Bread maker vs baking in oven

[Greenring]

I am preparing for Brexit and considering bread. I have seen quite a few threads which mention a bread maker - is there a reason people buy these rather than making bread the normal way? I have bread ingredients but have never made it and am not a particularly great baker so would consider a bread maker if it's likely to be inedible! But I don't really want to spend on something I won't otherwise use... Any advice?

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MNHQ

Btw, if you're just starting out with proper hand-made bread then I highly recommend the Bertinet books. Enjoy!

www.amazon.co.uk/Brilliant-Bread-James-Morton/dp/0091955602/ref=sr_1_1/262-2740211-1164367?keywords=james+morton+bread&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1548971031&sr=8-1

is great for simple and lovely recipes

To the poster who asked about making jam in the Panasonic- no, it didn’t set, even with the addition of pectin. I don’t think it gets hot enough to boil the jam effectively. However I think I was making strawberry jam which is difficult —a pain in the ass— to set anyway, so it may work better with fruit higher in pectin.

I've only used mine a few times, too much faffing, it's easier to pop to the coop for bread.

Too much faffing? Mine is currently making focaccia to use as burger buns. It is significantly less faff than getting wrapped up to go to the supermarket to buy buns. And it is definitely warmer and more pleasant!

I made bread (by hand) today, along with chicken soup (using the remains and stock of a Mumsnet chicken).

It was all delicious, if I do say so myself.

Greebols snap! It's definitely chicken soup weather out there!

Defo too much faffing yes. Get dressed and get to the shops, buy all the ingredients, get back home, get it all measured and get your breadmaker out, start making it. Wait for it to be made, have a slice of shop bought toast while you're waiting, with a cup of tea or two, or three. Have a nap. Get the bread out of the machine, wait for it to cool.

Yep too much faffing.

Proven breadmaker, I was just wondering. If I made a no knead dough at lunchtime could I leave it prooving until evening. Shape it and put in my le creuset with lid on overnight in my then cool kitchen and bung in the oven first thing to get fresh bread for breakfast?

Yep too much faffing.

The ingredients for about 3 loaves of bread take up less space than one shop bought loaf, thus you don't have to go and buy them every time you want to make a loaf. You don't "get the breadmaker out", putting it on takes 5 minutes, tops and I can sit crocheting do other stuff whilst it cooks (no "waiting around" it just gets on with it like a little bread making servant in the corner). In my fluffy PJs.

And PMSL at "wait for it to cool".." like that often happens 😂😂

I use both shop bread and breadmaker bread depending which is more convenient at the time

Thanks to all your fab suggestions in here, a doubting Thomas like me has got DH to agree to spending our unused anniversary vouchers on part for a Panasonic. It is currently On.
Thank you again.

Can you remove the hook thing before you cook the bread in a bread maker?

IMO if you're going to spend anything on a breadmaker get a Panasonic.
I've an older version of this one which scored 91% in Which tests

Making and kneading dough is quite hard work and I can't do it any more due to arthritis. I don't really like the loaves from a bread machine so I just let it do all the hard work kneading and proving then I make rolls and bake in the oven. Unfortunately they never last long enough to go in the freezer as they get eaten.
Makes good pizza dough as well.

My personal hierarchy of bread (taste only) is:

1. bakery
2. hand made
3. breadmaker/supermarket in store bakery
4. ready sliced in a bag.

Sometimes only cheap white sliced will do, mind you.

My first ever machine made bread is now done . Dd is tucking into it as type. As is dh. They are loving it.
Thank you again for the suggestion.

I made some cinnamon and sultana bread today. It's amazing toasted. Like a bagel but better.

My hierarchy would be;

1 handmade on a good day
2 breadmaker
3 bakery
4 handmade on a bad day
5 supermarket bakery
6 sliced loaf

Do people struggle to slice homemade bread neatly enough to make sandwiches with?! Does it just take a bit of practice??

I'm rubbish at it. I'm in my 50s. Luckily other people in the house can do it.

I used to be shit at cutting bread but it really is just practise and a good knife. My slices are now mostly straight and a sensible thickness!

I think Lakeland sell a gadget to help those who find it a challenge!

I’ve had two Panasonics in my time - both free off freecycle. It makes life a lot simpler. I used to make all by hand, then used a food processor and dough hook and finally gave in to the bread maker. Sometimes I use the dough setting and shape a loaf or rolls for the oven. Sometimes I make a giant hot cross bun loaf. I fill the machine while making tea, pull out the loaf to cool before I go to bed, then is is easier to slice in the morning. My other top tip for slicing is to stand loaf on its end. Lie bread knife flat and slice the bottom of the loaf with knife sliding along board or worktop. Then you get a perfecly even slice of bread approx half the height of the bread knife handle thick. No need for gimmicky gadget! A warm loaf will slice like a war zone - let it cool down first. For soft crust, let the loaf cool with a tea towel over it. For crusty, let it air while cooling.

Bread machine is idiot proof plus uses less energy than heating the whole oven. I wouldn’t be without one now, and I am not a fan of kitchen equipment or single-use gadgets.

It takes practice. I used to work in catering and have sliced a lot of bread in my time so I don't have a problem but my husband struggles.

Best thing to use is a big pastry knife like this one.

Do the loaves come out with a soft crust? I usually do my own bread but they're always really crusty and I would prefer a softer crust.

If you are going to buy a bread maker I would either get the Panasonic or not bother.