10 best tips for choosing a bread maker for your home

Popular vote - who is the best manufacturer of home bread makers?
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Moulinex

Gorenje

REDMOND

Kenwood

Panasonic

Hyundai

Garlyn

Unold

Total voted: 3

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The first step is to decide how much bread you need to meet the needs of the family.If the bucket (baking dish) is too small, you will have to bake twice a day, too large - there will be surpluses that will have to be transferred to crackers. Therefore, manufacturers offer a variety of volumes - for weights from 400 to 1800 grams.

For one or two people the smallest model will suffice. It can bake a loaf from 400 to 750 grams. In this case, it makes no sense to overpay - even a simple bread machine will do a good job.

Family of three or four it is better for a person to consider slightly more capacious models for loaves weighing from 800 grams to a kilogram. They are also common, the range is large, there is plenty to choose from.

Big families it is worth looking for the most voluminous bread machines. In such models, the weight of a loaf can be more than one and a half kilograms. True, the choice is already less, and the cost is higher. But it is still more convenient and economical in terms of energy consumption than baking several servings of bread.

In all models of bread machines, the power corresponds to the maximum weight of the bread. That is, no matter which model you choose, it will bake the amount of dough that is supposed to. At this point, you don't have to worry. But the quality of the batch largely depends on the power. Many users have noticed that in “weak” bread machines, the crumb is not so fluffy. An important point is what kind of bread do you prefer.

For white bread with a small amount of additives, you can limit yourself to low power up to 600 watts.Wheat flour dough is quite light, elastic, easy to knead.

For rye, whole grain bread it is better to choose a device more powerful. Such a dough is heavier, stickier, it takes more effort to knead it. Models with a power of about 700-800 watts are suitable here.

Think about what kind of bread you would like to see on your table. The appearance of the working bowl or "bucket" in bread machines may vary. Some models are equipped with several baking containers at once. Both the material and the quality of the non-stick coating differ.

Aluminum buckets are more common in inexpensive models. This is not the best option in terms of durability, but with careful use, the form will last no less than the technique itself. Since aluminum is used in budget bread machines, you should not expect miracles from a non-stick coating either. It is unlikely to be of the highest quality.

Steel buckets - the best solution. The material is strong, durable, not deformed, safe for health. In most cases, the non-stick coating on them is more modern and expensive; it does not lose its properties during constant use. If it is possible to purchase a more expensive, but high-quality bread machine with a steel bowl, preference should be given to this particular option.

Bread makers can be equipped with buckets of different shapes.This does not affect the quality and taste of the bread, but it may be important for personal preferences, as well as expanding the possibilities of preparing all kinds of pastries.

rectangular shape - the most common option. At the output, you will get the usual "brick". Its plus is the convenience of cutting. Some models are additionally equipped with a rectangular mold, divided into two parts, for baking two small loaves at once, like Borodino bread.

Round form for baking loaf is much less common. If this is important, you can find it, but the choice of models will be small. These are the two main forms, but bread machines can be equipped with additional containers for baking baguettes, small buns. Some manufacturers offer them separately for each specific model.

Any bread machine is a functional device. It already contains programs for the preparation of flour products of various types. But their set depending on the model can vary greatly. The more programs provided by the manufacturer, the more opportunities for baking a variety of bread the hostess has.

Dough kneading. Whichever bread machine you buy, it will knead the dough on its own - you just need to load all the ingredients. After that, it automatically bakes it according to the conditions of the specified program. But there are models with a separate kneading mode. It can be used to make dumplings dough, for pies and other baked goods in the oven.

White bread. The basic program that is in all, even the cheapest bread machines. It involves baking wheat products from the moment the products are laid down to the finished loaf.This mode can also be used for bread with a small amount of whole grain flour, spices, seeds and other additives.

gluten free bread. Program for baking dietary bread from gluten-free flour. Such a dough is usually heavy, difficult to knead and rise under normal conditions. In bread machines with this mode, you can bake bread from buckwheat, rye, corn flour.

Whole wheat bread. Another program for making diet bread based on whole grain flour. It will be useful for those who follow the figure.

Cake. Most models also provide an opportunity for sweet pastries - muffins, charlottes, shortcrust pastry products.

These are just some of the basic programs. But there are additional ones - making jam, preserves and yogurt, sweet pastries. There may be an accelerated baking mode, but it is more suitable for products made from wheat flour, it will not work for heavy whole grain or rye dough. The number of programs can vary depending on the model from 8 to 25. The more there are, the more extensive the possibilities of the hostess in terms of cooking. Moreover, functional bread makers for the home are not always expensive.

All bread machines are equipped with dough mixers. There may be one or two of them, there is no more yet. For compact, low-power models for the home, designed for baking a small loaf, the simplest version with one blade is enough.Its power is quite enough to qualitatively knead a small amount of dough from wheat flour.

But if the model is designed for baking heavy loaves, and you prefer denser, healthier types of bread (whole grain, rye), it is better to look at equipment with two dough mixers. It will knead the dough better. But there is one small drawback - in models with two blades, the brick may not turn out to be perfectly even.

Most bread makers do their job just fine. But not all of them are equally easy to use. To make the process of making bread as simple as possible, you can choose a model with useful design features. It is worth paying attention to the following points.

dispenser. If you like bread with all kinds of additives - nuts, raisins, herbs, the presence of a dispenser in the bread machine will be a plus when choosing. This eliminates the need to fill in additional ingredients at the stage of finishing kneading the dough. The automatic dispenser will do it for you.

viewing window. Some bread makers have a transparent glass window at the top. It makes it possible to observe the process of making bread, to control the degree of browning of the crust.

Control Panel can be pushbutton or touch. Here, everyone appreciates the convenience for himself. The first option is more reliable, the second is more convenient in terms of care. But when choosing a model with a touch panel, you should pay attention to such an option as a lock so that you do not accidentally knock down the current bread machine program. 

In addition to the basic programs, functional bread makers have many additional options. Some of them expand the possibilities of cooking, others increase the convenience of operation.

Additional programs. Not all, but some bread machines have an increased number of programs that are not related to the preparation of flour products. We have already written about jam, jam and yogurt above. But this is not all - some especially functional models can cook milk porridge, rice, cook cottage cheese, soup, pilaf, desserts. But a multicooker will cope with such tasks much better, so you should not overpay for these programs.

Delayed start. But this is already a useful option that allows you to start the process of kneading dough and baking according to the time set by the user. Hot bread will ripen right for lunch or dinner.

Temperature maintenance. Connoisseurs of hot bread should pay attention to this function. Maintaining the temperature for several hours will keep it warm.

User Mode absolutely useless for beginners, but indispensable for experienced housewives who have already figured out all the intricacies of the bread machine. It allows you to set your own settings, from kneading to baking time. Usually this mode can be stored in the device memory.

The equipment of bread makers in most cases is standard. It usually includes the main form for baking, blades for kneading dough, instructions for use. Most often, it is supplemented with a measuring cup to simplify the measurement of products and liquids. And all this is more than enough for comfortable use of equipment.

But a plus when buying will still be the presence in the kit of additional buckets for baking bread of other shapes, a voluminous recipe book for a specific model, and a hook for extracting the blade. In bread machines with the function of making yogurt, the presence of special containers is welcome.

The cost of the simplest bread machines with a basic set of programs starts from about 4000 rubles. For this money you can buy a device of a little-known company. But too cheap a model is not the best option. This is the case when it is better not to save on quality. It is wiser to add 1000-2000 rubles and choose something more reliable and powerful.

At a price of 5000-6000 rubles you can already look after a simple but high-quality bread machine from well-known brands. It is not worth expecting increased functionality for this money, but the models usually cope with their main task quite well. And 12-15 programs will be enough for baking a variety of types of bread.

An excellent model in all respects can be bought within 7000-9000 rubles. Everything will be here - various programs and options, good quality of the working bowl, modern appearance, reliability, the ability to bake large loaves of bread from a kilogram.As well as all the useful additions in the form of a dispenser, viewing window, timer, temperature maintenance, kneading dough for dumplings or pies.

On sale you can see models that cost more than 20000-30000 rubles. But the purchase of such options is only advisable if the quality of the bread machine is beyond doubt, it is produced by a well-known brand. But even so, in terms of a set of functions and options, it will be similar to models whose price does not exceed 10,000 rubles. So in the case of a bread machine, there is not much point in overpaying.

After determining the characteristics you need, it remains to choose a brand. This is an important point - not all manufacturers produce high-quality bread makers. If you want the equipment to be not only convenient and functional, but also reliable, give preference to trusted companies.

Panasonic. Bread makers of the Japanese brand Panasonic are very popular. They are considered the highest quality, durable, easy to use and functional. True, the cost of most models exceeds 12,000 rubles. But this is the case when the costs are justified.

REDMOND. The Russian brand attracts buyers with a large assortment of bread machines in a wide price range. A simple model can be purchased from about 5,000 rubles. At the same time, it will have all the necessary programs and functions. There are more expensive options up to 15,000 rubles. Most even inexpensive models of the manufacturer meet the expectations of users.

Moulinex. Bread makers from a French manufacturer cost from 7,000 rubles. Users appreciate them for their excellent quality, functionality and pleasant appearance.All models are thoughtful, easy to use and reliable. Most of them have an abundance of automatic cooking programs for various types of bread.

Gorenje. The choice of Gorenje bread machines cannot be called huge. But they are affordable, from 5000 rubles, and they are made very high quality. In addition, the brand offers relatively inexpensive models for baking large loaves of bread weighing up to 1600 grams, and in terms of functionality it is not inferior to more expensive equipment.

Kenwood. The Japanese brand produces mostly expensive but functional bread machines. Most models have a large number of programs, are simple and easy to use. Quite a popular company with numerous user reviews.