I want to get a bread maker.

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raidencmc

Assistant Cook
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
37
When I look at them on-line everyone who reviews the one they bought hates it so any suggestions?
 
Bake bread in your oven. Everybody loves it. Seriously, why do you want a bread maker? I bake and like using the oven. I have a countertop mixer, but I still like to knead by hand occasionally. If I was so busy I just didn't have time to bake bread in the oven, I would take that as a sure sign that I need to slow down and adjust my priorities. Make it a meditation, it's a good one.
 
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When I look at them on-line everyone who reviews the one they bought hates it so any suggestions?

I am considering the Zojirushi, I've heard many good things about it and would like to be able to do some homemade bread without the time consideration. I have a "Zo" Rice Cooker and it is excellent, so I will be happy with the bread machine, too!
 
lately when ever I replace my bread machines, I google "the most popular bread machine" and see what comes up.

PF, I had a Zojirushi and could not for the life of me make a decent whole wheat bread in it....makes a wonderful white bread though..I sold it on eBay
 
When I look at them on-line everyone who reviews the one they bought hates it so any suggestions?
I've owned and used the 2 pound bread machine by Sunbeam for quite some time. There is nothing about it I don't like and have made a LOT of loafs in it. It's simple to use, easy to clean and it has a pretty small footprint.

Perfect for a single person or a couple.
 
lately when ever I replace my bread machines, I google "the most popular bread machine" and see what comes up.

PF, I had a Zojirushi and could not for the life of me make a decent whole wheat bread in it....makes a wonderful white bread though..I sold it on eBay

Thanks for the head's up, Beth. I'm looking at the smaller one @ King Arthur Flour. However, I'll likely procrastinate until I forget all about it, I'm horrible about impulse buying.:angel:
 
I had a DAK when the craze first started. The best bread is kneaded by hand, though.
 
I'm probably the last one to give advice on what kind of bread machine to purchase, but here goes.

I've made all of our bread products forever and until Mr. "Arthur-itis" took up residence in both my hands. I kneaded by hand. Now, it's even a challenge to brush my teeth much less knead dough for 10 minutes or more.

I have two Welbilt bread machines. One is a 2-pound capacity one, the other a bit smaller. Why two? Mostly because I DO make so much bread. Often they're both going at once. I bought the first one about 13 years ago at a Black Friday sale for practically nothing. The other one, I found at a thrift store for $2.

Neither of my machines have been used to make bread through the whole bread-making cycle. I only use them to do the kneading and to allow the dough to go through the first rise. My hands are thankful for that.

Another reason I don't make bread in the machines is that one cycle simply doesn't make enough bread for us. Using them the way I do, I can get two standard loaves out of one cycle.

A second reason is that I really don't care for the imprinted "bellybutton" that is left in the loaf from the kneading paddle. If I haven't used my machine through a full cycle, how would I know this? My best friend uses his machine all the time and his bread always has a few "funny" slices. However, I have heard of folks removing the paddle before the bread goes through its last rise. That, I imagine, would reduce that problem considerably.

I've discovered that, using my machines this way, I can multitask and do something else while the machine is doing a great part of the work. Once out of the machine, all I have to do is to shape my dough as I wish, let it do its final rise, then bake. Pretty efficient for me.

As for the type of machine that would be right for you, all I can recommend is that you do your homework, listen to other experienced bread bakers, analyze what you think your baking preferences/style would be, then dive in.

Best of luck and happy bread baking.
 
There are a lot of unnecessary gadgets on the market, unless the buyer/end user has a specific need. Arthrritis being one of them.
 
I have been making bread by hand for years. But now that the kids are grown and gone, I have stopped. I miss doing it. I love to knead. It is great therapy. and a great time for meditation. And the smell of the bread in the oven is like no other aroma. It seems to have a calming effect. My neighbors always knew when I was making bread. I am sure a bread machine would make the work easier. But it can give you time alone when you are doing the kneading. Or you could give your children memories and let them help with the kneading. It always taste better when you have had a hand in making bread. Now if they would come up with a machine sized for the home that would slice it nice and evenly.....
 
I gave my bread maker to my mom. I used it for a few years but moved to doing it with a stand mixer/by hand.

My only complaint with the machine was the shape of the loaf (and the hole from the paddle) in my sandwich bread.

I don't remember right off what brand machine it was.
 
I love to set my breadmaker to start 1 hour before I wake. Waking to a house that smells like fresh baked bread is about the best way I know of to wake up. A 10+ on the Yum Scale!:chef::pig::ermm::LOL:

It makes a fantastic breakfast also.
 
I nagged my husband for years to buy me a bread machine. For about two months, I furiously baked bread, then the thing went into a cupboard and it didn't come out for two years, and then only to be sold for 10 bucks at a yard sale!!
 
I bought a Cuisinart refurbished breadmaker for 50 bucks and it's been working great for over a year. I highly recommend it. The only complaint I have is getting that little paddle off the stem to wash the bread bowl is a real bear!
 
I nagged my husband for years to buy me a bread machine. For about two months, I furiously baked bread, then the thing went into a cupboard and it didn't come out for two years, and then only to be sold for 10 bucks at a yard sale!!

My daughter said that my epitaph is going to read, "She never met a kitchen gadget she didn't love." So true. My kitchen is full of gadgets. But no bread-maker. I have always enjoyed making it by hand. And I have a heavy duty KA mixer with the dough hook, if I feel lazy. Or I could use my restaurant style Robot Coup food processor. I also have a small Sunbeam processor for small jobs. I have an Oxo slicer that I have never even taken out of the box to see what comes with it. But I just had to have it. I do use my meat slicer. And sometime I even use my food sealer when I have a lot of meats to wrap for the freezer. But for the time being, it is going to sit there unused because I need to order more bags. And come next summer, if you show up at my door, I have a bottle of Zarex and can make orange slush for you with my ice cream maker that I just had to have. If it plugs in, I probably just had to have it.:chef:
 
My daughter said that my epitaph is going to read, "She never met a kitchen gadget she didn't love." So true. My kitchen is full of gadgets. But no bread-maker. I have always enjoyed making it by hand. And I have a heavy duty KA mixer with the dough hook, if I feel lazy. Or I could use my restaurant style Robot Coup food processor. I also have a small Sunbeam processor for small jobs. I have an Oxo slicer that I have never even taken out of the box to see what comes with it. But I just had to have it. I do use my meat slicer. And sometime I even use my food sealer when I have a lot of meats to wrap for the freezer. But for the time being, it is going to sit there unused because I need to order more bags. And come next summer, if you show up at my door, I have a bottle of Zarex and can make orange slush for you with my ice cream maker that I just had to have. If it plugs in, I probably just had to have it.:chef:

I'm the same way, Addie. I have about 20-30 gadgets. I do have a bread maker and use it frequently. The best "low tech" and simple idea gadget I have is sold as a "Fasta Pasta" and the damn thing works great!

10 minutes and I can make my own pasta supper or lunch cooked perfectly every time. All in the microwave.

The cookbook that comes with it has timings and amounts that work very well.

I think I have four George Foreman grills. All different.

My favorite gadget of all of them?

The "Pissazz Pizza Maker" Even when just making bread slice "Pizza", its awesome.
 
Don't know if the OP is still searching for a bread machine, but my vote is for Hitachi. I have had mine for several years, it works like a top! Even after a dinner guest accidentally dumped the paddle in sink and then ran the garbage disposal. Lol! The pan is non stick and bread pops out with ease although in the past couple of years I mostly use the machine for mixing and kneading.
 
So my Mom got me a Panasonic. I have used it two times. I like that fact that you just set it and walk away. The first I made was a french bread recipe. It was great. Made french toast and it was awesome. The second loaf was an herb bread. I used different herbs then they asked for. When it was done mixing and rising I pulled it and formed it into rolls. I then let it sit as the oven heated up and it got bigger. After I cooked it it was good but not very fluffy. I pictured it would be full of holes and fluffy goodness. The ingredients were:
Bread flour
Salt
Dry milk
Butter
Dry parseley
Caraway seeds
Dill seeds
Water
Dry yeast


I did not add:
Dry parseley
Caraway seeds
Dill seeds

And added instead:
Basil
Oregano
Rosemary


I understand that there is some chemistry involved. Looking at the recipe it did not ask for sugar and I think you need sugar to react with the yeast to get the bubbles which will cause the fluffiness.
Did the ingredients that I left out have the sugar in them and that is my problem, or was it something else.
Is there a way to tweak a recipe for more fluffiness.
 
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