Bread Machines

[Danno 1,228]

My wife complains about very little but she has had a hang-up about bread here from day-one.

We have tried different breads and she will even like one type or other for a while but then gets tired of it.

Yesterday we were at another party where someone made bread in a machine at home and now she wants to try that.

Actually the truth is, I suggested this idea months ago but as she did not seem all that interested so I dropped the idea.

Any one have an opinion on these machines?

-are they all pretty much the same?

-are there certain features you would look for?

- any recommendations?

AS a side note, her mom is arriving here tomorrow and she should be bringing one loaf of the coveted "Black bread" with her, unfortunately that Russian bread is stale in like ....15 minutes, so her enjoyment will be short lived.

*Yes we do have some Russian food stores here but my wife will not pay 6 bucks for a loaf of bread.

[GaryC 7]

I had a Bread Machine years ago. It did a very good job. Just toss in all the ingredients and turn it on. A few hours later remove the bread and eat. It also made great pizza doe. I was thinking about getting another one.

They don't make the same thing I had before but this is close. Well worth it if you like fresh bread.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_0...word=breadmaker

[Kathryn41 3,205]

We bought the Breadman Ultimate breadmaker 4 years ago and for the first two years used it all the time. Lately, I have become a little more lazy and don't make bread as often as I used to. The breadmachine is great though - I would highly recommend this model.

http://www.bizrate.com/breadmakers/breadma...r--pid11198863/

Edited July 5, 2009 by Kathryn41

[trailmix 77]

I too can't stand the store bought bread here, generally, so I bought a basic model from Walmart. I make dough, usually and cook it in the oven (using the bread maker's dough setting) it's very good.

I just think it's a good idea to try a basic bread maker to see if you like it.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3294078

[Bobby+Umit 161]

I make my bread the ol' fashion way - by hand.

Bread without machine

Sour dough

[Marilyn. 340]

I have one but I don't use it very often.. I want to but I just never get around to it..

my only problem is that I don't like the texture of the bread so what I usually do is just mix the dough in the machine and then take it out and finish it off in the oven...

[NickD 203]

We have a good bakery in town, several of them as a matter of fact. But I got one of those bread makers, think as a gift, but also gave it away, as a gift. Here's why, first thing, depending on what kind of bread you are going to make, you have to buy all the ingredients, forget one thing and you are dead. That may mean making a list and hoping the store you go to has it, if not, keep on going to different stores.

Next thing, have to use precision in particular with the yeast, if the water is too cold, yeast won't rise, too hot or slightly too hot, you will kill it. Instead of getting a loaf of bread, you will get a rock. If all does turn out well, the dough hook gets baked in your bread, have to remember to dig that out, and certainly don't try to eat it, that plus everything else has to be cleaned up when you are done, and if you don't have the counter space, have to try to find a place to store it. If you have a microwave, coffee maker, toaster, toaster oven, food processor, TV, blender, mixer, can opener, juice maker, arepa maker, malted milk mixer, canisters for all kinds of ingredients, notebook computer, Bose stereo, cookbooks, pots, and pans, cooking utensils, a bread maker may be just a little too much, oh and a crock pot, almost forgot about that, and an orange squeezer.

If there is only one of you eating the bread, make a meal out of it, next day, it's as hard as a rock.

If you really want to make bread, just buy a bread pan, easier to clean a mixing bowl, and that pan when you are done, you should already have an oven. And you won't have to worry about eating your dough hook.

[Amby 490]

Make it by hand. It only takes 10 minutes of kneading then you just let it rise. A bread machine is nice if you're busy, but the quality of the bread is waaaaay better if you do it yourself.

[Welshcookie 17]

I like my bread machine quite a bit, I make mostly a quick pizza dough in it, after the Marilyn tip I do make bread dough in the machine then finish it off the old fashioned way, it really does make a difference imo.

But yeh, if im busy and just want a loaf quickly I let the machine handle it all.....it is still better than the store bought by miles

[Eveline 9]

Another vote for the breadman ultimate breadmaker. I usually throw everything in the machine in the evening before I go to bed and in the morning we have fresh bread. I love it. I haven't bought bread in a store in months. It's still not perfect though. I'm still learning.

[Marilyn. 340]

Make it by hand. It only takes 10 minutes of kneading then you just let it rise. A bread machine is nice if you're busy, but the quality of the bread is waaaaay better if you do it yourself.

I just let the machine do the mixing and the rising for me and then I just take the dough out and plop it into a pan.. and let it rise some more in the pan and then bake it.. comes out much better then letting it bake in the bread machine...

[chnst 6]

Hubby gave me a Zojirushi breadmashine for christmas, I can absolutely recommend it. It's doesn't make a mess, it's very quiet and easy to use and clean, the only problem is that I have no clue how to make bread similar to the bread in Germany. I also haven't found a decent breadmix yet. It has been in the closet for months now because I ran out of german breadmix. If I knew how, I would definitely use it more often.

Zojirushi

[Marilyn. 340]

Hubby gave me a Zojirushi breadmashine for christmas, I can absolutely recommend it. It's doesn't make a mess, it's very quiet and easy to use and clean, the only problem is that I have no clue how to make bread similar to the bread in Germany. I also haven't found a decent breadmix yet. It has been in the closet for months now because I ran out of german breadmix. If I knew how, I would definitely use it more often.

Zojirushi

here is a couple of recipes for German type breads for the bread machine. I have never tried them though...

http://www.recipezaar.com/Black-Forest-Pum...hine-Loaf-95797

http://www.recipezaar.com/Hearty-Onion-Rye...-Machine-281784

Edited July 6, 2009 by Marilyn.

[Danno 1,228]

Wow, I had a feeling I would get some good input on this.

Never realized there was so much to making bread.

[Welshcookie 17]

Zojirushi

This is my machine also....I've had it for for some years now and it is very good