I’m pondering buying a bread maker, basically tempted by the idea of making effortless bread. But is it really like that? I wonder whether/which bread makers are actually any good! Any recommendations gratefully received…
Our boulanger is not for sale 
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I had one and got rid of it, the only bread I liked in it was onion bread. During lock down we made heaps of bread and it was fantastic (in the oven). I think the hard bit is the kneading. For my 40th I got a fabulous Kenwood chef (was a huge decision between that and a kitchen aid which I’d always wanted!) and it makes short work of making dough with the dough hook, then you just let your loaves rise and pop them in the oven. Fabulous bread. I’d save your money and just get a good stand mixer (if you’ve not already got one!
Mind is something like this (although nicer looking looks like they don’t sell mine any more)
Thanks for your advice Tory. I’ve been making lots of bread but I suspected a machine might not be the answer. I used to have a good mixer but it broke down and I decided I didn’t really need to replace it, just use a bit of elbow grease. Now I’m going to research a stand mixer - and look into freeing up a suitably large space in which to put it. (All since Graham can’t spare his boulanger).
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and I thought DH was your go to kitchen aid… 
Only on pizza night - I even let him use the mixer 
other wise he is never seen in there!!!
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I too gave away the bread maker as it was too restrictive. Instead I have a Kenwood K-Mix (a stand mixer as seen on Bake Off!). OH still prefers to knead by hand, but the Kenwood does it for me.
This is the upgraded version of the one we have had for years, and still use. I buy ready mixed ingredients now, and they work really well, but only wholemeal or multi seed pack. White bread is like a north Iraqi tribe…Shiite.
Much better than British shop bought bread, the only downside, its a challenge to slice sometimes.
Lets just say we cant be fussy 
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Thanks for the info Jane. I’ve gone right off the bread maker. Funnily enough, my rapid independent research this evening came up with the K-Mix.
Those bread machines steam a loaf rather than baking it. Some like it like that.
I remember when people started buying them in the 80s and when they where started collecting dust after a couple of months
we’ve got one, used it loads to begin with but it’s been gathering dust for years now…!
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I’ve got a Panasonic one and use it regularly - at least 3 times a week. I love French bread as well - so we mix it up a bit. Sometimes bread from the boulangerie , sometime bread I’ve made. It is a different sort of bread of course and depends what you like. You can make just the bread dough and shape and bake it yourself. I’ve done that. Brioche is very nice from the breadmaker as well.
Many thanks everyone. My boulanger’s bread some days and mine on others is just what I’m aiming for, albeit with less hand kneading and no gadget that’s just going to gather dust!
We have been using a Panasonic for years now as we are so far from a village with a baker.
It also stops you buying cakes when you go into the boulangerie!
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Very good point!
We had a Panasonic (two in fact) and it was nice to wake up in the morning to the smell of freshly baked bread via the timer facility. But you really need to consume it while it’s still quite fresh. Two things knocked it on the head for us; I was diagnosed T2 diabetic and my daughter developed a wheat allergy. I went on a very low carb diet so bread was off the menu. You could use the bread maker for kneading the dough before transferring to a conventional oven.
But you can use a dough hook on a Kenwood just as easily… but the downside is I now make lots of cakes!
I confess I thought ours would be gathering dust after a few weeks, but I use it twice a week at least. The bread is great - proper crust, plenty of chew - but a lot depends on the flour and yeast. I buy lovely organic flour in England - mail order, cheaper than supermarkets - granary and a really coarse wholemeal.
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We did have one and I used it a lot so this thread has inspired me to reinvest! As Panasonic are generally well rated and my dad loves his which has been going for years now, I am opting for this as it currently has 80 quid off 
The lockdown means that Mr H and the (now enormous) son are eating me out of house and home so this should help cut down on some trips to the shops!
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