Breadmaker Question. Need Some advice.

[Keaniebean]

My husband and I were given a breadmaker for Christmas which we really wanted. The first few loaves came out perfectly but since then almost every loaf has stuck to the bottom of the pan and we have been left with only half a loaf.

This is a real pain and a real waste, so something which was meant to help us save money is, in reality ending up costing us more.

Does anyone know what we can do to stop the bread from sticking to the pan?

Any hints or tips greatly appreciated.

[Odsox]

You have discovered the draw back of breadmakers that they don't tell you about in the handbook.
Mainly it is the paddle sticking inside the loaf and pulling a big hole out when you try to remove it from the pan.

Best option is to let the breadmaker do all the mixing and kneading and then cook in in a regular loaf tin in the oven.
Not automatic I know, but the only way you will get a pristine loaf.

[number6]

My husband and I were given a breadmaker for Christmas which we really wanted. The first few loaves came out perfectly but since then almost every loaf has stuck to the bottom of the pan and we have been left with only half a loaf.

This is a real pain and a real waste, so something which was meant to help us save money is, in reality ending up costing us more.

Does anyone know what we can do to stop the bread from sticking to the pan?

Any hints or tips greatly appreciated.

Try greasing the spindle on which the paddles mount with a little olive oil.The paddles should then slide off remaining in the loaf then you remove them as you slice your loaf.It works sometimes.I also grease the pan before adding ingredients using a piece of kitchen roll

[Millymollymandy]

Mine is always hard to get out of the pan for the first few minutes after getting it out of the breadmaker. So I just leave it and then it comes out easily, whilst my husband prefers the wop the pan hard repeatedly, which is a waste of energy!

I've never had it split the loaf in two though I did have two loaves last week which decided not to rise very much at all which was a complete puzzle - wasn't using any ingredient I hadn't already used hundreds of times before.

[pelmetman]

For many years I always made our own bread by hand. However, I gradually found that my shoulder was playing me up and realised it was all the years of kneading bread that was taking its toll. So we bought a breadmaker, I was never pleased with it from day one, it made such silly little loaves, had the sticking problem and quite honestly the bread was never as good as I used to do. So like many kitchen gadgets it got put in the back of the cupboard and eventually we got rid of it. Suppose its like all these things though each make and model vary so much.

Have to admit I haven't made any bread for a long time but think I may give it a try again.

[Odsox]

For many years I always made our own bread by hand. However, I gradually found that my shoulder was playing me up and realised it was all the years of kneading bread that was taking its toll

Me too, only me it was my hands and wrists.
I bought a Kenwood Chef on ebay for not much money and have never looked back. Just as easy as a breadmaker, bung all the ingredients in the pan, mixes and then kneads in about 3 minutes, how easy is that ?
Plus you can do 3lb in one go, 3 loaves in the oven must be more economical than a silly little breadmaker loaf.

Edited to say,
I bought 3 different breadmakers, oiled and greased paddles and pans to no avail, even contemplated one of those very expensive machines that retracts the paddle, only to read the reviews that most people said it may retract the paddle OK but it then gets glued down with dough that retracts with it.
It would have been cheaper to have bought a KW chef in the first place.

[Keaniebean]

Thanks for all the advice, I think it is going to be as I feared and a Kenwood is probably going to be the way forward. I do so much cooking it's probably the only sensible option.

My mum has given me her one from the 1980's but it doesnt work properly, I cant afford to get a new one so I will have to make enquirys as to how much it is going to cost, if it's even possible to get parts.

[Susie]

I do think some breadmakers can work well - mine has been wonderful. Perhaps I've just been lucky? (I don't mind the hole in the bottom)

[Millymollymandy]

Mine's a Panasonic and makes real bread whereas I don't! And yes I got the painful wrists too, not to mention cakelike flat loaves that sunk before I even got them into the oven, just moving them did that, or trying to brush the top so I could put seeds on. And mine makes HUGE loaves!

[Susie]

Yes, mine's a Panasonic too! I love it. I made my mother have one and she loves hers too. She says it's like a member of the family, one she never has to worry about (normally looking at me pointedly as she says that.)

[liskeardjane]

You have probably done this, if you have, then I apologise. Go back to the manufacturers recipe book/instruction and use the recipes they have for their machine. Make sure you follow the recipe to the correct gram as bread making is a scientific process and make sure you follow the setting properly. I wondered why my husband's bread was always better than mine, it was because he followed the instructions to the letter. Make sure you use a recipe with some kind of fat in it, such as butter or oil, so it doesn't stick. You may well have done all of this already and don't reduce the salt as the recipe will not work.

[Bonniegirl]

What liskeardjane said, I had a few failures with mine and realised it was because i had only put on one tsp salt and not 2! I couldn't believe that that one thing could make such a difference!

I leave the bread in the tin for about 5 or so mins after it's finished then it just slides out.

I love my bread maker I use it every other day. Its a sunbeam quantum fast bake! Brilliant, does heaps of other things too.

[southeast-isher]

I have a Panasonic one similar to this:



Two things, if needed you can buy replacement pans and even the paddles usually, if need be. Not that that is neccessarily the problem you're having. But i also wanted to mention if the issue is with the paddle making it stick i had something similar and now after letting the loaf cool i rotate the paddle with my fingers 360 degrees which breaks the bread seal baked inbetween the paddle and the loaf. Might work for you if you're having the same problem.

[dave45]

Another vote for the panasonic - mine is about 5 years old and been in regular use the whole time (every 2 or 3 days). If the loaf doesn't fall out, I just run a plastic palette knife around the vertical edges. A lovely machine.

[Millymollymandy]

My breadmaker made a 3rd flat loaf last night but I realise now that it must the packet of organic flour as the last loaf I used different flour and it rose well as normal. Thank god for that because I worried that my Panasonic was on the blink after 5 years! Phew!

Going back to following instructions, I use the recipes from my breadmaker book, which always uses a LOT more water than those on the packets of flour. Also always put the water in either last or first according to your breadmaker, not according to the recipe!