For the Casual Baker who wants to experiment

I have been making bread twice a week with the Cuisinart CBK-200 Bread Maker for over a year now and am very happy with my purchase. I did thorough research on epinions.com and based on the reviews received and the price point, I decided that this was for me. Of course, the sleek stainless steel styling helped, too! This is definitely a machine that you won't mind leaving out on your counter top; if you have the space.

I ordered the machine from JC Penney's during one of their regular kitchen sales and received 10% off. For the price, I think this machine has met and will continue to meet all of my needs. The instruction manual and recipe book are combined into one book, which is a very handy feature should you have any questions about the operation or indicator beeps.

As long as you have the ingredients ready when your machine arrives, you'll be making your first loaf of homemade bread in under 10 minutes. I use my machine regularly, so I am now used to what the different beeps mean. The machine beeps to let you know to take out the mixing paddle, to mix in add ins like cheese or chocolate chips or for a series of other options depending on the recipe you are using. If you don't use the machine regularly, this could be confusing, but like I said, the instruction manual is included in the spiral bound recipe book so it easy to reference.

I can choose the size of the loaf, 1; 1.5; or 2 pound, the crust can be set to light, medium or dark. There are also pre-programmed options for making dough for pizza crusts, mixing and kneading only, quick breads, etc.

This machine lets me be creative and experiment and has produced consisent results every time. There are dozens of recipes included and I have still yet to make every one.

There are some cons to the machine, but overall for the price point, they are minor. The machine is big, you will need a decent amount of space to store it; if you are limited on counter or shelf space that could be an issue. There is an automatic timer feature that is a little confusing at first. The unit doesn't have an internal clock so the timer is based on a delay. You have to program the machine to start in X number of hours. When I first used this feature I set it incorrectly because I didn't account for the amount of time for the recipe. The machine started at 8 in the morning and I was hoping that the bread would be ready at 8. It's a silly mistake on my part and once you do it once, you'll always remember but it would be easier if it had an internal clock like a coffee maker. Though a feature like this would most likely increase the price significantly, it's something I'm willing to live with.

The mixing paddle is at the bottom of the non-stick baking bucket. A beeping signal lets you know that it is time to remove the mixing paddle if you want. You don't have to, but if you don't, there will be a hole in the bottom of your bread, or the bread could bake around the paddle and then you'll have to cut into the bottom of the loaf to remove it. This can be a pain, especially when your dough is sticky, but again, for the price point, it's worth it. I've seen machines that don't require you to remove the mixing paddle and they are at least twice the price.

I have read some reviews that are unhappy with the noisiness and the quality of the bread. First I'll address the noise. The machine doesn't just mix, it also raises and lowers the baking bucket quickly to make sure there aren't any ingredients stuck to the sides of the bucket. This is noisy; so much so that my dog stood in the kitchen barking at the bread machine the first time she heard it! The noise is worth it, you don't have to go back and scrape the sides of the bucket to make sure everything get properly mixed. You can literally put everything in the bucket and walk away.

The quality of the bread is excellent, but you have to be used to home made bread. It's denser and heavier than the bread you buy in the grocery store which is pumped full of air and chemicals. You have to find the recipe that is right for you and your family. I've had the same reuslts with the same recipe from the bread machine as I did from traditional hand baked bread. If the bread is dense and hard, it's the recipe, not the machine.

For the casual breadmaker who wants a few more features to experiment with this is the perfect bread machine. You'll get more options and features than basic models but you'll have to accept the manual removal of the mixing paddle and some noise as a trade off. I highly recommend this machine, it's reliable and has produced consistent results every week for the past year and I expect it to continue doing more of the same.