Bread Maker Choices
Auto Bread Machines (part 1)
KA Basic Stand Mixers
Cuisinart Pro Mixer
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Auto Bread Machines (part 2)
Grian Mills:
Magic Mill Stone Grinder
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Bread Maker Reviews 
Makes all the difference...
Many Types of Wonderful Bread Makers Are Available...
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Oh my GOSH I found the greatest and FUNNIEST blog post review about Kitchen Aid vs. Bosch!
However, before I send you there, be sure to read my reviews on these machines below [first]. Then I'll give you that link!
Once you choose a Bosch over a KA, be sure to get the blender and cookie paddle attachments too!
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I've been making wonderful bread for well over 30 years! Allow me to share my personal opinions, experience and knowledge of a number of mixers, food processors and now bread machines.
Automatic Bread Machines:
I've periodically tested my favorite recipes in a number of ABMs. I've owned a number of brands and recently purchased a new machine.
Not only that, I polled several hundred people who also own and use them too. Those poll results were helpful to me, as to choosing a new machine, and hopefully they may be to you too. Plus I'll share my own personal opinions. I also share several helpful links for ABM sites and helpful E-mail lists, which I can highly recommend.
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Cuisinart DFP-14BC
My personal favorite!
You can purchase fancier
models (in fact I own one),
...but alas I still much prefer
the original 14-cup
style model available above.
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CUISINART®
Food Processor: (Read my Amazon review)It is my opinion that the Cuisinart DFP-14BC is a very versatile, multi-tasked kitchen appliance. You can actually knead 1 to 2 loaves of white bread* (to perfection) in as little as 40 seconds in a large food processor.
Please do realize... wheat flour... is twice as "DENSE" as white flour, so cut the wheat flour yields - listed in the chart below - in half. Honestly, I prefer my bread machine or my big heavy-duty Bosch mixer for whole-grain breads (as we mainly eat wheat bread). Other than that, everything else: i.e. white breads, rolls, pizza, bagels, sweet breads; you name it, are just perfect for kneading with a quality food processor, such as Cuisinart
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. FP Quick Tips! More FP Quick Tips!
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Bosch Universal MUM6N10UC
So...
if you are want a better bakery-style crumb texture, you just can't beat a Bosch mixer.
The Kitchen Aid Pro600 model is fairly respectable, just not as powerful as a Bosch Universal.
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Heavy-Duty Mixers:
The brand of heavy-duty bread mixer I have is an older style of the Bosch Universal Mixer. I've been making wonderful homemade bread since I was only 17 years old. In fact, I purchased my Bosch back in the 70's. "Old Bessie", as I call her - is well over 30 years old. I have consistently made 4 loaves of wheat bread (weekly) for almost all those years! The Bosch Universal MUM6N10UC hit the market (Oct 2007). It'll knead up to 15 lbs of dough, plus has a blender; effortlessly kneads 4-6 LARGE loaves of even the heaviest whole-grain flours. this wonderfully powerful machine includes a dough hook and a pair of French whisks. You can whip a single egg white to an amazing volume.
Be sure to get the blender (sometimes sold separate) plus a pair of cookie paddles. The blender is smoothie-bar quality and great for healthy fruit drinks and shakes!
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Pro600 Kitchen Aid
This KA model has a 14-cup flour capacity for white flour (but just a 8-cup capacity for heavier whole-grain flours).
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Kitchen Aid 600 Pro:
Note: Stand mixers are not all created equal. Lower wattage mixers, i.e. Kitchen Aids, may NOT knead dough very well; however the Kitchen Aid 600 Pro does!
The breads I have made from my recipes [but in the Pro600 model] had a different texture to what I am accustomed too, or from any sort of better "bakery-style" bread. Kind of satiny to the tongue is the only way I can describe it, closer to cake than bread might help...
I can say I quite liked it, if it wasn't for all the drama the design of a KA poses for bread making. When it's all said and done, no thank you!
Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer
VS. Bosch Kitchen Machine: Celebrity Death Match
The above link is far the FUNNIEST review I've ever encountered.
The author's post is just PRICELESS!
Here's a helpful comparison chart, check it out for the type of cooking you mostly do!
Here's a video clip, showing a low-wattage Kitchen Aid against a Bosch machine.
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Helpful tips:
Tips for those who own a KA,
hopefully to NOT blow out your motor while knead dough!
Other than saving your pennies, to buy a heavier-duty Bosch
mixer in the future.
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For KA Stand Mixers:
Hey... especially if you do happen to own a low-wattage Kitchen Aid...
here's what you can do to make whole-grain breads in your mixer.
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).
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Cuisinart Pro 7qt Mixer:
This particular heavy-duty mixer also has an optional accessory blender and food processor attachments. It too has a large all-purpose and bread flour capacity, but still only 8.5 cups for whole-grain flours.
The same goes here... See this review... Celebrity Death Match
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Panasonic SD-YD250
A Great Website:
 I highly recommend the
Bread-Machine Lists:
My favorite ABM email lists are:
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Now... on to popular Bread Machines: (part 2)
1. The high-end white Zojirushi BBCC-X20 has the highest ranking for quality baking results. While the black and chrome Zojirushi BB-CEC20 is new (with a great price).Either boast dual kneading paddles; a conventional horizontal 2-lb baking pan.
That said, most Zo owners state (per my bread machine poll) they prefer to shape by hand and then bake traditionally in their oven.
2. This mid-priced Panasonic SD-YD250 boasts a 2 1/2 lb loaf capacity, like most machines it has a beeper signal... for when to add the fruit so it's not crushed during kneading. Plus the machine automatically adds yeast at the proper time from a dispenser on the unit's lid.
3. The low-priced Sunbeam 5891 is a very good value and smart one, yet understand... you get exactly what you pay for (in an inexpensive model). I do not like its baking cycles, but truly no bread machine bakes as well as an oven does. That said, I NEVER dreamed I'd enjoy an inexpensive bread-machine, as I do the Sunbeam 5891 machine. Wishing not to invest any more money in equipment than I already own... I am extremely HAPPY to say how terrific this model still is... strictly for KNEADING.
I've taste tested my own favorite recipes, side by side; my wheat recipes knead up far better within the Sunbeam 5891, than with a Cuisinart. (I was aghast) never did I think I'd ever believe it. However, I've found white recipes are somewhat equal in quality. Now my Bosch wheat loaves remain superior loaves, however... unless taste-tested side by side, a casual observer may never notice much of a difference. (I know - quite shocking!)
Okay, I also really enjoyed the delay timer features... but I am still just too fussy about the quality of my crusts, preferring to use the DOUGH CYCLE, and then shaping & baking traditionally in the oven for the very best crust results.
I believe bread machines are great for individuals, couples or very small families.
Being now an empty nester, it's now the machine I use, to knead 1 loaf of either wheat, white or a variety specialty breads. So YES, I'd buy a Sunbeam 5891 all over again, and recommend it to others.
But... for growing families, you can't beat a Bosch for 4-6 beautiful loaves, in less time!
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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 or not) to buy another bread machine, and since I didn't want to bias myself or ANYONE, I polled several hundred bread machine owners. Many (particularly said they also) own a quality food processor, and/or some brand of heavy-duty bread mixer. The majority polled, noted they often preferred using their latter machines over their bread machine.
My Poll Results: for Automatic Bread Machines
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).
I factored this possibility into how much I wished to invest.
b. The majority, of the people I polled, said they do quite enjoy their ABM, and they would recommend owning one to a friend.
c. 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%, of those polled, who stated they regularly use an ABM also said they felt OVEN baked breads are superior (to machine-baked).
d. Most, of those polled, prefer using the DOUGH CYCLE; shaping by hand and then baking traditional for better crust quality.
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| Grain Mills |
Blendtec Kitchen Mill steel burrs. Magic Mill stone grinder. Komo Grain Mill
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ALL Impact Mills are NOISY!
Here's a great link
(read review) to view!
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Blendtec Kitchen Mill:
Blendtec Kitchen Mill is a great impact grain mill; grinds 15 cups flour within 2 minutes, and more efficient than any mill attachment (for a mixer).
I mainly use mine for grinding beans or corn. Blendtec is the only mill that guarantees their machines for beans, corn and more. This mill is an affordable favorite on my cooking list ShareAlikeCooking.
Going price, about $169.99 -- $179.99
I own one, it's nice, compact and very portable... although mine can spew particles of flour
about... then it's just time to remove the little filter and wash it. But wait for it to stop before opening! Blendtec replaced my gasket for mine, without any cost or fuss, which helps.
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 Magic Mill
I paid nearly $250
for my stone grinder.
Even after 30+ years,
I use 2-3 times a week
for grinding the BEST flours!
[Used] Magic Mill "WATCH"
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Magic Mill Great bid Price $300 [for used] or less.
Finally... I far prefer the taste and texture of stone ground flour, which I get from my
30+ year old amazingly reliable Magic Mill stone grinder.
Master bakers prefer stone ground flour. Why else do you think stone ground breads are more expensive than other flours, stone grinders are outlandishly expensive. Abeit, stones are rather costly.
The hype about the stones stealing nutrients is hog wash. Why my stone ground flours grind much, much cooler [to the touch] than what any impact mill I've own or tried.
Best yet, I can grind the [finest of fine] whole-wheat pastry flour... all the way to a wonderfully course cracked grains... plus everywhere between. That sort of control does really come ordinary impact mill. You can't, they simply don't have that kind of range...
even if they claim they do!
If I ever had to replace mine... I'd seriously buy a used one, they are that well built. Knock on the (pioneer-looking) wooden cabinet the stones are housed in....
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 Komo Grain Mills
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Komo Grain Mill(s)
New stone grinders range from $300 - $800.00; ouch!
These come equipped with specially developed electric motors that are highly reliable.
More mill reviews, including KoMo. i.e. Wolfgang)
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Copyright 2002-2011© Sharon Anne, Share Alike... Cooking! All rights Reserved. Photos and links are to the benefit of their issuers only.