Bread and breadmakers

[carpet monster]

I bought a breadmaker with the intention of making my own loaves and saving some wedge. Trouble is, after 6 months of usage I'm not sure it benefits me! The machine takes up a fair bit of space in my cramped kitchen, and after buying all the ingredients and running the thing for three hours I'm not sure the end results are any cheaper, when Sainsbury's sell two loaves for £2.

Especially when it makes a small loaf that lasts maybe three days. And has a hole in the bottom where the "stirrer" needs removing.

Anyone had the same idea? I haven't done the maths but I reckon any cost saving is minimal at best.

[keith_d]

Bread makers can't compete with mass produced bread on cost. You're buying flour and energy at retail prices. The big bakeries are buying flour by the tonne and using much less energy per loaf because they're baking thousands.

The benefit of a bread maker is that you get fresh baked bread whenever you want it. And on a Sunday morning there are only two things that beat the smell of baking bread. Frying bacon and making bacon.

[timwilky]

I wouldn't know about the machines. But my mother used to make our bread when I was a kid. Initially the mother pride truck would drop off a couple of loaves every day. but my mother did the sums.

She used to buy the flour in 56lb sacks, there was always a couple of loaves proving and whilst being baked smelled delicious. But the real winner was the taste.

Good proper bread traditionally made. wonderful taste and texture. Or a standard soggy loaf, tasteless and bland. I know which I prefer.

Even today I will not touch cheap bread. I admit I do buy from the supermarket but my choice is limited to Bergen soya/linseed as this is a low GI bread.

[Fallout]

We have one too, and use it quite a lot, but as has been said, they do not save you much money, if any. They're for convenience only. We just keep packs of ready mixed flours of different varieties in the cupboard. Then if we run out of bread or just fancy some fresh bread but aren't going down the shops, we can whack on the bread maker.

So yeah, the 'saving some wedge' bit of your equation is the bit that doesn't add up. ;)

[SoulKiss]

Had one, was good, nice to wake to the smell of bread.

Like you thought, didnt like the small loaf with the hole in the bottom

So I started making from scratch on my own without the breadmaker.

That was even better, only issue is you cant do it to wake you to the smell of baking bread, but hey you cant have everything.

Recipe was even easier/less ingredients than the breadmaker, was essentially just Flour, Water, Yeast and Sugar and if you like a softer crust, some vegetable oil.

Haven't made it in ages, and don't know where my recipe went to in my house move.

[shonadoll]

Love mine, but no doesnt save money. It does taste better and there's less crap in it, but the kids pounce on it soons as its ready and it's gone- we bought a bread slicer which helps!

[maviczap]

handy thing to have when everyone has been panic buying all the bread because of a few flakes of snow and the papers have said its the next ice age arriving.

As wot the others have said, no savings, but fresh baked bread smells lovely

[shonadoll]

Oh and it's great for adding stuff to- sunflower seeds are gorgeous bung a handful of them in, or pumpkin seeds.

[littleoldman2]

Oh and it's great for adding stuff to- sunflower seeds are gorgeous bung a handful of them in, or pumpkin seeds.

I've got a recipe book one recipe is for sausage bread, LUSH.

Today I'm going to do Ciabatta dough in the bread machine, then put it in the oven when the roast comes out.

[tigersaw]

Be careful adding stuff. Someone added something to my pizza once, it made me laugh for an hour then eat a box of pringles.

[shonadoll]

Mmmm that sounds amazing!

[carelesschucca]

I wouldn't use a machine. I love doing it myself its a normal Sunday thing for me if I'm not out on the bike. Fresh home made bread is a thing of beauty. I find it very theraputic kneading the bread...

What you've got in this picture is quiche lorraine, morning rolls, banana bread behind them and a normal round loaf. I think I also made soup that day. Twas a good day :)

[Dave20046]

They're clearly shop bought chucca ;)

[DJFridge]

We used one for about 6 months but it was a PITA. As far as we could tell, every time the weather changed, the length of cooking time changed. And it made a mess quite a lot. And was a b@stard to clean. And other things I forget now. When we moved house, we left it in the loft. Where it was demolished, along with the house.

[Luckypants]

I make my own from scratch as I could never get the breadmaker to cook a decent loaf that was not either soggy or burnt! I make a wholemeal bread normally with sunflower seeds and olive oil. Lush.

[blue curvy jester]

make your own easier than cleaning a machine

you can prove overnight in the fridge ( after the first proof ) then slap in oven first thing 20-40 mins later bobs your mothers brother

[Balky001]

Whether making from scratch or using the bread machine I don't think there is any savings unless buying in bulk.

I used a breadmaker for a year or so about 10 years ago. I liked the idea of making bread and waking up to the smell but it was small and I found it difficult to get the bread tasting better than the bakery ones. It was nice knowing there were no weird stuff in it though. Used to make excellent pizza dough though.

I do make bread from scratch occassionally, usually french bread with veg oil. Could eat that all day and the kneading is very therapeutic.

Watch out for the baker with brown hands though ;)

[wyrdness]

The best thing about a breadmaker is waking up to the smell of freshly cooked bread. Fresh bread from the breadmaker tastes infinitely better than shop bought bread. The downside is that it doesn't keep as well, so really needs to be eaten on the day it's made. I use mine for unusual breads, such as beer & honey bread, rather than just making plain white loaves. It's also great for making batches of pizza dough which can be frozen or kept in the fridge until required.