I know this is a little off topic, but some of you have talked about them. I have friends who are looking to buy a new one. Anyone have any opinions about brands and what to look for?
Bread Machines
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thor
Well-known member
I have a four year old Panasonic SD250, without the automatic yeast dispenser, and it is an excellent machine. I use it for breads and for kneading dough. Quite good for both! Great results every single time.
Boughten and Forgotten
I go to thrift stores to see what is given away as a good indicator of what not to buy.
That being said, you can find bread machines in Thrift stores, by the 100s. Try buying one for $5.00 and see what makes them tick, if they make sense to you and if you like the finished product.
Then, when the times comes to spend the big bucks, you can make better informed choices.
I am a chef.
Sunbeam introduced the 1-7 MixMaster in the mid 70s, their first model, with dough hooks. I had the joy and opportunity to test and tweak recipes for that mixer.
I make bread at home with a Sunbeam, a Kitchenaid, a Cuisinart, a Kitchenaid handmixer and sometimes by hand.
I could not imagine why I would possibly want to add a single use machine that would eat up so much real estate on the counter.
My daughter got a bread machine for a wedding present and last winter, when I visited them, I used a bread machine for the first time. Her's is an Oster.
It was almost like washer watching, looking in the glass window and watching the dough fly around.
It made hot bread.
Bad, hot bread just does not exist. It is against all laws of nature.
The test of good bread is when it is cold, the next day. Good day old bread means it was fabulous when it was hot.
Yeast requires food, moisture and warmth to grow and a bread machine does an excellent job of providing a warm environment for the yeast cells to grow, more quickly.
Kneading developes the gluten in flour, making it stretchy, like a balloon. Yeast gives off carbon dioxide which presses against the stretchy, gluteny mass and causes it to rise. Making bread is a lot like blowing up a balloon.
There is no right or wrong in bread making, as long as the yeast is living. From that point forward, it is all about personal taste.
Bread machines don't make PERFECT bread, but they weren't designed to. Bread machines give us all a chance to experience the smell, taste and sensation of hot and homemade bread, with nearly no fuss or attention.
As you well know, everybody has an opinion and you will hear many of them, about bread machines.
You can buy a bread machine new from $50.00 to $400.00 dollars.
I am not at all convinced you can make bread that is $350.00 better in a $400.00 machine.
Kelly
I go to thrift stores to see what is given away as a good indicator of what not to buy.
That being said, you can find bread machines in Thrift stores, by the 100s. Try buying one for $5.00 and see what makes them tick, if they make sense to you and if you like the finished product.
Then, when the times comes to spend the big bucks, you can make better informed choices.
I am a chef.
Sunbeam introduced the 1-7 MixMaster in the mid 70s, their first model, with dough hooks. I had the joy and opportunity to test and tweak recipes for that mixer.
I make bread at home with a Sunbeam, a Kitchenaid, a Cuisinart, a Kitchenaid handmixer and sometimes by hand.
I could not imagine why I would possibly want to add a single use machine that would eat up so much real estate on the counter.
My daughter got a bread machine for a wedding present and last winter, when I visited them, I used a bread machine for the first time. Her's is an Oster.
It was almost like washer watching, looking in the glass window and watching the dough fly around.
It made hot bread.
Bad, hot bread just does not exist. It is against all laws of nature.
The test of good bread is when it is cold, the next day. Good day old bread means it was fabulous when it was hot.
Yeast requires food, moisture and warmth to grow and a bread machine does an excellent job of providing a warm environment for the yeast cells to grow, more quickly.
Kneading developes the gluten in flour, making it stretchy, like a balloon. Yeast gives off carbon dioxide which presses against the stretchy, gluteny mass and causes it to rise. Making bread is a lot like blowing up a balloon.
There is no right or wrong in bread making, as long as the yeast is living. From that point forward, it is all about personal taste.
Bread machines don't make PERFECT bread, but they weren't designed to. Bread machines give us all a chance to experience the smell, taste and sensation of hot and homemade bread, with nearly no fuss or attention.
As you well know, everybody has an opinion and you will hear many of them, about bread machines.
You can buy a bread machine new from $50.00 to $400.00 dollars.
I am not at all convinced you can make bread that is $350.00 better in a $400.00 machine.
Kelly
I agree with Kelly. I have a Philips and it does work wonderfully but the "problem" was that they make such small loaves that it's usually eaten quickly, for us anyways. Then I got my Bosch mixer because I wanted to be able to make a lot more at a time and do more with it. I haven't used the bread machine now in a couple of years
If you do
go the thrift store route for a bread machine, make sure all the parts are there, especially the kneading paddle. Kneading paddles are small, easy to misplace, and ridiculously expensive to buy from the manufactuers.
That said, I have a Breadman, and I like it.
I like to use it to mix, knead, and proof (raise) the dough, and to bake in my real oven.
Like Kelly, though, I have made bread in my KitchenAid stand mixer, my Cuisinart processor, my KitchenAid hand mixer, and by my two hands. When using a hand mixer, I just use it to combine the ingredients, and I finish off kneading by hand.
Unlike James Beard, et al, I don't find the act of kneading dough to be some sort of semi-mystical experience. It's fun, but I have no problem with letting a machine and a few cents of electricity do it for me.
Beth Hensperger's Bread Machine Cookbook is very good, and was still in print the last time I checked.
Another great bread book (now out of print, I think--too bad!) is The Best Bread Ever, by Charles van Over.
But, really, after you make a few loaves, and get a feel for it, it becomes almost instinct.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
go the thrift store route for a bread machine, make sure all the parts are there, especially the kneading paddle. Kneading paddles are small, easy to misplace, and ridiculously expensive to buy from the manufactuers.
That said, I have a Breadman, and I like it.
I like to use it to mix, knead, and proof (raise) the dough, and to bake in my real oven.
Like Kelly, though, I have made bread in my KitchenAid stand mixer, my Cuisinart processor, my KitchenAid hand mixer, and by my two hands. When using a hand mixer, I just use it to combine the ingredients, and I finish off kneading by hand.
Unlike James Beard, et al, I don't find the act of kneading dough to be some sort of semi-mystical experience. It's fun, but I have no problem with letting a machine and a few cents of electricity do it for me.
Beth Hensperger's Bread Machine Cookbook is very good, and was still in print the last time I checked.
Another great bread book (now out of print, I think--too bad!) is The Best Bread Ever, by Charles van Over.
But, really, after you make a few loaves, and get a feel for it, it becomes almost instinct.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
What's funny about this is that I make bread for a living, so y'all are preaching to the choir about the machines. The ones i've used knead the dough way too much as far as I'm concerned. But they are cool toys for people who want to have fun with dough. Thanks for your help.
I have a couple of bread machines. One is an older design, with a verticle loaf. I think it's an Oster. The other one has a more conventional horizontal loaf. I think that's also an Oster.
Both work fine... in the summer. In the winter, I've noticed that the bread doesn't seem to rise adequately, probably because the ingredients are colder. A "smart" machine with a temperature sensor would probably resovle that issue ... if such a machine exists (it would probably be a Zojirushi if it did).
For a time, manufacturers were offering horizonatal loaf pans with dual paddles. Dual paddles are supposed to be better since they mix the bread better, and probably allow for a longer loaf pan as well. Last time I checked a couple of years ago, only one manufacturer still offered this feature - Zojirushi, I think - and their machines run at least $150. The Osters cost me about $59 ea.
I do enjoy making bread with the Osters, and hit on a good recipe with special ingredients... a hit at Thanksgiving dinners. But since I discovered I have type 2 diabetes I've cut way back on my bread consumption and don't make much bread any more. Although I'm sure in moderation it would be ok.
Both work fine... in the summer. In the winter, I've noticed that the bread doesn't seem to rise adequately, probably because the ingredients are colder. A "smart" machine with a temperature sensor would probably resovle that issue ... if such a machine exists (it would probably be a Zojirushi if it did).
For a time, manufacturers were offering horizonatal loaf pans with dual paddles. Dual paddles are supposed to be better since they mix the bread better, and probably allow for a longer loaf pan as well. Last time I checked a couple of years ago, only one manufacturer still offered this feature - Zojirushi, I think - and their machines run at least $150. The Osters cost me about $59 ea.
I do enjoy making bread with the Osters, and hit on a good recipe with special ingredients... a hit at Thanksgiving dinners. But since I discovered I have type 2 diabetes I've cut way back on my bread consumption and don't make much bread any more. Although I'm sure in moderation it would be ok.
Mister Loaf
Years ago, I bought bread machines from Mister Loaf(about $200 each). I thought it would be easier to make three loaves at a time for holidays(Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, etc). So I fired up all three at a time and went to town making bread for the family holiday parties. They were an instant success to have fresh homemade bread, but, the fascination with the machines had died down and I use them occasionally. They do make great breads(Have 2-1lb. machines and 1-2lb. machine). They also are versatile for making pizza dough or, in one machine, quick breads.
But as everyone agrees now, you have to cut down on the carbs and bread is something to skip.
Years ago, I bought bread machines from Mister Loaf(about $200 each). I thought it would be easier to make three loaves at a time for holidays(Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, etc). So I fired up all three at a time and went to town making bread for the family holiday parties. They were an instant success to have fresh homemade bread, but, the fascination with the machines had died down and I use them occasionally. They do make great breads(Have 2-1lb. machines and 1-2lb. machine). They also are versatile for making pizza dough or, in one machine, quick breads.
But as everyone agrees now, you have to cut down on the carbs and bread is something to skip.
Bomann
I don't know what they are called in the 'States, but this is pretty much a generic brand.
Have used it twice a week since 1997 - well, have used three of them, the first one (labeled Moulinex but the same stuff) died after three years, the last one lasted four years and this one is going on three now...
But I confess I am the only person I know who really and truly uses one regularly. I love bread and enjoy experimenting. Find the trade off between time saving and all-automatic processing and the fact that it make it possible for me to bake creatively in my tight time schedule well worth it.
The main thing to remember is that the rules have to be followed exactly or you will either overfeed or starve the yeast. Mine beeps when the first rise and second knead down is done, that is when I add stuff like raisons or oils in quantitites which would otherwise interfer with the rising processes.
I know what is in the bread, it is very edible the next day and - best of all - I get the benefits of oranically grown without the sour sour chewy to the end taste which most German breads have...
Some things I just have never adjusted to here in Germany and the - admittedly excellent - but also admittedly chewy sour bread is one...
I don't know what they are called in the 'States, but this is pretty much a generic brand.
Have used it twice a week since 1997 - well, have used three of them, the first one (labeled Moulinex but the same stuff) died after three years, the last one lasted four years and this one is going on three now...
But I confess I am the only person I know who really and truly uses one regularly. I love bread and enjoy experimenting. Find the trade off between time saving and all-automatic processing and the fact that it make it possible for me to bake creatively in my tight time schedule well worth it.
The main thing to remember is that the rules have to be followed exactly or you will either overfeed or starve the yeast. Mine beeps when the first rise and second knead down is done, that is when I add stuff like raisons or oils in quantitites which would otherwise interfer with the rising processes.
I know what is in the bread, it is very edible the next day and - best of all - I get the benefits of oranically grown without the sour sour chewy to the end taste which most German breads have...
Some things I just have never adjusted to here in Germany and the - admittedly excellent - but also admittedly chewy sour bread is one...
Starkle Starkle Little Twink
Yeast cells feed on sugar. If no sugar is added to bread dough, yeast will covert the starch in flour, to sugar and in the process make alcohol. Often bread and sour dough bread is described as having a beery flavor.
Artisan breads are baked using a "biga" which is a sourdough of sorts. The age and flavor profile of the biga or starter impart a twang to the finished bread, more reminiscent of our San Fransisco Sour Dough.
Kelly
Yeast cells feed on sugar. If no sugar is added to bread dough, yeast will covert the starch in flour, to sugar and in the process make alcohol. Often bread and sour dough bread is described as having a beery flavor.
Artisan breads are baked using a "biga" which is a sourdough of sorts. The age and flavor profile of the biga or starter impart a twang to the finished bread, more reminiscent of our San Fransisco Sour Dough.
Kelly
you're right Kelly
You can get all sorts of discussions going over here in a "bio-Brot Laden" (organic bakery) about the difference between yeast (bad, nasty American) and sourdough (good, not yeast..., organic...)
I know, I know.
The best sourdough breads taste great - the lighter Dinkel, Hafer and so on. But that super sour, bitter very chewy and not inspiring "healthy" taste so many breads have...not my thing.
But that is my problem. My German friends love my cakes, but all find my breads far too light and, Gasp!, made with yeast!!!
(Just where the heck the leavining in sourdough comes from if not yeast is beyond me...)
Oh, and warm bread is supposed to be bad for you...
Now one thing which the sour and very chewy German/Austrian breads are excellent for:
Toast a thin slice of bread.
Spread with butter - the real thing, not margarine.
Spread *liberally* with butter that is.
Add finely chopped spring garlic.
Lightly salt (German butter comes unsalted).
Toast under the infra-red grill for just a minute - just long enough for the garlic to become fragrant.
You could believe your were in heaven.
You can get all sorts of discussions going over here in a "bio-Brot Laden" (organic bakery) about the difference between yeast (bad, nasty American) and sourdough (good, not yeast..., organic...)
I know, I know.
The best sourdough breads taste great - the lighter Dinkel, Hafer and so on. But that super sour, bitter very chewy and not inspiring "healthy" taste so many breads have...not my thing.
But that is my problem. My German friends love my cakes, but all find my breads far too light and, Gasp!, made with yeast!!!
(Just where the heck the leavining in sourdough comes from if not yeast is beyond me...)
Oh, and warm bread is supposed to be bad for you...
Now one thing which the sour and very chewy German/Austrian breads are excellent for:
Toast a thin slice of bread.
Spread with butter - the real thing, not margarine.
Spread *liberally* with butter that is.
Add finely chopped spring garlic.
Lightly salt (German butter comes unsalted).
Toast under the infra-red grill for just a minute - just long enough for the garlic to become fragrant.
You could believe your were in heaven.
Good Bread
I learned to bake bread from my Grandma. I didn't know why it worked, I just did what she showed me and each time it was better.
So, college to learn all the tech terms and a million tons of flour later, I make bread I like, soft and infused with myriads of flavors.
I took a class in Artesan breads from a local Eggplant who is very popular here in Seattle.
It took a week to get a biga going that had enough strength to leaven the bread,
The bread dough is very soft and difficult to move to the stone without deflating.
The first bake is at 500 with a cast iron pan below the stone, filled with water and spritizing the oven cavity at 3 minutes intervals.
The heat is lowered and the bread finishes at 425.
At the end of the summer, the house smelled like a brewery, my kids were easier to babysit then the biga, the extreme heat and moisture had crazed the inside of oven and it flaked off on anything you baked and I had shattered the oven window with drops of water trying to fill the cast iron pan.
I never liked the slide in range, so I took it to the dump, bought a new smooth top with a huge oven and when I want Artesan bread that pulls out my teeth and cuts the roof of my mouth, I buy it, for $3.49 a loaf.
Kelly
I learned to bake bread from my Grandma. I didn't know why it worked, I just did what she showed me and each time it was better.
So, college to learn all the tech terms and a million tons of flour later, I make bread I like, soft and infused with myriads of flavors.
I took a class in Artesan breads from a local Eggplant who is very popular here in Seattle.
It took a week to get a biga going that had enough strength to leaven the bread,
The bread dough is very soft and difficult to move to the stone without deflating.
The first bake is at 500 with a cast iron pan below the stone, filled with water and spritizing the oven cavity at 3 minutes intervals.
The heat is lowered and the bread finishes at 425.
At the end of the summer, the house smelled like a brewery, my kids were easier to babysit then the biga, the extreme heat and moisture had crazed the inside of oven and it flaked off on anything you baked and I had shattered the oven window with drops of water trying to fill the cast iron pan.
I never liked the slide in range, so I took it to the dump, bought a new smooth top with a huge oven and when I want Artesan bread that pulls out my teeth and cuts the roof of my mouth, I buy it, for $3.49 a loaf.
Kelly
you got it Kelly -
although the water under the bread (or casserole or whatever) trick sure does help. If you can't bake with gas, at least get a pizza stone and a big oven-proof pan of water in the oven.
The additional mass and moisture even out the heat swings tremendously.
There are some very good organic breads over here in Europe - I hope I didn't give the impression it is all toothy sourness. Like everything that starts out in the "ökö" (ecological-) direction, it takes awhile to bring things down from the mystic-religious nonsense to the "it works and tastes great" level.
One of the best breads I have ever tasted was in Latium, in a little village. No salt, the dough rubbed with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary.
Heavenly.
although the water under the bread (or casserole or whatever) trick sure does help. If you can't bake with gas, at least get a pizza stone and a big oven-proof pan of water in the oven.
The additional mass and moisture even out the heat swings tremendously.
There are some very good organic breads over here in Europe - I hope I didn't give the impression it is all toothy sourness. Like everything that starts out in the "ökö" (ecological-) direction, it takes awhile to bring things down from the mystic-religious nonsense to the "it works and tastes great" level.
One of the best breads I have ever tasted was in Latium, in a little village. No salt, the dough rubbed with olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary.
Heavenly.
I bake a lot of my own bread, white, brown, grain, etc. depending on what I have available etc. Love experimenting etc. However!!!! I'm not a bread snob because when it comes to my peanut butter sandwich I want Wonder white. Anything else it's just not the same.
rayjay
Well-known member
Bread Machines
Ken, A few years ago the ZOJIRUSHI (Not sure if I spelled correctly), was rated very high by consumer reports. I cannot remember the name of the one that I have. I will check and let you know tomorrow.
Ray
Ken, A few years ago the ZOJIRUSHI (Not sure if I spelled correctly), was rated very high by consumer reports. I cannot remember the name of the one that I have. I will check and let you know tomorrow.
Ray
lazy breadmaker here
I mix and do the initial kneading in my kitchenaid. Throw the dough in the oven (old avacado tappen with pilot light, by the way) in the mixer bowl. When it's risen, I put the bowl back on the kitchenaid for the punchdown and rekneading. Then back in the oven for the 2nd raise and then I form the dough by hand into what I'm making. Yep, I'm lazy!
jeff
aka duetboy
I mix and do the initial kneading in my kitchenaid. Throw the dough in the oven (old avacado tappen with pilot light, by the way) in the mixer bowl. When it's risen, I put the bowl back on the kitchenaid for the punchdown and rekneading. Then back in the oven for the 2nd raise and then I form the dough by hand into what I'm making. Yep, I'm lazy!
jeff
aka duetboy
partscounterman
Member
Our Breadmaker.
My friend Martha just raved about the ease of fresh bread with a bread maker. We especially use it here because bread from the grocery store can run you $4. We bought ours from the Makawao Hongji Mission Rummage sale. You can always find nearly new breadmachines for cheep at sales and thrifts store. Ours is called The Breadmaker by Mr. Coffee-Why didn't they call it Mr. Bread?
The hard part is finding a recipe that you like. Most of the bread machine recipes we tried made sorta tasteless bread. I use a potato bread recipe that we like and is tasty. It calls for instant potato flakes. This recipe also calls for powdered milk, which makes for tastier bread than when you use regular milk. I also like to use the special bread flour.
My friend Martha just raved about the ease of fresh bread with a bread maker. We especially use it here because bread from the grocery store can run you $4. We bought ours from the Makawao Hongji Mission Rummage sale. You can always find nearly new breadmachines for cheep at sales and thrifts store. Ours is called The Breadmaker by Mr. Coffee-Why didn't they call it Mr. Bread?
The hard part is finding a recipe that you like. Most of the bread machine recipes we tried made sorta tasteless bread. I use a potato bread recipe that we like and is tasty. It calls for instant potato flakes. This recipe also calls for powdered milk, which makes for tastier bread than when you use regular milk. I also like to use the special bread flour.
Mister Loaf 1 lb.
Here is my original 1 lb. version....Works like a charm
Here is my original 1 lb. version....Works like a charm
David - and anyone else interested
I would be happy to post one or two recipies I have used successfully through the years in my machines.
Idiotproof, too.
(which is why I use them)
I would be happy to post one or two recipies I have used successfully through the years in my machines.
Idiotproof, too.
(which is why I use them)
