Which Breadmaker to get?

CazW_2

We have a panny one that a friend gave us and i love it.. we got my husbands parents a MR one for xmas that is all singing all dancing and was only £35 and its fab too! i think if you eat alot of bread then getting a breadmaker is definetly a moneysaver in the long run!

babychick

I'm 23 and just ordered a breadmaker - had one a couple of years back but my ex OH took it when we split - excited about my new MR one coming now!!:j

helping_hubby

maralum wrote: »

Not sad at all! I really want one too and I'm only 25. Is it really cheaper to make you own? I love fresh, home-made bread, but don't know if it really would be cost effective. What do you say OS's? Also, what are the best/cheapest ingredients to use and where can we get them?

I've been using:
Sains own fast acting yeast (63p I think or there abouts for 8 sachets, and 1 sachet does about 3 loaves on fastbake)
Sains Basics flour (31p for 1.5kg) - does 3 'medium' loaves.
Basics butter
Milk (either liquid milk or powdered milk)
Salt
and sugar (I've been using honey that I've had in the cupboard that won't get used on anything else).

I've not actually tried premium ingredients yet to compare. I think while we're skint its best to stick with the value stuff.

I must have had my breadmaker a month now, probably longer. I make 1 loaf every other day and I haven't bought a shop bought loaf since

Wholemeal flour costs a bit more. There is a Sains Strong flour for 49p. According to the instructions you're supposed to use strong flour. The hovis flour and allisons seem to be around 99p to £1.49 I think for 1.5kg. (dont quote me on that though).

debtworrier

angie_baby wrote: »

Have just bought it, couldnt really afford it this month, but i really did want a breadmaker. And there was no delivery charge, no i suppose that was money saving.

Thanks for all your help,

Actually I think my BM has saved me loads of money because I no longer pop into the shops for "just a loaf" and stagger out half an hour later with two carrier bags full of impulse buys!

debtworrier

helping_hubby wrote: »

I've been using:
Sains own fast acting yeast (63p I think or there abouts for 8 sachets, and 1 sachet does about 3 loaves on fastbake)
Sains Basics flour (31p for 1.5kg) - does 3 'medium' loaves.
Basics butter
Milk (either liquid milk or powdered milk)
Salt
and sugar (I've been using honey that I've had in the cupboard that won't get used on anything else).

I've not actually tried premium ingredients yet to compare. I think while we're skint its best to stick with the value stuff.

I must have had my breadmaker a month now, probably longer. I make 1 loaf every other day and I haven't bought a shop bought loaf since

Wholemeal flour costs a bit more. There is a Sains Strong flour for 49p. According to the instructions you're supposed to use strong flour. The hovis flour and allisons seem to be around 99p to £1.49 I think for 1.5kg. (dont quote me on that though).

Lidl's do a strong white flour for (er... I think it's 39p, but anyway it's the cheapest strong flour I've found so far) for 1.5kg, and it's very good - you can easily make all those fancy french & italian breads with it - and they retail for about a pound a loaf.

Tesco's strong wholemeal flour is 97p for 1.5kg and that works fine too - you'll find the wholemeal bread is a bit heavier than shop bought, unless you use flour improver (vitamin C). Hovis etc. branded strong flour didn't seem to perform appreciably better to me despite costing 20p+ more per packet.

If the heavier texture of wholemeal bread bothers you, then Waitrose sell "very strong" Canadian wholemeal flour which is about £1.17 for 1.5kg. That really does produce nice light, tasty wholemeal bread - though keep an eye on your machine the first couple of times you use it, I found I needed to add a couple of extra tablespoons of water. If the dough's too stiff then your BM won't be able to knead it properly and it won't rise.

Miche*

Has anyone got any feedback about the 'value' breadmakers. I have my eye on an Argos one for £35.. I so would like a BM but as you might imagine just don't have the funds to splash out.

Any info would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

zippychick

Hi Miche

The only thread I can find on the argos BM is here

Have you looked at the cookworks BM? at £19.99? I can't vouch for it myself but do know the name from threads popping up on here - Cookworks breadmaker

Again, i've no experience but seen it is cheaper. It's showing as out of stock but you may be able to reserve it?

Have you thought about asking for a BM on freecycle? That's where i got mine (which i have now given away - takes up too much room for me and i hand make bread now)

Zip

Miche*

Thank you SO much for taking the time to reply to my questions about the breadmaker. It must have moved way down the pages by now and you still managed to find it

zippychick

It had but i still wanted to at least try and help! Let us know what you decide. I would definitely ask on freecycle first! x

Miche*

zippychick wrote: »

It had but i still wanted to at least try and help! Let us know what you decide. I would definitely ask on freecycle first! x

I've subscribed to hand making bread thread :j I appreciate that link the most