Bread making - do you still use yours?

[LadyWithLapdog]

I’m thinking of buying a bread making machine. Will I actually use it? If you have one, how often do you use it? I don’t want to get bored and it to just gather dust in the garage.

Use 2 or 3 times a week for about 10 years.

on bread maker three. Had one for 18 years. Use it every two days. Don’t buy bread at all. Can’t do shop bread (ibs) but no bloat with home made. Panasonic are good. Get one with a delay timer (13hr delay means you can put it on at breakfast and have it come out at tea) but the cheaper models don’t have seed/nut dispensers but that doesn’t sound like it’d be critical for you.

I bought a new one this year (our last one died several years ago after many years of faithful service). We use it at least once a week for bread, pizza dough etc. DH & DD mostly eat wraps or rolls, which I CBA making. I have specific dietary issues so a breadmaker is an absolute necessity for me... I made a spiced fruit & nut loaf yesterday. Yum!

That’s encouraging. I don’t need fresh bread to pile on the pounds, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about over the years. I’d go for something small and simple to use and clean.

Panasonic here , I use at least 2-3 times a week , and make pizza dough for DS
Sweet dough ( I think its a Chelsea Bun recipe) done with cinnamon and sugar in the middle , mixed and proved then shaped .

Absolutely love it

Just to say, I did manage for a few years with just a standard food mixer that has a dough hook - if you've got one like that (such as a Kenwood or KitchenAid) & you're struggling for money or have a small kitchen, you do need to really think about how often you'll use it. As breadmakers aren't small, & you obviously can't make much else with them, unlike a mixer. Much more convenient with a breadmaker though, overall.

Another loyal Panasonic user here, for about 20 years. I started using it again in lockdown after a hiatus, and we now make all our own bread in it, a couple of times a week because there are only two of us. I won’t go back to shop bought now.

And another Panasonic user here for around 15 years. Used every couple of days usually on the quick 2hr setting which gives a softer loaf that the kids prefer. I haven’t been diagnosed with any conditions but I often find that shop bought bread uncomfortable bloats me and I have no such issue with home made bread.
Inspired by all the previous posters I think my New Year’s resolution will be to explore more programs!

Make Sourdough, no need for a bread maker, i pop mine in a cast iron pot (Dutch oven) in the oven which can also be used for casseroles.
Although to your previous point, I’ve had to to cut down on the making of Sourdough as I did pile on the pounds……….

I used mine all the time and got in a good rhythm of always having a fresh loaf made everyday but then I decided to give up eating bread to lose weight and it hasn't been touched in 18 months now.

I've had a Panasonic for over ten years and don't use it as much as I used to. This is mainly because I have had to go gluten free and the kids, now teens, don't eat a lot of bread. Still glad I got it. Use it to make the odd pizza base or focaccia.

I had a Panasonic years ago but gave it away, the best bread maker is using your hands.

Cleanest fingernails in the village me.

Yes, I’ve had a Panasonic for about ten years. It’s used two-three times a week in general. There are times it gets put away in the cupboard and not brought out, though -it’s quite big and heavy. We use it more if it’s kept out all the time.

Have had my Panasonic two years. Don't buy shop bought bread at all. Couldn't live without it!!

Another vote for Panasonic. I love it. I use mine to make lovely bread and also pizza dough - I can make a double batch at a time which makes 6 pizza bases and I freeze the extra dough (works really well).

You can get a second hand one on Ebay for about £50.

Yeah ours is on every few days. The bread is so much nicer (if you can find a recipe for a creme fraiche bread it's properly treatworthy). We have young kids so make pizza dough and convert it into an endless stream of pizza, flatbreads, calzone... hand food basically. I also double up and then freeze dough.

Now combining my interests by making dough in bread machine, cooking it as rolls in the air fryer and then having with soup maker soup. Genuinely feel this deserves some kind of MN prize 😄

I bought one a few years ago, used it for a while and then got fed up with it and eventually gave it to a charity shop. I just make bread by hand now when I want fresh bread (admittedly easier with gluten free as it doesn't require so much kneading as gluten bread but I find the process quite relaxing) - got some baguette dough in the fridge right now waiting to be baked for dinner.

Yeah, my ds has coeliac and he doesn't like the shop bought bread, so I make a loaf two or three times a week in the Panasonic. I don't have the patience or inclination for making it by hand.

I don't use mine. Got it about 6 years ago and it's just gathering dust.

I like to buy little bags of pre-mixed bread mix. You just add water and butter. I enjoy the kneeding process. I don't enjoy the sound of the bread machine. It's really noisy when it is kneeding. It's a kenwood. I don't know if other ones are quieter.

Love mine. I’ve gone through 3 machines in the last 25 years. I buy bulk good quality flour from an online mill.

Make cinnamon and raisin bread or seed bread or just plain loaves. I don’t use it everyday as the family tend to eat the whole loaf as soon as it comes out 🤣. The smell of fresh bread draws them down to the kitchen.

Every day or two. It’s a Panasonic and we have had it 17 years this Christmas. It stopped working once so I opened it up, discovered the drive belt was shredded, ordered a new one for pence and it has been perfect ever since.
It’s one of our most used gadgets but I am aware that’s not true for everyone.
I would say, don’t bother unless you have space to leave it out. They are so big and heavy you won’t use it much if you have to get it out each time.

Mine died about 3 years ago. Thanks to this thread I've just ordered a new one. Used to use mine regularly

That’s so funny, when I got my kitchen done I specifically specced a cupboard for putting it in so that it doesn’t sit out.

unfortunately not as clever as I thought I was as it lives in my baking pantry with the flour which I don’t want to get steamy so I cart it across the kitchen to plug it in near the extractor (paranoid)

Thanks for all the answers. I shall explore further. It sounds versatile and I could rope one of my DDs to help.

I think I have a dough hook in a food mixer I received as a wedding present close to 30 years ago. I don’t think I’ve ever used it. I’ll take out the whole thing first and see what I have and what still works. Start with that.

A special gadgeteer-of-MN award to @JennyForeigner !!