Last week a reader commented at one of my posts saying she was excited because she had saved up to buy the bread machine that I had recommended. It's a great machine for sure. If your heart is set on getting a breadmaker, this is the one to buy:
- The motor is powerful so it kneads your bread well, which makes for a better all-around loaf.
- It has loads of features for convenience, like 3 custom settings, so no matter if you're making homemade sourdough (the healthiest bread on earth), or a soaked loaf of bread (click those links for recipes), it can be easily adjusted for the times you want it to knead, rise, & bake, or just to sit for a few hours. This was great when I was experimenting with my recipes.
- It also makes a nice sized 2# loaf, which isn't easy to find in a breadmaker.
However, one thing I didn't like, which is fairly common in bread machines from what I've heard, is that it often got my loaves too brown, so I'd end up using it for mixing, and then bake the bread in my own pans.
So I suggested this reader instead put the money toward a Bosch:
- It kneads as well as (or better) than the Zoj.
- You can make many loaves at once, not just one.
- Even better is that you can use it for so many other things, too. I make huge batches of anything like cookies or quick breads and keep the frozen dough in the freezer to pull out later for ‘freshly' baked yumminess. Read more about how I use it for big batches here and for shredding loads of cheese all at once, too (with the shredder attachment, which is totally worth the money).
- It also comes standard with a powerful blender, which I mostly use for my superfood smoothies.
OK, I'll stop with my gushing now. 🙂 You can get a Bosch here.
More you might like:
- Want to go really nuts? Get a grain mill and grind your own grain so it's fresh and still loaded with nutrients. Read more about grinding your own grains.
- Find more bread recipes here.
Martin Uhlig says
Any reason to buy the nutrimill instead of the Bosch grinder attachment?
KitchenKop says
Nope, I love my Bosch, so I’m sure that would be fine, too! 🙂
(Thanks for re-posting your comment after my site glitch!)
Kel
Commenter via Facebook says
I feel exactly the same way about my Kitchen-Aid. When I had a bread machine, which broke, I only used it for kneading anyway.
Commenter via Facebook says
Love my Bosch. Not sure if the blender attachment comes standard, though.
Susie D says
How long do you knead the dough for bread in the Bosch, I never can get it right
KitchenKop says
@Susie D – All of that is in the recipe at the link above. 🙂
Commenter via Facebook says
What brand of flour do you recommend?
Commenter via Facebook says
I like both the Zoe and my kitchen aid full stand mixer. With a reduced family size they work for me, but the Bosch sounds interesting…(already have attachments, Cuisinart, etc. So it might be a bit redundant too.)
Commenter via Facebook says
Yep I grew up with one of these! 😀 used to bake6 loaves of bread and sell them when i was very young to when i was a teenager 🙂 its a great machine 🙂 just not in my price range 🙂 Bosch how you bring back memories 🙂
Commenter via Facebook says
I. Love. My. Bosch.
Did you know that Organic Valley has a grass fed version of their butter? I buy it by the case through my co-op.
KitchenKop says
I have to find that on my co-op! That’d be better than Kerrygold all the way from Ireland!
Leah G says
A bread machine was how I ventured into bread making. I killed the first one and then decided I never wanted another one because the pan has a nonstick coating. I asked for a Bosch but my Hubby said it was ugly and bought me a Kitchenaid. So far so good. I only dare mix two loaves at a time though. It is a real time saver!
Shirley harman says
I have just purchased a kitchen aid and want to make bread I use the all about bread premix flour and the dry yeast. I would like to know in which order I put the yeast flour and water into basin. Also how long should I mix it fir with dough hook.
KitchenKop says
Hi Shirley, the order doesn’t matter too much, unless you’re adding salt, then that should always go in after the flour is mixed in so it doesn’t kill the yeast. As far as how long to knead, it doesn’t take as long as by hand because the machines are more efficient, so I’d say about 4-5 minutes, and you want it to start to pull away from the sides. (Although it doesn’t happen like that with ALL recipes, some recipes are wetter and it won’t pull away as nicely.)
Hope that helps!
Kelly
Amelia says
We’re hoping to get a Bosch soon, too! I do have questions about the blender, though. Is it somewhere between a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix or Blendtec) and a regular one? I’ve seen conflicting reviews that run the gamut from “more powerful than a Vitamix” to “worse than a cheapo from Wal-Mart”. Do people have examples of challenging things it can do, e.g., can it grind flour, make nut butter, etc.?
KitchenKop says
Hmmmm, I’m not sure where it falls. I’d say it’s not as powerful as I’ve heard a Vitamix is, but definitely better than my old “basic” blender.
I just use my grain mill to grind grains, and haven’t tried anything challenging so I’m not much help. It does handle my rock solid frozen strawberries for smoothies great, though!
Kel
Kris VH says
Kelly –
I totally agree! I’ve had my Bosch for about 15 years, and I love it! I make a 6-loaf batch of bread about every other week, and have the grain mill attachment (which works well for bread flour, but isn’t quite fine enough for cookies, FYI). We have replaced the blender once, and gotten new parts a few times, but the machine is awesome! Makes great mayonnaise, smoothies, breads, quick bread batters, cake batters and more (I still hand-stir my cookie batches). I’d really like to get the food processor attachment sometime, too…