Bread Maker - worth it?

If your type in breadmaker into the 'search this forum" you will find lots of breadmaking threads. A recent one was about a deal, cookworks, I think!

I bought mine near 2 years ago and not bought a loaf since. The bread is more expensive than your value supermarket bread!! However its helathier! I know whats in it.

Mah....Ps if you are serious about getting one go for the best model there is a panasonic 252 or 253 . The latter has the seed dispenser and bread is loaf shaped not the wee bookends I have seen!!

Bought my one on sale in Wilko's almost 2 years ago and it's still going strong. Not only does it make our daily bread, but I bake cakes in it and it's come to the rescue for "Hostess Gifts" too (ie giving homemade cakes and loaves as gifts) Saying that, one person was so inspired by the cake I made, she went out and bought her own BM

I've never averaged costs because with a bit of shopping around, quality strong bread flour can be bought on BOGOF plus I make a variety of loaves adding fruits, nuts, veggies, herbs, spices to ring the changes. If I want doughnuts, chelsea buns, danish pastries etc., then I use the dough cycle and finish them by hand.

One thing I will say (I'm sure I've said it before :laugh: ) when considering the cost .. try to factor in your personal health - there is a thread in OS today about the additives in commercial loaves that makes interesting reading You have far greater control over what goes into your own creations!

I don't necessarily agree that you need to buy the best you can afford either. Mine isn't a known brand and was considerably cheaper at the time. I bought it simply because it was on sale and to see if it was worth investing in a "proper" one (meaning a more well known brand/better model) But mine's still going strong, still producing good results, still stocking the freezer, supplying gifts, providing healthy food and giving me the opportunity to boast about it :rotfl:

Another advantage, especially in the hotter summer weather (this August excluded ) is the fact you don't have to have an oven on heating up the kitchen to enjoy homemade bread - another plus of the SC too.

I was a real stick in the mud about bread machines at one point not understanding why anyone would want/need one when you can whip up a loaf quite easily without a machine ... I've since eaten my own words and when my one bites the dust and goes off to BM heaven, I'll be replacing it straight away!!

Final thought on "savings" ... I no longer run out and have to go to the shops for a loaf where I would inevitably end up buying more than just that one loaf

I've got my loaves down to about ten pence each.

I use value plain flour which at 29p will make three loaves.

My yeast comes free from the bakery section of my local asda.

Add a penniesworth of salt and sugar and that's about it.

The timings change a bit and I always make my bread on the wholewheat setting because the standard plain flour is low on gluten and so takes a bit longer.

Vit C tablets help as well.

Yeast isn't really all that expensive, I think the sachets work out at about seven pence each and cans of the stuff work out even cheaper per loaf.

Some of the large supermarkets that have an in store bakery (Asda and Tescos have been mentioned) are glad to pass on yeast to home bakers. Just ask them if they have some available and they'll give you a lump for free. Enough to make quite a few loaves normally, so I divide mine into loaf portions and keep them in an ice cube tray in the freezer.

I normally start mine off in cold, cool or lukewarm water and a teaspoon of sugar.

Because breadmakers rely on timing you will have to experiment to find the perfect amounts and techniques to get a good loaf. Once done though - cheap bread forever, and in the meantime the local birds get plenty to eat

doddsy wrote:

Squeaky - the vit c tablets, do you mean the ordinary ones you can buy at Holland & Barret or other health food shops?

doddsy

Yes. Usually 100mg for a loaf . Just crush them to powder between two desert spoons.