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Original poster

Bread Makers - Which is best?

27 replies

Bagpuss30 · 02/04/2004 13:22

Quite fancy the idea of getting a bread maker and have been looking at the ones on the John Lewis website today. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between a small compact one at £40 and an all singing/dancing one at £100?

Would love to be able to do bread rolls as well as normal bread loaves. Do I have to have a particular type of machine for this or do they all do the same?

OP posts:
kiwisbird · 02/04/2004 13:24

my DH makes all the bread here and he's dead cheap
Sorry couldn't resist!
Hope you get a sensible answer soonest
xx

Original poster
Bagpuss30 · 02/04/2004 13:29

Can I borrow him?

OP posts:
kiwisbird · 02/04/2004 13:34

I have too much washing to let him out the door just yet
LOL

TheCODERATOR · 02/04/2004 14:02

"they say" panasonic

TheCODERATOR · 02/04/2004 14:04

www.johnlewis.com/stores/product.asp?sku=230164643&str=657

this one looks like it sdoes everything and butters it too!

havent got one I buy the waitrose bread and freeze it

would eat it all if I had one

Original poster
Bagpuss30 · 02/04/2004 14:29

Thanks Coddy, Cod, Michelle, Coderator (whoever you are today!). Will have to wait months for Waitrose to get up north but quite like the idea of being able to make bread on a Sunday night (when we usually run out!) and not have to worry about running to the shops.

Anyone got an opinion on this ?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bagpuss30 · 02/04/2004 16:30

Anyone?

OP posts:
TheCODERATOR · 02/04/2004 16:45

No sorry

MrsDoolittle · 02/04/2004 16:49

No but I do know they don't have to be that expensive. Friends who have them are very pleased with them, they didn't cost a fortune.

Agy · 02/04/2004 16:50

I've got panasonic. Makes lovely bread. Has lot of different programmes but I rarely use anything other than rapid as I can't remember to put it on in time for the longer programmes! The rapid bread is just as nice anyway. Perhaps its not worth paying for a lot of programmes. With rolls,it just make the dough. You have to take it out, shape it and bake in ordinary oven.

OldieMum · 02/04/2004 23:20

There was a breadmaker thread last summer. Someone recommended a Panasonic SD253 and I bought it. It's extremely good - easy to use and makes wonderful bread. I use it 3-4 times a week. She also suggested ordering it through empiredirect.com. I did and it was about ten pounds less than elsewhere.

OldieMum · 02/04/2004 23:22

It costs about £85. The main differences between that and others mentioned were the quality of the bread and its reliability. It also has a programme allowing you to add fruit/nuts/seeds while using it on the timed programme (so you can programme it to do this overnight).

Original poster
Bagpuss30 · 03/04/2004 08:18

Thank you very much everyone, I will check out the Panasonic when we go shopping later today .

OP posts:
Original poster
Bagpuss30 · 05/04/2004 08:56

Have bought one now, the Morphy Richards one. I am sooooo pleased with it too. Makes excellent pizza dough and french bread, yummmmm!

OP posts:
webmum · 05/05/2004 16:28

Bagpuss

which MORPHY RICHARDS did you buy? I've been looking for a breadmaker for a while now, but cna't decide on which one. I'd like one that makes pizza and other stuff as well as smaller loaf sizes.

thanks for your help!!!

Janh · 05/05/2004 16:32

They're in Which magazine this month! hang on a min....

webmum · 05/05/2004 16:34

Thanks Jahn

good to know!

Will definitely wait now

Janh · 05/05/2004 16:36

Best buys:

Panasonic SD253 £90 (test score 78%)
Morphy Richards Cooltouch Fastbake 48280 £40 (74%)
Team INternational BBA52 Rapido £50 (63%)

Panasonic doesn't have a viewing window.
MR comes with a fabby recipe for choc bread
Team International gives a pale crust

Will give also-rans in a minute!

Janh · 05/05/2004 16:45

Anthony Worrall Thompson Professional (54%)
Breville BR6 compact (48%)
Hinari Homebaker HBM220SS (52%)
Kenwood BM258 (58%)
MR Fastbake 48261 (58%)
MR Traditional Loaf 48300 (60%)
Russell Hobbs Breadman Junior 10882 (57%)
RH Breadman Ultimate 10006 (47%)
Team International BBA7 Rapido (47%)

The test also said you got the nicest bread by using the machine to make the dough - and use less yeast and salt than the recipes say - and then baking it in the oven.

There you go!

Janh · 05/05/2004 16:48

The Panasonic and Morphy Richards best buys are the ones mentioned here btw so you all get 10/10 for being good shoppers, girls!

webmum · 05/05/2004 16:53

Thanks ever so much Jahn!!

You're a star!

I'd just ahd a look at Which website but could find this info, is straight out of the magazine?

I think I'll definitely go for the MR now, as don't want to fork out £90 quid!!

off to do some shopping now!!

Original poster
Bagpuss30 · 06/05/2004 10:48

Sorry Webmum, didn't see your post but hope you like it when you get it!

Janh, I doubt my dh would give me 10/10 for shopping, more like 10/10 for spending more than he earns .

OP posts:
Freddiecat · 06/05/2004 14:37

We got the Panasonic on for Christmas and have honestly not bought a single loaf of bread since. The rapid bake (2 hours) makes lovely bread and we quite often use it in preference to the full programme. I have also used the following:
gluten free (shop bought mix) - very good - MIL was v impressed
pizza dough - very good but rolling out takes practice
naan bread - excellent - far better than I had anticipated
raisin and seed breads - lovely

The book is also dead easy to follow and most of the recipies can be adapted (eg. we make rapid white with 25% wholemeal and it's good)

No complaints whatsoever.

Davros · 06/05/2004 17:22

This thread's too long! But Good Housekeeping did them a month or two ago and said Panasonic

webmum · 06/05/2004 23:25

bagpuss

I've ordered the MR today from Amazon (£35) and hoping to get it by saturday.
I thought it offered the best price/quality option.
Panasonic too expensive IMO.

Will let you know how we get on!!!