Are breadmakers worth it?

[Tocktik]

I’ve tried a good few times to make different loaves in my oven but they never come out right, either too dense or doughy or burnt.
I really want to be able to make sourdough loaves for the family or gluten free loaves for intolerant DD.
if you’ve bought a breadmaker would you
recomment it and if so which brand/model please?

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One hundred percent and it has to be a Panasonic!

That was quick, thank you!

@Pleasetelllmeitgetsbetter has given the only answer you need!

Use my Panasonic about two/three times a week and it's a powerhouse of dependability.

Any links?

Is it the one that’s about £200? I think alabamalola on insta linked it the other week (when I was still pushing through trying to use my oven!)

Had a Panasonic for over 15 years, use it at least once a month. Best £99 I ever spent. Have made bread (including GF), hot cross buns, rolls, pizza base, curry loaf, tear and share, focaccia but never a cake (just use oven for that).

adding a yes to Panasonic here! Also I’ve had mine for a good 10 years - actually maybe more now I think of it - and it’s still absolutely going strong never had any issues whatsoever.

so lovely to wake up to fresh bread smell (on the timer option). Also discovered over Xmas it makes a pretty decent (if v inauthentic) panettone.

Yes very worth it.
Ours is the bigger Lakeland one.

Yes to panasonic - but try and pick one up on Facebook Marketplace or similar. Lots of people always getting rid of them. They are real workhorses and if they work for you can be brilliant. we use ours for all our bread, hot cross buns, pizza dough and dough balls, flatbreads etc. It doesn't get a lot of rest!

Yes it's so easy.

However sourdough is not easy in a bread maker so look that one up.

Gluten free and all kinds of other breads are easy.

I even make a basic white loaf for my fussy 4yo DC, which is not that healthy but I know it has no nasties in so I'm happy.

Malted flour also makes a delicious loaf! Any my Lakeland compact makes cakes and banana bread easily too. It's fun to experiment.

I shove it all in while I'm making breakfast and it's ready at about 11 - lovely smells whilst I WFH!

I got a second hand Panasonic for £30, use it lots and love it, never buy store bought bread now

Do they all have the teflon buckets in them? (Trying to move away from using teflon coated appliances)

Yes, I think they do but the machine doesn't go higher than 200c so iirc, that is well under the temperature at which is would breakdown and release toxins. I will only use a silicone spatula with it though, I wouldn't risk scratching it.

Another vote for Panasonic. I haven't bought supermarket bread since last summer (after reading the Van Tulleken UPF book)
You can buy some really nice bread mixes that give you a loaf in 2.5 hours. Or set a timer overnight for non-packet mixes and wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread!
Also great for bread rolls and pizza dough.

I really wanted one but then my MIL actually bought one and it has really put me off.

Her bread comes out really dry and when sliced falls to pieces so it's really tricky to use for a sandwich.

Every time we visit we have to eat this bread and pretend it's the most wonderful, freshest bread we've ever eaten as she regales us with how great the bread maker is.

I don't know if it is just the recipe she uses but I don't want to buy another appliance which may not get used 🤦🏻‍♀️

If you are going to get one Panasonic is definitely the one to have. I had one for years, I loved it and it makes astonishingly good bread, although I'm not sure how the sourdough would work as it's a no-knead bread.

BUT

For the last five years I have made all my bread by hand - yeasted loaves, sourdough, burger buns, pittas, Japanese milk loaf - everything. Yes, you screw up at first but it's so worth keeping at it.

I recommend the book Bread Every Day by Bake with Jack (can't post a link for some reason).

He's excellent and has a Bake with Jack website and plenty of short YouTube videos, which show you how to do everything and why things go wrong.

We had one and got rid of it, persevered with making bread in the oven and would never go back to a machine now. The paddle used to stick in the loaves, the loaves used to stick in the tin, it took up loads of counter space and if I used it overnight the smell would waft up the stairs in the small hours and wake me up (we are open plan). I do sourdough in a cast iron casserole dish and other bread on trays in the oven now.

I had got out of the habit of using mine, but have just started again and I had forgotten how easy and delicious it is. I also have a Panasonic and would recommend!

Anyone made sourdough in their bread maker? I am just working on a starter….

Love ours. Got one when we started reducing UPF. We make all our bread in it so it is used every other day, also great for pizza dough and naan bread.

We have the Panasonic 2450.

I just need them to make a domestic bread slicer!

We work FT so no interest in doing from scratch, and the bread is delicious.

Agree! I had one which wasn’t great, then bought a new Panasonic and wowzers!

@coffeeagogo I have to concede I wasn't overly impressed with the sourdough bread (so I occasionally buy that as it's usually UPF free) my son liked it though.

I bought this bread slicer from Amazon. It’s bulky, so I keep it away in a cupboard but along with the bread maker, the best kitchen gadget.

You can use it to slice up meat too.

amzn.eu/d/boYu6g0

Oh, and excellent book "fresh bread in the morning from your bread machine". All the recipes just work