Bread Maker - worth it?

froo_gal

Another vote for the panny (panasonic), couldn't live without it!
It is very easy to use and very easy to clean afterwards.

We have tried most of the recipes in the book that comes with it, the french loaf is superb, as is the cheese and bacon!
We also use it to mix, knead and prove pizza dough and naan and the cakes it produces are fine too.

I have the 255 with the raisin/seed dispenser but to be honest I wouldn't spend the extra £20 or so when compared to the 254 without the dispenser. My OH never uses the dispenser, he just chucks 'em in the mix and the bread always turns out fine!

Edit to add; amazon has the 254 for £67.85 delivered...

You don't end up with a big hole in the bottom of the loaf; the paddle is only for the kneading stage and is still in the baking stage - it is more like a small slit in the bottom of a slice or two from where the paddle comes to rest, doesn't stop you using those slices at all.

Whatever you do, get one with a timer, can't beat getting up to fresh home baked bread :cheesy:

My panny is producing aforementioned cheese and bacon loaves and other speciality breads for xmas presents for family and friends this year - and will make my home smell lovely at the same time! Double whammy moneysaving :T

rosalie-lavender

I have a Panasonic with a raisin and nut despenser. Mine is the 253 model. It makes lovely bread, my family all love the French loaf I make in it. The hole in the bottom is really only small. I make pizza dough in it too and I agree the cheese and bacon loaf is lovely.

I agree about making sure you have a model with a timer. I set mine at night and it is ready when I get up. I have got out of the habit of using mine and I really must get more organised so I can have fresh bread again.

I use the packets of Dove yeast that you can reseal and store in the fridge. I find my breadmaker very easy to use.

water2

My Panasonic breadmaker is fantastic. It is easy to use and makes lovely bread.

kippers

I have a Morphy Richards BM and i wouldn't be without it. I use the dough setting the most as i make rolls and then cook in the oven. I must be honest, we only cook the loafs for toast as i find the crust too crusty and hard...but i never had a problem with this when i had my old bread maker (so it must be a fault with this model).

I use it to make pizza dough also and it's yummy.

I think my rolls are wonderful and everyone who has one comments on how nice thay are. They do go over quickly as they have no preservatives (which i think is an advantage..less chemicals for us to eat). I get round this by cutting in half when they have cooled and then freezing while fresh. When i make packups i just make them up from frozen and they are defrosted by lunchtime and you have a 'just-made' taste.

I think my cobs are alot cheaper that shop bought cobs, but i do use the cheapest bread flour, skimmed milk etc

The BM does take up space in your kitchen and you need to be organised to make bread for your family without running out but i have had a BM for nearly 8 years now and i really wouldn't be without it....but i know it's not everyones cup of tea.

Kimitatsu

Have to agree with the others on here - the paddle is negligible to be honest. We make the XL loaves (as the boys will eat a loaf a day given the chance) and the slices are massive - I tend to have one slice of bread for a sarnie and thats enough.

It does go stale more quickly but if they are away for any reason then I freeze half or if there are bits left over I whizz them up in the food processor and freeze them as breadcrumbs. Then when making stuffing or burgers they are already made (I tend to keep the fresh soup pots and freeze them in those, its just about the right size then).

The only other disadvantage I suppose is that you dont have extra folic acid and vitamins added to the bread although you probably could do that if you wanted to.

Pink.

Hi bhzs,

I prefer bread baked in the oven but sometimes use my breadmaker to mix the dough if I don't have the time or inclination to make it by hand. As this has dropped from the front page I'll add your thread to this existing thread which may help:

Bread Maker - worth it?

These threads may help you to make your decision too:

Which is the best home breadmaker?

Thinking about buying a 2nd breadmaker--cost effective??

handmade bread

Pink

Loadsabob

Definitely worth it :j

I've had mine about five years, used most weeks, a Morphy Richards I think (not at home to check right now). I had to replace the pan once because I couldn't get the paddle out. It was absolutely jammed on. But apart from that...

I didn't buy bread for about four years. Have slipped a bit this year, but now using it regularly again.

I've used it for white and wholewheat and a malted loaf. I usually use the dough cycle and shape and back the loaves in the oven, and I make a lot of bread rolld to go with HM soup. This takes 1.5 hours dough cycle, shape then leave to rise for about 30 mins, then up to 30 mins baking. So not really speedy, but I often follow the large recipes, and that can give me two normal sized loaves to slice and freeze.

If buying again I would definitely go with Panasonic, because I'd like a machine which I was happy to let bake the bread without any interference from me, and I'm not sure I'd trust mine to do that. Looking forward to that, but I can't justify replacing that until it dies, and it's very much going strong. The only complaint is that recently there's a black deposit around the bottom of the paddle after a dough cycle. I have to be careful to not leave any of that on the dough, but I worry there's probably already some in the dough from earlier in the cycle. :eek:

Anyway, definitely!

bhz-2

Many thanks for all your replies and helpful advice.

As I'm on a tight budget, I need to have a good think about it before I take the plunge.

Anyway, please feel free to add any further comments to this thread. They're always welcome!

Thanks once again.

bhz-2

froo_gal wrote: »

Another vote for the panny (panasonic), couldn't live without it!
It is very easy to use and very easy to clean afterwards.

We have tried most of the recipes in the book that comes with it, the french loaf is superb, as is the cheese and bacon!
We also use it to mix, knead and prove pizza dough and naan and the cakes it produces are fine too.

I have the 255 with the raisin/seed dispenser but to be honest I wouldn't spend the extra £20 or so when compared to the 254 without the dispenser. My OH never uses the dispenser, he just chucks 'em in the mix and the bread always turns out fine!

Edit to add; amazon has the 254 for £67.85 delivered...

You don't end up with a big hole in the bottom of the loaf; the paddle is only for the kneading stage and is still in the baking stage - it is more like a small slit in the bottom of a slice or two from where the paddle comes to rest, doesn't stop you using those slices at all.

Whatever you do, get one with a timer, can't beat getting up to fresh home baked bread :cheesy:

My panny is producing aforementioned cheese and bacon loaves and other speciality breads for xmas presents for family and friends this year - and will make my home smell lovely at the same time! Double whammy moneysaving :T

I had a look at some websites selling the Panasonic 254 and it looks reaaaaaaaally tempting!

I was thinking about spending around £40 - £45 for a breadmaker but, having seen this model and read many reviews (on MSE and elsewhere), it might be worth paying the extra money. Amazon's price (£67) seems to be quite good compared to Currys' (£97).

cooking-mama

bhz-2 wrote: »

Many thanks for all your replies and helpful advice.

As I'm on a tight budget, I need to have a good think about it before I take the plunge.

Anyway, please feel free to add any further comments to this thread. They're always welcome!

Thanks once again.

I have 2--at the top end of the scale i have the Kenwood BM450,it is fantastic,far superior to the panasonic which i have tried,anyone seriously thinking of buying an expensive breadmachine should consider this,came out top in WHICH report too,...I also have the Rachel Allen one, less than 1/2 price from Argos just now at £37.39,my youngest uses this one,no weighing,all cups n spoons,its also a normal shaped loaf tin with 2 paddles...only thing id say is dont follow the recipes that come with it(too much oil etc)use recipes from a bread machine book and they are perfect(I use my kenwood recipes in it too) http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4228022/Trail/searchtext%3EBREADMAKER.htm looks like its only 1/2 price until the 12th Jan.tho.