Are bread makers worth it + Best bread makers in India

Who does not like the smell of freshly baked bread? Walking by bakeries when I was younger was easily one of the best memories. Now you can bring that memory home with automatic bread makers. Today let’s explore the pros and cons of bread makers, do you need it and if yes - which one is the best available in the market today.

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MYTHS / CONS OF USING BREAD MAKERS

Let’s first bust some myths about bread makers, shall we? I’ll talk about the pros subsequently.

1. The first is that baking bread with bread makers is not really cheaper than buying bread - while you may think that getting a bread maker is cheaper in the long run - think about it this way. The cheapest bread makers are about Rs. 6,000. A loaf of sandwich bread costs about Rs. 40. Not counting the ingredient costs - you will need to make atleast 150 loaves of bread. So that is one loaf a week - to make up for the initial cost of the bread maker in 3 years. Counting the ingredients and your effort as well - your return on investment will be a lot longer. So if you think taking a bread maker is a cheaper route - think again.

2. The second is that making bread in a bread maker is still time consuming - while it makes the bread making process easier - it will still take you a long time to make the bread. Once you add in all the ingredients, depending on the size of the loaf you are baking - it can take anywhere between 4 - 6 hours.

3. The third is that you will always get perfect bread in a bread maker. Bread making is a science. You need the ingredients in the right quantity added in at the right time and cooked for the right period to get that perfect loaf of bread. Till you get the right recipe - you can continue to have mishaps with the bread maker where your bread may collapse, not rise partly, comes out heavy and dense, chewy, has a hole inside and so on. With the popularity of bread makers, more and more validated recipes are now available. I’ve linked to a few in the description.

4. The last one is that it is small - Bread makers can still take up significant counter space - this is my pet peeve with any new appliance. Unless it’s something that you use on a daily basis, having something on your counter is just a waste of space.

ADVANTAGES / PROS OF USING BREAD MAKERS

Ok - now that you understand the deterrents, let’s also understand why bread makers are so popular today. In short - it takes the fuss out of bread making altogether. In long -

1. Healthier - It’s considered to be the healthier choice as most commercial breads these days are known to use sub-par ingredients, have added preservatives, extra sugar - things the health conscious are looking to avoid. If you eat bread frequently at home, this is a good option to consider

2. Simpler - It’s takes the fuss out of bread making that even a newbie or somebody not much into baking can make it with ease. If we were to bake bread by hand - it is a 5 step process - mixing, kneading (like atta), rising, knocking down and finally baking. Mixing and kneading is time consuming and quite messy to be done on a daily basis, rising is quite finicky and determines whether your bread will be bread or just a lump and then baking ofcourse. Modern day bread makers help you eliminate all of these steps with one single appliance

3. Energy efficient - A bread maker is nothing but an oven with a paddle to mix with a specialized purpose. Since it is a device with a much smaller form factor, it is a lot more energy efficient than a single loaf of bread in an oven.

4. Multi purpose - the bread makers these days are multi purpose devices. You can not only make bread but also different types of dough like atta, pizza base, sour dough, and any other types of dough you can envision. Since it is essentially an oven, it can also bake cakes, make rice, defrost and other basic things you can do in an otg oven.

So with all these pros and cons considered - who should buy a bread maker:

1. If you are someone that has bread regularly and are looking for healthier alternatives

2. If you are someone who already bakes regularly or intend to bake bread regularly and are looking to make that process easier

Don’t buy a bread maker if you think it’s cheaper, easier (than buying bread), have little or no space in your kitchen or are short on time - as it still takes a long period to bake.

BEST BREAD MAKERS IN INDIA

So by now, if you have decided YES I absolutely need a bread maker - which one is the best? I’ve compared about 11 models in the market across various brands to arrive at the best 2 bread makers for you. Most of the models have a similar set of functionality and little differences make it best or not.

I'm comparing the following models:

1. AMERICAN MICRONIC - Atta and Bread Maker

2. Lifelong Atta and Bread Maker

3. GLEN 3039 Bread Maker

4. Glen 3034 Bread Maker

5. Kent Atta and Bread Maker

6. Sharp Table-Top Bread Maker

7. Wonderchef Regalia Plus Bread Maker

8. Oster CKSTBR9050 Expressbake Bread Maker

9. Hamilton Beach 29885 Bread Maker

10. Dash Everyday Stainless Steel Bread Maker

11. COSORI Bread Machine Maker

So let’s get started:

1. Wattage determines how quickly you can get fresh bread. Most are between 550 - 650W in this case. So not much difference.

2. Almost all of the models compared can make basic bread, cakes, jams etc - with 12-19 preset programs that help guide you with the process. They also come with recipes although the reviews have mentioned the recipes don’t really work well. You will need to perfect the recipe through trial and error.

3. Memory function or power failure backup is a key aspect so that it can restart from where it stopped baking on power cut. Most models come with it now.

4. Delay timer helps you start your bread making during the night so you can wake up to the aroma of fresh bread. Most models have it too.

5. Fruit and nut dispenser - this is a differentiator, only Sharp has it. Glen makes a sound during the process at which time you can then add the fruit and nuts midway through the cycle.

6. Almost all have a 3 crust color option - light, medium and dark

7. Loaf sizes are fairly standard - between ½ kg, ¾ kg and 1 kg. Some models have only 2 options.

8. Pricing varies from 6K to 10K - based on the features and specifications they offer. Most models compared have a good review with a warranty of 1 to 2 years.

Based on all of these - my top 2 recommendations for bread makers are:

1. Sharp Table-Top Bread Maker - with an additional fruit and nut dispenser, a memory function and auto resume - this bread maker is ultimate if you want to make various different types of breads with various ingredients added at different times during the process.

2. AMERICAN MICRONIC - Atta and Bread Maker or Lifelong Atta and Bread Maker at a budget price point - does the basics of bread and atta making with an option of making 3 sizes. With the lowest wattage though - these take a bit longer to bake than the other ones. But that should not be a problem at all as an overall percentage of time taken.

I hope this was useful, thank you for watching and see you in the next video.