are breadmakers any good?

squeaky

Hiya

There are a couple of makes that get good recommends. It's a lot to read but try the main breadmaker thread you can find in our collection linked below:-


The Complete Breadmaker Collection

fizzel81

thank you for post such as this, i bought a breadmaker around 3 years agao half price and must admit untill i got it out today i had used it 10 times max whilst tesco shopping i have bought all the bits needed to make my own bread again oh is already getting excited as he is not the biggest fan of pre packaged tastless bread (as he puts it). i do have one question i bought bread flour as thats what recipie states but can use mix this with normal plain flour or is this a no no

squeaky

Yes you can mix with normal plain flour but the bread may not quite rise so much. It depends

I'd suggest you try a loaf or two following the recipe exactly until you get the hang of it, and then changing things to experiment bit by bit.

Good luck

nuttyrockeress

Having a strong urge to purchase one.....

My only issue is I recall about 6 years ago one of my friends where I worked then bringing in some home made bread in her new breadmaker. (This experience has always put me off before!) She gave us all a slice and I remember thinking ugghhh but smiled plesantly as I ate it.

It seemed really dry and crumbly and very sweet. Is this a normal thing or had she just got it wrong?

lynzpower

Im coming round to the idea of the breadmaker. Partly as we waste so much shop bread, partly cos we only ever buy the nicest "finest" style, which is OK ,but means we are forever in the supermarkets, which I could really do with avoiding doing. I just dont think Ive got space for one in my miniture kitchen

JailhouseBabe

Thanks to reading emma b's first post on this thread, I mentioned to a friend that I'd never made my own bread. She promptly lent me her BM (I've had it for a week now).

I started off with a granary loaf - I loved it, but DD refused to try; so then made a malted loaf (replaced 40% of granary flour with strong white) - again, I liked it but DD wouldn't try. Have made 2 banana loaves (gave 1 to parents and am busy devouring other!), and this morning gave in to DD and made a white sandwich loaf. She cut her fingers slicing it! :rolleyes:

I also have a small kitchen with limited workspace, but am very tempted to invest in a BM. Even if I have to make mostly white bread, at least the strong white flour is cheaper than the granary.

jaybee

My kitchen is very small, too! Every gadget has to earn its space and the breadmaker certainly does that. Mind you, I can find/make space for anything if I want it enough!

PoshPaws_3

shoperholicnot wrote:

My DD actually prefers shop bought sliced bread!!!! because she can just take it from the pack and does not have to cut it! :rolleyes: I give up

I had that problem with my DH - so now, when the bread has cooled and is ready to cut, I just cut the whole loaf and put it all into a big plastic sandwich bag. I have to admit that even I appreciate it being already cut, when my eyes aren't quite up to straight cutting first thing in the morning! :laugh:

PoshPaws_3

nuttyrockeress wrote:

Having a strong urge to purchase one.....

My only issue is I recall about 6 years ago one of my friends where I worked then bringing in some home made bread in her new breadmaker. (This experience has always put me off before!) She gave us all a slice and I remember thinking ugghhh but smiled plesantly as I ate it.

It seemed really dry and crumbly and very sweet. Is this a normal thing or had she just got it wrong?

The dry crumbly thing is a problem that often occurs when you're first getting used to the BM. Its often a case of not enough water or not enough oil, or both. Sometimes it can be because the water wasn't hot enough - or too hot - as both can upset the yeast and make it inactive, so you don't get the right percentage of air bubbles to make it rise and become light textured.

As for the sweetness of the bread - I was appalled at the amount of sugar recommended in recipes and immediately got stubborn about it, refusing to put that much. I realised the yeast needed the sugar to help it work, so decided to go healthy and now use a half a teaspoon of honey instead. Works like a charm.

gixxerchick_2

I was talking to oh this morning about BM and we both agreed that we should have one, reading this thread makes me determined to go out and pick one up.:D I'd quite like to experiment with different breads i could make- i like being experimental with my food!! ( makes me sound like susan from My Family!! ) I'm not honestly!!

Just a question, can you put the ingredients in and leave the BM on low overnight so you wake up to a fresh loaf??