Bread making machines, yay or nay??

[BaconAndAvocado]

Considering getting one for Christmas.

A few questions for bread machine aficionados....

1. Do you buy the ready made mixes or do you use single ingredients?
2. If it’s the mixes, are they healthy...it’s processed??
3. How long does it take to make a loaf?
4. Where do you keep your machine? They’re quite big I think.

tia

I have the Panasonic one with the seed dispenser and I wouldn't be without it. I have used a few mixes but more often assemble different ingredients with interesting types of flour, add things like olives and sundried tomato (where the dispenser comes into it's own). I generally make one, eat what we're going to eat that day then slice and freeze.

Can anyone recommend a particular panasonic model they really recommend?

Any of the Panasonic models are good. They mostly differ in bells and whistles like seed dispenser or yeast dispenser.

Panasonic one here .
I set it up to cook overnight . Just a white XL loaf . I've tried the packet breadmix but not a fan.
Sordough was really underwhelming, I had to use 1.5 packs , extra salt and flavouring like rosemary and olive oil , or chilli and cheese .

I did make a dud one at the weekend , the yeast was dated Nov 23 but it was useless , a housebrick of a loaf .

Great for pizza dough , I set it up in the morning and the dugh proves in the breadmaker till evening.

Make sure your water isn't too warm and the yeast is fresh

Thanks all 💐

We also have a Panasonic one, it’s quite an old one about 10 years so quite simple.
We never buy packs, just ingredients. We tried quite a few breads but now stick to a few favorites, I do remember them and use a booklet more like a reference point. it’s on the kitchen top, as it’s used 3 times per week. I do often put it on timer overnight or when we go out. I regularly freeze some bread for hectic days and it works really well and it means we always have a fresh one.
The previous bread maker was very simple and when it broke we bought a new one the same day. I can’t live without it.