How long does a breadmaker live for usually?

[mybabywakesupsinging]

After nearly 3 happy years of producing a loaf most days (+ pizza dough, foccacia and lots of other nice things) the breadmaker has suddenly taken to making small brown bricks suitable only for toast.
Have tried new yeast, flour etc. No joy.
Do they really only last that long? it is/was a Panasonic...
I am currently looking at replacements so any advice welcomed...

My Panasonic is ancient, much older than three years more like 10 I think.

Is the stirer actually going round?

I ask this as my Kenwood died in a year and I discovered that the stirer paddle was not going round once it got the weight of the dough on it. The motor was working but the spindle had worn a large smooth hole in the middle of the paddle and was just revolving but not actually turning the paddle.

The other thing to consider is whether the machine is heating up enough or heating up too much as the electronic controller has failed.

My only final thought is that an occassional 'brick' disaster I have is usually down to me either messing up the recipe, not putting the ingredients in the right order of killing the yeast by accidentally putting in water that is too hot.

My Panny is years old and still going strong. Check the things mentioned above. Also have you moved where you use it recently? Have you put things around it recently? I know that sounds a strange question but please answer if you can.

We haven't moved it recently, or put anything next to it. It makes pizza dough OK so I guess the paddle goes round at least some of the time.
We've had a run of bricks now despite much care and attention...and to be honest it has previously been 100% reliable no matter how little care and attention we have put into loading the ingredients. I've changed the yeast and flour with no improvement .
I wondered if the heating control might be the problem.
If I can't fix it, any thoughts as to replacement brand? a new panasonic would be £100, which is a lot...

Ours is coming up for nine years old but doesn't get used regularly, say once a month.

Mine's done the same thing, I posted on it recently. I have slightly improved things with new yeast and making Large rather than Medium loaves but they still have a weird flat top rather than a nice dome.

Panasonic have a helpline you can ring up (mornings only though).

The thing is the Panasonics (when working ) make such good bread.

ours was used nearly every day...perhaps that's why it appears to have opted out.
I've just been searching old threads and panasonics are praised everywhere.

Maybe it's "mileage" - my machine must have done getting on for 800 cycles in the 3 years I've had it.
I am going to try that cookery helpline tomorrow, it's 01344 862108 if you're interested.

There's a notice on one of the breadmaker machine websites saying that the wheat harvest this year has produced flour of poor quality for breadmaking. It advises not keeping yeast more than 48 hours after opening.
I have treated our bread machine to proper posh bread-making flour (having got on fine with Sainsbury's basics for the last 2+ years) and all is now well . Foccacia, pizza dough still fine with the cheap stuff, though.

I had the same issue with mine and replaced the paddle. Made a difference but loaves aren't as good as they used to be.

Our first bread maker lasted 3 years and got a hole in the bottom of the pan. A replacement pan was so expensive that we just cut our losses.

Ours gets used daily, lasted 2 years almost to the day.
It basically burnt out.

I've had mine 13 years and its a woollies one. It only gets used maybe a dozen times a year though so that's probably why it's still going

You can have mine if you're in east midlands. :)
It's a Panasonic and has had light use.

I put it in the loft in August when we cleared the kitchen trying to sell the house. I don't miss it so it's now in the garage.