For many years, I thought a bread machine was a waste of money. I thought bread machines were a joke, just the latest kitchen gadget to lure in consumer America. Why did I think this? I remember going to friends’ houses and seeing bread machines sitting on the kitchen counter collecting dust, only used once or twice and then forgotten.
Then don’t even get me started on how many bread machines you can find at yard sales and second hand shops! That just solidified my case against them. Then my husband bought me one for my birthday a couple years ago. My opinion changed. Drastically. Now I am madly in love with my bread machine and don’t know what we’d do without it! Investing in a bread machine is totally worth it and I’m going to tell you why.
First off let me just explain why we choose to make our own homemade bread. My number one reason is to be able to control what goes into the bread that we eat. Store bought breads are often full of preservatives and other additives that are not healthy. Making homemade bread from scratch allows me to use all natural, organic and GMO free ingredients.
Have you ever noticed that a loaf of store bought bread takes forever to mold if left to sit out? I remember years ago having a loaf of store bought bread sitting in its bag on the counter, forgotten about, for well over a month. I figured it would be moldy and gross, but when I peeked into the bag before throwing it out I was shocked to see no mold present. Then I turned over the bag and read the ingredient list. I was appalled at all the ingredients I couldn’t pronounce and had no idea what they were. No wonder that bread didn’t mold, it was like Frankenstein bread! That experience was the start of my journey towards making homemade bread instead of buying it.
So now that I explained why I’m committed to making homemade bread for our family, you may be wondering why I love my bread machine so much. There are several reasons and I’m here to convince you that you need one too!
Here are three reasons why I think a bread machine is totally worth the investment:
1. Easy Bread Making in a bread machine
It makes baking homemade bread so much easier! I used to make homemade bread by hand but then after Little A was born this became a challenge. Partly because my new-mama-forgetful brain kept forgetting to get the bread started early enough in the day to let it rise, punch it down and let it rise again before baking. Plus, caring for a newborn and changing and cleaning cloth diapers seemed to take up the majority of my time.
My birthday a few months after Little A was born was when my husband surprised me with this bread machine. All I have to do is put the ingredients in, push a few buttons and it will do every step of the bread making for me. It will knead the dough, warm up a bit and let the dough rise, beat it back down, let it rise again and then bake it. There is even a trap door on top to add small ingredients later in the process like raisins, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc. The standard setting takes six hours from start to finish to make a loaf of bread. There is even a setting for quick rise bread that only takes four hours from start to finish for days I forget to get the bread started earlier in the day.
2. Bread Machines Save Money
To figure out if our bread making was worth the effort compared to store bought, we calculated out how much it cost to make a loaf of homemade bread. We buy our bread making ingredients in bulk quantities to help lower the cost of each loaf of bread. For example, we use Montana raised flour in bulk 50lb bags we buy at the Amish store (this is the kind we use) to get the lowest price per pound we can.
We calculated the price per loaf of bread, including the cost of ingredients and power used to run the bread machine. This cost came out to be around 50 cents per loaf. We compared that to the price we were paying for a loaf of organic bread at the store which is $4.99 per loaf. That’s a remarkable cost savings when it comes to making homemade bread!
In addition to figuring out that making our homemade bread was cheaper than buying it, we also figured out that it only took us a few months of making homemade bread in the bread machine every week for the investment in the bread machine to have paid off! Now here we are two years later and I still use it all the time. The savings is well worth it!
3. A bread machine can also make dough
I use our bread machine to make homemade pizza dough, dough for foccacia bread, dough for homemade noodles, and dough for homemade rolls and buns. I use my favorite recipes and just throw the ingredients in the bowl, push a button and it will make the dough for me. I don’t have to worry about taking the time to mix and knead the dough. Instead I can be busy doing other chores around the house while it mixes.
The loaf of bread that comes out of a bread machine is shaped like the bread machine pan. It doesn’t look like the traditional loaf of bread but it sure tastes delicious! We find that slicing the loaf on its side and then cutting that in half gives us the perfect size piece of bread.
I don’t know what I would do without my bread machine. I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for my bread machine, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with making homemade bread for our family. I sometimes think that my great grandmothers might cringe at the thought of making homemade bread in a machine with no hands in the process, but then again they might be totally envious of how much time and mess I’m saving by using such a gadget!
I enjoy using my bread machine when I know I won’t be home to fuss with the bread. I agree it is a great gadget to have when you won’t be there to babysit the bread. I enjoy kneading my own bread when I have the time, but it is also so nice to have the option of both!
I LOVE my bread machine. I raised 5 kids and for years I made all the bread in my house. I also bought my flour in bulk. I measured all the dry ingredients except the yeast into individual zip lock bags. Each night I would put the liquid and butter in the machine first followed by the dry ingredients. Top this with the yeast, being sure to keep it dry and set the delay timer. Morning comes to the smell of freshly baked bread. Trouble was I ended up baking another loaf because the family went through 2 loaves a day. I am now on my third machine as I wore out the first two.
Thank you for the great idea! I might get all my dry ingredients in ziplock bags for the week and see how that work. A minute saved a glass of ice tea I get to relax and enjoy!
Put a little rum in your iced tea, and get really relaxed.
You forgot my favorite reason for loving my Bread Machine… The fancy loaves of bread you can make… Today I made Tomato Basil Rye Bread… Try finding that at the grocery store and if you did what would you pay for it!?!?!?
I lucked out and got my Bread Machine at a Thrift Store on Clearance for $4.50 and it paid for itself in the first few days. I’ve had it about 3 months and am constantly trying new varieties. Yesterday I just found “The Bread Machine Cookbook” with 130+ recipes in for $.50 at the thrift store. So excited to try some more new and exciting flavors. (Within 5 minutes of my walking in the door with my new book I had “Ricotta Bread” going in the machine LOL – and yes it was DELICOUS!!)
Passed up a bright & shiny bread machine at Good Will just this morning. Methinks a return trip is in order. Thanks for the article as well as reader’s tips & tricks. BLESSINGS to you & yours đŸ˜€ !!!
We love our bread maker! We have had one for almost 20 years and use it at least 3 times a week to make breads and dough. A few years back we decided to completely stop buying bread at the store so the bread maker helps us accomplish that big time. It’s would be the most used appliance we have, even a head of the crock pot and the wheat grinder!!
I’ve had my zojirushi for over 25 years. it is a priceless kitchen item that has more than paid for itself. Although I mostly use it now for making my dough and finish my products in the oven for a more traditional shape and texture, for its first 20 years of life it provided my family of four with healthy, organic bread on a regular basis. I have made so many things in it over the years other than traditional sandwich breads and I still do. It is beginning to tire, so I have been peeking around at second hand stores for a replacement.
no, it is not worth investing in a bread machine. we had one in the beginning of our bread making journey. the bread we make now (without one) is so much more tasty, looks nicer and you can vary it so much more. i have no doubt in my mind that bread machines are unnecessary. it might help you start but we never used it again. why not start with a recipe like this http://outsidethevault.blog… and work your way up to more complicated ones. happy baking =)
Some of us value our time a little more than we do the shape of our bread. It’s healthy, cheap, and easy! Of course bread machines are unnecessary… But so are cars. It’s about convenience.
I’m new at bread making what is a good bread machine to use.
I have had several bread machines, my current one is a Zojirushi and I love it!!! It has been a work horse for 5 years, we did have a belt break but my husband is very mechanically inclined and was able to order a new belt and install it. I do bake a lot of heavy dough with dried fruit and nuts.
I usually let it get the dough ready then do the last rise in loaf pans and bake it in a convection oven. I don’t like the holes from the machine paddles or the shape when finished in the Zoji.
I wonder, could you use this to make friendship bread and other dessert breads too?
My first bread machine was a Christmas present, back in … maybe 1996. It’s the only one I actually baked in. Since then, I’ve worn out five–all of the rest purchased at thrift stores or yard sales. Most weeks, I run two to three batches of dough through it–English muffins, sandwich bread, naan, pizza dough. Because I’m getting the machines used, I hunt up the instruction manuals on-line and take it from there. The current machine is a Hitachi–I can’t even remember all the varieties I’ve had over the years, but they’ve all done a fine job for me.
I like Beth Hensperger’s “The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook.”
No offense folks but bread machines are a waste of time, money and in my opinion for the lazy. Get a good starter going and all you need is a stone or a baking sheet, you can even bake bread on a grill. What happens if the power goes out? After all this is a “homesteader” site, things should and can be accomplished without all the gadgets…
Well golly Rick. Our bread machine saves us hours of time so that rebuttal is debunked. It saves us 100’s of dollars a year not having to buy bread. If you lived on a homestead you would know money is always in short supply and there is never enough time in the day to get everything thing done. Our bread machine gives us a extra few minutes to concentrate on other necessary chores. Lazy? No, not a chance.
Did I mention I use my truck to plow my driveway or is that not allowed on a homestead?
If the power goes out Rick then machine made or handmade your electric oven will go out as well unless you are cooking with a wood burning stove .
I really like my breadmaker. I have the West Bend Bread & Dough Maker 41089. It makes bread that looks like normal loaves. Not only does it do yeast breads, but also sweet breads, and dough too. I made the dough for cinnamon rolls. My significant other loved it!
Reading through the comments and I see a couple people who disagree–saying bread machines are a waste of money, and that a homesteader should not need a bread machine. I agree and disagree. I have a bread machine now and I really love having the option. I know how to make bread from scratch, using many methods. If the power went out, or if any number of things happened that made my bread machine obsolete or impractical, I could still make bread for my family. However, since I make so much homemade bread, why not make it an easier task? I have begun to make many things from scratch, and there just is not enough time in the day to do it all. I say take advantage of the convenience if you are able. I think it is important to learn the basic skills, but once you have those skills down, there is nothing wrong with using gadgets that will help. Plus, the bread machine makes a nicely shaped loaf that slices into perfect sandwich-sized squares. I still make lovely simple loaves without the bread machine, but the bread machine is a lifesaver when I need sandwich bread for daily use. Great post, thanks for writing it!
I love our bread machine. And I have to say our as my husband makes bread more often then I do. I went to a doctors appointment on a very cold day last week and came home to a warm loaf setting on the stove ready to be slathered with butter and jam. What a wonderful way to come out of the windy cold. We use it for pizza dough and often to knead the dough. We have more than paid for our machine. Yes we still make bread from scratch, but like many appliances, the bread machine saves time and mess.
My wife has a Zorshirishi(sp) bread machine and uses it to knead her dough. It has been a wonderful investment. When it breaks down I go to the web site thebreadmachineguru.com for parts ect. Never failed to get the parts I need to fix it.
I love my bread machine too. Another way it saves money is that it uses less electricity (110 volt) than a conventional oven (220 volt). Plus in summer, I can take it outdoors to bake bread outdoors. That means not having to heat up the house with my big oven. That translates into even more energy savings because I don’t have to run the A/C more to cool the house.
For me, I don’t have a bread machine, but I do have a bosch mixer. I think that is more effiecient than a bread maker. I use it to make cookies and cakes. I also bought attachments like a food processor to go with it. It did take me years to perfect making bread though. I feed first my husband and then after the kids came we ate bread that weighed as much as bricks. I tried recipe after recipe till I perfected one that I love. I love that I can make 4 loaves in one batch now. We leave one out and 3 head to the freezer. I think that if I hadn’t perfected this I could understand the love of a bread machine.
Love my machine! Do you have any recipes to share? đŸ™‚
My 20-something year-old machine is on its ‘last legs’, and I hate to lose it! I can and do make bread without it (won the grand prize at our county fair for my homemade bread when I was 16). But I love the convenience of the machine for those days when I just can’t be a slave to the kitchen and make sure I’m available on time to punch down, shape and bake the bread. Do you have any recommendation on good machines? I often see them at yard sales (not this time of year, in Michigan :)), but have so far talked myself out of a used one. May go that route this summer, though, as the ones listed on sites like Amazon are uber expensive, and the local Walmart only carries one machine. Thanks.
I used to work with some Amish women and every morning one of them would bring in bread from her bread machine with a tub of homemade butter. It was delicious!!! Her cinnamon bread was my favorite!!!
wait..I didn’t think Amish could use electricity? How did they use a bread maker?
They were probably not Amish, but perhaps Mennonite – they are close in some ways to the Amish and often dress like the Amish, but do use some electricity
I never cared for my bread machine. The bread tasted odd, and I have never been a fan of the Teflon coatings on the pans. Making one loaf at a time didn’t work for me or my family of 6 anyway. What is working for me is the stainless bowled Magic Mill from Sweden. This appliance allows me to mix enough dough for a full week’s baking in minutes, four full-sized loaves at a time. The dough is then oven-baked and tastes far superior to store-bought (which is why we all make home-made bread anyway! ;).
i do love using the bread machine to make pizza. Add the ingredients and it does all the work for . You just take the dough out when the buzzer goes off and you make pizza. It is so effortless and easy!!
The problem with bread machines is they only come with non-stick pans. I do not use non-stick cookware any more. Besides there are so many no-knead recipes out there that are easly to make and totaly worth a little extra effort.
I prefer without Bread Machine
I use to have one
but the Bread taste better,
making it the old way, by hand.
I like to use a bread machine to make my dough — just throw the ingredients in and forget it. If I’m short of time, I let the bread machine bake it, but I would rather shape the loaf and bake it in the oven. A good website for learning to use your bread machine is http://www.salad-in-a-jar.com/bread-machine-101. Paula has other great recipes, too. I just used her recipe for making homemade cream of mushroom soup. It tastes so much better than the canned soup.
It’s convenient, but the quality and function are not as great compared to loaves made by hand. Plus, the slices are a calorie dump.
The dough option is great with mine. It also has the ability to make sauces and jams, but those can be easily done on the stove top.
I have 5 bread machines! Haven’t bought a loaf of bread in over 15 years. It takes a little while to learn the little tricks to be successful with bread machines but we’ll worth the time and effort.
TimG
My friend gave me her bread machine that was given to her by another friend, and collecting dust. My teenager first made pesto bread, then cranberry pumpkin seed bread. Today, my sic year old and I made basic white bread with only water, instant yeast, salt and sugar, ool and bread flour. Only less than 3 hours later, after setting and forgetting it, we enjoyed our first attempt at “making bread” with some butter. My little one just may eat the entire loaf! Wish I could share pics of our yummy loaf.
Sorry for the misspellings đŸ™‚
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