Which is the best home breadmaker?

sparrer

Hi :hello: , I've been lurking and reading for a while now, and thought I'd better post as I've taken the plunge...

I didn't want to spend a lot in case I didn't get on with bread makers so I bought a Hinari at a boot sale a year ago for £4. It good for a basic loaf and that's about all, but I wanted to be a bit more experimental. After reading everything here I really wanted the Panasonic but it was way out of my reach (I'm only a poor pensioner y'know ) so browsed through Amazon for something cheaper...and found a brand new Panasonic S255 for £72, as it was ex-display. It has the 2 year warranty, the books etc etc, so I decided to take the plunge, went through Nectar to get get the points, had £15 of Amazon vouchers from surveys, so in all it cost £57 ! Things like this only ever happen to other people so I can't believe my luck, can't wait for it to arrive and can't wait to try it out. :T. I'll post when I've tasted my first loaf from what sounds to be like the King of BM's!
Sparrer

angeltreats

cooking-mama wrote: »

Do you think it would be possible to use butter instead of oil in the Rachel Allen breadmaker?,i think it was probably the taste of the oil that we didnt like/Thanks.

I never really thought about it, but I don't see why not - it's all fat after all! Maybe melt or at least soften the butter first. I suppose 2 tbsp oil = 2 tbsp butter but maybe someone else has tried it and knows better than me.

cooking-mama

Thanks Angeltreats.
:jCant believe my luck..Rachel Allen breadmaker was taken back by Argos(The cover surrounding the digital buttons was peeling off due to the heat,tho as said earlier it did bake a perfect loaf-just didnt like the taste)But,The Panasonic SD254 is now also reduced to £67.80,ive reserved mine So I am getting the Panasonic one afterall:j
wont be able to try it out until tomorrow though as im working today.
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500001801&langId=-1&productId=1500507281#tabrev

InaPickle

cooking-mama wrote: »

Thanks Angeltreats.
:jCant believe my luck..Rachel Allen breadmaker was taken back by Argos(The cover surrounding the digital buttons was peeling off due to the heat,tho as said earlier it did bake a perfect loaf-just didnt like the taste)But,The Panasonic SD254 is now also reduced to £67.80,ive reserved mine So I am getting the Panasonic one afterall:j
wont be able to try it out until tomorrow though as im working today.
http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500001801&langId=-1&productId=1500507281#tabrev

Wow, cooking-mama! Thanks for the tip!

Guys, I'm giving serious consideration to buying one of these breadmakers as everyone raves about them so much. My only concern is that all the loaves I have seen from breadmakers have been absolutely tiny compared to shop-bought ones. I normally but a Warburton's Toastie. Does anyone have an idea roughly how big a loaf from the Panasonic breadmaker is in comparison, just to give me an idea? It doesn't have to be perfect, but I would like to know before paying for one then getting a shock when it should be fed to the fairies!

Thanks! x

Domthemon

A medium loaf in the Panasonic uses 475g flour, 25g butter or marg, a teaspoon or so of salt and sugar and some water. So it depends what flour you buy really as to the cost.

I love my Panasonic BM!

cooking-mama

InaPickle wrote: »

Wow, cooking-mama! Thanks for the tip!

Guys, I'm giving serious consideration to buying one of these breadmakers as everyone raves about them so much. My only concern is that all the loaves I have seen from breadmakers have been absolutley tiny compared to shop-bought ones. I normally but a Warburton's Toastie. Does anyone have an idea roughly how big a losf from the Panasonic breadmaker is in comparison, just to give me an idea? It doesn't have to be perfect, but I would like to know before paying for one then getting a shock when it should be fed to the fairies!

Thanks! x

Found this on Mr Breadmaker site,

"Many standard features are also included on the SD254 breadmaker, such as a bread size setting, choose between extra large (1.2kg), large (1kg) or medium (0.45kg). This breadmaker also lets you choose your preferred crust colour: light, medium or dark crusts are available."

I think most prepacked bread is 800gms.

InaPickle

cooking-mama wrote: »

Found this on Mr Breadmaker site,

"Many standard features are also included on the SD254 breadmaker, such as a bread size setting, choose between extra large (1.2kg), large (1kg) or medium (0.45kg). This breadmaker also lets you choose your preferred crust colour: light, medium or dark crusts are available."

I think most prepacked bread is 800gms.

Thanks! :T I've had real problems trying to find an answer to that. Have you got your Panasonic and had a chance to use it yet? I've got a breadmaker here that someone bought my mum (Hinari) and I tried to make a loaf in it but it came out really small and dense, much smaller than a normal bought loaf. No-one in my house would make sandwiches with the small slices it made - they'd just tell me to buy bigger loaves - which would mean upgrading to a Panni would be useless. If you have had the chance to get one and use it, are the loaves quite large and airy (like shop-bought ones), or small and dense?

I'm sorry to be a pain, but I really don't want to get this one wrong and end up with an expensive gadget that won't really get used. If anyone else can help as well, I'd very much appreciate it.

Thanks! :T

cooking-mama

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.htmt=1093331&highlight=love+panasonic+breadmaker

Sui_Generis

cooking-mama wrote: »

Im picking mine up

Would you please not post in bold its difficult to read comfortably?

cooking-mama

Sui_Generis wrote: »

Would you please not post in bold its difficult to read comfortably?

Sorry,but why?,is there something wrong with your computer?