AIBU to ask which Panasonic Breadmaker?

[Ichangedmynameonce]

I bought a cheap Argos breadmaker during lockdown and the bread is horrible. And the loaves are tiny.

Everyone says get a Panasonic- but there are loads of models.

AIBU to ask WHICH PANASONIC?
Please recommend or reject specific models.

I want:
Decent , tasty bread, including brown bread

A decent sized loaf, that will feed 5 of us.

Please don't recommend I do it by hand - I just don't have the time.

Thank you
ps I'm thinking the SD 2511 model

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MNHQ

@AmadeustheAlpaca

BaiblesandBawbags: I have successfully made cakes in my bread maker by lining the bread tin with baking paper, then putting the cake mix in. Can be a bit fiddly but the cakes turn out OK after baking. I think one of the reasons that Panasonic bread recipes turn out well is that they use basic yeast - Dove’s Farm is great - rather than the crappy sachets with flour improver in them. I love my Panasonic bread maker and it’s getting replaced with another one the second it breaks.

That's good to know! I'm probably asking a really stupid question but doesn't the paddle spike pierce the lining paper? Or can you yank that bit out too?

No, that's fixed.

I have an Argos one (7 years old) and it makes amazing bread, it's the same size as every bread maker (except mini ones) I prefer however to make the dough in the bread maker and cook in the oven

The paddle spike is fixed and does stick out through the paper, but it doesn't affect the look of the cakes. The bread maker cakes probably wouldn't win any prizes for prettiness on Bake Off but they sure taste good.

@AlternativePerspective

I got rid of my bread maker in favour of a food mixer with a dough hook. Now I have a kitchenaid but I had a dualit before that.

The paddle shaped hole in the bottom of the bread is enough for me to never use a bread maker, not to mention the amount of space it takes up.

You can put ingredients into the stand mixer and leave for five minutes, kneed for a couple of minutes on a board, stick in a tin and leave to prove. And the quality is far superior to a bread maker.

Oh I know someone who used to do that.

Eventually gave up as no, the Panasonic bread is better and you don't have to clean the bloody food mixer every time AND the breadmaker fits into a smaller space-!

Oh dear

I have never understood why people do cakes in the bread maker though. Surely as you have to do most of the mixing outside the bread maker, it’s as easy to shove it in the oven? Or am I missing something??

@101namesforme

I have never understood why people do cakes in the bread maker though. Surely as you have to do most of the mixing outside the bread maker, it’s as easy to shove it in the oven? Or am I missing something??

You can time it and make them whilst you are out or ready to come home. I wouldn't do that with an oven

Here's a loaf that's just come out of our Panasonic SD2500. Dimensions are 7in x 5 in x 7 in roughly. This makes lovely delicious bread. Had no issues with it in the couple of years we have had it. Can't remember how much we paid for it though.

@UsernameSaved
Thanks for that, I hadn’t thought about the delay function for cakes.

I bought a second hand Panasonic SD255 on eBay for £7.99. It sadly died after about 14 months so we replaced it with an SD 2501. I had a 20% off Lakeland voucher so paid £120 for it.

We love it! We also buy large bags of flour. We've had Marriages' the last couple of times which was about £18 for 16kg on eBay.

The seed dispenser is great. As is waking up to the smell of fresh bread! 😋

[quote 101namesforme]@UsernameSaved
Thanks for that, I hadn’t thought about the delay function for cakes.[/quote]
I imagine it uses less electricity for a single cake than a whole oven would. I've never used mine for cakes though.

A cake must come out a funny shape though? Tall and narrow.

Similar to a loaf cake though.

And still cake. 😂

Thanks everyone, I'm definitely after a Panasonic now! they will all be sold out now we are in lockdown again
@mynameisArthur that bread looks great!!!

Thanks OP ! Fingers crossed they are not sold out plus you are able to get hold of flour and yeast!

Whatever model you get, you're wise to make it a Panasonic OP!
There are brilliant.
One of the few good things to come out of lockdown last Spring was my dear old mum giving me her old Panasonic, which she hadn't used for years. It's probably one of the first models.
It makes brilliant bread - so easy, I just use the basic loaf setting (number 1) chuck everything in, press two buttons, and four hours later a lovely loaf! The smell in the last hour is amazing! I love it, I love the noises it makes too!
I'm very sad, I know.
I used to have a modern Murphy Richards, and it doesn't compare to this old Panasonic!

I have a heap Lidl one. I use this as a standard recipe

sorry to ask another question- its seems that only 1 or 2 models have a separate yeast dispenser.

my plan is to put the bread on time overnight- is a yeast dispenser essential for this?

Thank you

Oooh I don't know. We never do it overnight, I'm a wimp and fear it blowing up and am not bothered about warm bread in the morning - you can't cut it properly hot from the breadmaker anway.

BUT - I don't think it matters. I've heard that it's a good idea when putting everything in to make sure yeast doesn't touch salt or water, but that might be nonsense. But as a general rule I do - water, flour on top, yeast then one side, salt and sugar at the other. So nothing touches until it starts? Not perfect as some water seeps around of course. But it's never been an issue.

I don't think it's necessary - I've made bread overnight in my ancient Panasonic from the time before yeast dispensers.

We just throw everything in and go for it overnight. No concerns re it not rising.

I often make mine overnight with dried bread machine yeast. You put the yeast in first, then the flour/sugar/salt/butter, then the water on top. (I think the idea is to stop the water activating the yeast before it's all ready to go). Comes out exactly the same on a 7 hour delay as it does when I just throw it in and set it off.

Might be a different story with fresh yeast, but would you be using that with a bread machine?

Also yoni makes a good point: it's really tricky cutting fresh bread from the machine, so I try to time mine so it's had at least a couple of hours to cool down and harden up a bit.

I've had the Panasonic SD-ZB2502 model for about 7 years and I love it. It has the yeast dispenser and separate nut/seed dispenser.

I don't use the nut/seed dispenser much, and I had noticed that it got stuck a couple of times, so I had to manually release it. Not sure if that's a general problem, or just with my machine. I think after that, I just put the nuts or seeds directly in the machine with the other ingredients.

I usually do a basic white loaf (but tweaked slightly to add a bit of wholegrain flour - usually 360g white/40g wholemeal).

I think one difference between the Panasonics and other brands of breadmaker is the time they take - usually four or five hours, compared to maybe two or three hours, which allows for a better prove and rising time. There is a "quick" option on the Panasonic - two hours, I think - which makes a decent loaf.

One tip is to keep yeast in the fridge, even before I've opened them. I tend to buy the small tubs of Allinson's fast-action yeast.

You can't cut the warm bread in the morning (other than the first crust) but it is divine to come down to the smell!