Re: The price of bread.
 

As I recall, we just replaced it because the bread pan started bugging us, and a new bread pan was almost as expensive as a new machine. We also had to replace the nut dispenser (twice I think over 7 years), so we figured that might be due for replacement as well and we'd better just get a new machine. The old one was still working though.

Hmm. Good point regarding not washing. I never wash my frying pans with soap (just hot water) to keep the natural non-stick layer. The same may well apply to the bread pan.

Re: The price of bread.
 

You gotta agree Chris that it's so much more tasty than a shop bought loaf

Re: The price of bread.
 

They're a convenience to have, but a nuiscance in the expensive way.

Re: The price of bread.
 

Same with WOKs, you season the wok before use by using a high heat and burning the oil into the surface then it should last you for years..

Re: The price of bread.
 

Absolutely. We only ever get a sliced shop loaf for kids' parties when we need quantity in a hurry.

Re: The price of bread.
 

Don't say that - I was just going to head out and buy a breadmaker :D

Seriously i'd love to make my own bread, how much do decent ones range from and how much is the mix?

Re: The price of bread.
 

Have you seen them little loaves you can buy for kids that don't like crusts around the edges?

Re: The price of bread.
 

I have a cast iron wok, which I do tend to wash with soap as I don't have 'sticky' issues with the dishes I cook in it.

---------- Post added at 15:13 ---------- Previous post was at 15:10 ----------

Amazon

It's not often that a product gets 5 stars on 60 odd reviews. The 255 (an earlier, but slightly more expensive) model gets 5 stars on nearly 600 reviews.

Re: The price of bread.
 

You want the moon on a stick, Gary. ;)

The convenience has a cost attached to it. You can't have a small shop close to your home in a residential area and expect it to sell you things at massive-buying-power supermarket prices.

---------- Post added at 15:18 ---------- Previous post was at 15:15 ----------

There is only one decent one ... the Panny. All others are pale and distant seconds by comparison.

The latest version of it is the SD257 and you can get one delivered for under £105 from Amazon.

Several forum members have the SD253 and by the looks of things they haven't messed about with the basics in this latest version.

Re: The price of bread.
 

No idea about breadmaker costs as I bought mine at a car boot sale unused for £8 ;)

The mix is just flour (about 3 cups), water (1cup), yeast (satchet but I tend to use Allisons dried active small tims), sugar (about a tablespoon), tablespoon of veg oil and salt (a teaspoon)

The flour if you go for the shop brand is about 60p for Strong White or about £1 for brown or wholemeal (each bag will do 2-3 large loaves).. I tend to do a mix (1 cup white to two brown)

Most shops also sell ready made kilo packs of sunflower/rye/wholemeal bread where you just add the water (lidl and aldi have them)

You can also add olive oil and some sundried tomatos if you want an italian style bread..

I also use it for making Doughnut or Pizza doughs (the breadmaker has a mix/rise setting that does not cook)

Re: The price of bread.
 

Asda brand strong white flour is 50p per 1.5kg at the moment, although it does fluctuate a bit.

Re: The price of bread.
 

Lidl is the same for the white flour.. was giving the average pricing though :p:

Re: The price of bread.
 

There's the 256 for £80 as well, but that doesn't have a nut and raisin dispenser. We use the nut dispenser all the time, so I wouldn't want to be without it, but it might suit someone on a budget.

Re: The price of bread.
 

Looks like they're on the second revision of the machine since mine then ... the 252 and 253 were without/with the dispenser, as were the 254/255.

I have to say, I'm glad they revised it again ... I didn't like the styling of the 254/255 at all. The control panel on the latest one looks better from the photos though - how does it compare with the 253 in your experience?

Re: The price of bread.
 

Thanks Kymmy, I think i'll have a go. Its a bit hard baking and cooking with 3 jobs and 2 homes but I reckon I'll be able to fit it in somwehere :D

The italian style bread sounds amazing, I brought back a kilo of sun dried tomatoes from Turkey a few weeks back to I will definitely be having a go at that!