Dilemma - a breadmaker or a new jam pan?

earthmother

Ok, so the story goes - we had a breadmaker a few years ago (pre-OS & pre-kids), never got on with it, it only made small loaves, took up a lot of workspace, hardly got used, and ended up being given away. Bread is now a big chunk of the GC budget, so we need to save some money there.

The other side of the coin - I killed my biggest saucepan last year by accidently letting a batch of jam burn, so I need a jam pan or something suitable to do the job - £25 minimum as far as I can see for one worth having (shop-bought jams probably come in at more than that over the course of a year as we buy the 'good stuff', so not jamming is costing).


So, there is a breadmaker in the Argos sale for £14.xx and I'm wondering - would it kill two birds with one stone, or would it be a waste of £15?

Is jam in a breadmaker any different to that made the traditional way? Is it easier or a faff?

And would a household that uses an 800g loaf every day (and on the whole prefers soft crusts) save money with a breadmaker?

Help?

Barneysmom

Go for the breadmaker, jam is good in it

cooking-mama

I love my breadmaker,but must admit have found the more expensive model to make far better bread than a couple of cheaper ones ive tried(bread in the cheaper models all seem to have an odd yellow tinge with a yukky aftertaste)
I dont make jam,but my impression is that with a breadmaker its only capable of making one jar at a time,maybe someone who makes jam in a breadmaker could clarify.

Kirri

Barneysmom wrote: »

Go for the breadmaker, jam is good in it

How do you get on cleaning the pan though?

I've never used my breadmaker for jam as you can only really, wipe the pan out supposedly, not actually wash it??

esio_trot

Kirri wrote: »

I've never used my breadmaker for jam as you can only really, wipe the pan out supposedly, not actually wash it??

you could wash it, you'd probably just have to retreat it same as you would when you first got it. I've never made jam in it but mine has burnt on bread to the sides before now and has needed a proper clean.

I'd go with jam pan though, I prefer bread made by hand, rather than in the bread maker anyway (mine always comes out kind of cakey)

Barneysmom

My pan can be washed though, I never knew that there were some that couldn't be..........

valk_scot

You need a breadmaker with a jam program to be able to make jam in it, and as far as I'm aware that's a feature only found in the more expensive breadmakers?

I used to make jam in my old breadmaker, and could get two lbs at a time from it. Useful for me as the allotment seldom yielded much more than that in any one day of picking. (Except rhubarb...I could supply my town with rhubarb jam, lol.) It was quick and simple though so I found it a good feature.

If budget is tight, I would go for the breadmaker and hunt round the charity shops for a jam pan or thick bottomed aluminium pan, like the base of a big pressure cooker.

earthmother

Thank you all.

The description on the Argos site says it can be used for jam, and it will bake up to a 2lb loaf, so hopefully it'll do a similar amount of jam. I think I'll risk it and do as you suggest Val and keep hunting for a cheap pan just in case.

westcoastscot

Didn't know you could make jam in a breadmaker! I'd go with a good jam pan - was going to say you can make bread without a breadmaker but not jam without a pan - but you obviously can! I make my bread by hand - my *breadmaker* (my daughter) went off to college and i have to make my own now! A good jampan is invaluable
WCS