White bread, wholemeal, with olives, gluten-free, with Kamut flour, spelled or soy. Sweet, savory buns, pizza for pizza, and brioches … The bread machine offers a lot, and the benefits are even greater.
In terms of taste, a good bread machine has nothing to envy in bakery products. Homemade bread lasts on average more (up to five days) and can be prepared in different ways to satisfy the whole family’s tastes.
With a bread machine, you can also prepare buns, pastries, and dough (with dough mode only) using different flours and ingredients, and since you are preparing yourself, you know exactly what is inside. Quality and genuineness are guaranteed.
From an economic point of view, there is no doubt a smart choice, which allows you to have great savings over the long run.
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How to choose a bread machine: Typologies and Features
When buying a bread machine, consider some aspects to make the best choice.
- Capacity: Generally, a bread machine can produce a quantity of bread varying from half a kilo to 1.8 kg. If you are single, irreducible, or not averse consumers of bread, you will not need a huge appliance. However, if you have a large family, you should opt for a 1 kg or more capable model.
- Programs: The different models offer a very variable number of programs. Some even come up to 20. The amount of programs does not affect the quality of the final result. It’s just an add-on that can be useful. The basic programs are white bread, wholemeal, quick program, and only dough.
- Programmable timer: Do you want to return in the evening and keep the bread hot? Or wake up in the morning with the scent of freshly baked brioches? Almost all models offer the option of scheduling the start time to have the bread ready whenever you want.
- Space: One factor not to overlook is the size of the bread machine. They are usually bulky and need free space because they tend to overheat, and above all, they need a practical insertion of the ingredients. Therefore, before purchasing, we recommend carefully calculating how much space you have on the kitchen floor.
- Power: Increased power does not necessarily mean better quality. Often, it is only synonymous with higher-energy consumption. The power of a good bread machine, expressed in Watts, should be commensurate with the number of blades. Models with more than 1.2 kg capacity should have two blades supplied and greater power.
How does the bread machine work?
The use of the appliance is effortless: insert the ingredients and press the start button. Then, she’ll think the rest. The different commodity models have similar operations: ingredients are inserted into the basket in required doses, the desired program is selected, and the appliance is started.
The basic steps are :
- Preheating of ingredients
- Dough (in one or more cycles)
- Possible addition of ingredients (reported by acoustic warning)
- Leavening
- Cooking
Some appliances also allow you to select the crust level (light, medium, well-cooked), and almost all models have a timer programmable to make the machine work alone and have the bread ready for the desired time.
Duration and Maintenance
Before cleaning it, waiting for the complete cooling time is good to avoid burning or shaking. The bread machine inside that is in direct contact with the ingredients should be extracted and washed after each use, removing incrustations and residues. The same applies to mix blades (or blades).
Both components are generally not washable in the dishwasher and should be hand-washed with the products used for normal crockery. In addition, it is better to avoid abrasive sponges to avoid scratching and compromising the non-stick part of the basket.
It is also advisable to periodically clean the outside of a bread machine (a damp cloth will suffice) to avoid accumulating dust and residuals over time. One last thing to be careful of To avoid scratching the pan’s inner surface, at the end of the cooking period, it is best not to use a knife to remove the bread. Just wait a few minutes, and it will go away alone.
The best bread machines for fresh bread every day
Oster, Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, Sunbeam, and SKG are the best value-for-money brands, with variable prices ranging from $40 for basic models to $300 for the most complete and advanced ones.
Here are the 10 best bread machines currently in the market selected for performance, convenience, and durability to make your choice easier and safer shopping.
Product prices and availability are subject to change. Therefore, any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to purchasing any products.