How much work is involved with a breadmaker?

[deaconblue]

Dh is keen to get a bread maker and while I'd much rather we all eat home made bread, I suspect it will end up being one more job to add to my never ending list of house hold tasks. So how long does it take to prepare, clean up etc?

[bigbuttons]

Nah it takes me a minute to stick it all in of an evening. Then it's ready hot and yummy in the morning. Get one, they're brill. Panasonic are by far the best make though, don't get any other.

[FunnysInTheGarden]

about 2 minutes, although you do need to remember to put it on every night. We have one and eat shop bought bread about half the week and home made the rest. Mind you we have 2 DC and both work FT, so it does depend on your workload.

[deaconblue]

Sounds great time wise, thanks.
Do you have to buy a bread mix or is it flour, yeast etc?

[fluffles]

flour, yeast, powdered milk, butter and water. really easy.
doesn't need cleaned really either as it's non-stick and the bread just slides out. sometimes the mixy bit goes in the dishwasher but we usually just wipe the actual breadmaker.

[PositiveAttitude]

I have found the bread mixes to not be so successful as just plain old ingredients.
Love mine. Would not be without it now.

[ivykaty44]

As long as it takes for the kettle to boil in this house. I make mostly daily bread for sarnies and I know the recipe of by heart, one teaspoon of yeast, 14 oz of flour, one teaspoon of sugar and salt and then 280ml of water, add a drop of Olive oil and lace the tin in the machine and turn on to time set.

I do have a flat scale that has a tear so I can place the bread machine tin onto the scale and weigh the flour into the tin directly though I use the measure for the salt and sugar and the measure for the water.

it is also great retuning form holiday as the first thing I do is put the bread on for the two hour cycle and it is ready the milkman delivers and I now leave to store cubboard meals in the cubboard ready - so I don't have to rush to the supermarket on the first day home.

[chalat]

Straightforward to use, but you need to measure very accurately and follow the instructions carefully. Once you are confident you will do that quite quickly. I found that having a hole in the bottom of a loaf (inevitable, it needs the paddle to mix) was a nuisance and it is hard to cut up a freshly baked loaf, slices tended to be thick. For us it was more worthwhile to make a large quantity (6lbs flour) by hand, and freeze loaves. I still do that. Dd and I went on a breadmaking course at //www.thebertinetkitchen.com which was brilliant. (I sold my breadmaker ages ago!)

[KatyMac]

I use an electric carving knife & cut it about 30 minutes after it's made

[bigbuttons]

There's nothing in the world that can beat hot freshly baked bread with loads of butter. Nothing. And yes it is terrible to slice when hot!

[startail]

Another vote for Panasonic here, ours gets used at least 4 x a week and works brilliantly (had a different make that leaked) Real easy to set up and just a quick wipe to clean. Do follow the instructions as the yeast and salt need to be kept apart until the right moment.
DH generally sets ours going as he comes up to bed.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Another Panasonic fan. Had cheaper machine in the past but the tins tended to buckle and had to be replaced. I keep the machine on a worktop so that it's always good to go. I place the loaf tin on some add & weigh type scales and weigh the ingredients straight into it. Saves on washing up and it only takes a minute or two. I'm another one recommending making bread the night before you need it so that it's easier to cut the next morning. And as for cleaning, I find that soaking the empty tin in cold water is adequate for getting off any stubborn bits... although mine sometimes gets a go in the dishwasher as well :)

[Meglet]

My dad + stepmum used one for years. IIRC they put the ingredients in before they went to bed and set the timer to start cooking in the early hours of the morning. When they woke up they had fresh bread and the house smelt yummy.

I used to love pigging out on the warm crusts .

[wonderfultykes]

Easy, just need to be sure to have all ingedients in. No cleaning needed, just wipe from time to time. If can stretch to one with a top section that adds in currants etc half way through cycle, it's brill. Timer setting can give you warm brioche in am (though says you shouldn't as includes fresh egg and milk - I ignore it & it's fine)

CAre with timer set not to get yeast wet or starts to work too early.

Doesn't keep long (dries out) BUT lock & lock do special size box for breadmaker bread really helps.

[nannyl]

i can do mine in just 1 minute

much easier than going to the shop, and buying other stuff at the same time so spending at least a tenner.

its very very quick...
3/4 tsp yeast, 400g flour, 1tsp salt / sugar and about 15g of butter that i judge by eye. and 280ml water
I have electric scales so just stick the bread pan on the top, put in yeast, then turn on scales and stick flour straight in.

I have a panasonic machine (the newest one and you can add nuts / seeds etc in the seed dispenser) Its fab, and sometimes i mix the flours and add in sunflower seeds or poppy seeds. I highly recommend it

I also use it for pizza dough (yum!) (and often sprinkle mixed herbs in that) and it has a GF setting so when my GF friend comes up its easy to make her some bread too, which is much nicer than shop bought, and i live in the middle of nowhere and have a 6 miles drive to a shop big enough to stock a GF range!

We use our bread machine all the time (2 - 3 loaves a week) and i dont buy bread at all ever, I just buy occasional rolls (that i could do in the machine, i just dont) and pitta. I also dont buy pizzas ever, i made a huge batch of tomato sauce (& add loads of herbs grown in my garden) (and i keep portions in the freezer) and just add whatever i feel like on the top! So much cheaper and healthier too!

I agree that it doesnt last as long as shop bread... about 2 days IMO and the 3rd day its toastable, but tbh we have normally eaten it all in 2 days anyway.

[mybabywakesupsinging]

5 mins a day including cleaning it.
Would recommend a book called "Fresh bread in the morning from your breadmaker".
I love the oregano focacia.
Made rolls, pizza, banana and honey loaf, fruit bread, tomato bread, ciabatta.
We use basic plain flour, and strong wholemeal