Bread Machine Reviews

I love my Breadman Ultimate. It makes perfect, fluffy 100% whole wheat bread from the recipe in the book -- so perfect that even people who don't like whole wheat bread like this. This is no small thing, as whole grain bread (the only kind I want to eat) tends to be dense and sometimes a chore to eat. I like to make my own bread so that I know what is in it and so I can eat healthier. I love the dispenser for seeds, as I don't want to hang around and try not to miss the beep. I like that I can choose the loaf size, so when I have company I can make a larger loaf, instead of having to make two, and can make smaller loaves the rest of the itme so the bread is always fresh. I read some other reviews that say they have had problems with the bread pan and with ambient temperatures affecting the bread. All I can say is I have had none of those. I have had the machine for about three years and lived in a drafty house on the Canadian border and in a tight modern apartment in Michigan and have used it weekly for much of that time and see no problems. It is a little workhorse that gives consistent results. I recommned this machine highly.

I've had this bread machine for about a year and a half. It really does a nice job and is quite easy to use. We use it fairly often, especially with colder weather coming on, whenever a hot, fresh loaf of bread is desired! We've tried several of the recipes in the instruction manual and have enjoyed them all. I noticed one reviewer complained about not being able to order replacement parts. I accidentally tossed my kneading paddle in the trash and was able to quickly reorder one using the number in the manual for $8. The customer service rep was very kind and helpful. I'm planning on buying one of these machines for my parents for Christmas this year and would recommend the Breadman to anyone who is looking for a reasonably priced, quality machine.

I love my Breadman machine, and use it twice a week to bake bread. Very convenient, easy to clean. The difference between homemade bread, and store bought--no contest! I wondered what made me wait so long, to buy this machine. I have since bought one for my father as a birthday gift. I love to make pizza dough with this machine, as well as flavored breads.

Noisy first of all!
The first machine worked for a while and then went dead.
They sent us a new one and it had problems too.
The part that turns the turns the paddle slips on the motor shaft making a loud popping noise every few seconds.

Weare sending it back for a refund and getting something else.

I've had my breadman plus for exactly one year. This machine has seen a lot of use! The bread is very good and the jam is even better. We've treated ourselves to breakfasts of fresh-made bread, using the timer device, with delicious homemade blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry jams also made in the breadmaker. We also enjoy making our own pizza by making the dough in the breadman, then baking it with toppings, on a pizza stone in our oven.

The only downside to this machine is the noise the paddle makes. I may have to move it to the basement for those early morning loaves!

I've had one of these makers for 3 years and I love it. It's worked incredibly consistently for me at least once a week making bread, dough, jam. I do have a few warnings for potential owners:

1. If the dough ball is too dry, the motor can't turn properly and makes a popping sound. This is probably the noise that all the other reviews are talking about; otherwise the noise is no worse than any other breadmaker I've been around. If this happens, add water a bit at a time until the dough is of a better consistency.

2. This machine causes bread to rise like crazy. I've had to reduce the yeast in all the recipes I use by at least half, and a 1.5-lb loaf fills the pan. I didn't need to do this with my old machine--breadmaker cookbook recipes always worked great as-is.

3. Like any other breadmaker, none of the parts can go in the dishwasher, and you have to be really careful of the nonstick surface. The manual says these things, though.

4. Sometimes a small amount of flour gets stuck in the corners if the dough was pretty dry to start out with. If I'm around when it's mixing, I push the flour out of the corners with a spatula. If not, I brush the flour off the completed loaf.

5. When making jam, I reduce the pectin required by the recipe by about half and the jam is still sets up almost hard.

This machine consistently produces evenly-baked, nicely risen bread with a good texture. The crust control is a great feature. The horizontal loaves look like loaves baked in a traditional oven in a regular loaf pan.

There are two mixing paddles in the bottom of the pan, which insures even mixing of the dough. Sometimes they get stuck in the loaf when you remove it from the pan, but they are easy to remove from the baked loaf.

The bread machine comes with a recipe book which includes some new twists on older bread machine recipes, including one for Brioche bread which is out of this world!

I like the 2 1/2 pound size because these loaves disappear so fast in my family.

Bread machine or hand-made?? It's my secret!

The Breadman Plus TR810 is a real nice step up from the popular TR800 model, as it features a large 9-1/2 by 5 inch horizontal cast aluminum non-stick baking pan, with a 2-1/2 pound loaf capacity, and a pair of non-stick kneading blades.

The twin kneading blades do a great job mixing ingredients and punching dough. Pizza dough is a snap, and it easily produces enough dough for a pair of 14 inch pizzas. The wide cast aluminum pan is sturdy and distributes the heat well. No tiny bread bucket here. It works just fine for 1-1/2 and 2 pound loaves, which are longer and more similar in size to premium commerical loaves of the same weight. There's plenty of extra headroom, for a mix that rises more than expected, and to make a larger than normal 2-1/2 pound loaf.

You could not ask for a better way to produce great loaves of bread. The crust control is accurate and easy to use, as are the other LCD based controls, including the timer. Despite its 2-1/2 pound capacity, the well designed unit does not hog counter space. It is easy to clean and a delight to use, which means it will get used, again and again.

I saw several comments on parts. I have a Breadman Ultimate and needed a new pan. Took about 5 mins calling the 800 number and the new pan was on it's way for about half what the Zo machine's pan was priced at.

I'm debating getting another machine and it's the 810 or the Zojirushi V-20. Our Breadman ultimate is 3 years old and chugging along so I thought I might get another Breadman. We have had some inexplicable failed loaves(cold yeast?) but for Raisin Bread at four bucks a loaf the machine has paid for itself ten times over easily(we eat it 2-3 times a week, kids). We have made every bread under the sun and our Kitchenaid mixer longs for attention :) I can truly say that after 500+ loaves it's worth the money.

The deal was if I spend the money we better never buy another loaf of bread. Except for some french bread we needed in a hurry we haven't.

Why 2 machines? We need white for school sandwiches and raisin for breakfast!! The Ultimate's loaves are too big or too small for sandwich bread.

:)

If you like to buy bread mixes in a box at the store, this may be a very good product. But if you like to mix ingredients from scratch, you will be annoyed by all the bells and whistles oriented towards scanning in product bar codes. The scanning technology probably accounts for the rather high price, too. On a positive note, it is attractive, and nicely sized at 16 x 13 x 9.

I have chosen this breadmaker because it can make up to 3lb loaf, based on the information in this web site. Unfortunately after I got it, the product can only make up to 2 lb loaf. I am so disappointed. But it's not easy to return it. What a spam! The money I spent is not worth it.

I purchased a Breadman for my wife for Christmas because our 12 year old other brand finally gave out. It had worked perfectly up to the end. The first loaf out of the breadman was great. Then 4 out of 5 loafs would not rise, regardless of recipe or factory setting. We exchanged this machine for another, and the same thing, the first loaf rose perfectly, the next three rose only about one third of the way. We tried White, Wheat, and French recipies, with the same failure rate. Calling the factory customer service was of no help.

Very easy to use and the bread comes out so good! I definately recommend this machine to anyone.

I only bought this machine to make sourdough bread from scratch. If you are fine with store bought mix than save some money and buy a different machine. It doesn't have 300 cycles, it comes with a manual that has 300 recipes. It bakes bread just fine, but so does the 8 year old toastmaster that I bought for $50. And the toastmaster makes butter...