Andy wrote:
> I will not be defeated! So TJ doesn't carry my bread anymore. I'm looking
> into a bread machine.
>
> Much research has narrowed my decision to a Panasonic SD-YD250 ABM.
>
> After reading back through the r.f.c archives and web reviews a couple
> things came to mind.
>
> The loaf size is much larger and more a square than an ordinary
> rectangular loaf of white bread, so I'll be using it just to make the
> dough and bake it in a reasonable loaf pan. I don't want to increase the
> size of a sandwich as a result. I like my 4"x4" sandwich surface area.
> That and one reviewer mentioned that the slices don't fit in a regular
> toaster. I'll no doubt bake the first couple loaves in it. Do other bread
> machines bake ordinary loaves?
>
> I don't understand the use of an advance-ON timer. Can you really leave
> those ingredients just sitting there for 13 hours without spoiling?
>
> The unit is rated at 550 watts. Where is the energy spent? The kneading
> is probably the most costly, with one hour of baking being second and the
> resting being last, for a claimed 4 hour loaf cycle. I'm not worried
> about the cost, just wondering.
>
> The recipes in the on-line manual.pdf call for butter but my old bread
> ingredients list canola oil. Is this a practical substitute in an ABM?
>
> Lowest price: $119.00 at Abt Electronics.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Andy

Here are my thoughts, such as they are.
I'm on my third bread machine. My forst was a West Bend. I got it in 1996 and
it was a work horse that served me until 2002. I used it all the time. My next
one was a cheapy Oster that I despised. It was loud, it got bogged down
easily, and the horizontal style pan meant that I had to stand over the
machine and scrape the ingredients in as the pan was too long for the blade to
reach everything. If I did not do this I would end up with funked up bread goo
surrounded by burned flour. I sold it at a garage sale for $5.

My current machine is a Breadman given to me for christmas this past year and
I love it. I use it all the time! The delay timer is wonderful if you want
fresh bread in the morning or when you get home from work. Most recipes will
warn you not to use the delay timer if they contain milk or eggs. I have used
the delay time on milk/egg containing recipes and I have survived.

I also use equivilent fats in my recipe. Generally, I tend to use canola or
olive oil instead of butter honestly because I'm a little lazy and don't feel
like futzing with butter when I can just pour the oil. The benefit (in my
mind) to using oil is that the measured oil lubes up the tablespoon and I can
measure my honey (when the recipe calls for it) into that and it will slide
right out!

I don't know the first thing about the wattage so I won't answer that.

I use mine to make bread and also focaccia, pizza dough and buns (I have cute
buns).

good luck and I hope this helps a bit.

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Poor Impulse Control.