What do you think of bread machines?

[pb4uski]

I love bread.

A friend of DW gave us a bread machine as they were decluttering. We used it for a while and it has sat in a closet for many years. The bread was good, but the loaves were on the small side so all in all it was more effort than it was worth.

I have also done no-knead bread and prefer that to the breadmaker.

However, supermarket bakery bread has gotten to be very good and is relatively inexpensive and very easy. Plus, it is sliced (or can be, you just need to ask them to run it through the slicer) so the portions are better since it is often hard to cut slices as thin by hand. So more recently, we have been buying supermarket bread because it is good and convenient. We usually try to get a loaf from the "day old"/clearance area and we only go through a loaf a week.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I used to make bread at least once a week, usually using the paddle attachment of Kitchenaid mixer we already had to knead the dough for ten minutes and then baking it in the regular oven I already had. I never wanted a single-purpose machine, new or used, that would need storage or counter space.

 

[pb4uski]

Yes, counter space is one of the reasons that our bread machine languishes in a closet.

 

[Theseus]

I have a really good bread machine (Zojirushi brand, which seems to be one of the best). Never had a bad loaf come out of it, and it's really easy to use. Very happy with it, and we've had it for over ten years.

1+ on the Zojirush, bought ours in December of '08 according to Amazon. Started out making bread frequently, but as others note our consumption of bread has declined. Occasional use for bread-making nowadays, I think we love the smell more than anything. DW uses it when making homemade pizza dough, the frequency of that has diminished also but still a useful appliance for that task. Had a lesser quality brand before that, think it lasted maybe a year and a half.

 

[Chuckanut]

I stopped using my bread maker a few years ago when I decided to cut highly processed carbs from my diet. Since then I have found that small amounts of carbs don't bother me that much so I have started eating some bread again. I never gave up pizza.

The advantage, IMHO, of the no-knead bread is the long rise time. According to the Cook's book on the science of cooking, a longer rise lets the tasty components of the dough develop while holding down those that detract from the taste. No-knead bread raises for 8-24 hours so that works well to make tasty bread.

I also make bread using 1/2 whole wheat flour, 1/4 white four, and 1/4 rolled oats. It tastes great, doesn't get stale as fast and is somewhat better for the blood sugars than 100% white flour bread.

Still, my bread consumption is way down when compared to 5 years ago.

 

[LitGal]

My most common use for my bread machine is to make pizza dough. While it is busy making the dough I prepare the toppings, mix up the sauce and have some wine.

+1 When DS was growing up I used it a lot in the winter to make fresh breads to go with soups and stews. (Bulk counts when filling up a teenage athlete!)

Since he's grown and gone, though, it primarily became the maker of great pizza dough. But when it wore out I did not replace it, as the dr. insists I must cut back on carbs.

Have done so. But I do miss that good homemade pizza crust!

 

[MissMolly]

Since so many seem to make pizza, would anyone care to share a great pizza dough recipe for use in the bread machine?

 

[Chuckanut]

Since so many seem to make pizza, would anyone care to share a great pizza dough recipe for use in the bread machine?

It's not hard

2 cups bread flour (or unbleached white flour with glutton added, about 3 Tbl.)
1 cup Spelt flour or white whole wheat
2 tsp regular yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 TBL olive oil
1 tsp salt

If I am feeling frisky I might add some fresh rosemary to the mix.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Thanks again for all the great suggestions. I'll keep you posted on what I end up making.

I like appliances that don't need a lot of tending to. We have rice makers and a convection oven that just shut themselves off when the rice is done or the timer goes off. So I'll probably try the bread machine next and maybe move up to the no knead after that.

 

[Nunthewiser]

We bought a Breadman Ultimate for $5 at Goodwill 5 years ago and SWMBO made bread for me at least once a week for sandwiches until my retirement 3 months ago (yeah!). We backed it up with another identical unit , but the first one is still going strong.

I think it makes great French bread and it is amazing how quickly it gets stale (that should make you wonder about "Wonder" bread). Now that I have retired, the Breadman is only working part-time (why couldn't I?) as I am out of my daily sandwich routine.

 

[pb4uski]

I had to look up SWMBO and discovered that I have one of those too!!!

 

[Nunthewiser]

"The term originates from the H. Rider Haggard novel, "She" (first published 1886). The character Ayesha, known as She-who-must-be-obeyed, the Queen of Death, the White Goddess,of the lost city of Kôr who rules her kingdom with terror, She is the very image of the Femme Fatale. To disobey her or to scorn her is to earn & receive instantaneous death."

If you are a fan of the old British TV show "Rumpole of the Bailey" you will recognize the term. Neither the SWMBO in the show, nor mine , is quite up to the original standard. Hope yours isn't either...

 

[braumeister]

I like appliances that don't need a lot of tending to. We have rice makers and a convection oven that just shut themselves off when the rice is done or the timer goes off.

For others following the thread, you made me decide to throw in another note.
My rice cooker is my absolute favorite appliance (well, I guess right after the microwave). Absolutely perfect rice every time, no matter what kind of rice you're making (mine is used for white, brown, and sushi rice (three different settings, but there are several others)).

If anyone is contemplating one, by all means get a good modern one that has the "fuzzy logic" chip in it. Again, Zojirushi is a top brand.

This is the one I use (had it for about 4 years now):http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-LAC05XA-Micom-Cooker-Warmer/dp/B000G30ESY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424902792&sr=8-1&keywords=zojirushi+ns-lac05xa

 

[pb4uski]

Yes, we bought DS a rice cooker for Christmas and he loves it and says the rice is fantastic.

 

[SumDay]

We bought one, and received another as a gift. Both went on vacation to Salvation Army, and we haven't seen them since.

We weren't impressed.

 

[Sunset]

We have a bread maker, it get used once or twice a year. . . .

We have a rice maker it gets used a lot 4x/wk easy. We did switch to basmati rice due to the arsenic in rice, since it has 1/2 the arsenic.

Too bad all the farmers used fertilizer with poison in it.

 

[MissMolly]

It's not hard

2 cups bread flour (or unbleached white flour with glutton added, about 3 Tbl.)
1 cup Spelt flour or white whole wheat
2 tsp regular yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 TBL olive oil
1 tsp salt

If I am feeling frisky I might add some fresh rosemary to the mix.

Thanks. I don't have any Spelt or white whole wheat flour so I will pick some up at the grocery tomorrow (senior discount day ) and give this a try.

 

[audreyh1]

We have a bread maker, it get used once or twice a year. . . .

We have a rice maker it gets used a lot 4x/wk easy. We did switch to basmati rice due to the arsenic in rice, since it has 1/2 the arsenic.

Too bad all the farmers used fertilizer with poison in it.

I think the main problem is that rice is grown on old cotton fields in the southeast. Arsenic was used quite a bit with cotton.

 

[ERTX]

We have one and use it once a month or so. The bread tastes fresh and great but you have to eat it immediately. It goes stale in 2 days or so.

Bingo. I was tossing 75% of it out for the birds but my bread to bird crap ratio got out of whack and sold it on Craigslist for a 75% loss.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

For others following the thread, you made me decide to throw in another note.
My rice cooker is my absolute favorite appliance (well, I guess right after the microwave). Absolutely perfect rice every time, no matter what kind of rice you're making (mine is used for white, brown, and sushi rice (three different settings, but there are several others)).

If anyone is contemplating one, by all means get a good modern one that has the "fuzzy logic" chip in it. Again, Zojirushi is a top brand.

This is the one I use (had it for about 4 years now):http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-...24902792&sr=8-1&keywords=zojirushi+ns-lac05xa

I have a basic Miracle Stainless Steel rice cooker with a steamer basket on top. We put rice in the cooker on the bottom and veggies left to steam on top at the same time. Chicken goes in the convection oven right from the freezer. Everything shuts itself off when done and there is a complete meal with minimal attention needed. That is our fast food these days. It is pretty health except for the arsenic part, but we don't eat rice that often, and I personally mix it up with quinoa.

I love both the rice cooker and convection oven. One year I bought rock solid frozen Cornish hens for Thanksgiving and they cooked up tender without defrosting in under an hour in the convection oven. It is a great gadget for people like me with poor meal planning skills.

I am still always on the hunt for some other time or energy saving device I may not have tried yet.

 

[Bamaman]

Just something else to take up room in the kitchen cabinets.

We have not used ours in years.

Suggestion: Spend your money on a heavy Kitchenaid mixer--with the dough hooks. It makes food preparation so efficent and they're just great items.

 

[AnIntentionalRoad]

It's so easy to make bread without a machine. Skip it.

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[sengsational]

Currenly, I don't eat bread at all. There are so many other better and healthier things to eat.

Back when I did eat bread, and had a machine, as soon as I tinkered with the machine to get it down to a science, I lost interest.

 

[LoneAspen]

For others following the thread, you made me decide to throw in another note.
My rice cooker is my absolute favorite appliance (well, I guess right after the microwave). Absolutely perfect rice every time, no matter what kind of rice you're making (mine is used for white, brown, and sushi rice (three different settings, but there are several others)).

If anyone is contemplating one, by all means get a good modern one that has the "fuzzy logic" chip in it. Again, Zojirushi is a top brand.

This is the one I use (had it for about 4 years now):http://www.amazon.com/Zojirushi-NS-...24902792&sr=8-1&keywords=zojirushi+ns-lac05xa

That looks exactly like the one I have, and it's amazing. It always prepares a perfect batch of rice, no matter what I throw in it. Easy to clean, and it doesn't take up too much counter space, so little in fact I have it sitting in an overhead cabinet in one of those "almost too all" shelves that aren't good for frequently accessed dishes and such.

Takes about 45 minutes to cup 1/2 or 3/4 cup of rice, and it comes out perfect every time.

 

[gcgang]

I am considering buying a used bread machine but most of them have nonstick interiors which may not be so healthy. I've been buying bread at the store but maybe that is made with nonstick equipment anyway and also costs more.

What do you think? Do you have a bread machine and use it? What about the nonstick interiors?

I think a bread machine would be a great investment. You can really make a lot of dough.



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