Does the bread maker save your family budget?

brookie1

No, it is not cheaper. The cost of one & the electricity used, plus ingredients (especially bread making packet kits) end up dearer than buying loaves.
However, if you make your own and it is delicious, then it is worth the effort. Trouble is, if it is nice you will eat more, and need to make more, and get fatter!
I use mine for special occasions to make different kinds of bread one can't get in the shops. The novelty soon wears off I think.
Do you have room to store one or leave on worktp?

honeythewitch

WantToBeSE wrote: »

I have a breadmaker but rarely use it. It was a total waste of money for me, as it makes such smaller loaves than i could buy in the supermarkets.

I use it probably once a month.

Not all of them. The latest Panasonic model makes loaves the same size as a Warburtons. (Though I very much doubt anyone could cut as many slices!)

brookie1 wrote: »

No, it is not cheaper. The cost of one & the electricity used, plus ingredients (especially bread making packet kits) end up dearer than buying loaves.
However, if you make your own and it is delicious, then it is worth the effort. Trouble is, if it is nice you will eat more, and need to make more, and get fatter!
I use mine for special occasions to make different kinds of bread one can't get in the shops. The novelty soon wears off I think.
Do you have room to store one or leave on worktp?

But if you are eating bread anyway, and are worried about your weight, surely it is better to make it yourself and skip the fats and sugar in most shop-bought bread?

eastcott5

Yes everytime,
I have had mine - a normal Panasonic for 10 trouble free years. it cost me about 50p for a normal loaf including electricity. -I measure its use with a meter. I have fun making different mixes of brown/white/ seeded etc and it also make a great tea bread. Much cheaper than putting the oven on. Also great overnight and when the house is full of guests/relatives for a larger mix. Can also use it for making a pizza base. Get a decent bread flour when on offer - it does make a difference. Use it when the sun is out and it is powered by the solar panels!

shellsmithcat

Trying a wholemeal loaf in my Panasonic today. I think I shall try the Pizza dough setting some time over the next few days.

honeythewitch

eastcott5 wrote: »

Yes everytime,
I have had mine - a normal Panasonic for 10 trouble free years. it cost me about 50p for a normal loaf including electricity. -I measure its use with a meter. I have fun making different mixes of brown/white/ seeded etc and it also make a great tea bread. Much cheaper than putting the oven on. Also great overnight and when the house is full of guests/relatives for a larger mix. Can also use it for making a pizza base. Get a decent bread flour when on offer - it does make a difference. Use it when the sun is out and it is powered by the solar panels!

For a second then I thought your breadmaker was very swish and had solar panels.

MrandMrstrying

We have a Panasonic bread maker and spent about £100 pound on it though it makes jam as well. Had a guarantee on it and broke with in the guarantee period after a little bit of haggling with the retailer we brought it from had a new one sent out.
I know some may be shocked at the price we paid but had good feedback from two family members that had this model.

When it comes to bread making it does not just come down to the price it cost. Take a few other things in to consideration.

1. Little journeys here and there to pick up bread can be saved.( most times I would end up buying more than just bread)
2. The quality of the bread that you make. You only have to read what goes into the list of ingredients of some of these budget bread's.
3. The difference in taste of home made bread is just out of this world.
4. List of ingredients can be bulk brought saving money. Also used in other recipes

Denando

I love my Kenwood. I have arthritis in my hands so can't knead manually so I bought the BM about 6 years ago. A 750g loaf lasts me about 4 days. If there is any left after that, it goes to the birds. I've experimented with lots of 'exotic' breads and often use it to mix/knead/prove dough for buns/pitta/bagels/pizza bases but usually I just go with a basic recipe a chef friend gave me which seems foolproof. I can 'make' a loaf in an advert break on TV and usually set the timer so it is ready just when I want my breakfast.


Couldn't be without it - and my model looks nice too!

tooties

Just thought i would add

For those of you who are put off by the hole left by the paddle, the solution is simple

just eat round it

thats what i do

regards

SailorSam

It's not just bread you make in the Panny. I've had pizza tonight.

IrishWasherWoman

I would definately advocate a breadmaker.
For one thing the bread is really fresh.
For another, mine only has 1tsp of salt and 1tsp of sugar per 1.5lb or 2lb loaf - I believe shop bought loaves can have as much as 6 or 7 tsp of hidden sugar in them.
The other great thing is that I can grab and measure the ingredients really fast, turn it on, and go off and do other things for 3hrs or so, or longer if I put the delay timer on. It usually takes abut 10 mins to put the ingredients in the pan, but I CAN do it in 6 mins, if I'm on a roll! (Pardon the pun.)
It's so quick and easy, you need never run out of bread again, especially as there are super rapid programmes which will make a less perfect, but still acceptable loaf in 1 hr, and anyway, there's no excuse not to freeze a couple to get out in a hurry.