Automatic breadmaker

[Bond406]

Mine has arrived from Amazon but I haven't opened it yet, as I'm moving house shortly, but all this bread talk is making me eager with anticipation......

[harry remmington]

007
Get a women to read the manual

[Bond406]

I've never known a woman read a manual?

[harry remmington]

[Rob P]

It's arrived and is clunking away downstairs as I work.

The general construction is a lot flimsier than the trusty Breville, I can't see it lasting the ten years that it did. Then again it's a lot cheaper too. It is an awful lot quieter.

Rob

Well the Panasonic died after not quite three years.

Say two loaves a week, works out at about 20p/loaf on top of ingredients.

So three years on, what is the current state-of-the-art breadmaker?

Rob P

[Dominic]

What died on it Rob? Surely it's repairable?

Panasonic are IMHO still top dogs at bread makers and any of the current range would serve you well. I got my father-in-law one from John Lewis for Xmas. They were price matching amazon.

[Jim Jones]

My Panasonics still OK, about 2 years old. Hate to think it may not continue....

[Dominic]

I have seen the belt that drives the paddle (may not be a belt on newer models) fail, but I can get replacements and they are not hard to fit. The heating element or the control for the bread maker are another matter.

[Rob P]

The symptom is the production of flat, very dense loaves.

The fact the ingredients are mixed and a quick peer inside whilst experiment #3 is underway, during which I watched the paddle rotating, indicate it's not the drive belt

Rob P

[Sir Morley Steven]

Mines used every day thus christmas. Still going although did have a spell of flat loaves a while back due too much water.

[Paultheparaglider]

The symptom is the production of flat, very dense loaves.

The fact the ingredients are mixed and a quick peer inside whilst experiment #3 is underway, during which I watched the paddle rotating, indicate it's not the drive belt

Rob P

Strange you say this, Rob, because we are currently having exactly the same problem with our Panasonic bread maker. Different mixes work better than others, and our paddle is also fine.

[lobstaboy]

Ditto here. I decided this is caused by the cold water being colder at this time of year - cured by using tepid water. (The programme I use doesn't seem to warm things before mixing - just goes straight into it with whatever temperature the ingredients are at).

I also make sure the yeast isn't in the water when I load it up. I put the water in first, then the dry ingredients, and the yeast goes on top in a little depression in the flour. This keeps the yeast from activating until the programme has done the "resting" bit - although as I said above I don't normally use that programme.

[Rob P]

It gets stranger.

Loaf #3 worked just fine.

Removing the paddle and cleaning it and its drive axle thoroughly was the only change made.

I always use tepid water.

Rob P

[Jim Jones]

It gets stranger.

Loaf #3 worked just fine.

Removing the paddle and cleaning it and its drive axle thoroughly was the only change made.

I always use tepid water.

Rob P

Was the yeast from the same batch? Strange it should suddenly start working again.

But you are in Suffolk...

[Ridders]

Ours was 2yrs old back in 2009 and its still going strong, we make a loaf every week.

Interesting the comments on temperature of water, as that can kill yeast if too warm. When I make Bread in the Oven (focaccia) the menu calls for warm water, to kick the yeast off. Too warm and it kills it off, too cold and it doesnt get going too well.

If you like bread - you have got to give this a go!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/focaccia_97984
I spread Sun dried Tomatos (from a jar in olive oil) to give the bread a real flavour zing, plus use cornish sea salt sprinkled and I prefer Basil sprinkled.. go with what you like .