Panasonic make the best breadmakers! (Panasonic SD253)

Member Name: Rosie78

Product:	Panasonic SD253
Date:	02/06/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reliable, easy to use, makes very tasty bread.

Disadvantages: None that I can think of!

I bought this breadmaker over 4 years ago for just under £100, and it's still going strong. The bread pan is starting to lose it's non-stick qualities a little, so the loaves can stick, but otherwise it's in perfect working order.

I use this 5-7 times a week, not just for bread but also for pizza dough, rolls, buns, pitta bread and naan bread. You can also make fabulous Middle Eastern flatbreads using the naan dough by rolling it out very flat before you cook it. All the breads are easy to freeze.

Home made bread tastes so much better than mass produced stuff. The other advantage is that it doesn't go mouldy. It will go stale, but stale bread can be used either for breadcrumbs or to make puddings. So you always use the whole loaf, there is no waste. Having said that, we rarely leave the loaves long enough to go stale, they are so delicious we eat them quickly!

I've found it quite hard to clean the inside of the machine (not the bread pan, that's easy to clean) but it doesn't affect the performance.

The one thing I would say is that if you are getting a breadmaker, make sure you get the best quality breadknife you can afford. It needs to be really sharp, especially if you want nice thin slices. Also, get a reasonably good pair of scales. The only way this machine will ever fail is if you put the wrong quantities in.

It's worth checking the Panasonic website for the latest recipe book as well, as they do change them from time to time. For example, I think they no longer recommend milk powder in their recipes. I don't use it and find it makes no difference. If this machine ever breaks down I will definitely be getting another Panasonic.

Summary: A great buy.

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