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Bread Maker Reviews
Makes all the difference...
Many Types of Wonderful Bread Makers Available...
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Auto Bread Machines: (part 1)
So many of my readers and friends absolutely love and depend on their
ABM's, I periodically test my favorite recipes in a number of machines. I've owned a number of brands and recently purchased a new machine. Plus I polled several hundred people who also have an ABM. This limited info can be found in (part 2). I also share several helpful links for ABM sites and helpful email lists, which I can highly recommend.
I've been making bread for almost 30 years! I most often choose to use a food processor or a heavy-duty mixer. That said... I'll share my experience and knowledge of all types of bread makers: mixers, food processors (and also auto bread machines included) below.
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CUISINART®
Food Processor
My personal favorite fp brand!
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Food Processors: (Read my Amazon review)
It is my opinion, the Cuisinart Food Processor is one the most versatile, multi-tasked kitchen appliance there perhaps is. I knead 1 or 2 loaves of white bread* to perfection, in as little as 40 seconds, in my large fp.
Since wheat flour is twice as "DENSE" as white flour, cut the wheat flour yields below* in half. Honestly, I use my big heavy-duty mixer mostly for wheat breads (we mainly eat wheat). Everything else: white breads, rolls, pizza, bagels, sweet breads; you name it, I reach for my favorite fp!
Food Processor White Flour Capacities:
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Here is a helpful guide from Cuisinart, for finding the right size of food processor for your needs: Top
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That's not all! Make the best homemade pasta ever, along with all the sauces... Make tender pie crusts that rivals a pastry chef's... Quick-mix a meatloaf... or grind meat for egg rolls... Buy cheese in bulk and shred your own in seconds, for much less money... Make a Cole Slaw salad, in less time it takes to eat it... Slice foods as hard as carrots... and as fragile as strawberries... with the same blade. Easily mince as little as just one garlic clove... or lots of onions all at once... Versatility is Cuisinart's strongest point.
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 Bosch Universal
 NEW Bosch Universal Plus
 Blendtec Mix N Blend
and NEW Mix N Blend II
 Kitchen Aid 600 Pro
 Basic Kitchen Aid
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Heavy-Duty Mixers:
The brand of heavy-duty bread mixer I have, is the Bosch Universal Mixer. I've been making wonderful homemade bread since I was only 17 years old. In fact, I purchased my Bosch when I was 17 years old in the 70's, on a $1.69 hour paycheck. My old "Bessie" as I call her, is over 25 years old; having consistently made 4 loaves of wheat bread, weekly, almost all those years! Definitely get this mixer & blender, and invest in the cookie paddles, to easily make lots and lots of cookies!
The newest heavy-duty machine, Bosch Universal Plus has just hit the market (Oct 2007). Make up to 15 lbs of dough, also has a blender. Effortlessly knead 4 LARGE loaves (even the heaviest whole grain flours). Either of these wonderfully powerful machines include a dough hook and French whisks (whip a single egg white to amazing volume). Be sure to get the blender (sometimes sold separate). Great for healthy "smoothie bar" quality fruit drinks and shakes!
Another impressive brand is Blendtec (aka K-Tec) with their Mix N Blend combo. It's the same blender used by commerical smoothie bars.
Pro Series Stand Mixers: (w/o photo for new Cuisinart yet)
Note all stand mixers are not created equal! Lower wattage Kitchen Aids, really do NOT knead very well; however the Kitchen Aid 600 Pro does! This KA model has a 14-cup flour compacity (yet this is for white flour) and just a 8-cup compacity for heavier whole-grain flours. The breads I have made in this model have an unique satiny feel to my tongue. They're different from bakery breads, but for a change I quite like it. If you are after more conventional bakery-style textures, you can't beat a Bosch, but here's a helpful comparison chart for the types of cooking you mainly do!
The new 7qt Cuisinart Pro Mixer (no picture yet) does sport an optional accessory blender and food processor attachment. It too has a large AP and bread flour compacity, yet still for only 8.5 cups whole-grain flours.
*KA Basic Stand Mixers (other than the 600 Pro):
Here's a video clip, showing a low-wattage Kitchen Aid against a Bosch machine. However, if you do happen to own a low-wattage KA, the tips below may help you to make whole-grain breads in your machine too .
1. Knead whole-grain flour breads, initially, 4 minutes, speed 2.
2. Rest 20 minutes (cooling the motor) to hydrate flour.
3. Then knead for 4 more minutes, for a reasonable gluten development. Whole-grain flour is twice as dense as white flour, so doing 1 loaf recipe may be best for you to try first, kneading the first kneading; divide dough, and knead 2nd time (repeat).
4. Save your pennies, to buy a heavier-duty mixer in the future.
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Auto Bread Machines
   Sunbeam 5891
A Great Website:
 I highly recommend the
Bread-Machine Lists:
My favorite ABM email lists are:
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Popular ABMs: (part 2)
1. The high-end Zojirushi BBCC-X20 has the highest ranking for quality baking results, conventional, horizontal pan shape and it's dual kneading paddles.Even still, that said, more Zo owners state they prefer to shape by hand, and then bake in the oven. (Here's another's helpful review.)
2. The mid-priced Breadman TR-2200C also receives good marks for it's baking results, horizontal pan, even with a single paddle. I have not owned one, but I've frequently tested recipes in one (another's review).
3. The low-priced Sunbeam 5891 is a very good value, particularly when using it for the DOUGH CYCLE. Understand you get exactly what you pay for (with this inexpensive model). My opinion is that it is just not as good as at baking, perhaps as the fore-mentioned machines.
Update: By the way I've settled nicely with a Sunbeam 5891, wishing not to invest any more money in equipment which I might not use. I've really enjoyed the delay timer, yet I still prefer using the DOUGH CYCLE, shaping and baking traditionally. I've usually had extremely satisfactory results! For just 1 loaf, this brand of ABM is great!
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Like I said at the top of this page, I have enjoyed and successfully
tested my bread recipes in many brands and models. Since I was really researching whether to buy another ABM, I didn't want to bias ANYONE, and had not built this (or food processor tip pages) yet.
Sharon Anne, Sharon Alike... Cooking Site ABM Poll:
I polled several hundred ABM owners. Many particularly said they also owned a Cuisinart or quality food processor, or some a brand of heavy-duty bread mixer (the majority) often preferred using their latter machines.
My ABM Poll Results:
ABM's are very popular; due to their ease with successful kneading and (shorter-term) affordability. The delay cycle was an often stated to be a notable convenience. ABM's are GREAT for individuals, couples and/or smaller families. The more the family members, the more those polled preferred using other machines instead.
a. Although ABM's may often have just a 3-5 years life span (many can last longer). Factor this possibility into how much you want to invest. I should add, the majority of the people polled, quite enjoy their ABM. They would also recommend owning one, to a friend.
b. Fifty-percent of those polled, indicated they did not use their ABM as often they had imagined, or perhaps hoped they would.
c. A whopping 90% polled, who regularly use an ABM say oven-baked bread is superior to machine-baked. Most do prefer the DOUGH CYCLE; shaping by hand and then baking in a regular oven.
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Copyright 2002-2007© Sharon Anne, Share Alike... Cooking! All rights Reserved.
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