Bread maker vs shop bought bread

cazj80

I've recently sat down and worked out that my loaves of bread from the breadmaker cost 48p in ingredients, that's using tesco bread flour, allison yeast (in a little tin), sainsbury's basic skimmed milk powder, margarine, water, salt and sugar.

If I see bread reduced in the supermarket to less than this, then I'll buy it, as I did today - 2 loaves for 10p each!

I don't think the breadmaker is expensive to run, as although the bread I make takes 3 hours, it is not like having a kettle or an oven on constantly for 3 hours.

The bread cycle I use does the following:-

15 minutes kneading,
40 minutes rising,
5 minutes kneading,
25 minutes rising,
40 minutes rising,
55 minutes baking.

I've taken this from the breadmaker instruction booklet, however it would be useful if they put how many kWh this used!!

I'll have to try and keep a note of the electricity usage in the house one evening when I use the breadmaker, and one evening when I don't (and try to keep the other electrical items usage the same)

cazj80

I've just found this on which.co.uk which seems to suggest that a bread maker costs between 4 and 6p to make a loaf of bread

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/kitchen/reviews/breadmakers/page/faqs/

This is based on electricity costing 14.5p per kWh.

ca55ie

I have had a Panasonic breadmaker for more than 3 years now. I use it at least every other day and rarely buy bread any more. It takes less than 5 mins to put all the ingredients into the breadmaker although you do have to be precise with the amounts.
I use Canadian Strong Flour because it has a higher gluten content.

StuartMacpherson

:-\ on a bit of a spur of the moment... I've bought a murphy richards bread maker...
I wonder how burnt i can get said bread...

cazj80

I've got a morphy richards breadmaker. I found the best thing to do was just to try all the recipes. With one of the first recipes I made, the bread was really dry and I didn't like it, but I now use the sandwich loaf recipe, and it is really nice. It does get dry after a few days, but then it's good toasted, or dried and made into breadcrumbs. On my Morphy Richards, that setting number 11.

Have fun!!

Kirri

It's not just cost, have a read up on chorleywood bread process to see how supermarkets make their bread and you might prefer to make your own!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorleywood_bread_process

You can use better quality ingredients, healthier options too with no additives.. and a lot less salt

I use my breadmaker to just make the dough, I always finish mine in the oven now, seems nicer.

Lost2

I haven't used my bread maker for sometime
I think I will get it down off the shelf tomorrow
and use it again. I used to buy my flour off the Internet but it
was from a mill and everything was in the packet all I had
to do was add the water

StuartMacpherson

Kirri wrote: »

It's not just cost, have a read up on chorleywood bread process to see how supermarkets make their bread and you might prefer to make your own!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorleywood_bread_process

You can use better quality ingredients, healthier options too with no additives.. and a lot less salt

I use my breadmaker to just make the dough, I always finish mine in the oven now, seems nicer.

:-\ Thats put me off ever eating store bought bread ever again.
Thanks

Kirri

StuartMacpherson wrote: »

:-\ Thats put me off ever eating store bought bread ever again.
Thanks

There was a feature on it on a programme recently, either Countryfile or Countrywise, can't remember which one - they went to see the bread made and showed you the lumps of solid fat stuff and additives that goes in it.. is also why they think incidences of people having trouble digesting it may be occurring.

Have a read up of the real bread campaign too

JoeyG

I use a Morphy Richards Fastbake, I've not bought a loaf of bread for 4 years!... It takes less than 5 minutes to throw the ingredients in at the end of the night, that's quicker than I could get down the shop.

The only way you can go wrong is to use the recipes in the manual