Bread machine - madness to buy?

[rockpoolingtogether]

I am considering buying a bread machine but would like to hear from others with one. Is it something that's going to be stuck in a cupboard and not used? What functions are must have? Trying to be less upf in my life

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I love my Panasonic one. I would say if you have worktop space to keep it out go for it. We use ours to make pizza dough, tortilla dough and of course bread!! Love the smell & taste of fresh bread...emulsifier free!

Panasonic, Ive had mine for around 16/17 years and has stood the test of time. Can either bake in the machine or make dough and bake in the oven.

I think they now make a machine to use real yeast with

Our Panasonic is over 10 years old and still going strong. We've started making all our bread in it and it's on 3-4 times a week. I also use it for pizza dough and occasionally brioche. We love it.

I've literally just bought one for the same reasons. Hoping to cut upf out with home made bread, burger buns, pizza.

Op do you have a stand mix with a dough hook? For occasional making bread or pizza dough id stick to this - but if you want to use bread every day or so then having the ability to set a 12 hour program and have fresh bread for sandwiches all week its better to have a machine IMO

Yep Panasonic. You have to use it though.

Does anyone want my vegan naan recipe?

I would make pizza using a tin of tomato strained and add tomato paste - if not in a hurry then id reduce tomato and use as base for pizza and then put any toppings on I had - often I kept frozen Mediterranean veg in the freezer to put on top and some mozzarella

I use my breadmaker all the time. It's on right now. We use it instead of buying sliced supermarket bread and making pizza dough. I bought a lined bread bag from amazon to stop it going stale so fast.

I've got a Panasonic one too. It takes 5 hours to bake a brown loaf whereas I can buy an amazing brown loaf from Lidl for 65p. I'm seriously thinking of ditching mine.

Just for a different perspective - I don’t have a bread machine but usually make bread a couple of times a week, either a plain white loaf or focaccia. Mix ingredients, knead dough for about 3 minutes, 45 min in the airing cupboard, shape into loaf, 45 min to prove. Bake. Eat.

Panasonic here too
Second one we've had, first one lasted 10 years

Use it loads

Just to add, I don’t have a food mixer either, so I knead the dough with my hands. It’s really minimal effort!

I got a second hand Panasonic on Ebay a few years ago and it has really proved its worth.
I make all our bread now.
I advise you to get a second hand one and see how you get on.
Mine makes a great white loaf in under two hours.

We use ours all the time and don't buy bread. We also use it for rolls and pizza bases.

We had a bread machine but rarely used it. Loaves too small and too many disastrous loaves.

I started making bread by hand and then bought a stand mixer with a dough hook. It's so easy and really satisfying as you're in complete control. I make bread, flatbreads, pizzas etc most weeks. Got cinnamon buns proving as we speak.

Go for a mixer not a bread machine!

DH uses ours several times a week. The bread is amazing. We've just bought a loaf while we were away for a few days and it was grim in comparison. Nothing like fresh bread each day. It's a Panasonic one which I researched loads before buying for him (he asked for it as a Christmas present 😂). If it died tomorrow, it would defo be replaced.

We have a panasonic one. Dh wanted one and i said i would buy him one as a gift if he promised it wouldn't become a gadget that cluttered up the worktop 😅 Anyway, 2years on and he uses it every Fri and Sat night to make a small loaf for the next day. It makes lovely loafs and the only extra bread we buy now is if we are eg. going out for the day and we need to make sandwiches for DD or something. I confess it is very nice to wake up to fresh bread on a weekend.

On my third bread machine, Panasonic (over many many years). Agree with all the above comments. But would add, get yourself a decent bread machine book and see all the different flavoured breads, breads from other countries, that you can add to your repertoire. Also, I get my flour from Cotswold flour company, they do different flours for different things, and again this adds lots of variation to your baking. Their Cotswold Crunch is our everyday bread, and their pizza flour revolutionised my pizza bases.

We got one recently and have been using it a lot. Though for pizza dough we find the Ninja food processor does a better job.

I'd echo @FizzingAda quality of flour and yeast makes a huge difference.

I loved mine. I gave mine to my Mum when I moved back to England (tried to reduce how much I sent back). Sadly diagnose diabetic since so I have to try not too eat bread <SOB>

the only negative was having (a now EX) partner who couldn't clean up after himself & breadcrumbs everywhere all the time!!

but fabulous bread, whether basic ingredients, a bread mix or a 'recipe' loaf. My favourite was an avocado & cheese loaf

if I wasn't diabetic I'd definitely have one!!

I don't have an airing cupboard so thought it would be good for that. I do have a magic mix which I have used for dough before but I'd like to avoid using the over hence why thinking the bread maker would be Al good

Sorry to jump on this thread but everyone who already has a breadmaker, do you just stick to the recipes that came with the breadmaker or can you use other recipes as well? Thank you!

Mix and match, most of the recipes are the same proportions

@FizzingAda (or anyone else!) Do you have any recommendations of a good breadmaker bread book?