Bread makers

Wouldn't be without mine - Kenwood, but I think most makes are good - slice and freeze wrapped in clingwrap (I wrap two slices together), then you take them out and put straight in toaster.

When we first had one we eat far too much so it is straight in the freezer now.

They are very useful. I usually make the dough then carry on as usual . Not keen on the hole in the bottom of the loaf.

Makes great foccacia and naan. Wouldn't be without it.

However cutting back after Christmas.

Make sure you get the correct dried yeast ('for bread makers'). I had several problems before I realised I had 'hand baking' dried yeast.

I make spelt bread in mine because it's low in gluten and easier to digest. I use the dough setting then finish baking it in the oven which gives a better result.

Like Tizliz we freeze all our bread and only take out what we need so the breadmaker is only in use about once a week but I wouldn't be without it.

Just trying to give mine away. Only used it three times. It was a hand me down from my sister who had been given it by her friend.
The loaf was a strange shape, the machine took up too much space in the kitchen and the bread wasn't that special either.

Mine is a Panasonic. It makes good bread, if I use the breadmaker yeast, but I prefer to use it just to make the dough, which I then shape and leave to rise for half-an-hour before baking it. That way you get the shape of loaf you want, or rolls. You can make two smaller leaves and freeze one, or make a dozen rolls and freeze some.

A minute in the microwave defrosts a loaf, half a minute defrosts two rolls, so you can eat fresh bread without having to eat up an enormous loaf. Sliced bread frozen in small amounts goes in the toaster without defrosting.

I have an old Kenwood Fastbake that I think might be on its last legs - but will definitely get another!

I didn't like it so much when I had to measure out oil, dried milk, flour etc, as it was all a bit hit and miss. Gut then I discovered Wright's bread mix - half a packet with the required amount of water into the machine produces the perfect 400g loaf, though for some reason the ciabatta mix says to use only a quarter of a packet. I reckon that's a typo, as the result is far too light a fluffy (albeit very delicious!)

I have one and used to use it fairly regularly but got fed up with the absolute precision with which the ingredients must be measured. And the fact that the ambient temperature can affect the final result. Get the measurements even fractionally wrong and the loaf would over rise and then collapse. This began to happen far too regularly for me so I stopped using it.

A compromise is to get a robot with a dough hook. That's what I've got now, takes up to 1kg flour.
You need to rise the yeast first, and measure other ingredients, but it's easy to adjust as necessary.
When the kneading is done, cover the bowl, leave to rise, then shape the loaves and rise again.
You do have to use your oven for baking though.
1kg flour makes 3 loaves. No holes in the bottom!

Tricia do you use dried yeast? I cannot find a source of fresh yeast - does anyone know where it is sold?

I have a basic Panasonic bread maker and have used it every other day for the past seven years. It is very easy and quick to measure out the ingredients and the loaf is ready in 2 hours on quick bake. I wouldn't be without it.

I have not used fresh yeast for decades. You used to be able to get it from a working bakers. The health food shop Real Foods often has it. Good dried yeast works well. Allinsons make a version specially for breadmakers which I have found more successful than the ordinary kind..

Gagagran - yes I use dried yeast. 3 packets of 8 grammes for a kilo of flour.
I used to get fresh yeast from an independent bakery here, but dried works just as well.

gagagran ask at the bakery of any large branch of Sainsbury, Tesco, etc. I have bought fresh yeast from our local Sainsbury several times (although admittedly not for 2 or 3 years now).

I bought my ds a Panasonic for his 40th and he's used it a lot. He also discovered the Wright's bread mixes and has made lots of different types of loaves.
The bread is lovely! (He often gives his poor old mum a loaf) ?

I've had mine for several years now and use it all the time. The recommendation then was to go for the top of the Panasonic range, which I did, and it's very good. So easy - just weigh the ingredients in and switch on. I use Allinsons dried yeast sachets and Allinsons strong bread flour, but have found Waitrose Essential bread flour good to, especially the wholemeal. The loaf needs to be taken out as soon as it's finished, otherwise it dries too much. It's good for toasting for up to a week but freezes well.

I have a Panasonic, which I've had for about five years. It's far superior to my previous one, a Morphy Richards, which burnt everything. I don't use it all the time, just as and when I fancy, really, but I am very happy with it.

I find it a moment's work to measure out ingredients as I've somehow committed them to memory. Ime they don't need to be that accurate, I mess about the recipes. My only failure was a 100% wholemeal loaf which could have been used as a weapon of mass destruction!

I now buy the tubs of dried yeast for bread makers, not the tiny packets, and keep it in the fridge so it stays fresh.

Mine's a Russell Hobbs and does a great job. I used to use it a lot but gave up for a while as the bread was so delicious I ate too much of it. Recently DGD (aged 6) had to make bread for homework and we used it again. DGC loved it, as did her classmates. She only took half a loaf to school!

I agree about the hole in the middle where the paddle is. I also find that wholemeal can be a bit 'heavy' and so now use half wholemeal and half strong white bread flour with Allinsons dried yeast sachets.

Has anyone had any luck using a basic bread maker for gluten free bread? Mine is not turning out well!

Gagagran - any Sainsbury's with an in-store bakery will sell you fresh yeast!

I swear by Panasonic. Found that MR ones measured in cups which was too hit and miss. I use a digital scale and put the bread pan on that, zeroing it as required, so easy to weigh accurately. These days I tend to make rolls which are baked in the oven and easy to take the required number out of the freezer for lunch. However do enjoy the occasional walnut loaf as a treat. I too use the tubs of bread maker yeast.

Another Panasonic fan here , I made a delicious panettone at Christmas in mine . Basic brown bread is what I make using Brown Bread flour and a handful of Pumpkin seeds added . I found Dove yeast the best .

Purple daffodil - I found a set of cup measures in a charity shop and use them quite often. They are, I think, a standard measure in the United States.

Thanks Elrel. I do have a set of North American cup measures too, but when I had a MR bread maker I used to use the measure that came with the machine and found it less accurate. However I did have a series of failures with my sainted Panasonic which turned out to be due to the flour I was using. Thank you Mr Tesco. Now I only use branded strong flour or Sainsbury/Waitrose own and all is well.