Panasonic breadmakers

vegasvisitor

Not quite sure where to post this, think it comes under 'home' category.

Does anyone have a Panasonic Breadmaker? I'm thinking of buying the 2500 or 2501 (£89 vs £109 just now). Ok, so it's £20 more for the 'nut and raisin' dispenser. I won't be using nuts, maybe raisins if I used it for cake but possibly not. What I would like to put in my bread though is seeds. In saying that I might be more likely to make seeded rolls so could put them on the surface before baking manually.

Should I pay the extra for the 2501 with the dispenser? Advantages? Maybe there's something I'm not realising the dispenser will be good for.

Thanks in advance.

ariba10

The dispenser is to add whatever ingredients you need after the main kneeding of the dough.

(So they are not damaged by the process.)

bouicca21

My breadmaker is heaps older than either of those. I too add seeds ... Mine beeps at a certain point in the cycle and I just open the lid and bung 'em in. Ditto for adding currants/sultanas for fruit bread or sundried tomatoes for a savoury bread.

Edited to add that the point when you can add stuff is about 20 minutes into the cycle. So the real question is: is it worth £20 to you not to have to hang around waiting for the right time?

vegasvisitor

bouicca21 wrote: »

My breadmaker is heaps older than either of those. I too add seeds ... Mine beeps at a certain point in the cycle and I just open the lid and bung 'em in. Ditto for adding currants/sultanas for fruit bread or sundried tomatoes for a savoury bread.

Edited to add that the point when you can add stuff is about 20 minutes into the cycle. So the real question is: is it worth £20 to you not to have to hang around waiting for the right time?

I hadn't thought it would be as early as 20 minutes in. That said, if you do bread overnight maybe it has a delay before starting. Could I live without seeds in the bread I make overnight could be another consideration. What I actually want is a better deal on the one that dispenses the seeds...but I've been watching it on CamelCamelCamel (amazon price tracker) for weeks and no movement on that model. The other is however sitting at the nicer price. Decisions decisions...

muckybutt

My OH has the one with the dispenser - it's a cracking machine can't fault it at all.

The bread is by far the best we have ever far from a bread maker, so much so that we don't buy any shop made bread at all now.

vegasvisitor

muckybutt wrote: »

My OH has the one with the dispenser - it's a cracking machine can't fault it at all.

The bread is by far the best we have ever far from a bread maker, so much so that we don't buy any shop made bread at all now.

I've only read good things about them, both the one with the dispenser and without. I just worry that I'll regret not getting the one with the dispenser.

Good to hear you love the bread it makes. I'm also curious how to slice it nicely. We usually buy medium sliced loaves, and I wonder if we'll be able to slice it thin enough. I certainly can't do it with a normal knife....maybe there's some sort of gadget?

bouicca21

If you are planning on doing it overnight so you have fresh bread for breakfast, it will be difficult to slice nicely. It is easy to slice thinly when cold. You'll want it thin as home made bread is far more filling than shop bought. And unlike shop bought it keeps really well. I too never buy from shops now. Also FYI if I bought a breadmaker now, I'd go for the dispenser version.

ariba10

The O H could not cut a thin slice if her life depended on.
We have invested in an electric slicer. ( Very much like the old bacon slicer)

vegasvisitor

Thanks all. There's a price drop to £99 on the one with the dispenser so I have just ordered it. Very exciting! :rotfl:

Yorkie1

ariba10 wrote: »

The O H could not cut a thin slice if her life depended on.
We have invested in an electric slicer. ( Very much like the old bacon slicer)

My mum's got an ancient Panasonic and a bacon-like bread slicer. Think it was by Phillips - they don't seem to do it now but it's far better than a bread knife.

Just don't try to cut home baked bread while it's still warm, or it will tear.

jimbo_the_jetset

Panasonic breadmakers are awesome!!