Russell Hobbs 23620 Compact Fast Breadmaker, 660 W, Black [Energy Class A]
Compact black bread maker
There really is nothing like the mouth-watering, delicious smell of fresh bread to make a house feel like a home. With the Russell Hobbs 23620 compact bread maker you can enjoy fresh, homemade bread quicker than ever before.
By making your own bread at home you’re able to control what ingredients are used, from the type of flour to the delicious little extras like seeds and raisins. There’s no kneading by hand or oven baking required and you can enjoy a professional finish every time – no more sunken centres or crumbling crusts!
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| No more waiting for freshly made bread. The Russell Hobbs compact bread maker features a 55 minute fast bake function, giving you the ability to quickly whip up a delicious white loaf if your friends and family descend last minute! To ensure you have the versatility to bake up your favourite type of loaf the Russell Hobbs compact bread maker has 12 programmable functions. With options from gluten free, french, whole-wheat, cake and many more! Did you know that you can even use your breadmaker to make jam? Why not give it a go – you’ll always have something tasty to top your fresh bread. The handy 13 hour delay bake function gives you the freedom of freshly baked bread at your convenience. You can set the delay feature at night so that you wake up to a freshly baked loaf for breakfast, or you can set it before a busy day so that you can come home to a crusty loaf to accompany your dinner. | Make 500g, 750g and 1kg loaves, allowing you to make bread at a suitable size for you. Crust control: This nifty little bread maker hasn’t left anything to chance and even features a crust control function allows you to select from 3 settings of how dark you would like your crust. Seven minute power cut – off memory function: This clever function means that if you are using the bread maker and it is accidentally unplugged or switched off, the bread maker will continue baking from where it was stopped in its programme when power is restored. | Keep warm function: You may not be able to get to your bread as soon as it has finished baking and so the designers at Russell Hobbs have included an automatic keep warm function that will automatically keep your bread warm for 1 hour after the bread maker has finished baking. Easy cleaning: For added convenience, the bread pan and kneading blade are both non-stick and are dishwasher safe, making cleaning up a breeze. Safety and practicality: The easy-to-follow LCD display makes the baking experience easy and quick while watching the progress of your loaf through the large viewing window. The bread maker also has non-slip feet on the base to prevent the appliance from moving or slipping on shiny kitchen work tops. |
About the brand
We’ve been at the heart of homes for over 60 years, bringing an extensive range of high quality kitchen appliances that have been designed and developed to make your life easier and more enjoyable. Our commitment to creating products that are stylish, reliable and practical has helped us to build a brand that’s synonymous with trust and high quality.
Whatever your lifestyle, your taste or your individual requirements, we’re always here to ensure that you have access to technology and products that perform perfectly for you.
Product features
- 55 minute fast bake
- 12 functions including: French, Gluten Free, Jam and Whole Wheat
- 13hr delay bake timer
- 3 crust options
- 7 minute power cut-off memory function
- Automatic keep warm function for 1hr
- Dishwasher safe non-stick pan and kneading blades
| Weight: | 4.32 kg |
| Dimensions: | 32.2 x 29 x 30 cm; 4.32 Kilograms |
| Brand: | Russell Hobbs |
| Model: | 23620 |
| Colour: | Black |
| Colour: | Black |
This is a basic bread maker. I bought it to use at my holiday home. It’s not as robust as the Panasonic bread maker I’ve had for years. I find it difficult to position the pan in when it’s full of ingredients so tend to put the pan in first and the blade is a bit flimsy but it does make a decent loaf of bread.
You do have to ensure that you put the water in first ( unlike my Panasonic when it goes in last) .
I think I would buy a more expensive machine like the Panasonic if I was going to use this daily but for light use I think this will be fine.
I really wanted to give this 5 stars as it’s a great machine for smaller kitchen. I bought it to replace my older machine which has seen better days and takes up too much room both on the countertop and in a cupboard. So far, the loaves I have made with this have turned out so much better than with my old machine, however, I have had to drop a star from my rating because the paddle rips out a LOT of bread when removing the cooked loaf with most of it sticking to the paddle. I think this may be because it has quite a rough surface. Other than that, I would recommend this to other buyers.
I really wanted to give this 5 stars as it’s a great machine for smaller kitchen. I bought it to replace my older machine which has seen better days and takes up too much room both on the countertop and in a cupboard. So far, the loaves I have made with this have turned out so much better than with my old machine, however, I have had to drop a star from my rating because the paddle rips out a LOT of bread when removing the cooked loaf with most of it sticking to the paddle. I think this may be because it has quite a rough surface. Other than that, I would recommend this to other buyers.
I really wanted to give this 5 stars as it’s a great machine for smaller kitchen. I bought it to replace my older machine which has seen better days and takes up too much room both on the countertop and in a cupboard. So far, the loaves I have made with this have turned out so much better than with my old machine, however, I have had to drop a star from my rating because the paddle rips out a LOT of bread when removing the cooked loaf with most of it sticking to the paddle. I think this may be because it has quite a rough surface. Other than that, I would recommend this to other buyers.
This is a great little bread maker. It’s compact and easy to use & offers a nice array of functions – timer, different loaf sizes, crust colour and bread types along with cakes etc.
I’d do wish it had an internal light so could see the loaf rising through the window & a drawer for adding fruit and seeds etc that automatically dispense at the right time as I’ve had with other machines. However it beeps to let you know when you can add these by hand. This isn’t a deal breaker as the quality of bread is superior to my previous, more expensive machine.
I’m so pleased I brought this bread maker. Have used it regularly and bread turns out really well. So far have made white bread but mainly wholewheat. The choice of size and crust colour is really handy. Texture is lovely and springy not heavy. I’ve even used a packet of bread mix and it came out just as nice as when I use the individual ingredients. Would definitely recommend
This machine is more compact than my KENWOOD was which is good in a small kitchen but can still deliver 3 sizes of loaves. It cooks well, kneads efficiently etc. The noise levels in my opinion are very reasonable although in a flat I would expect you would be woken by the noise of the machine rather than the smell of bread if you used the time delay function.
If you have made bread before this is great, if this is your first machine then do buy a bread recipe book as the accompanying booklet is really not very helpful.
Again, if this is your first machine then the paddle will in some recipe stay in the bread and you will need to prise it out. This unavoidable unless you select a machine which has retractable paddle (I could not find one in the UK). Once you have the knack it will be fine and you won’t get the big holes you might get at the beginning. S Persvre and try plenty of recipe before settling for your favourite one 🙂
My only criticism would be that the blade can be a bit of a chore to clean, but it’s a small price to pay for cheaper, healthier and better tasting bread than the supermarkets can offer.
I spoke to a very helpful member of the Russell Hobbs support team. He said that all mixing and kneading functions are complete at 2 hours 5 minutes and that would be the time to remove the paddle.
I am only using the Bread Maker on Menu 8 (3 hours 5 minutes), the Sandwich Loaf therefore I did not enquire about any other mixes. I can only suggest that we try it. Good baking…
Loves the gluten free function/programme.
She says it’s extremely easy to use, clean and that the bread comes out fantastically well, would recommend to anyone!
The blade getting stuck in the loaf is so annoying and also having to use a grill to colour top of loaf on quick bakes. Its good with packet mixes too. Apart from that … its a good buy
Like the bread size! the blade however could do with some research,maybe its the shape! my 4th bread maker over the years,and the best one yet! shame the blade makes a large hole in the bread.
Had ours for three weeks now and after a couple of goes to get the knack we’re really enjoying it. Only issue is the kneading portion is very very noisy! Wouldn’t be much of an issue, it only lasts about 10 minutes, but if you’re planning on setting it to have bread ready for when you wake up it’s loud enough to wake the house up in the early hours!
Had ours for three weeks now and after a couple of goes to get the knack we’re really enjoying it. Only issue is the kneading portion is very very noisy! Wouldn’t be much of an issue, it only lasts about 10 minutes, but if you’re planning on setting it to have bread ready for when you wake up it’s loud enough to wake the house up in the early hours!
My Keto bread and my dough for naan came out delicious with great texture. On my 3rd attempt at making bread it was a little burned at the sides, don’t understand why because I did everything the same but I’m pleased with my purchase regardless. Every household should have a bread maker. This one was a great price and does the job.
For anyone wanting to try it here’s my recipe: in brackets is what I use but standard type works too.
310ml oat milk
60ml water
2 tablespoons oil (olive)
1 teaspoon vinegar (cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon salt (sea)
2 teaspoons sugar (golden caster)
450g free from bread flour
20g chickpea/gram flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
2 teaspoons easy bake yeas
This is my second breadmaker. The first one delivered dense and heavy bread, no matter how I tweaked the recipe. This one has given me soft and delicious bread exactly as I want it from the first time I used it. Have baked 5 loaves so far, all of them good except one which did not rise because I think I did something weird with the settings. The fastbake created a loaf in an hour which would have been fine for toast. The 3 hour program gives great results. My recipeL 250ml water, Tablespoon clover butter spread. 1tsp salt, 400grams white flour, sachet fast yeast, 1tsp sugar. Add the ingredients in the order listed. Biggest size loaf with lightest crust on program 1. ENJOY!
Arrived quickly and couldn’t wait to use it. Compact design so easy to store. Straightforward instructions and as long as you follow them produces great bread. The actual paddle mixer seems rather flimsy but hasn’t broken yet! Paddle does get stuck in bread when baked but this was on information before I bought it. All in all a great bread machine for the price.
I chose this bread maker because I needed something compact for my small kitchen. It’s not perfect but it does make lovely bread – actually the granary loaf was excellent. It doesn’t brown the top as much as the sides and bottom which looks odd, but it doesn’t taste any worse for it. A few more recipes would be good. Oiling the paddle before use does make it easier to remove and less unsightly. I’ve experimented a bit with the recipes, found some online recipes as well, all have turned out well. I’ve found it easy to use. I’ve been converted to making my own bread now and I don’t think I’ll buy bread again!
Our first one was purchased in Nov 2019 & used at least 3 times a week since then. We extended the guarantee from 1 year to 2. Just as well as the heating elements packed up mid-March this year. A replacement arrived this morning, all under the guarantee.
Pros — easy to use & takes up little space. With the Timer, you can set it up to cook overnight.
Cons — the machine has to be pulled forward from the wall cabinets to allow the lid to be opened.
It ‘wanders’ when in use. More often than not, the paddle gets stuck in the cooked loaf. We made a hook to tease it out.
We found that, although shop-brand bread flour & packets are fine, the better the flour, the better the loaf. The best we’ve used was a Canadian Strong Bread flour, bought when nothing else was available but 50% more costly than own-brand. We use the Wrights mix for when we can’t be bothered with the weighing etc.
A word of warning to a new user — Small, medium & large refers to the height of the finished loaf, not its length. You’ll get the same number of slices per loaf regardless of the size.
Then we tried the dough function and we made some great pita bread and pizza, 1h30min for the dough is really really good. And the pizza dough was proper, tasted really good. (And I’m Italian).
It works. It makes bread the only issue is the finished product looks very anemic, like it’s still raw. Even on the darkest crust setting the loaf comes out virtually white. To get a reasonable colour on the loaf once it’s finished in the machine I put it in the oven for 20-25 min.
I like the ease of use and variety of recipes in the booklet. Just being able to add each ingredient to the loaf tin and let the machine do the rest of the work helps so much. Three things I don’t like: a) we don’t know how long each programme takes until we select it ; b) the paddle sometimes gets stuck inside the finished product and is difficult to remove ; c) the paddle always makes a hole inside the finished product.
On the whole my wife and I are very pleased with it.
Very pleased with my breadmaker which replaces a Curry’s one I had for around eight years. I am using the recipe from my Curry’s one which puts the liquid and milk powder first, followed by the flour and then the rest of the ingredients and it makes the bread beautifully. I have made both white, wholemeal and a mixture of both – have also made dough for chelsea buns and pizza dough. Doesn’t take up too much space and doesn’t move around on the worktop when it’s kneading. Haven’t put a rating for flavour as that depends more on your recipe. Four stars for easy to use as the liquid in the recipes is given as a weight and I prefer to have it in ml.
So I’ve had this 4 months and haven’t bought a shop loaf in all that time … It’s got super easy ease to use. Keep digital scales handy and weigh the amounts in the detachable baking tin … my only criticism is the mixing paddle sometimes detaches into the loaf which is what we want but half the time rips a hole in the bottom as it doesn’t detach. Personally the wonder of easy fresh bread bypasses that … but next generation needs to address this so it is the prefect loaf please but for now I say buy this
Really enjoying this bit of kit. The machine itself is good quality, looks really smart, but does have quite a large footprint, as you would expect. It come complete with recipes for 12 different kinds of bread. All those we have tried are delicious. We have had no shop bought bread since buying this.
It is quite noisy, so we keep ours in the utility room, and most recipes take about three and a half hours, but there is timer, so you can set things up for your bread to be ready at a given time.
Great fun!
The setting of the program is slightly different to the old version and the recipes for breads are markedly different in some cases compared to the recipes for the older version. All in all, it does the job for which it was bought, meaning that Chorleywood bread can stay in the shop!
I only gave 4 stars as would have liked more info and more recipes. My first bread maker therefore nothing to compare it with. Good price, size and easy to use. It’s stable and doesn’t walk across the surface as I’d read in one review. Bread is tasty but I don’t like the gaping hole in bottom of loaf. However I’ve learned this is a feature in most bread makers. I would definitely recommend as I’ve made some really tasty bread with ease.
Easy. Very easy to use. Just put the ingredients, close the lid and walk away.
The bread tastes nice, I’ve tried a few basic programs and now I’m thinking about experimenting with different flavours.
Very easy to clean, just pour some water in for 2 mins and everything will come off.
Comes with a basic recipe book (I recommend watching their YouTube video about the correct way to measure ingredients)
Cons:
It does vibrate so make sure it’s on a nice and stable surface with some distance from the edges.
It’s always on if plugged in which I find annoying but I’ve ordered a smart plug which I’m going to be putting on a timer.
The blade (or whatever this bit is called) is often getting stuck inside the loaf or leaves a hole inside it. I’m thinking about trying removing it once all the kneading is done but the problem is I have to find it out when exactly it’s done for each individual program.
Easy. Very easy to use. Just put the ingredients, close the lid and walk away.
The bread tastes nice, I’ve tried a few basic programs and now I’m thinking about experimenting with different flavours.
Very easy to clean, just pour some water in for 2 mins and everything will come off.
Comes with a basic recipe book (I recommend watching their YouTube video about the correct way to measure ingredients)
Cons:
It does vibrate so make sure it’s on a nice and stable surface with some distance from the edges.
It’s always on if plugged in which I find annoying but I’ve ordered a smart plug which I’m going to be putting on a timer.
The blade (or whatever this bit is called) is often getting stuck inside the loaf or leaves a hole inside it. I’m thinking about trying removing it once all the kneading is done but the problem is I have to find it out when exactly it’s done for each individual program.
Easy. Very easy to use. Just put the ingredients, close the lid and walk away.
The bread tastes nice, I’ve tried a few basic programs and now I’m thinking about experimenting with different flavours.
Very easy to clean, just pour some water in for 2 mins and everything will come off.
Comes with a basic recipe book (I recommend watching their YouTube video about the correct way to measure ingredients)
Cons:
It does vibrate so make sure it’s on a nice and stable surface with some distance from the edges.
It’s always on if plugged in which I find annoying but I’ve ordered a smart plug which I’m going to be putting on a timer.
The blade (or whatever this bit is called) is often getting stuck inside the loaf or leaves a hole inside it. I’m thinking about trying removing it once all the kneading is done but the problem is I have to find it out when exactly it’s done for each individual program.
I bought this to replace the breadmaker I’ve had for many years for which I could no longer get parts.
It’s a lot smaller and sleeker than my old one and I’m quite pleased with it. I would have given it 5 stars but for the fact it’s quite noisy when mixing and kneading and it can be a little difficult to remove the pan.
Nice design, easy to clean, and clear timer instructions. However, it does leave a hole in the bottom from the ‘paddle’. And the recipes are somewhat limited. I wanted something that would prepare bread dough, that could then be put into my own baking tin for the oven, but I cannot do this. We haven’t had much success in getting a nice shaped loaf, although it did taste okay. Will have to keep trying I guess. Wouldn’t buy it again though.
Yes, it’s a little annoying that the paddle leaves a small hole at the bottom but I think this is standard for bread makers. Difficult to see how manufacturers could avoid it? Considering the price, I think it’s a really good deal and would certainly recommend it. It also looks quite stylish.
Quite pleased to find that I haven’t been ripped off for a change, which is why I’ve written this – as normally I wouldn’t bother.
Yes, it’s a little annoying that the paddle leaves a small hole at the bottom but I think this is standard for bread makers. Difficult to see how manufacturers could avoid it? Considering the price, I think it’s a really good deal and would certainly recommend it. It also looks quite stylish.
Quite pleased to find that I haven’t been ripped off for a change, which is why I’ve written this – as normally I wouldn’t bother.
Yes, it’s a little annoying that the paddle leaves a small hole at the bottom but I think this is standard for bread makers. Difficult to see how manufacturers could avoid it? Considering the price, I think it’s a really good deal and would certainly recommend it. It also looks quite stylish.
Quite pleased to find that I haven’t been ripped off for a change, which is why I’ve written this – as normally I wouldn’t bother.
Well just look at the pictures! The bread is tasty and so fluffy that you can put enough ingredients for a 1kg loaf! Absolutely brilliant!
It’s easy to use and is a lot more compact.
Bought this to bake Hovis granary bread using Hovis flour. It worked perfectly from the first time. The loaf produced was just as good as the bread bought from a bakery. You must follow the instructions about using the exact amount of each ingredient, using electronic scales and being accurate. It is worth the extra trouble to get a really good loaf of bread. I have only used it to bake granary bread which does take over 3 hours in total. The equipment is easy to clean and does not take up much room. The only small fault is that the paddle which does the mixing often gets stuck in the base of the baked loaf so the finished loaf has a hole in the base after the paddle has been dislodged. Must also follow the instructions about allowing the bread to cool on a rack before trying to cut it. I am very happy with this bread maker.
The breadbasket is very easy to use and turns out excellent loaves
The menus are a bit difficult as they are in weight rather than spoons or cups as I’ve used in past . My main disappointment is the mixing paddle always takes a large piece of the bread when removing from the pan. This is hopefllentully because it’s new and slightly too tight on the drive shaft.
Still an excellent buy and worth the money.
I will never buy normal loads again! Tb
Bought this during the start of the Covid outbreak when getting bread was next to impossible. It arrived super fast and is so easy to use. I struggled to get the bread to fully rise at first so I put the water, sugar and yeast in first. This gives it a few minutes of activation time whilst I measure out the rest of the ingredients. That seems to do the trick and now I have lovely bread every time. Don’t expect perfect results straight away. You have to experiment a little bit to get it just how you like it.
I will never buy normal loads again! Tb
Bought this during the start of the Covid outbreak when getting bread was next to impossible. It arrived super fast and is so easy to use. I struggled to get the bread to fully rise at first so I put the water, sugar and yeast in first. This gives it a few minutes of activation time whilst I measure out the rest of the ingredients. That seems to do the trick and now I have lovely bread every time. Don’t expect perfect results straight away. You have to experiment a little bit to get it just how you like it.
I will never buy normal loads again! Tb
Bought this during the start of the Covid outbreak when getting bread was next to impossible. It arrived super fast and is so easy to use. I struggled to get the bread to fully rise at first so I put the water, sugar and yeast in first. This gives it a few minutes of activation time whilst I measure out the rest of the ingredients. That seems to do the trick and now I have lovely bread every time. Don’t expect perfect results straight away. You have to experiment a little bit to get it just how you like it.
Easy to use, instruction book is useful with lots of recipes. Haven’t used the timer , made cakes or jam yet so can’t comment on those functions (will update when I do), but the bread is fabulous. My favourite is made with sunflower seed flour, yummy nutty flavour. I’d also use the machine to knead the dough for rolls or pizza dough as I’m not inspired by white bread. I took the paddle out after the kneading stage so the hole in the bottom was minimal, but even if left in the paddle hole is small. Very easy to clean. Bit noisy in the kneading stage ( don’t know why I expected it to be quiet ) so it has a home in the adjoining utility room now instead of the kitchen, and still makes the kitchen smell mouthwatering. Really pleased I bought it. I would recommend. great machine at a good competative price.
So….I’ve tried and failed many times at baking bread the trad way. The present situation (lock down) made me want to try again, lets face it I have plenty of time right now. Anyway I was like…don’t keep trying and failing, just buy a machine that does it all for you! (but don’t spend a fortune on it)
This machine was sold out here on amazon but I placed an order anyway, it came within the week. I used the recipe in the booklet to make a plain white loaf (750g, medium crust)….it worked perfectly 1st time! it was also the best loaf of white bread I ever tasted!
I couldn’t recommend this machine highly enough.
This machine is tricky to set up as the display lights are virtually impossible to see. Also there is no way you could set this going overnight as it’s very noisy. Apart from the general running noise,it rings an alarm part way through so you can add fruit or nuts. Also you need to remove loaf as soon as it is finished or you will have trouble getting it out the pan. Overall though it suits my purposes and at least I have control over what my bread contains.
I recommend the full 3 hour 20 minute bake, but if you are in a hurry the longer fast bake, fast bake 2 makes better bread. Put a little more yeast in for fast bake.
A small flat digital weighing machine is good. Put the baking bread mould on the top, zero it and go by weight.
200 ml of water weighs 200 grams, so I have settled on 300 flour to 200 water, which works well for a good sized loaf. Home baked loaves keep longer in the bread bin without going moldy. They are great for toast on the second day.
Use bread flour of course. If you want brown bread a 50/50 mix with white is less heavy.
A little butter added along with sugar and salt works well.
Nothing like the aroma of a hot loaf. You get the aroma around the house as it nears completion of the baking cycle. Extract the metal baking mould and stand it to cool a bit before removing loaf and put on cooling rack to avoid condensation.
I give the instruction for non-chefs like me!
I recommend the full 3 hour 20 minute bake, but if you are in a hurry the longer fast bake, fast bake 2 makes better bread. Put a little more yeast in for fast bake.
A small flat digital weighing machine is good. Put the baking bread mould on the top, zero it and go by weight.
200 ml of water weighs 200 grams, so I have settled on 300 flour to 200 water, which works well for a good sized loaf. Home baked loaves keep longer in the bread bin without going moldy. They are great for toast on the second day.
Use bread flour of course. If you want brown bread a 50/50 mix with white is less heavy.
A little butter added along with sugar and salt works well.
Nothing like the aroma of a hot loaf. You get the aroma around the house as it nears completion of the baking cycle. Extract the metal baking mould and stand it to cool a bit before removing loaf and put on cooling rack to avoid condensation.
I give the instruction for non-chefs like me!
To be honest, it’s possibly the best present I’ve ever bought her, the bread is wonderfully made, tastes brilliant, the instructions are perfectly clear, and the included recipes easy to follow. I would recommend a set of decent electronic scales to accompany the machine. Cleaning it is easy.
It’s the “best thing since sliced bread” – honestly..!
To be honest, it’s possibly the best present I’ve ever bought her, the bread is wonderfully made, tastes brilliant, the instructions are perfectly clear, and the included recipes easy to follow. I would recommend a set of decent electronic scales to accompany the machine. Cleaning it is easy.
It’s the “best thing since sliced bread” – honestly..!
To be honest, it’s possibly the best present I’ve ever bought her, the bread is wonderfully made, tastes brilliant, the instructions are perfectly clear, and the included recipes easy to follow. I would recommend a set of decent electronic scales to accompany the machine. Cleaning it is easy.
It’s the “best thing since sliced bread” – honestly..!
To be honest, it’s possibly the best present I’ve ever bought her, the bread is wonderfully made, tastes brilliant, the instructions are perfectly clear, and the included recipes easy to follow. I would recommend a set of decent electronic scales to accompany the machine. Cleaning it is easy.
It’s the “best thing since sliced bread” – honestly..!
30 minutes in to it’s first use (using Menu 1), the paddle stopped turning, the display went out and the unit started making a loud buzzing noise. Mains power off/on and unit stayed dead. Amazon customer service contacted and replacement unit being dispatched. Customer service provided a print off label for return of faulty unit (post pre-paid). Awaiting delivery of new unit.
### second unit arrived quickly [within 2 days] and works perfectly. Noticed a complete difference in the internal packing material between the two units, leading me to believe the first [faulty] unit was actually a previous customer return!
Seems to work really well , just made my first lemon and poppy-seed loaf last night and it turned out much better than expected for a first time bread maker like myself – just follow the rather comprehensive instructions and recipes and you will have perfect, great smelling and tasting fresh bread.
Machine also seemed to turn itself off after baking which is a good electricity saving function too.
Must admit I am very impressed and will no longer be buying supermarket bread but making my own from now on in this excellent little machine!
Bought as a replacement for the Lakeland compact bread maker, which has been discontinued. It looks good and fits into roughly the same space, although it’s much noisier than the Lakeland one (we’d seen this on other reviews, but were still surprised at how noisy it is!) and for some reason it seems more difficult to get the paddle out of the bottom of the loaf so it leaves a bigger hole in the bottom. Other than that it works well.
Only used to make wholemeal loaves so far, which are consistently good. There’s a “quick” program (1h 20m), which gives a denser loaf, or a slower (3h ish) program for a nice tall one.
The window at the top is nice, so you can see how the dough is rising. It’s also easy to lift the tin out to clean it. I used the timer function once for when I was going out.
Overall, really pleased with the bread this produces and the ease of use.
I chose this model as I have a small kitchen and it needed to fit on the available work surface. Also I live alone and only need a small loaf every few days. The first attempt was a bit of a failure with a cakey texture and went stale very quickly,
so I tried a recipe from my trusty bread book by Catherine Atkinson which I recommend if you want to be a bit adventurous . She suggests using a dough enhancer which I got from Amazon, and I made a traditional wholemeal loaf. I haven’t looked back since and the bread is delicious and stays fresh for days. If like me it is your first time using a machine be warned, when you have set it up and turned it on nothing happens for ages. I got in a bit of a panic and turned it off and started again! It has to warm up before the mixing and kneeding gets going so just go away and forget about it. Eventually you will hear it start. Also the whole process takes over 3 hours. But it’s worth the wait!!
I chose this model as I have a small kitchen and it needed to fit on the available work surface. Also I live alone and only need a small loaf every few days. The first attempt was a bit of a failure with a cakey texture and went stale very quickly,
so I tried a recipe from my trusty bread book by Catherine Atkinson which I recommend if you want to be a bit adventurous . She suggests using a dough enhancer which I got from Amazon, and I made a traditional wholemeal loaf. I haven’t looked back since and the bread is delicious and stays fresh for days. If like me it is your first time using a machine be warned, when you have set it up and turned it on nothing happens for ages. I got in a bit of a panic and turned it off and started again! It has to warm up before the mixing and kneeding gets going so just go away and forget about it. Eventually you will hear it start. Also the whole process takes over 3 hours. But it’s worth the wait!!
Not really sure how you get around this but if anyone has any advice, I would be happy to hear back.
I use the basic program medium size and brown crust which turns out fab every time.
Edit 14th Feb 2019
Started using this and a couple of things to be noted.
# It moves around on the worktops so you need to keep an eye on it. When the dough is in a ball state it thumps around moving the whole machine. So could be dangerous and fall off the counter.
# Would be better if it had suction feet to give it some stability. I think to feel safe if you can’t be in the kitchen for 3 hours. I would put it on the tiled floor to save any potential damage.
# So far I have failed twice, so on my third batch, I would say that’s more about me and not the machine. It does make quite a noise tho. Will update how this batch goes 3rd time lucky
# 17th – ok Third batch turned out much better. Better to under measure the flour than over measure. The flour in bags is compact so fluff it up some before you measure.
# Difference between bought bread and hand made very different..
Wish I had bought one earlier.
I have just purchased this bread maker and it is currently in use for the first time so cannot comment on the finished item yet. My initial comments are that the flex is rather short but I also note that it seems to have a habit of creeping around on the worktop whilst kneading!? I wonder whether anyone else has experienced the same problem? If so, how did you get round the problem? I have tried placing a tea towel underneath but that doesn’t seem to be helping. I will comment later further on the quality of the finished loaf. I agree with a previous reviewer that it is a little on the noisy side.
Does what is says on the box, decent loaves, tastes great; what more could you ask for?
Tip – if you like real butter, stick a teaspoon in with the water before the dry ingredients – makes the bread come out a bit softer and also buttery before slapping even more butter onto the warm bread after 🙂
Tip – if you like real butter, stick a teaspoon in with the water before the dry ingredients – makes the bread come out a bit softer and also buttery before slapping even more butter onto the warm bread after 🙂
I have had this bread maker for a couple of weeks ( my first) I have made several different breads I find this very simple and user friendly every single loaf has been fantastic saying that it is very important to weigh all the ingredients out first in little bowls so you can add them with no messing about I personally like the sandwich loaf the best as it is really soft and stays fresh for days also I substituted the white flour for granary which is lovely also my son is vegan so I used almond milk which seems to make the bread lighter I didn’t like the dried milk option so again you can substitute that with regular milk or almond etc pizza dough was brilliant also the machine does sometimes move around the work surface at the start but not a problem I don’t think the machine is noisy at all also I have had no issues with the paddle it hasn’t got stuck at all I would recommend this bread make
Have been using this bread maker for 5 months now. Don’t buy shop bread anymore! We like the Sandwich loaf program the best. Have used it as just a dough mixer too and cooked rolls in oven, lovely.
The more you use it the more confident you get at trying out your own recipes. It does take a bit of trial and error at first. Prefer smaller loaves as easier to slice with good knife. A good knife is a must. It is only a basic machine but good for the price. Got an extended guarantee by registering on line too which was free. If you are not sure if bread makers are for you ist a good basic start. I might upgrade later now knowing how much we use it as some of the more expensive models do more.
A warning if the family call round, especially the grandchildren and they smell it cooking it gone before they leave.
(Still using my bread maker, been a great little machine and had lots of use. Its only just become noisy but Russell Hobbs are replacing it for me just to be on the safe side.Great customer service, they even phoned me back after my initial email concerning it. If you register it on line you get much longer cover .
Have been using this bread maker for 5 months now. Don’t buy shop bread anymore! We like the Sandwich loaf program the best. Have used it as just a dough mixer too and cooked rolls in oven, lovely.
The more you use it the more confident you get at trying out your own recipes. It does take a bit of trial and error at first. Prefer smaller loaves as easier to slice with good knife. A good knife is a must. It is only a basic machine but good for the price. Got an extended guarantee by registering on line too which was free. If you are not sure if bread makers are for you ist a good basic start. I might upgrade later now knowing how much we use it as some of the more expensive models do more.
A warning if the family call round, especially the grandchildren and they smell it cooking it gone before they leave.
(Still using my bread maker, been a great little machine and had lots of use. Its only just become noisy but Russell Hobbs are replacing it for me just to be on the safe side.Great customer service, they even phoned me back after my initial email concerning it. If you register it on line you get much longer cover .
Have been using this bread maker for 5 months now. Don’t buy shop bread anymore! We like the Sandwich loaf program the best. Have used it as just a dough mixer too and cooked rolls in oven, lovely.
The more you use it the more confident you get at trying out your own recipes. It does take a bit of trial and error at first. Prefer smaller loaves as easier to slice with good knife. A good knife is a must. It is only a basic machine but good for the price. Got an extended guarantee by registering on line too which was free. If you are not sure if bread makers are for you ist a good basic start. I might upgrade later now knowing how much we use it as some of the more expensive models do more.
A warning if the family call round, especially the grandchildren and they smell it cooking it gone before they leave.
(Still using my bread maker, been a great little machine and had lots of use. Its only just become noisy but Russell Hobbs are replacing it for me just to be on the safe side.Great customer service, they even phoned me back after my initial email concerning it. If you register it on line you get much longer cover .
This is a well priced and good looking machine having a small footprint and is easily cleaned inside and out. The inside tin is well made and being non stick is easily cleaned. This also applied to the small paddle. The bake options are varied and useful, including two fast bake options that make slight firmer but still nice bread. It is not too noisy in use and bleeps when it is time for any extra additions (e.g. seeds or fruit) and at the end of the whole process. My only criticism is that the top of the loaves are not browned effectively, and the loaves have brown sides and pale tops. This does not improve by switching the browning to the highest (of 3) setting. However, the top is not under baked and so tastes and cuts fine.
I have used it for a range of loaf sizes and they all come out well. It works with home recipes and ready mix bread. I have also made panattone that smells and tastes just like the shop bought variety but with no artificial additives.
I can recommend this machine as it is a well priced and effective bread/cake maker.
Received the breadmaker within estimated delivery date, protectively packaged and in good order. Easy to follow instructions, helpfully simple programmes to choose from and a good range of recipes included in the instruction manual. Admittedly used a ready mix packet of Malted bread for my first go. After three and a half hours and allowing the bread to cool, was very pleased with the tasty result! Great recommendation to weigh liquid rather than using a measuring jug (change ml to same amount in grams) to ensure accuracy. Instructions also contains plenty of other sensible advice, put across with good humour. Have always felt a little intimidated ‘re breadmaking. Thanks to these instructions, I will definitely continue to make more bread, and look forward to trying the varied recipes. I would advise that you ensure the breadmaker is on a level, well spaced worktop. It does tend to travel a bit early on in the programme when kneeding, worth keeping an eye on it to check you have it in a safe position for future use. Impressed it was not too noisy. Pleased the outside casing does not get too hot to touch when in use. Non stick loaf tin very easy to wash, used a cocktail stick to get any remnants of cooked dough out from under the paddle and around the drive shaft. Am very happy with this versatile breadmaker, and would recommend it as a good starter for a novice, without the high price tag. Glad I took the plunge and finally bought this brilliant breadmaker!
Very happy with the breadmaker. Saved my life with a forgotten present at Christmas. Just made them a loaf of fresh sundried tomato and parmesan bread, stuck it on a wood board with a red velvet bow and a bottle of wine to accompany. They were delighted and really happy to have a home made “thought” gift rather than a shop bought “no thought” gift.
The mixer blade and pan come out easily and clean like a dream, only surprise was how large a 2lb loaf was so if you are a couple rather than a family and you do not eat bread in great amounts, you may want to consider doing half quantities.
The machine is very quiet, I put it on a tile top table in our dining room and left it to get on with the job.
Great product. It does what it says on the tin!
I’ve had this model for a month now, and have used it every single day. The first couple of loaves were not great. I was using Wright’s breadmix on the small loaf setting. They came out ok, but were very short. Then I switched to medium loaves using Dove’s Farm organic strong white flour and their quick yeast and followed both the sandwich and basic recipes to the letter, and every loaf has come out perfect. I tried a large loaf which also came out great, but too tall for my liking. My only gripe is the paddle always ends up stuck in the bottom of the loaf, and if you try and pull it out as soon as you remove the loaf from the machine, you will find it is VERY hot.
I was thrilled to see my new breadmaker as my old one was kaput. But I was sad to see that this has the spring clips to fix breadpan in place as my very first one had these and this method of fixing was failed, a spring clip became detached and I couldn’t fix it. I was so very sad to lose that maker as it was the best I’d ever seen…still is.Each step was lit and I always knew exactly what was going on. But I have used the new one and really like the fast bake function, much faster and more satisfactory than my old one. Like the shape of the bread pan too as my old one had a tall breadpan and was hard to clean. And the instruction leaflet…I so enjoyed the chatty style! Great stuff…copyright it! If it hadn’t been for the spring clip fixings I would have awarded a full 5 stars!
Purchased this for my mum, the instructions at first looked rather daunting, but actually once you started to plough through them they were pretty easy to follow. The machine itself is easy to use, although must just note that my mum has had a stroke and did find it difficult getting the loaf tin out of the machine as it does require some strenght to pull it out of the unit.
Our first attempt at making a loaf was a bit of a disaster, but we put this down to not having digital weighing scales, so our slightly inaccurate measuring out of the ingredients with old scales was probably the cause of our saggy loaf. Our second attempt went much better and produced a very edible loaf.
If I had any negative comments it would be that it is slightly noisy when it is mixing the ingredients in the first stage, but apart from that cant find any faults with it.
After first reading lots of reviews,i had no hesitation purchasing this breadmaker and up to yet it has proved to be an excellant choice.I received it last week and have used it 3 times already.All 3 loaves were made from packet mixes,crusty white,wholemeal and cheese and onion bread which have all been excellant,far better than shop bought.I can reccomend the Wrights breadmixes and also their cake mixes which can also be made in the breadmaker.Even cheaper(59p)Aldi have 2 breadmixes which were the first 2 loaves baked in my new breadmaker which were also just as good as the Wrights(89p)I have since been back to Aldi to stock up before they sell out!
I Have yet to try a loaf from scratch,but with such good results from the mixes,and at such a great price,why bother?
I am going to make the malt loaf next,from the book that came with the machine.
Looking for a good recipe book now so that i can try different types of bread.
So glad i got this machine,i won’t be buying any more bread from the supermarket as it does not compare with home made
ps I only paid 47.99p with free postage for mine but have noticed that the price has risen quite a lot since last week so shop around before buying.Happy baking!
It’s that ill fitting paddle onto the spindle. Over time it will wear the
spindle or the flat key surface inside the paddle (or both). Having
considered the problem, I made a round sleeve from ba*ofoil which i had
folded twice thus 4x thicker than normal. Made it half inch longer than the
spindle & twisted it to a point for guidance for the paddle. I managed to
wrap the foil around the spindle 1 and half times, which gave a tight
“starting fit”. Push the paddle as far onto the spindle as you can. This
bit is CRUCIAL. Underneath the pan, The spindle is around 1/4″ below the
base rim. You MUST support that end of the spindle, or you could buckle the
pan. I went outside and found a flat stone about 1/2″ thick, but small
enough to fit inside the base. Placed it on a solid floor. Placed the pan
over the stone making sure the spindle end was on the stone. I got a wooden
rolling pin & Standing above the whole ensemble I put the end of the
rolling pin onto the top of the paddle HUB (not the blade), & pushed hard
until i felt it sink as far as it would. Trim the end of the foil off.
OK, So now there is a slight gap below the paddle, where foodbits will collect.
Fill the pan with water, Leave overnite And either use a toothpick or run water
from a full-on tap & the goo is gone. I only use this unit for Dough making. Keeps
the kitchen spotless.. Ha ha. Otherwise..!! This is a reasonable bread/dough maker.
.
It’s that ill fitting paddle onto the spindle. Over time it will wear the
spindle or the flat key surface inside the paddle (or both). Having
considered the problem, I made a round sleeve from ba*ofoil which i had
folded twice thus 4x thicker than normal. Made it half inch longer than the
spindle & twisted it to a point for guidance for the paddle. I managed to
wrap the foil around the spindle 1 and half times, which gave a tight
“starting fit”. Push the paddle as far onto the spindle as you can. This
bit is CRUCIAL. Underneath the pan, The spindle is around 1/4″ below the
base rim. You MUST support that end of the spindle, or you could buckle the
pan. I went outside and found a flat stone about 1/2″ thick, but small
enough to fit inside the base. Placed it on a solid floor. Placed the pan
over the stone making sure the spindle end was on the stone. I got a wooden
rolling pin & Standing above the whole ensemble I put the end of the
rolling pin onto the top of the paddle HUB (not the blade), & pushed hard
until i felt it sink as far as it would. Trim the end of the foil off.
OK, So now there is a slight gap below the paddle, where foodbits will collect.
Fill the pan with water, Leave overnite And either use a toothpick or run water
from a full-on tap & the goo is gone. I only use this unit for Dough making. Keeps
the kitchen spotless.. Ha ha. Otherwise..!! This is a reasonable bread/dough maker.
.
It’s that ill fitting paddle onto the spindle. Over time it will wear the
spindle or the flat key surface inside the paddle (or both). Having
considered the problem, I made a round sleeve from ba*ofoil which i had
folded twice thus 4x thicker than normal. Made it half inch longer than the
spindle & twisted it to a point for guidance for the paddle. I managed to
wrap the foil around the spindle 1 and half times, which gave a tight
“starting fit”. Push the paddle as far onto the spindle as you can. This
bit is CRUCIAL. Underneath the pan, The spindle is around 1/4″ below the
base rim. You MUST support that end of the spindle, or you could buckle the
pan. I went outside and found a flat stone about 1/2″ thick, but small
enough to fit inside the base. Placed it on a solid floor. Placed the pan
over the stone making sure the spindle end was on the stone. I got a wooden
rolling pin & Standing above the whole ensemble I put the end of the
rolling pin onto the top of the paddle HUB (not the blade), & pushed hard
until i felt it sink as far as it would. Trim the end of the foil off.
OK, So now there is a slight gap below the paddle, where foodbits will collect.
Fill the pan with water, Leave overnite And either use a toothpick or run water
from a full-on tap & the goo is gone. I only use this unit for Dough making. Keeps
the kitchen spotless.. Ha ha. Otherwise..!! This is a reasonable bread/dough maker.
.
It’s that ill fitting paddle onto the spindle. Over time it will wear the
spindle or the flat key surface inside the paddle (or both). Having
considered the problem, I made a round sleeve from ba*ofoil which i had
folded twice thus 4x thicker than normal. Made it half inch longer than the
spindle & twisted it to a point for guidance for the paddle. I managed to
wrap the foil around the spindle 1 and half times, which gave a tight
“starting fit”. Push the paddle as far onto the spindle as you can. This
bit is CRUCIAL. Underneath the pan, The spindle is around 1/4″ below the
base rim. You MUST support that end of the spindle, or you could buckle the
pan. I went outside and found a flat stone about 1/2″ thick, but small
enough to fit inside the base. Placed it on a solid floor. Placed the pan
over the stone making sure the spindle end was on the stone. I got a wooden
rolling pin & Standing above the whole ensemble I put the end of the
rolling pin onto the top of the paddle HUB (not the blade), & pushed hard
until i felt it sink as far as it would. Trim the end of the foil off.
OK, So now there is a slight gap below the paddle, where foodbits will collect.
Fill the pan with water, Leave overnite And either use a toothpick or run water
from a full-on tap & the goo is gone. I only use this unit for Dough making. Keeps
the kitchen spotless.. Ha ha. Otherwise..!! This is a reasonable bread/dough maker.
.
It’s that ill fitting paddle onto the spindle. Over time it will wear the
spindle or the flat key surface inside the paddle (or both). Having
considered the problem, I made a round sleeve from ba*ofoil which i had
folded twice thus 4x thicker than normal. Made it half inch longer than the
spindle & twisted it to a point for guidance for the paddle. I managed to
wrap the foil around the spindle 1 and half times, which gave a tight
“starting fit”. Push the paddle as far onto the spindle as you can. This
bit is CRUCIAL. Underneath the pan, The spindle is around 1/4″ below the
base rim. You MUST support that end of the spindle, or you could buckle the
pan. I went outside and found a flat stone about 1/2″ thick, but small
enough to fit inside the base. Placed it on a solid floor. Placed the pan
over the stone making sure the spindle end was on the stone. I got a wooden
rolling pin & Standing above the whole ensemble I put the end of the
rolling pin onto the top of the paddle HUB (not the blade), & pushed hard
until i felt it sink as far as it would. Trim the end of the foil off.
OK, So now there is a slight gap below the paddle, where foodbits will collect.
Fill the pan with water, Leave overnite And either use a toothpick or run water
from a full-on tap & the goo is gone. I only use this unit for Dough making. Keeps
the kitchen spotless.. Ha ha. Otherwise..!! This is a reasonable bread/dough maker.
.
I bought this a week ago and have made a loaf a day. The basic white loaf is superb, easily as good as a supermarket. Equally, the brown loaf tastes like one of the leading supermarket’s specil brown loaves. It really is nice. The sandwich loaf recipe is okay and the French loaf recipe is not my favourite but these are down to taste
The machine is very easy to use, althought I must admit, I have had no cause to test the timer function yet as I’m an early riser so I just tend to put the ingredients in the breadmaker when I’m making my morning cuppa and then we have a fresh loaf of bread ready for lunch.
I would recommend reading the instruction manual carefully as it’s full of useful information about preparing your ingredients to ensure the best possible loaf.
The paddle does get stuck in the loaf more often than not, but I simply pick it out with a toothpick – it’s not a problem and I imagine all breadmakers will have this issue. It doesn’t remove any bread with it if you pick it out carefully rather than just yanking it out.
I must confess I don’t know much about bread makers, never owned one before and never really looked into buying one until now. I did some research and read the reviews on a few sites. It seems there are 3 kinds, expensive ones that work well, cheap ones that work well and cheap ones that are rubbish. I wasn’t in the market for an expensive one so this Russell Hobbs seemed to look the right tool for the job. Well priced and the reviews say it works well. Having owned it for a week now I have made 2 brown loafs in it, both turned out well and are very tasty. I think it’s a great piece of kit; the instructions are easy to follow, the settings on the machine easy to configure, put the ingredients in and that’s it, you just wait for it to beep when the bread is ready. You will need some scales and measuring spoons to get your ingredients right (the bread maker doesn’t come with any extra stuff) but I guess most people have this sort of thing already. I am very happy with the results, the break maker does a good job and was well priced. It has enough in the way of different bread programs and features, including a time delay function that I can’t see me needing to upgrade for a long time to come.
Replacement item as mine gave up the ghost. Was a little concerned in terms of reading previous reviews of the noise aspect, however I personally didn’t find it too noisy although my partner did comment about the noise. The tin size is ok, for my first loaf I selected the medium crust and the loaf came out very pale so I put in my oven to darken a little. Since then I have just used the dough setting and then placed in a tin for the last rise and baked in my oven-results were vastly improved and looked like a proper sized loaf. The recipes in the book are limited to say the least so would advise obtaining recipes from the net or books. That said for the price great machine. Delivery was very prompt and extremely well packaged. Would recommend.
Damn you Russell Hobbs, your machine makes bread that is too tasty! Honestly I can’t see how you could get better bread from a more expensive machine. The procedure for baking is simple, but I would advise fully reading the instructions, and following the steps to the letter. This includes details like warming milk before adding to the mixture, and weighing out the proper quantity of ingredients. Our first attempt was a lighter bake sandwich loaf, with thinner crust. It turned out perfect. The consistency was light, moist, tastes great, and it makes absolutely perfect toast. I’m looking forward to trying the other programmes, including pizza dough. Watching the baking process through the window is fun, and we couldn’t wait to try the finished loaf, which took about 3.5 hours to complete. The only tiny inconvenience is that the small mixing paddle in the container ends up embedded in the bottom of the bread, but is easily extracted.
In summary we’re really pleased with this product, excellent value for money. I can’t see us ever buying another loaf of bread from the shop. Best thing of all is that your bread is fresh, and free from any artificial preservatives and other junk!
I had the Panasonic SD255 machine before but it died just out of guarantee and have been without a machine for many months. On a whim I thought I would check out the prices but decided the Panasonic was far to expensive so I bought this cheaper one.
The Russell Hobbs is much more compact and indeed will fit under the kitchen wall cupboards with the lid lifted, a bonus as I have wall cupboards over all my work spaces.
With the viewing window I can monitor the dough right from the start, so if I need to add that drop of water or bit of flour I can have it ready to drop in very quickly as soon as the lid is lifted.
This machine is capable of making jam and cakes it also has a keep warm function the Panasonic had none of these.
I have also noticed that when the machine is switched on it immediately goes into action mixing the ingredients – no sitting about. (obviously would hang about if timer is used). A superb loaf of bread in 3hours and 20minutes instead of 4hours that the Panasonic took.
Some reviewers have mentioned that the machine is noisy, mine is, but I put that down to the dough getting a thorough pounding rather than going round and round stuck to the paddle doing very little.
A lovely machine, compact and easy to operate, easy to clean. I’m looking forward to making many fresh and tasty loaves of bread.
I had the Panasonic SD255 machine before but it died just out of guarantee and have been without a machine for many months. On a whim I thought I would check out the prices but decided the Panasonic was far to expensive so I bought this cheaper one.
The Russell Hobbs is much more compact and indeed will fit under the kitchen wall cupboards with the lid lifted, a bonus as I have wall cupboards over all my work spaces.
With the viewing window I can monitor the dough right from the start, so if I need to add that drop of water or bit of flour I can have it ready to drop in very quickly as soon as the lid is lifted.
This machine is capable of making jam and cakes it also has a keep warm function the Panasonic had none of these.
I have also noticed that when the machine is switched on it immediately goes into action mixing the ingredients – no sitting about. (obviously would hang about if timer is used). A superb loaf of bread in 3hours and 20minutes instead of 4hours that the Panasonic took.
Some reviewers have mentioned that the machine is noisy, mine is, but I put that down to the dough getting a thorough pounding rather than going round and round stuck to the paddle doing very little.
A lovely machine, compact and easy to operate, easy to clean. I’m looking forward to making many fresh and tasty loaves of bread.
The Russell Hobbs 18036 breadmaker is the first machine that I have bought and used, so I cannot compare it to previous breadmakers.
It looks stylish, has a modern push button operation and is of good quality. It is easy to use and the instructions are easily understood, as long as you can read English!
The first loaf baked was a success but the crust was a little pale in colour, the next loaf was also a success and was baked on the darkest crust setting,
but for my liking, was not as dark as I thought it should be.
All in all a good breadmaker at a sensible price, but I am only awarding it four stars because of the lack of crust browning ability.
I have now baked many loaves of bread with this and as long as you measure your ingredients accuratly, you will consistently have a great loaf of bread, albeit slightly pale!
The recipes are easy to follow and give instructions for small, medium and large loaves. I have tried small and medium with medium coloured crusts and they have been really good. I have also made the french bread and it was fab too. I have had one disaster, but cant blame the machine…I think I put in too little water. I have tried the delay facility twice and it was easy enough and successful. Another reviewer mentioned that the programme list on the actual machine is quite small; I agree but its not a big deal;I am sure that everyone uses the same programmes regularly and will remember the number! I love this machine and it is in constant use even thought there are only two of us in the house.
This is a basic, and easy-to-use breadmaker. It does the job, and does it well when considering the price.
Bad points:
The bread pan is long and low, which means sometimes the single paddle doesn’t pick up all the dough to knead, and there are residues left at the side of the tin which bake into the side of the loaf; my previous one was taller and thinner and as a result kneaded the bread excellently.
Also DO NOT USE THE RECIPES IN THE BOOK! This is a mistake I made. My first loaf was with the “basic” recipe included, and came out uncooked, lumpy and sunken. I almost cried. I then tried my second loaf with a recipe I used with my previous breadmaker and it came out perfectly. I don’t know why they include these recipes as they will only produce unhappy customers.
A bit noisy when kneading.
Good points:
The breadmaker has a good range of settings, with different bread types (length of programme and kneading time), settings for the colour of the loaf and size of the loaf. This allows you to tailor the settings to your bread.
Easy to use and easy to clean and does the job!
Overall I happy with my new breadmaker, especially considering the price I paid, however if I was to buy a new breadmaker again I would probably go for a more high-end one next time.
It mixes well – I have had no flour left in corners as reported by other reviewers. The crust is not dark, which I don’t find a problem, but if you are looking for a dark crusty loaf then maybe this is not the machine for you. It is not unduly loud, it is easy to use and easy to clean. It has a fairly small footprint which was a significant factor in my decision to buy.
If you are going to get one of these then stock up on ingredients, either packet mixes, or all the other bits, and stock up on butter. Fresh bread, still warm is irresistible.