Are breadmakers really money saving??

Ticklemouse

I've just done a quick calculation and reckon that even using it sparingly (ie 2 normal loaves per week) then my top of the range machine will have paid for itself within 13 months. We don't eat a huge amount of bread in this house anymore, as Mr TM has cut it out during the week and he was the main bread eater. He decided this just after I'd bought the BM :mad:

However, taking into account the cost of the machine, ingredients and leccy, this isn't bad for tasty wholesome bread. Then the fruity loaves and cakes etc are a bonus on top. If you eat a lot more bread and used to buy 'decent' shop bought, then it will have paid for itself well within this time.

Bennifred

Well, after umming and ahhing for months now, I've finally ordered the Panasonic 253 from Amazon. We use at least one loaf of bread a day, usually granary or organic white,as well as fruit breads etc. so I'm hoping it will be moneysaving as well as healthier! OH is convinced it will be just another gadget I'll use a couple of times and then put away in the cupboard never to see light of day so I MUST PROVE HIM WRONG!!!!! Lots of encouragement and reassurance, please!

Magentasue

Things I've found that make breadmaking a two minute job are:

Get a large box (mine's a plastic lidded one from Asda, less than £1) to put your flour in. Get a small cup/scoop or whatever to keep in the box and measure how many scoops make 600g (the amount of flour for a standard large loaf).

Get a pack of yeast (£1 from Lakeland) and again, it's easier to spoon out of a container. Mine's in a screw top jar that I don't keep in the fridge - it's fine.

I also have sugar and salt in tins - the Panasonic recipes give the amounts but I make brilliant bread with 1 teaspoon of salt, sugar, yeast and butter.

There seems to be a consensus that Panasonic recipes advise too much water. Once you've found out how much water you need (I find 20ml less), find a cup that holds this amount - mine is a mug that I have four of.

Not having to weigh stuff and fiddle around with bags of flour every morning has really made a difference for me (or maybe I'm incredibly lazy). I mix granary and wholemeal flour with a bit of Smartprice white for economy - granary being the most expensive.

leonie_2

We adore homemade bread but only eat about 2/3 of a loaf in a day and nobody will eat it the next day as they say its gone hard :-/

I dont want to do a bm one everyday and have this kind of waste, but then again, the kids are insisting that I buy sliced bread to fill in when they want it, doh!

Ticklemouse

leonie wrote:

We adore homemade bread but only eat about 2/3 of a loaf in a day and nobody will eat it the next day as they say its gone hard :-/

I dont want to do a bm one everyday and have this kind of waste, but then again, the kids are insisting that I buy sliced bread to fill in when they want it, doh!

Leonie - do you just eat it as bread ie in sarnies or as toast? If you eat toast, then slice and freeze and pop straight in the toaster - you may get away with saving a few days ends up for the sunday morning toast> Otherwise, slice it and make their butties on day 1. either leave in the fridge till the next day or freeze the butties - if you don't tell 'em , they won't know. That way you'll not have to make a fresh loaf every, but still have the benefit of fresh HM bread

Magentasue

I usually do rolls 'cos that's what they ask for. Any not eaten go into the freezer for OH's packed lunches. Bread is still OK next day (if kept in my gorgeous bread bin) - after that it's bread and butter pud or I slice it and freeze two slice packs for toast. It is one more job for the day but I do it automatically now as I clear the table for dinner.

Sarahsaver

They DO save money, mine has naan bread in it, in such a quantity that it would cost about £3 to buy the equivalent. And it saved me going to the shop to buy some, and permeated the smell of garlic throughout my house! Also I can 'hide' vegetables in the naan bread because my daughter won't eat the curry, but she will eat naan bread by the platefull.

black-saturn

Personally for every day normal bread I buy Tescos as 21p per loaf but if I want another sort of bread with unusual ingredients in I'll make it in the breadmaker.

kiwichick

Hi All,

Have been following this thread a bit and after a few calc of my own have decided to get a BM!!!

We do useTesco stay freash wholemeal and at £0.52per loaf we still manage to get through £108.16(howsthat for precise?) a year :eek:

So I know need to know which is best and where to get it. Everyone seems to like the panasonic but the thing putting me off is the £100 price tag. Its a lot to pay out in one go.

Does anybody know where to get it cheaper? Or is there a different one out there which isjust as good but not a pricey?

Also, where can I do bulk flour/yeast buying?

Thanks,
Al

rchddap1

I get my yeast from a lakeland store. It comes in a little orange packet for £1 and I find it easier to measure out and store.

There are 2 popular brands on the board. One is the Panasonic, and the other is a Morphy Richards. I have the Morphy Richards fastbake and it suits my needs perfectly. I have contemplated upgrading to the panasonic, but don't see the need at this point.

If I knew then what I do now I probably would be tempted to go for the panasonic if I had the extra cash, but at the time I didn't want to spend £100 on something I didn't know I was going to use. Even if I don't bake any bread during the week I know that it will always come out for pizza making...a personal favourite of mine and OH.

Its one of the only gadgets that is regularly used. I'd prefer to ditch my microwave than my beloved BM