Choosing a home bread machine - all about the device

To decide on the choice of a breadmaker, you need to know its structure and principle of operation, varieties of the device, useful functions and pleasant bonuses. Tips on the selection and operation of the device will interest both experienced bakers and beginners who only dream of acquiring an assistant.

Homemade bread maker

What is a bread machine and its varieties

The household bread machine is a compact electromechanical device. The functions of the bread machine include automated dough mixing and baking of a bakery product. The weight of the finished bakery product can vary from 0.45 to 2 kg. Production time can be up to 6 hours, depending on the program.

The bread baked in its kitchen differs from the one bought in the store not only by its fragrant aroma. A home-made loaf will not present a surprise in the form of foreign inclusions and doubtful components.

Bread machines, depending on their functions, are of the following types:

1. Budgetary. If the user wants to choose a bread machine exclusively for baking bread, it is worth taking a closer look at the standard budget models. Due to their modest capabilities, the price for them is also quite modest - from 3.5 thousand rubles. The functions of such bakers include:

• kneading and baking different types of bread, including butter;
• fast baking mode;
• delayed start;
• surge protection;
• up to 8 automatic programs;
• three bread crust options.

Budget models are compact, the finished roll will also be small - 450-700 grams. Great choice for a small family. Most often, the case of such models is made of plastic, the bucket and spatula are coated with a non-stick coating. The power of budget models does not exceed 650 watts. Electronic control, touch. The preset program is displayed.

Mystery MBM-1202 - a typical representative of the budget segment

2. Bread maker for a large family - usually heavy and bulky. In such a furnace, the following points will please:

• the possibility of baking bread up to one and a half iclograms;
• the ability to bake pastries;
• function delayed start;
• the option of making jam and jam will be useful for sweet tooth;
• the function of baking pizza, baguettes and muffins;
• kneading dough of any kind;
• the option of cooking milk and dairy-free cereals;
• a dispenser in a bread machine for a large family is a prerequisite.

Such bread machines are best chosen in a stainless steel case, especially if the family has small children. Steel models are more reliable and durable. The power of such models ranges from 1000 to 2000 watts. Save on electricity with such a furnace will not succeed. Also, large bread makers have a decent weight (8-9 kg) and require an impressive space.

Moulinex OW6121 bread machine - one of the most powerful ovens, can bake a 1.5 kg roll

3. Bread makers baking rye bread. Not all bread makers can bake rye bread. But in some models there is a special mode “Rye bread”. When baking such bread, the oven independently sets the time for each stage of work, taking into account the consistency of the dough and its composition. The presence of a second blade for kneading in such a bread machine is only welcome, since the dough for rye bread is quite steep, and the second blade will not only unload the unit's engine, but will provide a better mix.

4. Gluten-free bread makers - Models with this option are suitable for people suffering from gluten intolerance. In this mode, gluten-free flour is used - rice, soy, corn, etc. Otherwise, gluten-free bakers are no different from the rest.

5. Bread maker for baking muffins. All powerful devices have this feature. For baking cake, the optimal power is 800-1000 watts. If this option is available, the following are preferred:

• the presence of a dispenser (for raisins, chocolate, poppy);
• the case is made of stainless metal, since plastic may start to smell when heated very much.

The bread machine is ideal for baking muffins and cakes

6. Bread maker for cooking jam. The jam in the bread machine is thick and tasty. Boiling gradually, it retains part of the vitamins and rich aroma, and also does not require constant stirring. Fans of a sweet treat should make sure that this function is present in the selected unit. You should take into account the nuance that at one time it turns out to weld no more than one liter.

7. Bread machine for yogurt - Some modern models are equipped with this option. If one is preferable:

• dispenser for various flavors;
• a special container with a lid for making yogurt in it.

The yogurt in the bread maker is thick and tender.

The Philips HD9046 bread machine is equipped with a cup for making wonderful yogurt

How does a home baker work: device and principle of operation

The principle of the device is quite simple:

• case with heating TENami;
• removable cover with a control window;
• form for cooking.

The case is most often made of plastic, less often - stainless steel. In more expensive and famous models, higher-quality plastic is used, which, when heated, does not deform and does not smell.

On the body are contact buttons for controlling the unit, in advanced models - touch. The display shows all the nuances of a given, as well as all the necessary information (product weight, crust color, time to the end of the program).

The baking dish has one go two blades for kneading the dough. They are mounted on a shaft attached to the adapter sleeve. During operation, the mechanism forces the blades to rotate, kneading the dough. Both the shape and the blades are coated with a non-stick coating - either Teflon or ceramic.

On the lid of the device is a dispenser for flavors.

Device device

Any bread machine works according to a specific algorithm:

1. all ingredients are prescription;
2. the program is selected and launched;
3. the bread maker kneads the dough;
4. the dough is suitable;
5. secondary batch releases carbon dioxide from the dough;
6. the dough is suitable a second time;
7. baking of a bakery product occurs.

The process of kneading and baking bread is fully automated and requires virtually no intervention.

The principle of the bread machine

How to use bread maker: tips

It is important to act not only according to the prescription, but also according to the instructions. If according to the instructions liquid ingredients are laid first and then dry, do not neglect this.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. Pour liquid into a bucket. Its temperature should not exceed 25 degrees Celsius.
2. Salt is better to take finely ground or "Extra". Salt will improve the taste of the finished product.
3. Sugar will give the product splendor and softness, as well as a crisp and golden crust, but do not exceed the amount specified in the recipe, otherwise the dough can "run away".
4. Fatty oils will give the product softness and taste, as well as prevent the dough from sticking to the bucket. You can use refined vegetable oil, butter, margarine, lard, bacon. Fats and oils should be at room temperature.
5. Flour is used very different - from classic wheat to more rare species - corn, oat, buckwheat, barley, pea and others. Any flour must be sieved so that it is enriched with oxygen, and to exclude foreign impregnations.
6. Yeast for bread makers is better to use dry "High-speed", they are called that. Be sure to look at the date of manufacture before purchase, expired yeast may not work in the dough. Dry yeast must not get into the liquid.
7. Some still prefer live pressed yeast, selecting the amount by trial and error.

When introducing the ingredients into the bucket of a bread machine, you must use a scale!

A set of products is made according to a prescription or personal preference

After bookmarking the products, select the mode, the weight of the product and the color of the crust and press “Start”. If you plan to bake bread for breakfast, you should use the delayed start function: you need to calculate when the bread maker should start in time so that the bread can be baked by the appointed time.

What is a dispenser and is it needed in a bread machine?

The bread dispenser is a special container mounted in the lid. It is intended for the automatic supply of various flavoring ingredients (raisins, nuts, seeds, dried fruits) at a certain stage of kneading the dough. The automated process simplifies the baking of bakery products and muffins: you do not have to watch the moment to pour additional ingredients into the dough, especially when it comes to a delayed start.

In rare oven models, there is a dispenser for feeding yeast, which is involved in the initial stage of kneading the dough.

The presence of a dispenser in a bread machine has both pros and cons.

pros availability of dispenser:

• convenience in the time delay mode, the process will take place without human intervention;
• the dispenser volume is calculated exactly on the number of ingredients that are declared in the recipe;
• components are added exactly at the moment you need it.

Cons of a dispenser:

• a loud click when opening the dispenser at night can frighten households;
• products with various additives are far from being baked as often as regular white bread;
• the dispenser must be manually closed after operation, as it can crush the top of the baking dish;
• the ingredients must first be prepared before laying them in the dispenser: dry the raisins and roll in flour, sprinkle candied fruit with icing sugar so that they do not stick together, etc. Otherwise, they may stick together and not fall into the dough;
• After each use, the dispenser must be washed.

As a rule, users whose bread makers are not equipped with a dispenser, absolutely do not suffer from its absence. Everyone decides for himself whether he needs this addition to the furnace.

Dispensers for Extra Ingredients and Yeast

Advantages and disadvantages of a bread machine

Users see the advantages of the device in the following points:

1. the device is extremely easy to use;
2. the process is almost completely automated;
3. the unit’s capabilities are not limited to baking bakery products and baking, the device can easily knead the dough, cook jam, jam or porridge, make yogurt;
4. there is the possibility of baking gluten-free bread for people suffering from allergies;
5. the user always knows exactly what he is eating;
6. the oven does not require special care and maintenance - sometimes wipe the case with a damp cloth and occasionally wash the bucket;
7. no need to go to the store because of one bread.

The disadvantages of the device are as follows:

1. for the stove you need to allocate a permanent place in the apartment, near the source of electricity;
2. often bakery novices complain that the recipe does not produce the best quality bread. The user needs some time to come to his ideal, correct recipe;
3. not always some baking ingredients can be found in ordinary stores, but, of course, no one has canceled online stores;
4. cooking in a bread machine will necessarily require a kitchen scale, better than a digital one;
5. some people are frightened by the conventional wisdom that fresh baking is unhealthy;
6. a bread machine cannot be called an energy-efficient device. The standard program for baking bread rolls involves the operation of the device for three to five hours. The device consumes about three kW in one hour.

Most of the minuses of using the device are quite subjective, and the advantages fascinate with their capabilities and scope. But the choice, as always, is up to the potential user.

The smell of fresh pastries adds to the comfort of home

Expert Tips: How to Choose the Right Bread Maker

Expert advice on choosing the best models includes several options:

1. By weight of a loaf. If the family has more than 4 people, you should look at the models that bake a loaf weighing from 1 to 2 kg. A family of 2-3 people will have enough loaves of 0.75-1000 g. If bread is rarely consumed in the house and in very small quantities, a small loaf weighing 0.45-0.75 g will be enough.
2. The number of blades. The high-volume mold is often supplied by the responsible manufacturer with two kneading blades. It is necessary to practice so that baking with two blades is proportional. But if you do everything according to the instructions, the oars do an excellent job even with the coolest test.
3. The power of the bread machine. The optimum power for the stove is considered to be from 450 to 850 watts. Users, operating bread makers at 800 and 1600 watts, did not notice a significant difference. So the question is whether to buy a powerful device that will hit the wiring and electricity bills, remains open.
4. Additional functions. This moment is purely individual. If you do not plan to cook yogurt, baguettes and gluten-free bread in the oven, you should not overpay for these functions.
5. Rating of manufacturers. This rating has evolved over the years and decades. The leaders are such familiar companies as Panasonic, Gorenje, Kenwood, Moulinex (price range over $ 100). Lesser-known manufacturers of Mystery, Liberton, Zelmer, Dex (price range $ 70). Budget models quite often have good functionality and are slightly inferior to eminent brothers: Supra BMS-150, Mystery MBM-1207, LarettiLR7606S (price range $ 50).

Bread maker is not a household appliance that will become obsolete in a couple of years; in five years of operation, it will work out its full cost. Budget models pay off much faster than expensive ones.

Budget models pay off faster

Here are some more useful points:

• models with a display and viewing window are preferred;
• the package necessarily includes a hook for removing the blade, a recipe book, a two-sided measuring spoon and a measuring cup;
• if the blade for kneading is folding, it is easier to pull it out of the finished loaf;
• some models have interchangeable molds for baking butter rolls;
• in some bread machines the bucket is divided into two compartments, i.e. two loaves are baked at the same time.