Bread machines have become very popular in the last few years. When they first appeared on the market, these appliances were pretty basic and they didn’t really deliver the full comfort that they promised. However, modern bread makers come with a lot of bells and whistles, making the baking process completely effortless, and they are also very versatile in terms of the recipes that they can handle. If you are wondering whether or not you really need such an appliance in your kitchen, we are here to tell you everything there is to know about them, so that you can make an informed decision.
Short history
The first bread maker was invented in 1902, but it was only designed for commercial use. The first home-use bread baking machine hit the market in the late 80s. It wasn’t popular from the start, because most people didn’t really feel the need to make their own bread at home, since bread is not that expensive, and you can find it in every store. However, as more people started to become conscious about their diets, it became quite obvious that store-bough bread was not a very healthy choice, so more and more people turned to bread machines to make their own bread. Nowadays, bread machines are very popular, and you can find one in most kitchens in the USA.
How they work
This type of appliance is not very complex. Basically, you put in your ingredients, and the machine takes care of the rest. It features a special paddle which mixes the ingredients and kneads the dough. When the dough is properly kneaded, the machine allows it to rise, after which it starts the baking cycle. The trick is to add the ingredients in the right order, and make sure that the yeast doesn’t come in contact with the salt or any liquid ingredient, as you don’t want the yeast to activate immediately, especially if you plan on using the delay timer option. This feature is very useful, as it lets you program the machine to start baking at a particular time.
Advantages
- Healthy bread – Say goodbye to preservatives and synthetic ingredients and cook a healthy loaf of bread with fresh and healthy ingredients.
- Hassle-free baking – Baking doesn’t have to be time consuming, nor does it require you to get flour all over your kitchen. Just throw your ingredients in the pan, and the machine will take care of the rest.
- Saves money – Bread might not seem expensive, but this small daily cost adds up to quite an expense in time. With a bread machine, you save up to 90% of the money that you usually spend on bread.
How to choose the right machine
Since there are dozens of bread machines to choose from, it can be quite difficult to choose the most convenient one. Our advice is take into account three key factors:
- Manufacturer: for a bread maker that will last many years, choose a Panasonic, Zojirushi or a West Bend bread machine. These manufacturers have been on the market for a while, and are known for producing efficient and durable appliances.
- Loaf size: keep in mind that homemade bread doesn’t contain any preservatives and it will deteriorate fast, so choose a loaf size suitable for you or your family.
- Features and cycles: if you want to prepare special recipes, choose a machine with versatile settings and cycles.
Features
The features dictate the price of these appliances, and state of the art bread makers come with many amazing features and settings. However, not all these features are worth the cost. There are only a few that can actually make a difference for you.
- Delay timer – allows you to delay the baking for up 13 hours
- Fruit and nut dispenser – automatically adds special ingredients when the dough is kneading.
- Special cycles – There are some bread specialties like whole-wheat or gluten-free bread that require different baking cycles, and modern bread machines can feature over a dozen special cycles.
