Bread Machine recommendation. Want one NOT made in China.

[Marilyn Manson]

1.5. Pause and wait for raisins, fruits, nuts, etc. ;-)

[gfretwell]

OK I guess I never had, or saw the need for a dedicated bread maker but it does explain the microprocessor. We certainly have become a lazy lot. The last time I made bread I didn't even get out the mixer. I did it like grandma. It came out great.

[Clare Snyder]

And although SSEMBLED in Ohio, not all parts - even non-electronic- are made in the USA. The bowl, for instance, is imported - as are the bearings.

[Marilyn Manson]

It's "significant" because it maintains the proper speed under different loads.

It's not a significant *amount* of electronics, but it's "significant" in its impact on the operation of the mixer.

That's why I asked "What's your definition of "significant"?

[gfretwell]

If you want to be that pedantic, I suppose the power cord is the most significant part in the whole damned machine. I doubt if that is the first thing you consider when you buy it. By significant I was referring to the most complex part. You can buy the whole card for about $50 and if you own a soldering iron you can replace the triac for about a buck. I bet they seldom go bad tho. A more complex card is low fruit waiting for the most trivial power hit to pick it off.

[gfretwell]

You really are a lazy f*ck. Kneading that dough for a few minutes must really wear you out. The rest is putting it in the oven. Exhausting! It is probably more work cleaning the bread maker than it is making the bread.

[gfretwell]

Pretty lame there Rod and no I don't want any bread if you never clean that thing.

About Grandma. If I am just washing out one shirt, I am doing it granny style and that is about the same as kneading a loaf of bread. That is the only work. It does have it's own reward when a great loaf comes out of the oven and you know you did it all yourself. Knead the dough, be the dough. Feel how the gluten is forming in your hands. It really isn't going to be time as much as how it feels. Same with yeast. Maybe it is the old moonshiner in me but I can watch yeast work and know when it is time to punch it down and bake it. You can tap the crust with a fingernail and know when it is time to come out.

I suppose it is good you have a bread machine because you would cook it in the microwave.

[angelica...]

The satisfyingly chunky feel the speed control lever has when it drops down into the slots on the Speed Control Plate.

Model KSM5:

Check out the Speed Control Plate.

Cindy Hamilton

[Pan de Molde]

Yes

No

Bread is so easy to make, why bother with another countertop appliance to clutter up your kitchen?

[gfretwell]

Exactly.

[Marilyn Manson]

Exactly not.

A good mixer has other uses than just mixing.

- You should try my pulled BBQ chicken or BBQ pulled pork. The Artisan can shred 3 pounds of slow cooked meat in a matter of minutes. Sure beats the old two-fork method. The shredded meat has hardly even cooled before it's back in the pot, soaking up the still hot BBQ sauce.

- I use the mixer to grind my own meat for sausage and then again to stuff the casing.

- We make home made pasta for spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli, etc. We often use the meat that I ground in the mixer for those pasta dishes.

- I have an attachment for slicing veggies, but that's not worth the trouble. We never need wafer thin slices, but if we ever did, I could do it pretty quick.

- SWMBO makes pizza dough at least every other week. Fill the bowl, walk away and let her spin.

- SWMBO uses it for complicated baking and other recipes quite often. She is a great cook.

Our Artisan mixer isn't "clutter". It's as much a part of our kitchen arsenal as our good chef knives, the oven, slow cooker, pressure cooker, etc.

[gfretwell]

You are arguing with the wrong guy. I never said a mixer was excess technology. I was talking about a dedicated bread maker.

[Marilyn Manson]

You are correct, sir. My apologies.

But I do have a bread maker too. ;-)

It's not clutter since I store it when not needed. It is nice to use on hot summer nights instead of making the AC compete with the oven. During the winter, making bread in the oven serves two purposes. ;-)

Fresh bread first thing in the morning. Nice!

[Clare Snyder]

Yup - a simple mechanical governor that, surprisingly, is VERY reliable and trouble free. The plate shown applies pressure to the governor assembly on the rotating armature shaft.

[gfretwell]

Yeah you can spend more time sitting at your computer and slinging profanities in lieu of logic. You would be better kneading dough.

[gfretwell]

My oven is outside, along with the water heater. Heating the house is never a good thing here. I agree about fresh bread tho. We already have more appliances than we need. I am not buying one more thing until I get rid of something.