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Old 19-12-2007, 16:16
Zero gravitas
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We are told that mass produced bread that keeps for over a week is not good for us, and that fresh bread with no additives is the way to go.

With this in mind I have been considering buying a bread maker >>link to one of many sites<<but the problem is, is it really worth it?

It would take up space in my tiny (1.5X1.5M floor area) kitchen,
I'd have to buy fresh ingredients as even the flour won't keep, and once made the bread only keeps for two days at best.

So, are they just a fad or are they an appliance that you'd use on a regular basis?
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Old 19-12-2007, 16:27
Justabloke
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I've had one for about 4 years... I use it all the time. It's a very versatile machine capable of producing many kinds of bread and also making dough to cook yourself.
I find the bread keeps very well and it's great to wake up tp freshly baked bread.

That said it is kinda bulky but I have amuch bigger kitchen than you (sorry) so it's not such a problem.

I'd have one over a microwave anyday.
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Old 19-12-2007, 16:30
Altheya
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They're pretty good (mine at least) takes about 3 hours to produce a loaf so as long as you plan ahead or make a loaf on a regular basis they're great. Plus, you can make cake in them as well
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Old 19-12-2007, 16:32
weateallthepies
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They are worth it if you put a bit of effort in. It'll take a while to find a good recipe that works. Good fun experimenting though.
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Old 19-12-2007, 16:57
stud u like
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I had a bread maker. I dropped it and it smashed.

When I did have one the bread was beautiful and kept for some time in a bread bin.

Tomato bread was my favourite. It came out all lovely and marbled.
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Old 19-12-2007, 16:58
stud u like
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They're pretty good (mine at least) takes about 3 hours to produce a loaf so as long as you plan ahead or make a loaf on a regular basis they're great. Plus, you can make cake in them as well
Some you can also make jam in.
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Old 19-12-2007, 17:01
MrsOggy
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We are told that mass produced bread that keeps for over a week is not good for us, and that fresh bread with no additives is the way to go.

With this in mind I have been considering buying a bread maker >>link to one of many sites<<but the problem is, is it really worth it?

It would take up space in my tiny (1.5X1.5M floor area) kitchen,
I'd have to buy fresh ingredients as even the flour won't keep, and once made the bread only keeps for two days at best.

So, are they just a fad or are they an appliance that you'd use on a regular basis?
Bought ours a few years back. Used it twice and never used it again.
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Old 19-12-2007, 17:05
squirts mum
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I'm on my 2nd, use it all the time, not just for loafs but also pizzas, naan brads, pitta breads, jam etc. only cost £24 really good investment
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Old 19-12-2007, 19:06
Whirliegig
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Its so easy to make bread without a breadmaker, I'd say don't bother with one - they are so bulky if you are tight for space and the one which gets the best reviews (panasonic) is about £100?

I really wanted one for Christmas last year, but couldn't justify the cost, so I just got stuck in and started making it myself - don't know why I thought I needed a machine now.

Very satisfying and delicious!
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Old 19-12-2007, 19:16
Quickblood
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I like mine but I've become unhappy with the bread recipes in the book. You get really excited at the beginning but to be honest I think I've outgrown it and may go back to making bread the old fashioned way although I swear to god though I'm never hand kneading dough ever again.

One thing I'll say is that I don't think the bread lasts. After 2 days I think it's almost inedible so I tend to bake small loaves unless I'm hankering for a raisin loaf which I need no help in finishing off.
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Old 19-12-2007, 23:27
geekspeak
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Its so easy to make bread without a breadmaker, I'd say don't bother with one - they are so bulky if you are tight for space and the one which gets the best reviews (panasonic) is about £100?

I really wanted one for Christmas last year, but couldn't justify the cost, so I just got stuck in and started making it myself - don't know why I thought I needed a machine now.

Very satisfying and delicious!
Totally agree, at least to start with. It probably takes no more than about 20 minutes of "hands on" and then just waiting whilst doing other things. I have just switched to making brown bread, having previously been put off by hearing it is more diffcult but it turned out to be even less work than white bread and the result was fantastic!
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Old 20-12-2007, 00:30
Zero gravitas
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It looks to me like it may be one of those 'seemed like a good idea at the time' purchases.

I'll stick with Hovis for the foreseeable.
Ta.
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Old 04-11-2012, 13:41
bertiebott
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Personally, I prefer to make bread by hand, but if I was going to make bread by means of a bread making machine, I would probably use this Kenwood one: http://www.google.co.uk/products/cat...d=0CD0Q8wIwAQ#

Personally, I find that bread tastes better when it has been made by hand!
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Old 04-11-2012, 13:56
burton07
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I've had my Panasonic breadmaker for about 6 years and I use it nearly every day. A bag of White bread flour costs 60p and I use it on timer overnight so that I wake up to a fresh loaf of bread every day. As a loaf of decent bread costs over £1 in the shops, and I get three or four loaves out of a bag of flour, then I think the machine has paid for itself.

Recently I have had trouble with the loaf not coming out of the pan cleanly and a new pan costs £50, so I have ordered a new Panasonic breadmaker this week.

Since I've had trouble with the bread pan, I have tried making bread by hand. It's rubbish and time-consuming.

It doesn't take up that much room because the new ones have got a smaller footprint. I think that some people can't be bothered to measure out the ingredients and put them in the machine and that's why people say they don't use them. Having one will improve your life buy having fresh home-made bread every day.
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Old 04-11-2012, 13:57
bertiebott
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I've had my Panasonic breadmaker for about 6 years and I use it nearly every day. A bag of White bread flour costs 60p and I use it on timer overnight so that I wake up to a fresh loaf of bread every day. As a loaf of decent bread costs over £1 in the shops, and I get three or four loaves out of a bag of flour, then I think the machine has paid for itself.

Recently I have had trouble with the loaf not coming out of the pan cleanly and a new pan costs £50, so I have ordered a new Panasonic breadmaker this week.

Since I've had trouble with the bread pan, I have tried making bread by hand. It's rubbish and time-consuming.

It doesn't take up that much room because the new ones have got a smaller footprint. I think that some people can't be bothered to measure out the ingredients and put them in the machine and that's why people say they don't use them. Having one will improve your life buy having fresh home-made bread every day.
Has the timer ever failed, thus you waking up to a failed bread making process?
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Old 05-11-2012, 07:32
norbitonite
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That's a link to a google search result for breadmakers in general, and the first two on the page are Kenwoods.
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Old 05-11-2012, 11:54
burton07
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Has the timer ever failed, thus you waking up to a failed bread making process?
No, but I've had a couple of failures due to my not adding the water before going to bed!
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Old 05-11-2012, 12:05
molliepops
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We use ours twice a week, I make rolls and loaves. It is bulky but for us it's worth it. Bread keep about three days if you use it for toast and bread crumbs on the last day.
I also make pizza dough which is very popular with all of the family as we like to make our own toppings up and commercially made pizza bases always seemed to lack something.
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Old 05-11-2012, 18:14
katie
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I've had my Panasonic breadmaker for about 6 years and I use it nearly every day. A bag of White bread flour costs 60p and I use it on timer overnight so that I wake up to a fresh loaf of bread every day. As a loaf of decent bread costs over £1 in the shops, and I get three or four loaves out of a bag of flour, then I think the machine has paid for itself.

Recently I have had trouble with the loaf not coming out of the pan cleanly and a new pan costs £50, so I have ordered a new Panasonic breadmaker this week.

Since I've had trouble with the bread pan, I have tried making bread by hand. It's rubbish and time-consuming.

It doesn't take up that much room because the new ones have got a smaller footprint. I think that some people can't be bothered to measure out the ingredients and put them in the machine and that's why people say they don't use them. Having one will improve your life buy having fresh home-made bread every day.
BIB: I sometimes find it time consuming to measure ingredients but really it doesn't take too long. And anyway, it's possible to buy packs of ready made bread mix ingredients that just require the addition of water - and maybe yeast or butter - can't remember exactly, will need to look again in the supermarket, and some of the ready mixed are varieties on the standard white or brown bread, such as cheesy bread, onion bread etc.
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Old 05-11-2012, 18:17
stud u like
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Since this thread was started, I have bought a new one. It makes bread, cakes and jam.
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Old 05-11-2012, 19:36
c00kiemonster72
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I used to use a breadmaker until one day it broke

I then bought a Kenwood KMix machine and churn out dozens of bread rolls each weekend, lots quicker than a bread machine.

Like these
http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/a...cc61ecaba3.jpg

http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/a...1174d8d0a9.jpg
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Old 05-11-2012, 22:31
earthling13
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I started a thread like this about a year ago and, as far as I can remember, most replies said don't bother just buy a good food processor with a kneading tool. Because of limited worktop space I didn't get round to doing either.
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Old 07-11-2012, 11:50
burton07
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I started a thread like this about a year ago and, as far as I can remember, most replies said don't bother just buy a good food processor with a kneading tool. Because of limited worktop space I didn't get round to doing either.
My new Panasonic arrived yesterday and I've made a perfect loaf of bread with it. The footprint of the machine is quite small and it hardly takes up any room.
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Old 07-11-2012, 12:48
SHAFT
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Just buy a loaf tin. Bread is much nicer when its made by hand.
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Old 07-11-2012, 20:47
alsmama
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Just buy a loaf tin. Bread is much nicer when its made by hand.
I don't agree that it's nicer by hand ... plus it is much less faff in a machine - you just bung it all in and come back later to a lovely loaf. Not everyone has time to faff around doing the whole process by hand. I usually put mine on a timer so it will be ready just before I need it.
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