Question 1

Are these things really worth having?

Accepted Answer

Worth having? Yes!

If you keep a short list of basics on hand - bread flour, yeast, salt, sugar oil - you can keep your household in bread no matter what. Everything but the bread flour and yeast you undoubtedly have already so the added cost for 2 new staples isn't great. I disagree with D. Hoffman - bread machine bread is a lot less expensive than anything store bought. I cost out at about $1.50 per loaf for basic white. Now go price out commercial bread at the grocery store. Or, god forbid, a "rustic" or "artisan" bread - and then pick your jaw up off the floor.

Then read the list of ingredients on a commercial loaf. Did you know they use high fructose corn syrup? A lot.

It might sound ironic but I don't have enough counter space to throw down bench flour and hand knead bread. But I do have enough space to park my bread machine on the counter and put it in storage when done.

It's convenient, it's less expensive and it tastes better than any squishy, air filled bread you can buy in a store. Haven't bought store breads in years.

Question 2

is it noisy?

Accepted Answer

Mine is extremely noisy when mixing dough.  Sounds like paddle is slipping on stem -- kind of like when you use an electric screwdriver and it is spinning too fast and stripping the head of the screw.  It has gotten worse with use.  I finally pulled dough out of last batch.  I'm going to let it just rise and then bake it.  Noise permeates entire house.  It is not the normal mixing, whirring sound.  Something is wrong.

Question 3

How much "waste" in the loaf from the paddle? Like how big/deep is the cavity from the paddle? I say waste because of sandwich use. :)

Accepted Answer

There is "waste" by  the paddle for sandwich use, true, but it's only a hole and the loaf will be bigger somewhere else. So not real waste, just some slices with an irregular shape.

You can take the paddle out after the second rise, as others explain. See page 11 for timing, because each cycle is somewhat different. Between the second and the third rise, actually something does happen: the paddle rotates 3 times and you can hear this.

Question 4

is there an alarm to signal when to pull the paddle before final rise and baking?

Accepted Answer

There is no alarm signal. But you can pull it out after the second kneading: you will hear the kneading sound stop. Since there are only 2 kneadings, no use for the paddle after that. I succesfully tried it and it's easy. The machine is not hot, it's lukewarm for the rising. If your dough is not too wet, it comes out easy and it's easy to remove the paddle. I don't recommend to wait until after the second rising. It's more complicated and more messy.

ASIN	B0BLXGJ27V
Best Sellers Rank	#25,460 in Kitchen & Dining ( See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining ) #14 in Bread Machines
Brand Name	Hamilton Beach
Capacity	2 pounds
Color	Black
Customer Reviews	4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,364)
Included Components	Bread Maker, Kneading Paddle, Measuring Cup, Measuring Spoon, Nonstick Bread Pan, Recipes
Item Dimensions D x W x H	13.9"D x 11.4"W x 11.2"H
Item Type Name	Maker Machine, Digital, Programmable, 12 Settings + Gluten Free, Dishwasher Safe PFAS-Free Nonstick Pan + Kneading Paddle
Item Weight	11.9 pounds
Manufacturer	Hamilton Beach
Material	Stainless Steel
Model Number	29982
Number of Items	1
Number of Packs	1
Number of Programs	12
Part Number	29982
Product Care Instructions	Dishwasher Safe
UPC	040094299829
Unit Count	1 Count
Voltage	120
Warranty Description	One(1) Year Warranty
Wattage	550 watts

Hamilton Beach Automatic Bread Maker Machine, Digital, Programmable, 12 Settings + Gluten Free, PFAS-Free Nonstick Pan + Kneading Paddle, 2 lb Capacity, Black

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