Breadmakers

[Katsma]

I quite fancy the idea...

But will it just end up in the back of a cupboard along with the yoghurt maker and george foreman?

Do you have to faff around trying to source fresh yeast, or can you get sachets that you just bung in there with some water?

I have been meal planning and flying. But will feel like I've really arrived as a sahm when I get that 'just baked' aroma

[iris66]

I recently got a Russell Hobbs Breadman Junior (as recommended on the WHICH website)- it's a fab machine and comes with loads of recipes: sundried tomato bread; ciabatta; wholemeal, dough. Even cakes and jam! You use packet yeast which is available from any supermarket (a sachet is the right amount for 1 loaf) bung the ingredients in and switch it on. I don't buy bread anymore.

[oggsfrog]

If you're feeling really lazy you can buy packets of bread mix and you just have to add lukewarm water.

"Wrights" do a lovely mixed grain one.

I got a £15 breadmaker from Lidl about 2-3 years ago and it's still going strong. Be warned though the bread never lasts very long.... it gets eaten virtually straight out of the machine in our house.

[Tinkjon]

It's definitely a 'back of the cupboard' thing for me - I bought it, got stupidly excited about it, and used it a total of 3 times in as many years The bread doesn't keep at all well so it might be ok if you eat a loaf every other day or something but we ended up just chucking most of it away...

[Dropdeadfred]

My panasonic is fantastic..you can use dry packet yeast..you bung everything in and 4 hours later you have fresh bread!!

Lots of other things can be done in it too, even if you have to take them out to bake them. eh doughnuts, bagels, croissants, muffins, cakes etc etc

[AngharadGoldenhand]

I have a Panasonic because it got good reviews for making wholemeal bread, as well as white.

Packet yeast is widely available.

Use it most nights, to wake up to freshly baked bread.

[curiouscat]

I've got a Panasonic and love it to death. Trouble is only 1 out of my 3 kids likes it, the others insist on bought white sliced junk. But you can't beat that just baked smell, for 5 minutes' preparation you get hours of smugness. I often have a loaf on the go when I know someone's coming round it makes a great lunch with a bit of soup, turns it into a meal.

Even expensive bought bread just isn't as good and I won't go back to it.

Just be aware that the minimum rapid bake time is around 2 hours. You can't just think oh I'm hungry, let's make some bread as you have to wait for it. Do get one, tho they're great.

[fryalot]

I thought that mine would be relegated to the back of the cupboard, but I have used it almost every day, and haven't bought a loaf of bread from the shop for months.

It makes beautiful bread, and as others have said, you can buy packets of ready made stuff that you just put in with some water. They all come with a recipe book which is DEAD easy to follow, and yes, you can get sachets of yeast that you just pour in.

[MrsWeasley]

I brought a bread maker and it was in constant use for a year. The loafs are quite small so disappear very quickly (with 6 of us all loving it)! I havent used it much (only as a treat) for about 8 months (mainly because my dh uses it as a cop out for helping to make the kids lunch boxes, usual rubbish "I cant cut fresh bread as well as you etc")

The secret is the order the stuff goes in and I didnt find it a hassle TBH but agree that the packet mixes are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy just add water and hey presto!

Made a lovely sun-dried loaf (from a packet) yesterday, off for the last slice now

[chocolateteapot]

Another Panasonic household here. Making bread is DH's job. If we have shop bought stuff, DD now complains.

[Tigana]

I use mine almost every night to bake fresh bread for next morning.
Uses dry "fast" yeast in sachets.
Also mixes dough for rolls that you bake inove, and bakes fruit cakes etc.
Just another habit to get into.

[Tigana]

You can make different size loaves accordinging to how much bread you get through each day as it does go off at a 'normal' rate so won't really last beyond a second day.

[PigeonPie]

We're also Panasonic fans here too, as are my sister and parents! Really don't know what I'd do without it. Haven't bought a single loaf since I was given it for my birthday two years ago. Also haven't bought a pizza for that long either as the dough is so easy and you can do doughballs with the pizza dough too!

[UCM]

Get a Panasonic. I was spending 1.20 on a bloomer every two days. Now I spend 32p on a farmhouse style loaf whenever I want.

I don't add sugar and the Lidls flour is 65p approx. I do buy a Tescos wholemeal and add about 50g of that to every loaf though.

Don't buy a cheap one. They are crap.

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

Panasonic. I had a Morphy Richards for years which was very good, but the Panasonic is even better.

[Katsma]

Thanks everyone for posting. Sorry for deserting the thread, but have been away for the weekend (the first spur of the moment thing I've done since DD was born 11 months ago!!)

Seems that you all like your Panasonics. Is there a particular model to go for?

You've all inspired me - didn't know you could do poncey fancy-pants bread like ciabatta!

[frogs]

I dithered a few years ago, as am not a gadgets person, but we use the breadmaker every day -- I just don't buy ready-made bread any more. Also good for making pizza dough, minus all the spooky ingredients you get in supermarket pizzas. You can do rolls as well, and dough for fancy bread that you then bake in the oven.

I think Panasonic only do one breadmaker, though they vary details from time to time. Ours came from Amazon. You def. want one with the raisin dispenser, you can make lovely bread with seeds. You can omit the milk powder from the recipes, to make it even easier.

[Katsma]

WOW - raisin dispenser too!

Ponce-tastic

[Katsma]

Have ordered Panasonic.

Now have to control my salivation until the estimated delivery date of 7th Sept

[frogs]

Mine is the SD253, if that helps.

[frogs]

Ah, crossed posts.

You won't regret it -- they're fab. And you can set the timer so you wake up to the smell of freshly-baked bread...

[Katsma]

Found a Which report that raved about the SD253, but no longer available on Amazon.

Ordered the one that's supposed to be its successor.

Am so excited

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

Why don't you stock up on ingredients so you have them all to hand and can start straight away:

white & wholemeal strong flour
skimmed milk powder
dried active yeast (Allisons or Doves Farm are good, don't get the individual sachets as they work out more expensive
lots of nuts and seeds
(you probably already have salt, sugar and butter or oil).

[mummydoit]

We used ours two or three times a week for the first year we got it. I can honestly say that, for a whole year, I didn't buy a single loaf of bread. It took about ten minutes to prepare a loaf from scratch, two minutes if I was using a packet mix. We had to stop using it because DH can no longer eat bread and I'm trying to lose weight and simply cannot resist the fresh-baked bread smothered in lots of butter. We're back to buying loaves but, once I've shifted the weight, I'll start to bake my own again.

[IdrisTheDragon]

We have an Panasonic SD254 which I got DH for his birthday. We all love it . I think its difference from the SD253 is that it will put extra ingredients in for you rather than beeping and you have to do it.

[ludaloo]

I have one
Its great, I set the timer, so we wake up to a fresh loaf...yummy