Bread machines

[KathieB]

We have been trying to eat more whole grains, so I've been buying whole wheat bread. Even the more expensive loaves tend to have the taste and texture of silage, so I'm thinking seriously of buying a bread machine and baking it at home. I checked Consumer Reports and some other evaluation groups, and the Zojirushi BBCCX20 is far and away the most highly recommended.

Have any of you had any experience with this machine? It's a bit pricey at about $200, but none of the less expensive machines seem to come even close with user recommendations.

So ... do you make your own bread? What machine do you use? What do you like or don't like about it?

Thanks in advance.

[heidiiiii]

I make my own bread. I did get a bread machine for Christmas one year but I did not like it. I make italian bread. I like when the loaves are kind of off kilter. Now I just mix in the KitchenAide mixer, then put the dough hook on to knead, and do the rest. I think I like the hands on of making bread. Maybe that is why I did not like the machine. The bread tasted great though.

I still have the machine stored away...I think I will give it another try. I will have to go down and see what maker it is..i cannot remember..LOL

[chesterfieldzoo]

I would LOVE to make my own bread.

[nechee]

I don't know that particular model, but I do know bread machines. They are great. I love making my own bread. Also there is a setting you can make your own pizza dough and make your own pizza. I used to use mine every day until the motor burned out. i haven't had the money to get another one. But bread machines are great.

[grazhina]

I've been a bread baker for years, and a few years ago DH got me a Breadman Ultimate Plus. I don't do bread as often as I used to, DH is supposed to watch his carb intake, but the machine is still pretty handy. One of the reasons he got it for me was because he wants a super thin crust pizza, while our son and I get sick of thin crust and I wind up making 2 doughs. I can start one in the machine and when the first is done mixing and kneading I take it out to rise and pop the ingredients in for the second.

With cooler weather and a teenage son who eats more, I've found myself making more bread again. I've been doing Italian bread a lot, and the machine is a great helper. I throw in the ingredients, let it make the dough, then take it out and shape it to let it rise and bake in the oven.

Personally I prefer machines without a lot of gimicks, doodads, bells and whistles, I find I never use any of them, so why pay extra? The Breadman has gotten mixed reviews on Epinions, but I'm with the ones who've been happy with theirs. I've had no problems with mine.

BTW, if you're looking to see what people have to say about products they actually own and use, Epinions is a helpful source. There's been things I bought that I wished I had read Epinions reviews on them before I bought them.

[havanaholly]

I'm a bread maker and I have a bimanual bread "machine". I don't even use my Kitchenaid any more. I have a wonderful wholewheat bread recipe I brought back from Hawai'i that begins with a starter the night before and uses a mixture of wholewheat & white flours. You can change the basic flavor of bread by what you put into it. I like the lighter taste of honey over cane sugar in wholewheat bread. Oatmeal & other cereal grains really jazz up the taste & nutritional "BAM!"

[c4cache]

I started making homemade bread when hubby and I got married 11 years ago. We had six kids in the house and buying bread just wasn't an option at the time. Making it ourselves saved us a ton of money. I never bought a really expensive bread machine, I don't think I've ever paid over $50.00 for one. I've gone through three machines in 11 years just due to use. They are worth every penny though! I've got an amazing recipe for "english muffin bread"; tastes just like an english muffin, you can't tell the difference. If any of you are interested, let me know, I'll pass it on.

[KathieB]

I've got an amazing recipe for "english muffin bread"; tastes just like an english muffin, you can't tell the difference. If any of you are interested, let me know, I'll pass it on.

Yes, please! <drooling>

[c4cache]

Sent you a pm for the recipe!

[KathieB]

Holly said I could share the recipe here. It sounds scrumptious!

English Muffin Bread

1 1/4 cup water

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 cups flour

2 tbs milk

2 tsp yeast

Use your basic bread setting. (If you have a crust function on your machine I always use "light".)

I've made this bread a thousand times and it's always a hit. Fabulous with jam!!! It does make a small loaf, so don't be alarmed at the size. I always intended on doubling the recipe to make a larger loaf, but never did. Oh, and the top of this bread will "sink" a little bit, absolutely normal for this recipe. Do give it a try and let me know what you think! I'm going to have to make some today, sounds good for breakfast tomorrow!

[chesterfieldzoo]

I want the recipe too, please. Just post it here. It would be easier on you.

[Hallowell]

I have a bread machine that I have only used once, the bread was on the small stiff side. But I'm sure that it was from operator error.

Now I just let Russ make the bread, he makes a killer sour dough. :yes:

[Debra from Olde Cape Cod]

I have a "zoji" and just love it! They are built to last. I have an electric grinder too to grind my own grain. If you grind it fresh each time you make bread, you get all of the vitamins that are in the wheat naturally. Since doing this, my family is very rarely sick.

[Wolfie]

My Zojirushi just died after 19 years! We will be getting another one after the new year. I loved my Zoe. It made marvelous breads and bread dough and much else over the years. Strong motor, wonderful dependability, it has been on my counter in the kitchen for all of my relationship with Doug. Our Zoe was used almost daily. Some days I made three to four batches of dough and then baked the loaves in the oven to give out to our neighbors or to take to a party. I made mean baugettes. Onion and poppyseed mostly, that everyone loved. It is probably more expensive than other machines, but to us it has repaid us over and over and over and over.....paying for itself literally within the first year we had it. I miss it terribly. I don't have the heart to take it to the dump...I won't do that until the new one comes. I am still depressed as we have been buying our bread and it's tasteless! I cannot knead my own bread anymore, so was really dependent on my Zoe......

[butlerestates]

My husband had a bread machine when we got married and I love it. So much in fact that I had to store it away because we were eating so much of it. And as most people do after they get married we starting getting fat. You know come to think of it since we are both way bigger now anyway I don't think the homemade bread was the cause so I'm gonna get it out and make us some!!

[wenlaine]

I had purchased a Sanyo about 15 years ago and it had the best recipe for whole wheat bread that I'd ever tasted. It still works great but now I only use it to make raisin bread which is absolutely mouthwatering.

[Tams]

Greg - would Russ have a recipe for sourdough starter? I love sourdough breads, but have no clue how to make the starter.

Thanks for the English muffin bread recipe - I can't wait to give it a try!

I love my bread machine - I don't use it often any more, but I still love it!

[Kalygirl]

Ok, now I'm hungry, thanks a lot everyone! :yes: I got Eric a bread machine a few months ago, nothing fancy, one of the $40 wonders from wally world (suncoast? sunbury, something sun, anyway). He has used it a few times, and says he really likes it. The only possible problem I foresee is that ours is small, and a loaf is really only good for 2-3 people, so if you have lots to feed, be prepared to make more loaves, I guess. Eric told me that it is literally easy enough that I could do it, so that's a good thing! I love bread.

[Wolfie]

There are so many wonderful bread machine books out there. I have 15 of them. They have receipes for all kinds of breads, rolls, etc., including sour dough starter. There is one that is 5 bread receipe books in one, and I highly recommend it.

[KathieB]

I had purchased a Sanyo about 15 years ago and it had the best recipe for whole wheat bread that I'd ever tasted. It still works great but now I only use it to make raisin bread which is absolutely mouthwatering.

Do you still have the recipe? Will you post it? I'd like to try several whole wheat recipes to find the one our family likes best.

I've decided to order the Zo ... it's my early Christmas present.

[Wolfie]

I have two bread machine receipe books that I highly recommend.

1. The BIG Book of Bread Machine Recipes by Donna Rathmell German. This one has over 600 receipes including the fabulous sourdough starter, whole grain, pizza dough, bagels, baguettes, coffee cakes, glazes, butters and spreads toppings and fillings, and loaves of every kind. Also receipes for pizza, cinnamon rolls, hamburger buns, and holiday breads. This is the book that I use all the time. They have a peasant bread that is fabulous....moist, chewy bread with a light crispy crust. Wonderful with butter or cheese and it is similar to English Muffin Bread but more moist. There is also a receipe for EnglishMuffin Bread that we love.

The other little book, #2, may not be available. It is by Gold Medal and was #11 in their series of receipe booklets. It's called "New Flavors" "Bread Machine Receipes featuring Better for Bread flour. This is my #1 book that I use. In this one are the specialty doughs that I love to make......besides the baguettes, rolls, breads and coffee cakes and much more! If you want, I would be willing to scan this little bookletand share it. I bought this booklet in 93 or 94 when we first bought our Zoe. I figured it would be the only one I would want or need! WRONG! I have 13 others!!!!!! Some as good, some bad. But these two are my personal favorites.

I no longer use Gold Medal flour having found another wonderful more local flour milled here in Montana. I love this flour for breads. I used to LOVE Better for Bread flour too, but this one by Montana Wheat is far surperior for breads, cakes and rolls. They also have a whole wheat flour as well. Both are wonderful. That one is called Prarie Gold. Both are excellent!

Oh how I long for my bread machine to come back to life, but alas, it is gone.

[Wolfie]

Well, now it is my turn to be mad....... Doug just ordered a new bread machine - but it's not a Zojirushi....no it's a convection bread machine by Cusineart. Sigh........ He called me upstairs an hour ago to tell me he was buying it. It makes three sizes of loaves, 2 pound, 1 1/2 pound and 1 pound. It seems very nice, but I'm a little leary. He bought it on Amazon.com as it was only $140.00 or so with free shipping. It does everything the zoe did plus. It comes with a 100 page or so cookbook and has a three year warranty. He said he looked at the new Zoe and was very disappointed in it, so he wants to try this one. Sigh.....men, they shouldn't let them near a computer!

[KathieB]

Oh, rats! .... maybe the truck will get lost and not be able to deliver it to you.

BTW, I ordered the Zojirushi from King Arthur Flour company today. Free shipping. I didn't find any changes in the Zo from on-line testimonials that are 5+ years old to more recent ones. I wonder what caused Doug's disappointment.

[KathieB]

The wonderful fragrance of yeasty bread is floating in the air as I type this. The Zojirushi is on its maiden voyage. <drooling>

The inaugural loaf is basic white bread, just to get the feel of the machine. If that turns out well, the next one will be whole wheat.

[Anna]

Sounds yummy Kathie, keeping fingers crossed for a great "maiden voyage" so to speak!

Hugs