going to buy some posh butter from Marks later to slather on it.

Pics please

 

[gentlegreen]

Have to leave it to cool for a while before trying it.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Pics please

The programme I used would only allow me to select the middle crust browning setting, so will have to play around with different programmes so I can have well done bread.

Not tried it yet as I'm not that hungry today - will have some for breakfast tomorrow. Have two packs of nice butter in now, and a couple of kilos of wholemeal spelt flour.

 

[gentlegreen]

Just lately I've settled on

250g malted (judging by the way it rises I assume it's not 100% W/M)
250g W/M
307g water
5g yeast plus tsp sugar
couple of pinches of sea salt
squidge of oil

 

[farmerbarleymow]

If it doesn't work well it's normally the yeast (too much, too little, wrong type, not enough gluten for it, mixed it with the oil too early, not enough or too much salt for it etc etc)

I've got 1kg of fermipan yeast so that'll keep me going for ages given how little is needed per loaf.

It's weird - I don't buy loaves of bread that often as I can't get through a whole loaf before it goes manky, and usually buy things like pittas instead. I'll have to starting eating more bread now I've got this machine.

 

[gentlegreen]

I've got 1kg of fermipan yeast so that'll keep me going for ages given how little is needed per loaf.

It's weird - I don't buy loaves of bread that often as I can't get through a whole loaf before it goes manky, and usually buy things like pittas instead. I'll have to starting eating more bread now I've got this machine.

While I was at work, I was managing to make a loaf last a full 7 days and I was happy to have it untoasted and spread with peanut butter for breakfast - I really have no excuse to eat any more than that.

 

[Epona]

I've got 1kg of fermipan yeast so that'll keep me going for ages given how little is needed per loaf.

It's weird - I don't buy loaves of bread that often as I can't get through a whole loaf before it goes manky, and usually buy things like pittas instead. I'll have to starting eating more bread now I've got this machine.

My bread consumption increases massively whenever I go through a bout of enthusiasm for baking my own It's just that much nicer, and really needs to be eaten fresh for the best bread experience.

The benefit is that I know exactly what is in it, unlike the dreaded supermarket loaves, so it balances out ok - I know I am not overdosing on salt or sugar at least!

 

[moose]

Anyone tried one of the smaller 'compact' bread makers?

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Anyone tried one of the smaller 'compact' bread makers?

I was pondering whether to get one of them as kitchen space is limited - the footprint of the one I bought takes up about half the surface of the hob so fairly big.

 

[moose]

I was pondering whether to get one of them as kitchen space is limited - the footprint of the one I bought takes up about half the surface of the hob so fairly big.

Yeah, they're huge! My house is so cold that I have to prove bread in the oven, so a bread maker would make life easier, but I don't have the space.