What shape is the loaf?
The unconventional loaves that come out of a bread machine take their shape from their baking pans, and each loaf bears the distinctive mark of the automatic bakery—the hole in the bottom created by the kneading paddle. There are three loaf shapes: round or tall cylindrical (this cube shape is popular since it slices perfectly on the horizontal to fit in a toaster or sandwich bag), vertical rectangle (the most common, and similar to a commercial loaf shape but with fuller sides), and long horizontal (the most similar to a large, standard bread pan and considered by some to be the most attractive loaf—these need two blades to mix the entire dough properly). The vertical rectangle is taller than it is wide, and the long horizontal is oblong. (See
Bread Pan Shapes
for illustrations of the bread pans and the loaves they make.) Though this has nothing to do with the shape, I would also note that some brands have heavier aluminum baking pans than others. Bread bakes most evenly in thicker pans.
Does the lid have a viewing window?
Most machines have a small viewing window. While it tends to fog up during the kneading, it does clear again. The window is really good for seeing if the dough has over-risen up to the window and threatens to push open the lid, or for peering in during the baking, when you can’t lift the lid. Many veteran bread machine bakers like to be able to completely remove the lid for easy cleaning.
Is the machine a basic or a multifunctional model?
There are basic cycles that mix, knead, and bake white bread, fruit and nut breads, and light whole wheats. The newer machines have lots of extras: Jam cycle, Whole Wheat cycle, French Bread cycle, Pizza Dough cycle, and Quick Bread/Cake cycle. If you are into heavier whole wheat and whole grain breads, you will be glad to have a model with a Whole Wheat cycle; it will have the power necessary to drive the blade through heavy doughs. The kneading and rising in this cycle are also geared toward heavier doughs. There is a multipurpose model by Oster that is known for being a great pasta dough maker. Aroma Bread Chef is a rice cooker and yogurt maker, and there is even a model that churns butter! Older models tend to have only the basic features, and some economically priced newer models are rather basic, too. What type of machine you have probably depends on what type of bread you make most. Basic models may meet all the needs of most home bakers, although extra features can be fun to experiment with. Along with more functions comes the need for more digital programming.
Many of the older machines and a few of the newer machines do not have built-in timers, although they have become quite standard. The timer enables you to delay the start of the cycle so that the bread will be ready when you want it, up to twenty-four hours after you load and program the machine. Some old models don’t have a removable kneading blade; I consider it a must to be able to remove and wash it properly. A handful of machines stop when you open the lid; some people prefer this and others dislike it. Some models have an extra crisping or cool-down phase (which sucks the hot air out of the machine, different than Keep Warm), which could be important if you are not around to remove the bread when it is done.
Does the machine have an audible alert to remind you when to add extra ingredients?
It is convenient for the basic cycle to beep as a reminder to add embellishments such as raisins or nuts midway through the kneading, so that they are not pulverized during the mixing. A machine can have this feature built into one or many of its cycles. If your machine does not offer this signal, it is easy enough to set your own kitchen timer to add the extras on your own. See
BREAKFAST BREADS
for more information.
Does your machine’s digital screen tell you what phase of the cycle it is in?
My testers all seemed to like this indicator feature. You don’t have to peek, listen, or write down times to gauge where you are. For those who are used to baking by hand, this indicator allows them to orient themselves to what part of the process the machine is in. I tend to use the cycle indicator more often than the timer to judge how close the bread is to being done.
Does your machine have a power saver memory?
The power saver lets the machine restart where it left off in the event of a brief blackout or if the plug is accidentally pulled out mid-cycle. If the machine does not have the power saver feature, you would have to start the machine from the beginning of the cycle again instead of resuming the process where it left off. No matter what machine you are using, if a power outage happens during the baking part of a cycle, you won’t be able to retrieve the loaf at all. (However, dough could be removed and baked in a conventional oven.) The standard time limit of the power saver memory is 60 minutes.
What information does the owner’s manual provide?
Look at the manual provided by the manufacturer. A complete and easy-to-understand owner’s manual is a real help. This book offers a great deal of information regarding all aspects of bread machine baking, from descriptions of various features, to troubleshooting, to tips for cleanup. Read your owner’s manual and become familiar with its contents. It will tell you the important specifics about your machine, such as the order in which ingredients should be added, and how to program the various cycles and the Delay Timer.
Is service support offered for the machine?
Most bread machine manufacturers offer a toll-free customer support line to assist you with any troubles that arise in your use of the machine (see
Customer Service Numbers
for a list of these numbers). The people who staff these phone lines are generally very knowledgeable. Know the number for your machine’s manufacturer, and don’t be afraid to use it. While the failure rate of this complex appliance is very low, you should also hold on to your receipt, and be sure you can take the machine back to where you bought it. Again, a good help line can help you assess whether a problem is caused by the baking method or a faulty machine. A bread machine does have some replaceable parts, such as the drive belt for the blade and a thermal sensor fuse, which can easily be repaired at an authorized service center. Don’t attempt home repairs. Finally, be kind to your nonstick pan and paddle; they cost $40 to $60 to replace. If you should need to order replacements, call your customer support line.
Customer Service Numbers
This list of customer service telephone numbers for the various manufacturers of bread machines is important to keep on hand for any questions that may come up during the operation of your machine, or for repair information.
Aroma:
800-276-6286
Betty Crocker:
800-688-8782
Black & Decker:
800-231-9786
Breadman/Salton:
888-889-0899
DAK:
Out of business; no customer service line available.
Franklin Chef:
800-480-2610
GoldStar:
800-243-0000
Hitachi:
800-448-2244
Oster/Sunbeam:
800-526-2832
Panasonic/National:
800-871-5279/ 800-211-7262
Pillsbury (MK Seiko):
800-858-3277
Sanyo:
800-421-5013
Toastmaster:
800-947-3744
Welbilt:
516-872-1656
West Bend:
800-367-0111
Williams-Sonoma (MK Seiko):
800-858-3277
Zojirushi:
800-733-6270
In the owner’s manual, after acquainting you with the parts of the machine, the basic steps to remove and replace the bread pan, and the order in which to place the ingredients in the pan, each manufacturer will list the features, also referred to as the modes of operation or cycles, of the machine. This list of cycles lets you know what types of breads you can make with your machine, and the amount of time it takes to make a loaf on each of these settings. Most booklets tell you in a chart how long each cycle, and even each part of a cycle, takes; the times are a bit different for each brand of machine. All machines have at least four of the following cycles:
BASIC
This setting is also known as Basic Bread, Basic Mode, Basic Wheat, Standard, or White. This is the all-purpose setting you’ll probably use most often. The cycle takes three to four hours, depending on your machine. It is the cycle for white breads and whole wheat or whole-grain breads that contain more than 50 percent bread flour. This cycle can also be used for country breads if you don’t have a French Bread cycle. Within this cycle there is sometimes the further choice of “Quick” or “Rapid.” (Some machines have you program for this separately. See information about the
Quick Yeast Bread
cycle). On many of the newer machines, there will be a beep during the Basic cycle to identify when to add any extra ingredients, like raisins or nuts.
SWEET BREAD
The Sweet Bread cycle allows doughs with a higher fat and sugar content to rise more slowly. This cycle has a longer rise and a lower baking temperature, about 250°F, since the crust of a sweet bread will brown quicker. There is usually a beep in this cycle for the addition of extra ingredients, like chopped glacéed fruit or nuts. Many sweet breads are also mixed on the Dough cycle, shaped, and baked in the home oven.
FRUIT AND NUT
Also known as the Raisin Mode or Mix Bread cycle, the Fruit and Nut setting is used for recipes that require the addition of nuts, seeds, chocolate chips, or dried fruit to the dough. This way the extras are not overmixed or pulverized during the vigorous blade action of the kneading phase of the cycle. Many of the newer machines have this audible alert built into the Basic and Whole Wheat cycles, rather than in a separate cycle. When the beep sounds, simply open the lid and pour in the extras. If your machine does not have this cycle, use the Basic cycle for breads made with these ingredients. The audible alert is not a necessity; see
Bread Machine Baker’s Hint: Working with Dried Fruit
for information on adding extra ingredients. Sometimes, if I want to vary the color or taste of a bread, I do add the extras, such as onions and nuts, at the beginning of the cycle so that the kneading action smooshes them and they more or less disintegrate into the dough.
VARIETY
This was a common feature on the older machines. The Variety cycle runs about the same length of time as the Basic cycle, and has a beep and displays a signal to “shape” so that you can remove the dough after the second rise, fill and shape it by hand, and then return it to the baking canister for a final rise and the baking. You could use this cycle for a cinnamon swirl or monkey bread. This is a fun feature. If your machine does not have it, you can program for the Basic cycle, press Pause to interrupt it after Rise 2, remove the dough and shape it, and then return it to the pan and press Start to resume the cycle and bake the bread.
DOUGH
This setting may also be known as the Rise or Manual cycle. This is the setting to use when you want to mix and rise a dough in the machine, then remove the dough, shape it by hand, and bake it in your oven. Toast master has the shortest Dough cycle at 1 hour and 3 minutes, 1 hour and 30 minutes is the average, and Panasonic’s is the longest at 2 hours and 30 minutes (this includes Preheat). Doughs prepared on this setting are intended to be shaped into traditional loaves or in special ways, such as cloverleaf dinner rolls, egg twists, pizza, croissants, bread sticks, or bagels, and baked in the oven. You can adapt your favorite recipes for this cycle, with respect to using quantities that will fit in your machine (see
Bread Machine Baker’s Hint: The Right Amount of Dough
for Your Machine for information about maximum capacities). Remove the dough at the beep and proceed to shape as directed in the recipe. Within this cycle is sometimes the further choice of Basic Dough or Quick Dough.
WHOLE WHEAT
This cycle is also known as the Whole Grain or Basic Wheat mode. This setting allows heavy whole grain flours a nice long kneading time and an extra, and slightly longer, rising time as compared to the Basic cycle, producing a lighter, higher loaf. This is really nice for all sorts of whole wheat breads made with more than 50 percent whole grain flour. It should definitely be used for 100 percent whole wheat or whole-grain breads, and for breads containing specialty flours, such as barley or spelt. Within this cycle is sometimes a further choice of Basic or Quick. On many of the newer machines, there will be a beep during this cycle to identify when to add any extra ingredients, like raisins or nuts. Models that preheat at the beginning of some, but not all, of their cycles generally do preheat in the Whole Wheat cycle.