Breadman TR875 2-Pound Breadmaker, Stainless Steel
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Breadman TR875 2-Pound Breadmaker, Stainless Steel
Customer Review: The pan won't come out!
Summary: 1 Stars
I was really excited about a bread machine with a gluten free setting! There were disappointments with this machine, however:
The machine's box clearly says "this side up", but that side was laying down inside the Amazon box. Because of that, the machine has scuff marks/scratches on the top of it (from the packing styrofoam) that will not come off.
When I opened the box, it smelled strongly like a SKUNK! Inside the machine smelled like this too!
The instructions said to remove the clear plastic film off of the front of the machine, but there wasn't any. I asked the company's customer service about it, and they said this is part of the packaging for a new machine, it should be there. Was this a used machine??
The first time we tried to pull the pan out, it was difficult, but my husband got it out. I washed it, dried it, and then put it in the machine to do a cycle to "burn off the oils" like it says in the instructions.
After that cycle, the pan will not come out. I've had a breadman before, and the pan was slightly twisted out in that one. In this one, you have to use force and pull it straight up and out. There are clips on the top sides--I could get those loose. But it was like the pan was stuck at the bottom of the machine. Even if I am just too weak (after standing on a chair, sitting on the counter, leaning on the machine--doing everything possible), and it requires a stronger person, this is ridiculous. Gluten free bread has to be removed from the hot pan immediately or it will become soggy. The pan and entire machine would be HOT after a cycle is run, so there is no way anybody could lean on the machine, hold down the machine, hold down the clips, etc. One reviewer said that the bread pan stays in when the machine is plugged in--it was stuck when it was plugged or unplugged for me, either way.
I guess I'll have to keep searching for a good gluten free machine!!
Customer Review: This machine rocks
Summary: 5 Stars
Let me preface this review by saying that I am spoiled: my wife is a very good cook and regularly bakes her own bread, which I have always enjoyed. My main reason for getting this machine is my son and I eat a lot of sandwiches (more often than my wife cooks bread) for brown bag lunch, and I was getting tired of lousy store bought bread. So this seemed like a good way to dial up the quality of our lunches and save some money over time.
Wow, I have been thoroughly impressed. My first loaf of bread was delicious and all of the ones after it too. I got the machine about a week and a half ago and have made about six loaves since then. All white breads so far, my favorite sandwich loaf has been an old fashioned potato bread I was making with left over mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving. The recipes I have been using are all from The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook great book and huge number of recipes.
My wife, who looked down on the whole bread machine idea, has even been won over. She initially refused to accept that a machine could make good bread, but I actually like this stuff more than hers made the "old fashioned" way (don't tell her I said that.)
Ten minutes to put together a loaf, then walk away. 3 1/2 hours later you have delicious bread. And easy cleanup. Nice.
I did one side by side test with this machine and our Delonghi mixer. I was making pizza dough and didn't think the machine alone would be enough dough to feed our crew, so I made an identical batch in the mixer. I even used the same kneading/resting/rising times as the machine, and put the mixer batch in the same room as our woodstove for a good rise.
The bread machine made a better pizza dough! For some reason it rose more and had a better texture. Consider me a convert.
Customer Review: Bread heaven
Summary: 5 Stars
January 4, 2009: Although I stand by my comments below, I have received what I consider very disturbing news from Breadman's parent company. I wish I could tell you what that company's name is, but there are so many layers to the new corporate bureacracy that it makes it hard to tell. It may be Applica or Fox International. Why do you need to know this? Because the parent company is no longer supporting this product. If you need a replacement bread pan or paddle, as I do, you won't be able to order it from them (and good luck finding it elsewhere). Repair parts for this model Breadman are "no longer available and can not be supplied." To me, it is reprehensible for a company like this to stop supporting a product that has been extremely popular in the breadmaking community. For that reason, I am now looking for a replacement machine from someone that has a once and future history, such as Zojurushi, Panasonic or West Bend.
I received this as a Christmas present. This is our third bread machine over the years, and the Breadman TR-8752 has been nothing short of superb. We've been using a couple of different bread recipe books, but I also bought "Rustic European Breads" and the recipes in that book (plus a few we've found on the web) have transferred our kitchen into something of a European heaven. The timer works superbly; all you have to remember is that you're setting the timer as a countdown to when you want the bread finished, not when you want the cycle to start. Also, it helps a lot of if you remove the bread immediately after the cycle completes and set it on a rack to cool - 1-2 hours. That's when it will be ready for slicing (at least, this is how it works for us). Stick with King Arthur Flours and Fleischmann's Bread Machine Yeast and people will be calling you a master baker in no time.
Customer Review: Amazing and Yummy!
Summary: 5 Stars
I received the breadmaker 3 days ago and already made a perfect loaf, on the first try. I highly recommend reading the instruction manual from cover to cover, a quick read but worth it. The instruction manual provides some great (and important) tips on how to make a perfect loaf each and every time. Most importantly, the instruction manual explains the main ingredients used in bread making and why they are used. I frequently substitute by using what I have in the house, assuming that all flour is the same, I would have messed up the bread on the first time and gotten frustrated.
Pros:
-Easy to use: The directions are very clear and understandable. I followed all of the directions in the user manual and got a great loaf the first time.
-Set it and forget it: Follow the instructions regarding setting the machine up and you can walk away and come back to a done loaf. The machine does all the mixing, rising and baking, so there is nothing for you to do once u hit "Start".
-Various options/capabilites: The machine can make different styles of breads (italian, french, sourdough, etc.), different sizes (1.5 lb and 2lb), crusts colors (light, medium, dark) and some other unexpected items, like jam and pasta. The machine allows you to utilize the mixing function to create other concoctions for the oven, like dinner rolls.
Cons:
-Large and bulky: Although one can expect a large machine if it can make a 2 lb loaf and has the mixing and baking parts all included, it does take up a large amount of counter space. So, you can't leave it on the counter indefinitely unless you have a large kitchen.
Overall, the machine works great if you follow the directions, has a nice design/look and makes great breads. I would highly recommend it to others.
Customer Review: GREAT FOR WARM DOUGHBALLS!!! Bread, not so great.
Summary: 1 Stars
Hey, thanks for letting me rap at you. I don't know about you, but when I was growing up times were tough. We didn't have new-fangled things like string, soap and bread. Yessir, when we had a hankering to eat some ground flour, water and yeast, what we'd do is this: we'd mix 'em all up good, knead em up, let the doughball rise and fall a couple times, then we'd just leave it out in the sun or on top of the radiator for thirty minutes or so. Finally we'd all dig in to enjoy our warm and sticky doughball. That's what I love about this breadman -- it brings me back to my youth by taking 3 and a half hours to create a warm and sticky doughball! It doesn't actually take the extra step and bake the dough -- as my grandpappy used to say "Bread is decadent... warm doughballs were good enough for your cave-dwelling progenitors, and they're good enough for you! Hallelujah! Praise the warm doughball!" Then grandpappy would slap me senseless and head back to the washtub for some moonshine. Those were the days.
Anyway, I digress. I just scarffed down a warm doughball and am all amped up to start another -- but the Breadman giveth, and the breadman taketh away. There's some sort of error code -- E01. I think that means the machine is all riled up and needs some time to cool off. Then I'll try again -- I sure hope it doesn't get all crazy and actually COOK // BAKE THE DOUGH THIS TIME! As I have already mentioned above, that would be decadent.
Praise the warm doughball!
[No, I'm not an idiot. The first time I used the Breadman (4 hours ago) I set it to make a 1.5 lb loaf of French bread (menu option 2), with a medium crust. Three and a half hours later it delivered a warm doughball! It didn't actually get hot enough to bake anything.]