Bargain Bread Maker

MINCER_2

Whirly wrote:

All I can say is that if the morphy richards made great loaves the panasonic makes amazing loaves. Never had a bad one yet and they are simply delicious. Even better - it makes big loaves. Enough for my family for 2 days.

I've been looking at breadmakers for the last few weeks, and being 'captain sensible' I've checked out as many reviews as possible and asked friends.
I soon came to the conclusion that the Panasonics are the only ones worth getting. SD252 or SD253 models. (They make small & medium loaves as well).
Finally took the plunge today and ordered the SD253 from Currys (put sd253 in search as it doesn't come up in breadmakers section) - £67 quid delivered with 10% discount code and after Quidco cashback.

I know it's a lot more than the OP was looking at paying and it's a lot more than I was originally looking at paying - but for obvious reasons if you read the reviews.

Oh and stick 'home baking supplies' into ebay and click through to the shop for flour improvers - another recommendation from friends.

Loosecannon_3

In reply to a post further above:

Do not buy cookworks unless you have to. They have an incredible mount of returns.... be warned.

Mr_Squiddy

Crush up a couple of vitamin C tablets and chuck them in to the dry dough mixture. The ascorbic acid helps makes the gluten bonds stronger.

BritBrat

Crush up a couple of vitamin C tablets and chuck them in to the dry dough mixture. The ascorbic acid helps makes the gluten bonds stronger.

Just what I was going to post, I have never used a bread maker but I have made bread by hand and using the vitamin C makes it light just like you by from shops.

I always assumed the vitamin C fed the yeast and made it more active. I remeber it used to raise up nearly twice as much.

System

BigDonut wrote:

think my breadmake is morphy richards.

Not sure what you mean by stodgy but one thing I've found is don't make a loaf out of only wholemeal / brown flour. 1 cup white flour 1 cup of something else (granary, seeded white, wholemeal) makes it a bit lighter.

I normally only use the one setting (white basic) and adjust ingredients to suit. Less sugar than they recommend in the recipie makes a better loaf I think.

Thanks Donut. I think when I said stodgy I meant to say heavy. It's not light and fluffy and doesn't remain freshish for too long. I find that the recipies in the manual for french bread is the tastiest. I think after reading all the posts I will make a 2lb loaf using less water, slightly more yeast, less sugar and a couple of vitamin c tablets. Thanks for all the advice.

Lenny

System

Clasics wrote:

IME the people who are blaming the breadmaker are wrong - it's normally an operator problem. My MIL had very similar problems of 'stodgy' bread from her Morphy Richards breadmaker (same as mine) so I decided to make a loaf with it at her house and it was perfect. 'Oh, you don't mess about with measuring all the ingredients, do you?' was her response.:rolleyes:

Roger operator problem!

System

Thanks for all the advice. Well I tried less water and more yeast and it came out like a giant rock cake. Anyway, I plummed for the french bread recipie using the same ingredients and added a couple of vitamin c tablets. It does seem to be lighter and fluffier. Thanks for the tips.

Lenny

Wildthingscotty

It is always nice to have a go at making bread by hand. The kids really enjoy mixing all the ingrediants together getting messy and then bashing the living daylights out of the dough.. Never had a bad loaf or rolls yet. It takes a bit longer but bit of fun every now and again.

Clasics

Wildthingscotty wrote:

It is always nice to have a go at making bread by hand. The kids really enjoy mixing all the ingrediants together getting messy and then bashing the living daylights out of the dough.. Never had a bad loaf or rolls yet. It takes a bit longer but bit of fun every now and again.

Yes, we find it's brilliant for getting out that really stubborn dirt from under our fingernails.

lamnicholas

Woolworth's own brand breadmaker is currently £13.98 (instore). Beat that price anyone?