Bread making Machines

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We started out with a 1 paddle Regal. Results were inconsistant. But we liked the idea. We moved on to a Zojirushi with 2 paddles. I can mix up a medium sized loaf in 7 minutes, hit the start button and have a fresh loaf 3.5 hrs later. The smell is worth it alone,but the bread is great too.
 
I have a Panasonic that dates back around 10 years. It was rather expensive back then, I think over $250 USD.

My bread making is more of a winter thing, and it does turn out good bread made by somebody like me who has trouble boiling water.
 
The Mrs. has a couple that we got at garage sales.

One was five bucks, another one just a dollar.

Around here the fad seems to have passed. They make great gifts and even "re-gifts".

The one we use most makes a noise that sounds like a car trying to start at 30 below, a motor making a half-turn or so.

Getting dry bread has proven hard, which is why we don't use one of the machines much anymore. IIRC the dough has to be so dry that it barely forms a lump after many minutes of mixing.
 
Make real bread using a biga. Start with something easy like ciabata. If you can make beer, bread is easy. I love to make bread, the only problem is that I eat it!
 
The Regal ,I started with gave inconsistent results. I dont think the single paddle design mixes as well as the 2 paddle. It uses 12 oz of water to 4 1/2 cups flour. Ive tried various recipes and dough. Havent had a bad'un yet. The smell of it baking is worth it alone.
 
My Zojirushi makes fine bread, whole wheat is delicious, only problem is the size, probably suited for Japanese petite appetite but not at this house, so my wife has to make it the old fashioned way, the bread available locally in India is atrocious and that includes fancy joints, Indian flour too is not truly suited for western breads and other baking items just like the flour in the west doesn't suit Indian flour based items.
 
Ghurka, my Zojirushi will handle 6 cups of flour, results in a 2lb loaf. 2 loaves a day, would be doable. 2 loaves a week are sufficient for 3 adults in this house. If I use the dough cycle and make bagguets, they go awfully fast. When I was a kid, I made bread under my mother's direction. Kneading it is a PITA
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Four adults here, two of them, myself included are into lifting weights and both are over 100Kg, voracious appetite here, two loaves from my Zojirushi gets finished for lunch here.
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So, is the bread machine making the dough for you to bake in the oven? or you have to roll the dough and put it in so it will bake?

Sounds fun, I am interested.
 
They have a loaf pan built in for "standard" bread loaf shape. For this, you just add the ingredients and hit start. The machine cycles through a pre-heat, a mix, a rise, and a bake. Also there is a dough cycle, which omits the bake. This is used for pizza dough, and different shaped breads. My wife makes bagguets with a French bread recipe. Its a little more hands on, but the results are delicious. I am lazy, and just use the pan. Yesterday, it took me about 6 minutes to mix a loaf of bread. The machine takes 3.5 hrs to make a loaf.
 
Cheapie breadmaker here (West Bend brand?), but it serves its purpose. Tastefully Simple makes two beer bread mixes that are pretty good...
 
A paddle stripped out on the Zojirushi a week ago, I phoned their customer service # on Monday and ordered 2 new paddles. They were in Fridays mail. Good machine and prompt service. I'm a happy camper.
 
I have yet to find a bread maker with a top heating coil to "set" the crust.

That is why many oven baked receipts tell you to preheat the oven and some even tell you to put it on broil for 2-5 minutes when the bread is first put in.

This sets the crust at the top and prevents the bread from sagging or deflating as it bakes. In other words, if you didn't get the moisture content just right, by setting the crust, you have a marjin of forgiveness so it keeps its rise.
 
I gotta admit stuff made on the dough cycle, then baked in a pre-heated 400' oven have a better crust. Thats what my wife does. Im lazy, I spend maybe 5 minutes assembling the ingredients, hit start, and return 3 1/2 hrs later.
 
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