That's it. I Give Up. I'm Quitting.

[Stinky The Clown]

I have done my last resistance to a bread machine.

I was just out shoveling the drifted snow off the walk and my neighbor called over to me. She had just made a couple of loaves of yeast-raised cranberry whole wheat bread and wanted us to take the second one. She and her husband had already finished the first one and the second one had just come out of the bread machine. I finished shoveling and went over to get it. The whole house smelled nothing short of wonderful.

Got it home and sliced it .... still hot enough to melt butter. Ate some with a macchiato.

Can you say "Nirvana"?????

So that's it. I am going to quit resisting. I need a bread machine. I know many of you have them. What's a good brand to consider. What features? Are there size differences? What do I need to consider as I look for one?

[eleny]

1. Mine is too old for me to give advice on manufacturers

I'm sure you'll get some good advice from others.

But I will suggest that you find a bread store in your area that gives classes and sells machines, books and ingredients. You'll get a feel for them. I'll also suggest that you look for one that makes a large loaf. Waiting for 4 hours and having it disappear in a flash would not be fair to your taste buds!

Edit: Btw, it's nice to see that you've come to take the veil! :hug:

[NMDemDist2]

2. just stick with any well known manufacturer, get a large one since

most recipes are designed for a large loaf

be sure it has a reminder to put in nuts or whatever and a delay feature is nice, you can set it up when you leave in the morning and return to the smell of baking bread (the machines take about 3.5 hours to complete a cycle)

Mine is an old Oster I've had for 8 years, and I didn't break it after all, it just shut down because it was over 85 degrees in the room

Your culinary skills will probably have you use the dough feature a lot. It may take up the slack from your Kitchen Aide for making dough for your pizza crusts etc. and will be helpful when the KA is being used for something else

Things I don't like about mine...

the shape of the loaf is very tall and untraditional. Since mine was a gift I don't complain, but I may have been happier with a machine that made a more "traditional" looking loaf. I especially noticed that when the machine shut down and I ended up finishing the loaf in the usual way. We made sandwiches easily with the "unmachine" loaf which we rarely do with the top heavy style.

here is a review site that may help give you food for thought :D

edit to add the link DUH!

http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/reviews/reviews-breadmachines.html

[wildeyed]

3. My grandmother offered me her bread machine

a year or so ago. I was moving and just had a baby, so I never got around to picking it up. I have sent word through the grapevine that I would like it now. Hope it didn't find a new home already!

[Lugnut]

4. I have one

It's a 2 lb loaf Rival but I don't think they make them anymore. It's about 8 or 9 years old and still works like a charm. The features I like are the various settings for quick bread, rapid bake, dough, etc., and the 13 hr. delay feature.

I use it a lot for making pizza dough but the other recipes I've tried in it turn out very well. The recipe booklet that came with the machine is chock full of tasty choices.

[Stepup2]

5. Welcome to the bread maker club!

Here is a link to a comprehensive recipe site.

Mine has a programmable timer, which is a feature I like. You could check out consumer reviews or Cooks Illustrated for opinions on machines.



http://www.recipesource.com/baked-goods/breads/machine/

[eleny]

7. Thanks for the link

There are a bunch of recipes tested in the same baker that we have. It looks like a terrific all around recipe site.

[cmf]

6. I love my bread machine

I'm not sure of the manufacturer, but I think it's a Breadman. It's a really basic model, which works for me. My only advice is that when you get it, don't get discouraged if the results aren't good at first. Sometimes it takes a while to get used to the quirks of your particular machine.

[Bjornsdotter]

9. Me too!

I received a Breadman for Xmas.....I just love it!

For years I resisted...glad I gave in.

Cheers,
Kim

[fortyfeetunder]

8. Toastmaster Corner Bakery

I got one a couple of years ago. The bread cycles have worked pretty good so far.

The nice thing about this model -- it has a butter churning cycle. Add a cup of cream, turn it on, and 30 minutes later, fresh butter. Then after making that nice, fresh, unsalted butter, use the mixing container and the buttermilk, add ingredients to make fresh bread.

It also has a 1 hr bread cycle and the loaf is decent. When I take loaves of the rapid rise bread into work break room it evaporates, especially when the homemade butter is next to it.

It makes dough nicely, I made a killer batch of brioche dough last week.

The jury is still out on the dessert making cycle. I tried making cheesecake and it sucked. I'll try again another day.

If this one ever dies, I am going to buy another one just like it.

[vademocrat]

10. I got a Breadman Corner Bakery for Christmas and love it -

especially the butter cycle! It makes about a stick of butter in 1/2 hr. I've made both 1 lb and 2 lb loaves-white, wheat, oatmeal-and combos with raisins. It beeps when it's time to put fruit/nuts, etc in. I haven't tried making desserts or pizza dough yet but this machine can do it all.

http://www1.interactivereviews.com/product/B00009KF18

[Stinky The Clown]

11. I've seen great reviews of the Zojirushi ... does anyone have one?

[NMDemDist2]

12. i noticed it didn't have the add raisins (or other fruit/nut) option

bet your neighbor used that nifty feature for the cranberry's in her loaf

most agree the Breadman is the unit and the Zoj just isn't worth the extra $100

sometimes you are just paying for unneeded bells and whistles

just like in "Gone with the Wind" old Frank Kennedy landed himself a peacock when a wren would have served him better. :shrug:

[Stepup2]

13. yeah

I have a Zojirushi. I love it. It has many bells and whistles I thought I'd never use, but I do. I have had not problems with it, and I use it often.

The timer feature is fantastic. I put in all ingredients and set it up so I have fresh bread waiting for me on the weekend. I have made brioche in it and it takes heavy whole wheat recipes too.

I make freeze jam and butter in it too.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Thanks for that. Does yours let you know when is the proper time to add

things like nuts or raisins?

[Stepup2]

15. yes

It gives a series of beeps and stops the kneading cycle to allow for these additions. The beeping is loud and persistent enough to be heard over my really loud dishwasher :eyes:

[eleny]

16. And the god made the Zojirushi

My cousin has one and it's the creme de la creme.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. Linens and Things had a Breadman Ultimate on sale for $99 today

It was the only breadmaker they had.

Is that a good price?

Is that a good machine?

[NMDemDist2]

18. did ya buy it? if so, you tell us

PS where are you traveling off to? are you going to be MIA in the Cooking and Baking group?

but IIRC the Breadman got good reviews and $99 is a good price for a breadmaker

[Stinky The Clown]

19. I'm going to be in Santa Barbara

I have a series of meetings on Friday and Saturday, then Sunday's a travel day.

According to the Weather Channel, it looks like its gunna suck out there. Wet and windy and cool. But I'll be in a hotel meeting room, so what do I care.

I'll be on the internet of they have a connection in the room.

[NMDemDist2]

20. what a shame you'll have bad weather, SB is a beautiful city and one

of my favorites in CAL

on a more important note, did you pick up the Breadman? or just look?

[Stinky The Clown]

21. I just looked.

They had a large number of them, so I'm sure they'll be there next week, too.

Also, I started another bread machine thread cuz I'm just not sure about this.

[Sparkly]

22. Ahem!! You are SO busted!!

So you were out trolling for bread machines at Linens and Things, hmm? Ya got a little lost on your way back from the computer shop, hmm? Sneaky, sneaky!!

[Stinky The Clown]

23. WARNING: If anyone sees this woman following a handsome man

into kitchen gadget stores, call the police. She's a stalker.



She's been known to wear vintage clothes with silly feather hats.

.... oh ....... uh ..... hi dear!

[Sparkly]

24. Would the "handsome man" look like this?

[Stinky The Clown]

25. Hey!

Be nice to me ....... k?

I'm old, yanno ......