Bread makers

[puravida]

We got a nice kenwood one a couple of years back and it really got me into making bread.
Makes it easy to make your own loaves which is really satisfying I think.

Learnt the basics from using the machine lots then realised ( as has been pointed out here) that they can never bake as well as an oven so then used just to make the dough and then shaped and baked in the oven. Better results without the hassle of all the kneading etc

Then got a dough hook for the food mixer and not looked at the bread machine since. All the ingredients get tipped in and five mins later you have dough. Prove and bake as you like.

So my view is they are an excellent and easy way to get into bread making. If you find you like the results and enjoy the process then you'll start looking for upgrades.
Sounds familiar right??

 

[hairybiker]

I am on my second one now.
I had a "cheapie" one that did make bread just.
I bought a Curries one when they went through the re-branding, result £70 BM for £13!
I love it, I make all kinds of bread, but mostly I use the Lidl Chibata mix and add a pinch of chilli (or a tsp of chilli paste) to it LOVELY!
The Lidl "farmhouse" is nice with some raisins/sultanas & walnuts in it.
(These are "pre" made mixes that only need water added to make 2 loafs & about £1 ea. pack)

My "AG" type (from Bread flour etc) bread isn't quite as successful but still better than £1+ loafs from the SM.

I find the best method is use the dough setting and transfer to your own tin/tray and make as you want it, that way you loose the "sandwich" loaf look.

 

[shocker]

My old mum had an Asda own brand one that she loved , made great bread with it for years ....til it broke . About 6 or 7 years I think as I used to buy her organic flour and malted wheat flakes at Scoopaways on Gloucester Rd in Bristol (it was opposite the homebrew shop !) and I havent been going up to bristol these 5 years .

From what I could make out you got out what you put in - good quality ingredients in the right proportion gave you good bread....IF you remembered to open the lid as soon as it finished baking and let the loaf steam out .

Now me , I used my old 1970s Kenwood Chef with the dough hook and some bread tins I blagged from a baker . My bread was fair , fair going on good-ish . But mum got a better result from her cheapy Asda breadmaker once she got the hang of it.

PS she has recently nicked my Kenwood chef off of me because "its better than the plastic **** newer one"

 

[swiggingpig]

I have a Panasonic and I think it's brill, I personally find that it makes a very good loaf but YMMV

 

[Springer]

Have had a Panasonic, not a cheap option but as always, you get what you pay for.
Worked a treat regularly for over five years, good bread at a good price with minimum effort.
Don't know about dough hooks, but a lot more effort and timevolved for sure.
I do know that most bread you buy is poor, probably has junk added and costs a lot more than that produced by spending a few minutes tossing a few bits into the machine and leaving it on its own to do its thing.
Like brewing good ingredients, accurate batching especially water content. As Steve said home made bread don't keep as well as commercial stuff, apart from its gets eaten quicker I wonder why that is. :hmm:
Lets put it another way, if our machine broke down today we'd be straight out to get another. :thumb:

 

[doyley]

Panasonic for me every time. Smashing bread with a minimum of effort, mine even does rye loaves, which are my favourite.

 

[bluebell]

I have a cheep bread maker and normally only use it to make and prove dough, however that is becasue I dont like a hole in the bottom of my loaf.

Easiest and cheepest way is to make a big batch of dough by hand/ with a mixer and prove it then freeze it and cood as and when required. it will also keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Bread maker has just come back out of the loft, I'm going to give it another go and see if I can make it product decent bread.

 

[Springer]

Bread maker has just come back out of the loft, I'm going to give it another go and see if I can make it product decent bread.

:thumb: Good luck.

 

[ricardo]

Here you go ........hope its as good as THBF !!!!!
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/forum
:thumb:

 

[cask is best]

Still looking.found a nice Delongi in Debenhams today half price assistant said they had three left in stores so went to get one instead of us taking the display one came back and said sorry i can't find them but the manager said you can have the display one and an extra 10% off. I thought sounds fare. Bugger no instructions were to be found in the box or inside the machine. Really liked it too. So my search goes on.
Was going to look for a Panny but they are huge and would take up a lot of work surface place so now still looking for a smaller one.

 

[Springer]

Know what you mean Cask, but I wonder why they make them so big, not for fun or to look good. :? :hmm:
S

 

[Crastney]

My in laws have made bread in a bread maker for years, they put the ingredients in as they go to bed, set it on timer, and wake up to fresh bread. They only ever make a small loaf which lasts about two days, just enough, and you do need to experiment with the given recipes to get the best results. If you're using good ingredients, then the biggest factor that changes is the water, make sure it's at the right temp, and check the hardness, to see if you need to add anything or filter it or whatever.
buy an expensive one that will last, and don't give up if the first few are rubbish.

 

[Baz Chaz]

Know what you mean Cask, but I wonder why they make them so big, not for fun or to look good. :? :hmm:
S

As said in an earlier post we have a Panasonic, agreed it's not the most compact, but there needs to be a certain air circulation around to bake the bread evenly. I've noticed that in the last bit of baking theres a bit of steam released through the back vent, maybe it's a blast of heat to get the crust right.

We've had this machine for a few years now and never need to buy bread, there's all sorts you can make with it, pizza dough is better than I used to make by hand :clap:

The best tips I can think of ...

Buy good quality strong bread flour
Measure ingredients accurately
Don't use a 'fast bake' setting
Keep the loaves away from the kids, it'll disappear far too quickly

 

[AndrewVu]

We got one from a car boot sale for something like £3. Try the morrisons "sundried tomato and parmesan" bread mix is just perfect, the smell and taste is incredible!

 

[Springer]

I'll go with that Baz, :thumb:

 

[shocker]

plus one on Bazs comments . Like I said before , its important on the cheaper machines to lift the lid as soon as it stops its cycle , but the more expensive , more complex ones vent the steam themselves . Whenever I have baked bread manually as it were , I have always set it on a rack to steam off and cool , sometimes on its side or upside down . This steam issue can make the difference between a good loaf and an awful one .

 

[Vossy1]

I thought sounds fare. Bugger no instructions were to be found in the box or inside the machine. Really liked it too.

Can't they be downloaded of't net. I've bought a few things lately that only come with 'quick start' and a web address to get full instructions...worth a thought :hmm:

 

[cask is best]

I thought sounds fare. Bugger no instructions were to be found in the box or inside the machine. Really liked it too.

Can't they be downloaded of't net. I've bought a few things lately that only come with 'quick start' and a web address to get full instructions...worth a thought :hmm:

I was toying with that idea Vossy then i thought I'll buy it and it will be a discontinued item and no instructions will be available.
I'll get one. The best things come to those who wait. We should know we brew beer :thumb:

 

[Runwell-Steve]

OK, so here goes.

The bread maker is back out of the loft, if anyones interested it's a Panasonic SD - 252

I have just thrown in the ingredients to make a large loaf using Allinsons white flour with WholeGrain bits, following the Breadmakers instructions for ingredients for white bread, as they differ slightly than if you were making by hand.

It's all switched on, and apparantly in 4 hours time I will have a loaf of bread.