Herldine M. Radley wrote:
I will be purchasing a bread machine for the first time and
need your input. I can only spend around $100-$150 for the machine but I
want the best machine for the money. I have lurked on this list for
around three months and I know all of you have reasons you like or
dislike a machine. Please e-mail me your likes and dislikes. <snip>
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I have a West Bend (model 41040X) which I purchased in January, 1995 for
about $150 at Sam's Club. One of its features that I most appreciate is
the half-hour warm-up at the start of the regular and whole wheat cycles.
Because of this feature, I don't have to be so precise about water
temperature or the temperature of other ingredients (although I do try to
come close to what I would use if making bread by hand).
One thing I wish it did have is a cool-down feature after the bread is
done; this machine has a "keep warm" feature instead, and a few times when
I wasn't around at the end of the baking cycle, the crust got softer than I
like it due to the retained heat and moisture in the pan.
Another nice feature, if you can find it, would let the machine resume the
cycle after a brief power interruption. My West Bend won't do that.
I know at least 4 people who bought Oster machines at Pamida or Target
stores. One likes the machine just fine (but her husband hates "things" in
his bread, so she just makes whole wheat--how boring!!). Another person
thinks the bread always comes out too dark and hard on the bottom. And one
(to whom I recommended the machine based on reviews of it in newspaper
articles and Consumer Reports) had to take it back to the store because it
died after about 6 months. She later said some of her relatives had
similar disappointments with their Oster machines. So I guess I'd be
cautious about buying an Oster bread machine, even though I have other
Oster appliances that I like.
My West Bend keeps chugging away -- I use it two or three times a week.
But because of the praise the Zojiruchi has received on this list, I think
that's the kind I will want to get after this one dies.
Hope this helps.
Bonnie
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Bonnie Briscoe internet: bbriscoe@infolink.morris.mn.us
Briscoe & Associates -- Editorial Services & Training Program Development
500 East Third St. phone: 320-589-1258
Morris, MN, USA 56267 fax: 320-589-1754
Language is all that separates us from the lower animals--
and from the bureaucrats.
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