Bread Makers/Machines

I have a Panasonic that I bought a couple of years ago and I make my bread from scratch. I just use yeast, flour, salt, sugar, bread improver, water and olive oil and it takes about 2 hours on the quick cycle. I never have used the long cycle. I also use it to make dough for rolls that I put in the oven and it makes the best pizza dough in 45mins. You have to rise it in a warm spot afterwards but that's about all. I have also made flavoured breads by adding in chopped dried fruit and cinnamon or onion, olives, sundried tomato etc for a pizza loaf, cheese and chives etc. Mine makes 3 diff size loaves in dark, med or light crust. I bought a Panasonic as mum and 2 sisters had one and they use theirs on a regular basis (I sort of do) and have done for years. The bread shop near to me recommends Panasonic and I buy all my stuff off them. I use organic white and wholemeal flour and I still think that it's cheaper than shop bread although I never buy the $1.50 loaves in the shop, more the Helgas or Molenburg etc but I love the freshness and cleanliness of it and I know exactly what the ingredients are.

I am thinking of getting a bread maker/machine/whatever you want to call it.

My ex's Mum had one, used it once, as the mixer thingy in the bottom was too hard to get out of the bottom of the loaf. What are the best models you guys have for being able to do this easily? I don't want to be fighting with a silly machine and rip up loaves of bread, IYKWIM. Oh, Bath, I just saw your comment about the collapsible mixer. Good idea, I'll look out for that when I'm putting in my machine order! Are they hard to clean?

Trying to also figure out which would be the best one to get. One with a timer that can make a big loaf would be good. Any ideas? If you get one that makes a big loaf, can you just make a small loaf if you want? Or does it turn out a weird shape?

Am looking to make pizza dough in it also, hoping using a bread machine may save me some time. Will it, for those that use it for this function?

Is it worth getting one with the fruit and nut dispenser? I like fruit bread.

Hopefully if I get a machine, I will not buy bread. Not like that's a problem, I walk across the town (from the supermarket) especially to buy bread at one bakery! It'll be quicker for me to make my own then walk down there and back, especially having two kids to lug down there and back! Although, its $1.20 a loaf, that's why I go, and it doesn't leave me with a nasty yeasty taste in my mouth either.

How do you make pull aparts in a machine? I can't fathom the idea of how it would work. Sorry for all the questions!

going back 10 years ago mum had a bread making machine, handy with 5 kids that eat thru a loaf of bread easy in one day.
i dont know bout the models now, but it used to beep when it was time to add like fruit or chocolate. Mum used to add nutella and cooking chocolate to make really nice chocolate bread, tasted better than any other bought bread too.
ive been tossing up the idea of getting a bread machine lately. i've just gotten a mix master with a dough hook and wondering if im just getting lazy and turning my kitchen into a horde of white elephants! lol hmm

I just have to give mine a shake to get the hook thing out of the bread. I can't imagine you getting one without the blade as that is what mixes it but mine never gets stuck so I can't remove the bread. You don't need a fruit and nut dispenser. I don't have one- it beeps when you add it and I open the lid and throw it in. The loaf sizes vary in height because it is the one size tin, iykwim? The dough option is good for me as I pop the ingredients in and leave it for 45 mins and it is done. Mind you I have never made dough by hand so don't know about saving time. To make rolls and pullaparts, foccacia etc you make the dough in the machine then take it out, shape it and put it in you oven. My machine is a Panasonic SD251 which are very popular. A new model may be out??

Thanks Deidre. That is a big help.

Does anyone know if Panasonic still have their breadmakers?

Also, if what is a good model/brand to use? I'm thinking about getting one but there's quite a few out there and don't know what to look for. Thanks :)

Does anyone know if Panasonic still have their breadmakers?

Also, if what is a good model/brand to use? I'm thinking about getting one but there's quite a few out there and don't know what to look for. Thanks :)

Can anyone tell me where to get a slicing guide? I love my breadmaker, but never use it because its such a PITA to slice.

I got my slicing guide from Harvey Norman, I could not find it at my local Good Guys even though they sold me the breadmaker.

As for Panansonic, not sure, have not seen one for ages and when I looked on their site over a year ago they did not have any listed.

I just googled bread makers and bread slicers in Aus and there were a lot of reviews and info.
It also showed you where you can buy some of the products.
We also have a bread place near here that you can hire a maker to see if you like them. If you are not sure maybe this is the way to go if you are unsure and have a store nearby.

I bought my Breville bread slicer in Myer about a month ago and although it was $30 it does guide you to very neat slices! And you can then make sandwiches from the bread that are not giant sized ones. Sista- I would go into a biggish electrical place that sell them and then find someone who knows a bit about what they are selling as models change quite frequently and they all depend on what features you want and what you need as well as what you are prepared to pay. Any models that most of us have (other than recent purchases) would probably have been superseded by a newer model. But I think Sunbeam or Panasonic is def the way to go.

Errr does anyone annnnnnnnything about the breadmakers themselves? Like what sort of things should I look out for?

I thought the panasonic ones were discontinued??

Well is depends on what you want. Do you want to do fancier loaves with fruit and nuts? Do you want the different sized loaves etc

For those of you that go through a loaf a day...do you have a bread maker that is bigger then the normal ones?? What brand do you have?? Does it make fruit loafs and doughs??

I have noticed when looking at them that you can get ones that makes upto 2kg loafs of bread.

My sister makes a loaf a day and has the same as me (Panansonic).It makes them in small, lg and x-lge but I have only ever made the large. The other two sizes are either more or less risen than mine-they are not longer if you know what I mean? If you really get into it, at bread shops you can buy a loaf pan with a slide on lid that you put your dough into out of the bread maker then pop it in you own oven. This then gives the same shape as a loaf that you buy wrapped in plastic.

Sista- I am not sure of your question?? As stated earlier what you get is a)what you need (size, function, timing etc) and b) what you can pay (from $100 to $400). I don't think Panasonic are made anymore but I would have a look at a Sunbeam or visit/call a few places to see if they have any Panasonic left.

i borrowed a bread maker yesterday to trial, was wondering if anyone is still using their breadmakers??
i can buy bulk multigrain which brings the cost per loaf ddown to $1.60. bread tastes so much better!! am using golden west flour mixes

Still using ours, but not quite as often. Seems like once you buy a loaf it becomes a habit. Not a huge range of bread choices here for the breadmaker so I am becoming bored with what we have, also DH can't have multigrain, which I love. Will be gettting some bakers flour so we can make pizza bases and other things. That reminds me that I better put it on the shopping list.

thanks hun, i can pm you were i get my stuff from, you can get it online, let me know