Anybody own a bread machine? I'm dying to buy one, but am

[Gloria]

a bit confused. I'm about ready to buy one of the cheaper ones, a Sunbeam 5891 because some of the opinions I've read seem OK. All of them have their detractors. This one has a vertical loaf, which may not be ideal. But I'm more interested in how these things do over the long haul. Or do they all croak after 5 loaves of bread???

[Maddy McCall]

1. I have that sunbeam bread maker...

My advice would be don't go with the vertical loaf. If I could go back and buy again, I would buy the horizontal loaf baker.

[Gloria]

2. Are there any reasonably priced horizontal machines or do

I have to spend over $100???

And what is it about the vertical loaf that you don't like??

[Florida_Geek]

4. this is one but is is 199 but gets great reviews

http://www.epinions.com/hmgd-Bread_Machines-Zojirushi-Traditional_Breadmaker

[Maddy McCall]

8. It's hard to cut, and when you do cut it, it isn't bread-loaf shaped,

but perfectly square. The crust is hard all the way around. Even on the "light" setting.

[Nite Owl]

3. I've got an Oster

Got it at Costco years ago and it's still going.

[Ready4Change]

9. Ours too. We love it.

We've done a dozen or so loaves, which isn't much, but have really enjoyed it when we do.

My wife says to not scrimp. Get the larger size if you're facing a choice between that and a smaller one with a lot of features you aren't likely to use.

[Ilsa]

22. Ditto. I love mine as well.

My MIL has a Hibachi or something like that which we bought and used and gave to her after I got the Oster from my mom.

[Kellanved]

5. I don't like them

But a hint given to me by a guy at our Chemistry Department: get one with two+ dough hooks. (don't ask what they bake in them...)

[librechik]

6. I love the bread machine I own

which has a vertical loaf pan with an optional extension which makes a 1 and a half loaf--Unfortunately the recipes I have don't adapt well to the odd loaf size for some reason, and it never has really risen all the way into the second band of the pan. I need to experiment more with the amounts I guess. I'm at high altitude too, which doesn't help--the loaves collapse after rising too fast, and then they won't proof properly.

Oh well--it's still a great help if your hands have trouble kneading dough--the machine does the whole thing, really.

[eyesroll]

7. I theoretically own one.

I haven't used it in six years.
I have a Kitchenaid mixer that I use for kneading when I'm lazy, or I knead by hand. (I now have radiator heat, which is perfect for letting the dough rise.) I never really cared for the bread produced by the machine -- always had that hollow from the dough mixer thingy, and the mixes were too sweet, and non-mix recipes never came out right either.

:shrug:

[Gloria]

11. I've been reading comments like yours, eyeroll..seems like either a

mixer or even a Cuisinart food processor can do the mixing and kneading easily enough...then just let the dough rise and bake...

We're on the verge of getting a new food processor so I may look into a Cuisinart. A big stand mixer won't get much use in our 2 person household and they're so expensive!!

[Zorro]

10. My wife has had one for 9 years

It's a Hitachi vertical loaf maker and was about $100 new. She's probably baked on average 1 loaf a week since she got it, and absolutely loves it. And it's still going strong.

It's pretty easy to use, and the bread is delicious. It's also a lot cheaper than buying bread in the supermarket. The only (minor) drawback is the paddle in the bottom of the pan that kneads the dough leaves a hole in the heel of the loaf.

[bleedingheart]

12. Never used it after I got a Kitchenaid stand mixer

that baby makes cooking a dream...

The breadmaker bread is not as good as the stuff I make by hand or with the mixer...

[tyedyeto]

13. I had a Williams/ Sonoma one that my ex kept........

it was very good but I lost it during the divorce.

I would get another one just like it if I had the same options.

[DemGa]

14. This might not be important to some

but I would look for the part that the bread cooks in to be made of stainless steel. I don't care for that non-stick teflon coating that I've seen in some.

[Tsiyu]

28. It gives a metallic taste to the bread

I have a "gift" bread machine- Mr. Coffee breadmaker.

Loved the ease of use and the crust ( if you hate hard crust put the fresh loaf in a plastic bag and seal tightly. That sometimes will soften it).

I've made about 10 loaves so far. But I did not like the metallic taste of the container so I haven't made a batch in a long time.

[incapsulated]

15. Are these a pain to clean?

I've always been a hand-kneader myself, but I'm considering a bread machine. I'm nervous that it won't taste as good, though, and will be a mess.

[bleedingheart]

16. no due in part to the liberal coating of Teflon in them...

[incapsulated]

17. hmmm...

*still on the fence*

[Ilsa]

23. Piece of cake to clean.

Overall, much less messy than kneading by hand. And you can always take it out after the last kneading if you want to bake it in another form or make baguettes, etc. I used to make pizza dough alot.

[incapsulated]

26. OK

So that's one for the bread machine! Thanks.

[Ilsa]

33. If I had to spend all that time kneading,

I'd never get around to making the bread.

I have some garlic herb bread in the machine right now. It'll be done around 11 am and then I'll start some french bread. We're having company over and I'd never get to bake with all the cleaning I have to do and kids to watch, including one that is disabled.

[thatgemguy]

18. I have one

that I inherited from my mother in law. It works fairly well, with some of the same drawbacks that others have mentioned here.

I love it for the dough function, and will take the dough and put it in regular bread pans and bake it in our oven. You get better loaves that way.

If you had a choice between a bread machine and a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, I'd recommend the mixer. The mixer kneads dough very well and is good for so many other uses. Even though we have a two person household, we use the Kitchen Aid frequently.

My best advise though, is to buy your yeast in bulk and keep it in a tightly closed container in the freezer. I pay $2.50 for a pound of yeast at a local bakery supply house. It beats paying a premium price for those little packets, and lasts for years.

Homemade pizza, bread, cinnamon rolls, breadsticks, soft pretzels.... Mmmmmmmmmm!!!

[incapsulated]

19. Completely OT

The Jesus graphic you have as your avatar, and seen elsewhere, where did you get it?

[thatgemguy]

21. Buddy Christ

You probably saw it from the movie "Dogma". I got it from the DU avitar page.

[incapsulated]

24. That's it

Now I can google it. Thank you!

[cally]

20. I've owned two

The first was a gift and I had it for about 10 years. My kids used it a few times a week the last four years. It makes it easy to make bread.

I then inherited a machine about 6 months old so I gave away my old one. The hook broke after two or three loaves. I don't have one now.

I got a cuisinart food processor for Christmas that I'm hoping to figure out enough to have it knead the dough.

[Ilsa]

25. I got a cuisinart food processor also!

I'm looking forward to making the baguette bread, for starters.

[cally]

31. Send me hints when you try

I'm going to try next week.

[Ilsa]

34. teen-4.

So far, the biggest deal is not overchopping, as in onions.

[Gloria]

32. I just checked out our old Hamilton Beach food processor and it

claims to be able to knead dough! I'll have to try it. If it breaks, then I can get a Cuisinart. They claim the 7 cup can knead dough well...

I'm leery of the Teflon on most of these things, too.

[Lugnut]

27. I have an old Regal

I bought it because of the reviews I read in Consumer's Report back then and it's been great since about 1995. The bread recipes in the book that came with it are very good. I use it a lot to make pizza dough.

[DemBones DemBones]

29. I've had one since they first came out. It still works

but my husband bought a new one about a year ago, thinking the old one must be about to break. We love having a bread machine.

I started baking bread the old-fashioned way in 1967, having grown up with the blessing of a grandmother who had baked bread all her life. I love to knead bread but I am physically unable to do it anymore. Even using my Kitchenaid to knead it for me is not easy enough for me. But initially, when I was still teaching, it was saving time that made a machine so great. How many days a week do you have time to make bread? Having a bread machine is like having little elves come in and bake for you, over night if you like, in time to have fresh bread at breakfast. ;-)

My machines have the vertical pan so it doesn't look like bread baked in loaf pans -- who cares? The bottom crust is often tough -- who cares? Cut if off and give it to the dog! Or use it for bread crumbs if you're super thrifty, as I often am.

The bread tastes great!!! I have never used bread machine mixes but have made a number of recipes from the booklets that came with the machines and from bread machine cookbooks. You can also just have the machine mix dough and shape it yourself for French bread, rolls, etc. Also PIZZA!!!

I can do all this with my Kitchenaid mixer, too, but remember you have to let the dough rise and punch it down, form it into loaves and let it rise again, and then bake it, which takes time and requires you to be home at the right moments.

Anything else you need to know?

[Baja Margie]

30. I had a cheapo one

it was okay, but I just went back to baking bread by hand. Maybe one of these days I'll get an expensive one.