[LILLILEAF]

Does anyone else use a bread machine?, i have a sage bought it reconditioned but it has been fantastic.
I have made over 60 loaves in a year of owning the machine, i have someone that buys a loaf every week they like them so much.
So far only 1 loaf did not turn out very well, it was a fruit loaf and all the fruit sank to the bottom.
Other than that i would recommend a machine, also considering how much bread has gone up, at least i know whats in my bread no nasty's .Lillileaf.

[mumofstig]

I have a bread machine, but only use it for the kneading process, because I don't have the strength in my hands to do that myself.
I prefer to have control of the rising time and baking time myself, rather than relying on the machine, past experience was that it didn't always get it right .Plus, sometimes, I  make rolls or fruit buns rather than a loaf.

[Lardman]

My ageing panasonic has given excellent service over what must now be nearly a decade. It has not been good for my waistline though.

[jaydig]

My elderly Panasonic gave up the ghost during lockdown and I couldn't get another to replace it, so started making the bread from scratch myself, using my multipurpose food mixer which, luckily, a dough hook, because I too find kneading the dough too much for my hands.  I'm fortunate in that my new cooker has a proving drawer, so making bread is so much easier now and I never went back to using a bread machine. As MoS says it's great to have total control over what goes into your own bread, especially now that my hubby is diabetic because I absolutely stuff it full of various seeds that are good for what ails him.

[Blewit]

we have an elderly Panasonic too. Can't remember the last time I cooked a loaf in it, it's always used for dough now.

[lettice]

I been using breadmakers since about 1995.
Had a Hinari for five years to start off and have since had two of the same make of the Morphy Richards fastbake model.

I use mine at least five days a week. Have not bought any form of bread since the late 1990s.
Make two half/half loaves in the machine each week, using my adapted recipe.
Then using the dough menu, normally in a week make two lots of baguettes, then alternate each week with either a French country loaf, cottage loaf or sesame oil loaf.
Sometimes make an Italian herb/tomato loaf in the machine.
Do make batches of naans using the dough setting and freeze them.
Always later in the tomato growing season with the glut of tomatoes make focaccia and pizza bases to eat and freeze.
For cakes, make a spiced tea loaf with different teas and have made malt loaves.
Once a year make hot cross buns with the dough setting for the easter bank holidays.

Below is an old pic that I have used on here before of what my Morphy Richards produces each week or so and also a half/half loaf and baguette I have done in the last few days;

Here, that I still sue as described way back on here is my pizza recipe;
https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=126294.msg1479719#msg1479719

A few tips, that I have mentioned before;
Do be accurate with your measurements. Do not add more yeast, sugar, salt, liquid and flour to your recipe, until like many of us you have learnt to master bread making and learnt how to make those subtle adjustments.
I prove all my bread on my electric range cooker warming plate. Turn that on for about ten minutes and then turn it off and pop the tin or baguette tray on top of a wire rack on the warming plate. That gives the dough a rise to my liking in about an hour.
I use rapeseed oil in my bread, except for my sesame and Italian loaf that uses sesame oil and olive oil.

Two great reads I have found;
Bread Machine magic by Linda Rehberg and Lois Conway and One Hundred Bread Machine Recipes by Vicki Smallwood.

My half/half recipe is;
   1 1/3 cups cold water
   2 tbsp oil of your choice
   2 tsp sugar
   1 tsp salt
   1 1/4 tsp yeast
   4 cups strong bread flour (any combination of white, brown, wholemeal or granary)
 Cook on basic white setting, 1.5lb, medium crust.

[mrs bouquet]

Lovely Paul Hollywood, eat your heart out.   You wouldn't get a handshake    Mrs Bouquet

[rowlandwells]

we often use our bread machine but its rite its a bit I tend to put on a few more pounds eating home made bread we found the bread turned out a better loaf with good strong flour but I have to say I have taken a liking to seeded bread my wife always says I eat to much bread she could be rite