Panasonic Breadmakers Tips and Quick Questions Thread

Pitlanepiglet

Skint_Catt, you can make white bread with half bread (strong) flour and half plain flour and it's fine. I don't usually make all white but I make a fruit loaf with half plain flour and it's fine. So if you can stump up for one bag of bread flour you should make it go further with your plain flour.

Pitlanepiglet

Help please! I'm not sure if we've got a problem with our Panasonic. I'm away from home all week and hubby uses the BM. Over the last few weeks he's had five or six bad loaves of bread, some as described above, small, hard and crumpety and also some that have clearly not mixed properly.

We've changed the yeast and checked the flour is in date and he tells me that he's checked and double checked the recipe and the order of ingredients (he's a bit likely to just chuck things in....) and that he's doing it OK. He also says he's checked that the paddle is engaged properly although a couple of weeks ago when I checked it, it wasn't dreadfully clean but he assures me that was just after one manky loaf.

I've suggested he ring Panasonic but being a man he's not dreadfully keen to ask for advice!

I think there are two options, either we do have an intermittent paddle problem or he's not engaging the paddle properly - has anyone else had an intermittent problem with their paddle or is it more likely that it would just fail?

*zippy*

pitlanepiglet & waggledance I just searched for this thread to ask the same thing, mine hasn't produced a good loaf in ages. Did either of you ring Kenwood?

Pitlanepiglet

Hi Zippy, hubby hasn't rung Panasonic and I'm not home all week to do so. He's made another loaf which is fine. The trouble is this has been happening for the last month or so and I really can't tell whether it's him getting the ingredients wrong (he's dyslexic and it doesn't always go well!) or whether he's not putting the paddle in properly or whether it's a problem.

I do think that he's managed it perfectly well for two years (with the odd failed loaf) so I don't know why it would fail so often over the last six weeks or so which makes me wonder whether there is a problem with the machine.

*zippy*

Thanks piglet x

I thought the same as hubby had taken over the bread making, but I tried a loaf last night with a brand new yeast sachet and it was still awful, I can't remember the last good loaf we had out of it and we have started buying bread again. Its odd we all have the same problem, mine is exactly as you describe, sort of half risen, heavy and a doughy texture with large holes. I toasted it this morning and couldn't eat it, the ducks were quite happy though

On the weekend i'm going to make a loaf by hand, if that turns out ok I know its not the flour or yeast and will give Kenwood a ring.

[Deleted User]

I decided after another 3 failures that I just couldn't trust my Panny anymore. I was worried that the overnight setting might burn the loaf and set the smoke alarm off not to mention wasting ingredients so I gave up and got a new one (on offer on Amazon).

I am disappointed that it hasn't lasted longer but I have used it every day so I'm not too annoyed as it has still been cheaper and nicer than buying bread from the shop.

I am wondering if it is the heat sensor that has gone rather than a mechanical problem such as the paddle/spindle as I can't see anything obvious.

I've been really pleased with the Panasonic but if this one fails after 2 and a half years I may look to Kenwood. I notice that Lakeland now only sell the Kenwood.

*zippy*

Sorry I just noticed I put Kenwood above, I do have a panny, I think mine must be about 2 years old too. I don't think I want pay out that much again if its not going to last long. Thanks for mentioning the Kenwood i've just checked Lakeland and the Kenwood does have good reviews too so i'll have a look at that.

Pitlanepiglet

Hmm I wonder if there is some sort of fault occurring. I'm off home tonight (hooray!) and I'll have a look at it again and if the Panny helpline is open tomorrow I'll give them a ring if not I'll try to ring them next week.

I have a problem that I can't be exactly sure when I bought mine, I'm pretty sure it was the end of summer and I had thought it was 2 yeas ago but I'm pretty sure I was posting here at the time and I see I joined in March 2008 which must mean it was last summer I bought it. I'll have a dig through the other panny threads and see if I posted.

[Deleted User]

I'd be interested to know if anyone ever solves this problem just in case my new Panny develops it in years to come.

I've written the date of purchase on the front of my recipe book this time so I can't forget it. (I tend to throw receipts away once the guarantee has run out and then I forget when I bought things).

Pitlanepiglet

Looking at my postings I think I must have bought it in July 2008 which makes it just over a year old but new enough in my opinion to have a whinge about it if there is a problem.

I am now sitting on my own sofa for the first time in two weeks (bliss!) and I'll have a look at the book tomorrow to see if I can ring Panasonic tomorrow.