Which bread machine to buy?

[KitchenQueen]

I bake almost all  my own bread. But I'm thinking a bread machine might be a timesaver, which I sorely need sometimes. 

 

  I believe I'm correct that a Zo  is the only brand to buy,right?  But I just checked Amazon and there are so many models. Any owners who can give me some advice?  Would it be a good purchase, but most of all, which one? 

 

The highest price doesn't necessarily mean it's the latest or best. Heck, they might not even have the latest or best.

 

I'd prefer all the bells and whistles if I get one as  I bake every bread imaginable. 

 

And if there's a reason I should not purchase one, pipe up and say so !

 

Thanks.

Brenda

 

 

 

 

[Anna N]

Having just dragged my ancient Zoji out of the basement today I think I can offer you some things you might want to think about.

I bake bread 2 to 3 times almost every week. Sometimes even more often that. I make ordinary white sandwich bread, baguettes, no knead breads, etc. etc. None of them require much hands-on time. They are kneaded in the stand mixer or the Thermomix (or not at all!) and the only time-saving I can really see when using the bread machine is that I don't need to shape the loaf as long as I bake it in there. That and the fact that there is only one thing to wash up are all the time saving I see. I still have to measure all the ingredients and I still have to be there when it is finished baking and take it out of the machine.

Against that is the fact that all your loaves will look the same and will be obviously machine made with a hole in one end!

Once you add all the ingredients to the pan and start the cycle there is very little you can do it to customize your bread. If it's a little dry you cannot add water easily nor flour if it's a little wet.

I am not saying don't get the bread machine. Way back when I wanted one so badly I could taste it. But it didn't get a whole lot of use because of its limitations. I know people who are happy to have bread of any kind that isn't store bought and are happy to eat the same old same old day in and day out. I suspect you are not one of them.

There are dozens upon dozens bread machines barely used in thrift stores everywhere here for five dollars and up. Most of them do a perfectly respectable job of making a loaf of bread. If I were you I would try one first before plunking down precious dollars on something that will soon be gathering dust.

[rotuts]

take a peek here :

 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/149192-the-bread-topic-2014-–/page-15

 

for my post.

[Arey]

I've been using my ZO BBCC-V20 for over 16 years. I think the BBCC-X20 is the latest version of this model. I've always been happy with it, but I only actually used it to bake bread once, just out of curiosity. It has a dough cycle which is the only one I use. I've never enjoyed the mixing and kneading part of bread baking. So the ZO takes care of the mixing and kneading, and first rise. Then I take it out and shape it and bake it. I made a loaf of pain de mie using my pullman pan and I'll be making whole wheat pain de mie tomorrow. I have a rye bread pan for making sandwich rye, and large and small brotforms along with brotform liners and also a baking stone for hearth bread and peasant rye bread. The only breadsI buy are dinner rolls and Italian bread. The rolls because despite having a few really good recipes for rolls, after making them my wrist hurts like the dickens, and Italian bread because no one can make Italian bread except for two Italian bakeries in Atlantic City.Also, if you're making a sponge or biga, you can make it in the bread machine,using the dough cycle, turn it off once the sponge is mixed, let it sit over night in the machine turned off, and the next day add the additional ingredients and let it run through the whole dough cycle. If you want something to do the mixing and kneading for you the ZO will do that. The one I have can also make jams, jellies, and quick bread but I've never used those cycles. I just use the dough cycle, and I don't have a thermomix or a mixer so the bread machine takes care of that for me.Frankly I wouldn't buy a one lb. bread machine, or one that makes those strange looking vertical loaves with the hole in the bottom.

Edited June 6, 2015 by Arey (log)

[rotuts]

I leave the 'hole' for the squirrels, and the bread around the hole for the two Cardinal families that visit

 

here is one guy patiently waiting :

 

 

[Anna N]

I've been using my ZO BBCC-V20 for over 16 years. I think the BBCC-X20 is the latest version of this model. I've always been happy with it, but I only actually used it to bake bread once, just out of curiosity. It has a dough cycle which is the only one I use. I've never enjoyed the mixing and kneading part of bread baking. So the ZO takes care of the mixing and kneading, and first rise. Then I take it out and shape it and bake it. I made a loaf of pain de mie using my pullman pan and I'll be making whole wheat pain de mie tomorrow. I have a rye bread pan for making sandwich rye, and large and small brotforms along with brotform liners and also a baking stone for hearth bread and peasant rye bread. The only breadsI buy are dinner rolls and Italian bread. The rolls because despite having a few really good recipes for rolls, after making them my wrist hurts like the dickens, and Italian bread because no one can make Italian bread except for two Italian bakeries in Atlantic City.Also, if you're making a sponge or biga, you can make it in the bread machine,using the dough cycle, turn it off once the sponge is mixed, let it sit over night in the machine turned off, and the next day add the additional ingredients and let it run through the whole dough cycle. If you want something to do the mixing and kneading for you the ZO will do that. The one I have can also make jams, jellies, and quick bread but I've never used those cycles. I just use the dough cycle, and I don't have a thermomix or a mixer so the bread machine takes care of that for me.Frankly I wouldn't buy a one lb. bread machine, or one that makes those strange looking vertical loaves with the hole in the bottom.

Using the bread machine just to manipulate the dough is an excellent choice but I don't see how it saves much time which is what the OP is hoping a bread machine will do.

[rotuts]

if you want  a Zo

 

http://search.kingarthurflour.com/search?p=Q&asug=&af=type%3Aproducts&w=bread+machines

 

call King A and talk to them.  that's all they carry

 

they know what they are doing up there.

[andiesenji]

I have posted many times about the various bread machines I own and use.

 

In early January 2014 one bread machine died - one of the drive shafts for the kneading paddles stopped working - while I was mixing some very stiff dough.

 

I came across the larger capacity (3-pound) Black & Decker, ordered it and had it two days later.  I wrote a review a few weeks later, after I had used it a lot for many different breads.

Here's a link to the REVIEW.

 

I have not had any reason to alter a word in it.  It still works great and the larger capacity is great for mixing double batches - when all are part are going to be baked in the oven.

Often I make a double batch, separate half for rolls, or for longer fermentation in the fridge, or when I want a boule in addition to the loaf baked in the machine.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

My Zojirushi is long ago from King Arthur.  (The flour company, not the king himself -- I may be old but not that old.)  I should mention I am of the camp that does not bake in the Zojirushi, but only kneed and mix.

 

And having ordered flour and stuff from King Arthur yesterday, they were offering free shipping for orders over $59.  No idea for how long.

[Arey]

Using the bread machine just to manipulate the dough is an excellent choice but I don't see how it saves much time which is what the OP is hoping a bread machine will do.

The total time of the bread cycle is 1 hour 50 minutes, so you could be doing other things during that cycle, and you do have to check in the mixing/kneading part of the cycle to add more flour or liquid as necessary. The time you're actually saving is in the mixing/kneading cycle and is only about 20 minutes at most, so you're right, very little time is actually saved.The first 20 minutes is the preheating part of the dough cycle which even the KA people (and that is where I bought my ZO) don't seem to feel is necessary. However, since I keep my flour in the fridge and don't take it out until I'm ready to start the machine I like the preheating part of the cycle.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On my machine the preheating is programmable and may be turned off.

[Alex]

I have a Zo, but haven't used it since forever, so I'm afraid I have no useful information about current machines. However, I spotted the first edition of this interesting-looking book in a used bookstore yesterday:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Rustic-European-Breads-Bread-Machine/dp/1626540659/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=http://www.amazon.com/Rustic-European-Breads-Bread-Machine/dp/1626540659&linkCode=as2&tag=egulletcom-20">Rustic European Breads from Your Bread Machine, 2nd ed.

[andiesenji]

The bread machines are time savers because you don't have to constantly "supervise" the mixing, kneading and the proofing times are also automatic.

Once you figure the cycle times, you can set a timer for the exact time the baking cycle is due to begin and do what is needed from that point on.

[rotuts]

""  Once you figure the cycle times ""   and the proper wet // dry ration by weight, you are done

 

you do have to be there when its done as leaving it in the machine will affect the crust.

 

i only do one Rx at the moment as it suits me.

 

but Im thinking of branching out.

 

I do recommend the KAF bread machine Rx.s   Ive used several and once i get the ratio correct for my flour(s), they work fine

 

maybe some cinnamon raisin bread is on the horizon

[Tri2Cook]

When I use the bread machine, I toss everything in, select the bake options I want (or the dough cycle if not baking in the machine) and walk away until the timer goes off. I can't think of any argument that would show that as not saving time. It may not decrease the total time it takes to make a loaf of bread but it greatly reduces the amount of time I have to spend with it. That's not to say there aren't times when I want to spend that time with it, it can be therapeutic, but a bread machine absolutely saves hands-on time. Reduced hands-on time is time that can be spent doing other things... so it's timed saved.


rotuts: help me understand the fear of the hole in the bottom of the bread. It's just a small hole, nothing nasty, dirty or scary if the mixing paddle is clean before using it.

 

[rotuts]

hard to say.  maybe its a Black Hole.  until I give it away to the Squirrels  ( just the hole )  its certainly a Dark Hole.

 

My bread sits on it painlessly, although inside a bag, after the first Top Cut.

[Arey]

Andiesenji's" suggestion in other places should be repeated here.   Remove the paddles,at the end of the kneading cycle, reshape the bread and put it back in the machine for the rising and baking.  If I ever make a whole loaf clear through the baking I hope I remember this valuable suggestion.

[andiesenji]

When I use the bread machine, I toss everything in, select the bake options I want (or the dough cycle if not baking in the machine) and walk away until the timer goes off. I can't think of any argument that would show that as not saving time. It may not decrease the total time it takes to make a loaf of bread but it greatly reduces the amount of time I have to spend with it. That's not to say there aren't times when I want to spend that time with it, it can be therapeutic, but a bread machine absolutely saves hands-on time. Reduced hands-on time is time that can be spent doing other things... so it's timed saved.

rotuts: help me understand the fear of the hole in the bottom of the bread. It's just a small hole, nothing nasty, dirty or scary if the mixing paddle is clean before using it.

 

I can explain it quite easily.  Some machines do not release the paddles easily so it is difficult to get the finished loaf out of the pan and often tears a large chunk out of the bottom of the loaf.

 

With machines that have two paddles, I have seen (and experienced - when I forgot to remove them prior to baking) almost the entire bottom of the loaf be messed up when the two paddles were removed.  Slices from these deformed loaves are not very attractive - at least to me. 

 

Some machines have very large paddles, which makes a larger defect.  If this doesn't bother you then leave the paddles in place. 

 

I began doing this 20+ years ago after my older Zo (vertical pan type) delivered a "loaf" but retained the paddle and a large chuck of the core of the loaf.  I didn't want a hollow loaf so began using this trick - if the loaf did cling to the small shaft, I just twisted the drive bar on the bottom and it would break free and the loaf would drop out. 

A friend reminded me that I posted this hint on Prodigy back in the pre-www days.

[rotuts]

if I  ( remember ) to take the one paddle out of mine, the bread still sticks on the rotor, oddly enough

 

but Ive learned to turn the pan upside down on a burner on the stove ( its very hot BTW  use potholders or gloves ) and holding the pan inn place,

 

wiggle the outside rotor mechanism which is now on the top with some pliers and the loaf slips off.

 

if I forget to take the paddle out, a common even, I do the same thing : wiggle the paddle a little bit  ( you can't do it much w the paddle still in the bread    )

 

and the loaf slips out w the paddle in the bottom where it stays until i cut close to it when slicing.

 

don't fiddle w the pan itself  you scratch it and  your removal problems get worse.

[Alex]

hard to say.  maybe its a Black Hole.  until I give it away to the Squirrels  ( just the hole )  its certainly a Dark Hole.

 

Like this one?

 

Could you send your next loaf over here? There are some squirrels by our house that I'd like to send to an alternate universe.

[rotuts]

its only a small 'black hole'  I think 2 - 3 Sq's max

 

you could get a Machine, from the Thrift Shoppe  just to make  Back Holes   ...

 

for the Sq's

 

maybe a Nobel here for some one

 

( I'd like a free trip to the Best smor·gas·bord they have when you get The Prize )

 

its still in Sweeeeden No ?

 

I wound not mind sleeping there but they  better have Open Face Sandwiches or Breakfast.

 

just saying

 

King Olaf the Currant will cover this Im sure.

[KitchenQueen]

Thank all of you for your replies. After a bit of reading (I actually read the cons on the reviews this time) and the replies here, I've decided a breadmaker is just not for me. Even a top of the line Zo.

 

I enjoy breadmaking.  . I have a KA stand mixer for my kneading. 

 

My proofing has been perfection every time  since I bought that Brod and Taylor proofer  several years back .So's my yoghurt making too.

 

I have to try just about every bread recipe I come across.  I know how to tinker with my dough, poolish,biga,whatever.

I know when it looks and feels right.  I want the ability to tinker with it whenever I please, dammit.

 

I don't think a Zo would really save me any time.   It might even take some of my therapeutic  fun out.

 

Then there's the paddles to screw with, or a deformed loaf. ..  Nope.

 

The replies pro and con were most appreciated.  They have saved me about $300.00  that will be saved for my next  gotta-have-it kitchen toy.

 

Thanks friends !!

 

[Alex]

The replies pro and con were most appreciated.  They have saved me about $300.00  that will be saved for my next  gotta-have-it kitchen toy.

 

And there it is -- your next forum!