KNEAD TO SAVE SOME DOUGH? MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD! (Morphy Richards Cooltouch Breadmaker 48286)

Member Name: hazydaze123

Product:	Morphy Richards Cooltouch Breadmaker 48286
Date:	19/01/09 (490 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Makes yummy bread; easy to use; lots of nice recipes

Disadvantages: None

At one time, a breadmaker was something that I had considered buying as a luxury, but could not justify spending over £40 on something that I didn't really need. However, with the economic downturn affecting the country at the moment, I have been thinking of ways to reduce my weekly shopping bill, and with the price of bread in my local supermarket averaging £1.20 per loaf, I thought I would make a worthwhile investment and buy myself a breadmaker so that I can finally make my own.

After doing some research on the various makes and models of breadmakers currently on the market, I finally decided on the Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker. As far as I was aware, Morphy Richards had a good reputation and manufactured good, reliable products.

So, what do you get for your money?
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The first thing I noticed when the Argos assistant handed me the breadmaker was how big the box was. What on earth could be in there? On opening the box, I found all the contents to be very neatly and securely packed with plenty of polystyrene. Nothing was going to break with this little lot.

The box comprised:

The breadmaker (obviously)
1 x paddle
1 x measuring cup
2 x measuring spoons
Instruction booklet (which incorporates a recipe section)

Appearance
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Cream in colour, the Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker is a very stylish looking model, though it does appear a lot larger than it looks on all the promotional pictures I had seen. The approximate measurements of this particular model are 15" x 10" x 10". All of the program buttons are situated on the front panel of the breadmaker, rather than across the top, which in my opinion makes it easier to navigate the controls. There is nothing worse, especially if your breadmaker is situated on a high work surface, than having to stretch over to see which buttons you are pressing. Just above the row of program buttons is the display panel which highlights the programs you have selected, time remaining etc. The lid of the breadmaker is situated on the very top, and is a very simple lift-up lid with no release buttons to press. This has a clear Perspex panel so that you can see what progress your bread is making!

Can the breadmaker be used straight away?
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No. Once you take the breadmaker out of its packaging, the loaf tin and kneading paddle need to be washed in warm, soapy water. After drying them with a clean tea towel, you should coat them with a thin layer of cooking oil (preferably sunflower) and replace them in the breadmaker. The breadmaker then needs to be switched on and program 12 (extra bake) selected. Leave on for approximately 10 minutes to seal the non stick pan and paddle. The instructions also advise that, prior to carrying out this procedure, you wipe the exterior of the breadmaker with a clean, damp cloth.

So, what can it do?
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What can't it do? This is a very versatile breadmaker in that it can make various things in addition to a simple loaf of bread. There are twelve programs in total, and these comprise:

Basic white bread
French bread
Wholewheat
Quick bread (which gives a denser texture)
Sweet (this gives a crispier crust)
Fastbake I (gives a moister 1.5lb loaf)
Fastbake II (gives a moister 2lb)
Dough (simply makes the dough but does not bake it)
Jam
Cake
Sandwich (light texture bread with a soft, thick crust)
Extra bake (increase baking time to your personal preference)

When the breadmaker begins kneading the dough, a series of beeps can be heard. The dough is then allowed to rest for 10 minutes or so. When the second kneading process begins, a further series of beeps can be heard, and it is at this point you may add fruit, nuts, etc if you are making sweet bread.

This particular bread maker is capable of making three different sized loaves of bread: 1lb, 1.5lb and 2lb.

The breadmaker also has 3 crust settings (light, medium and dark).

One feature which I find particularly useful is the automatic timer. You can set this up to 13 hours in advance, so for example, if you want to wake up to the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning, just add your ingredients to the breadmaker and set the program for the time you wish the bread to be ready. A very simply process, and one that I have used on numerous occasions.

Recipes
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As I mentioned earlier in the review, the instruction booklet contains a recipe section with some delicious ideas on what to make with your breadmaker. These include:

Basic white bread
Softgrain bread
Brown loaf
Italian herb bread
Cheese & onion bread
Raisin bread
Sun-dried tomato loaf
Malt loaf
French bread
Wholewheat bread
Granary loaf
Banana & nut bread
Porridge oats bread
Mixed fruit loaf
Chocolate bread
Hot cross buns
Pizza base
Marmalade
Raspberry & apple jam
Mixed fruit cake

...and a few others based around a basic white bread recipe.

I have only tried a few of these recipes so cannot comment on the outcome of each and every one, but one point I would like to mention, and which I personally think is quite important, is the fact that you can adapt the recipes to suit your own personal preference. For example, the 2lb basic white loaf suggests that you add 3 tablespoons of sugar. When I made this recipe for the first time, I found the bread excessively sweet and not to my taste at all. As time went on, I gradually reduced the amount of sugar I added, and I feel that I have now got the recipe just as I like it - with a mere ½ tablespoon of sugar. Quite a reduction from what the recipe suggests.

Price
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I purchased this breadmaker from Argos for £48.89. I have not checked other retailers but you may be able to find it for a more favourable price elsewhere. However, this price does include a 2 year guarantee, provided of course that you keep you receipt as proof of purchase.

Morphy Richards Contact Details
Morphy Richards Ltd
Mexborough
South Yorkshire
S64 8AF
(Helpline): 0844 871 0944

My conclusion
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My personal opinion of this breadmaker is that it is one of the best purchases I have never made. Out of one bag of flour, which costs in the region of 87p depending on which brand you use, I usually get approximately 4 x 2lb loaves of bread. Other ingredients obviously need to be added to this, but the likes of one pack of yeast, salt etc., make many many loves of bread.

It has always been reliable, and the recipes are so easy to make. I no longer use the recipe book for basic bread as I know the measurements of the ingredients by heart.

I do still buy the odd ready-made loaf, but it's true what they say: "once you make your own, you don't really go back to buying them". And I rarely do!

Thanks for reading.

**Also on Ciao (Matthewsmum)

Summary: Smells wonderful!

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