Breadmakers

[I-say]

Hi, was thinking about purchasing a breadmaker. Has anyone got one, and are they any good?

[Jugglering]

I have a Panasonic SD 253 - not the cheapest on the market but it does everything you'll ever need (apart from the washing up heehee). Put in the dry ingredients, add water, switch on and go do something else for 4 or 5 hours, come back to a freshly baked loaf of bread (all sorts of bread). It also makes pizza dough, cakes, you can bake only, use bread mixes, add nuts and raisins, gluten free recipes and has a timer delay so you can programme it to make the loaf ready for breakfast. 3 sizes of loaf too, 3 different crust settings etc etc. Brilliant machine, I'd be lost without it (but I do like my bread !)

[cazzrob]

i nagged and nagged to get a bread maker, and wen i did , i used it once!! still gatherin dust in the cupboard! i go to shop and buy me bread now, but it is worth buying one, it makes a lovely loaf!!

[SteveD]

We also have a Panasonic SD 253 and use it about twice a week. We have never bought bread since we got it about two years ago. If it broke down irreparably tomorrow, I would immediately go out and buy another.

Neighbours of ours have also just bought one and are delighted with it.

http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/bread-maker/panasonic- sd-253/reviews/

[BBWCHATT]

I have one that does all the things bread makers do - I love the way it makes the house smell - but I can't get the texture right. I have used several different recipes but it is always coarse inside.

[emmalee]

Same as cazzrob, really wanted it, used it twice!!

[Jugglering]

Sorry to hear you've not had much success BBW. Here's my recipe for a simple white loaf - I've never known it fail !

1.5 tsp fast action yeast
500 g extra strong white flour
1 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
320 ml water

Put the ingredients in the pan in the order suggested by the manufacturer of your machine and set for basic white loaf (should be about 4 hours).

[BBWCHATT]

Jugglering what a sweetie you are for giving me a recipe to try - but I am an old lady who lives in the US and I don't have a clue what the measurements would be in cups, etc. Again, thank you VERY much for trying!!!

[Jugglering]

OK, 100g strong white flour is 1 cup, so 500g is 5 cups.
I'm sure the teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon(tbsp) are the same and 320 ml water is just under 11 fluid ounces (or just over half a pint).

Here's a good conversion site for future reference:-

http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/conversion_charts. htm

Happy baking !

[I-say]

thanks for your replies.

[BBWCHATT]

Jugglering - now that was going far above and beyond the call of duty honey - from one Mother to another - can you tell YOUR Mother she did a fantastic job raising you!!! I will try that recipe this week - I hope it works as well for me as it has for you!!!

I-say, my apologies for taking over your question and making it all about me - but Jugglering was so kind to try to help me with my bread problem. This old lady appreciates both of you!!!

[antiguru]

Panasonic SD253, without a doubt. My sister in law bought a cheaper make because I liked my breadmaker so much and eventually admitted defeat and exchanged it for one like mine. all the stories I hear about one time users are never about SD253s.

I�ve had mine for 2 years now and despite having a tiny kitchen where worksurfaces are precious, it is always out.

Also Juggerling didn�t mention it has a rapid bake function too which means you can make a loaf of white bread in less than 2 hours. Not quite as nice but still much nicer than bought bread.

Happy baking!

[Catso]

A fantastic machine! I've never regretted buying it, and it's 5 years old (or more now). Still in (almost) daily use.

Don't buy a cheap one, they don't do the job as well, and you'll get fed up of it and stop using it. I have the Panasonic 251 (earlier model of the 253) and after a couple of dodgy ones to start with, really every loaf comes out perfect. It cost a lot, but it was money well spent.

Fresh, warm crusty white bread, with a nice camembert. Oooohhhh!

[Jugglering]

Whichever one you do get, just remember NEVER immerse the pan in water. A friend was around one evening and *helping* me wash up; he put the breadmaking pan in soapy water and left it to soak for a while. Bad move. The next time I used the machine (next day), nothing happened and I assumed that the machine was defunct, kaput, whatever. I checked the fuse - it was ok but as by now I was totally reliant on it and addicted to real bread, I scuttled down to Curry's and bought another one! A few days later, wondering what to do with the old machine, I thought, I'll just give it one more try, yep, you've guessed, it worked perfectly !!! Something in the pan base had just needed to get dried out....... Never mind, I passed the old machine onto a good friend of mine who had *always wanted to try one* - she's hooked on real bread as well now......

[Catso]

That's a very odd story. We always clean ours by leaving the pan to soak in water, usually for hours. It's never been a problem.

[Jugglering]

I know it sounds odd, Catso, but even the manual tells me (in capital letters) not to submerge the pan in water !