Cuisinart CBK-200 Bread Machine

Cuisinart CBK-200 Bread Maker


Fresh bread whenever you want it!…………….:

I have gone a few years without a bread machine and decided it was time to get another one. I like the advancements they have made over the last decade and wanted to get back into the baking thing. I already enjoy many other Cuisinart small appliances and thought this machine would do the trick nicely! This bread maker is stylish and takes up less counter space than other models I have seen around.

The Cuisinart CBK-200 Bread Maker is a convection cooking machine and can make 1 pound, 1 ? pound, or 2 pound loaves of bread. It has 16 preset options with 101 different variations to those options. I felt with this much flexibility that it had to be the machine for my household.


This bread machine has a sleek brushed stainless exterior with lovely accents of black to match our other appliances. The brushed stainless is nice and the over all design is a retro look which is fabulous on our new counters. Although I store it away after use, it could tuck nicely under the cabinetry. Overall, it is a nice addition to our kitchen.


Using the machine…………………………………………………………….

I love this Cuisinart because it is simple to operate. I am one who usually does not read manuals, so to have something operate logically is very important to me. So you buy the machine, plug it in, put in your ingredients, choose your options, and then push one button. That is basically it!

Options range from type of crust to type of bread and include handy features like a 12 hour delay for fresh bread as you wake up. There is also a bake only feature if you just want to pour your batter or place your dough in and cook it. Although I have not used it, there is a jam making setting.

One of my favorite features of this one is that it beeps after it has mixed everything in case you want to add in things like nuts or raisins. This is pretty convenient, but the very best thing I have seen so far is the beeping it does before it bakes. After the dough is all kneaded, the machine beeps to let you know it is finished and ready to bake. This gives you the opportunity to take out the mixing paddle and prevent the inevitable hole that occurs in bread machine baking.

My least favorite thing that we have learned about using this machine is that the design of the pan can make it harder to clean than the last bread maker pan we had. Ingredients tend to get stuck in the corners before being mixed into the dough causing slight imperfections. The solution for a perfect loaf is to make sure all ingredients are mixed in before the baking phase. Overall, I am not bothered by this small price to pay for a great machine. It has so many other great features which I consider to be superior.

Cleaning ……………………………………………………………………….

I have previously stated in other reviews that I only use the dishwasher to clean anything in my kitchen. I am amending my rule for this particular appliance. I did use the dishwasher to clean parts for previous bread makers and it never worked out very well after repeated washings. As a result, my new year's resolution in the kitchen is to hand wash the parts to this machine. So far, it has not been too painful and I have not overly suffered.

For the exterior, I do just wipe it down, but flour tends to really be attracted to the black trim, so I find myself putting more detail work into that part of it. This is a machine that your hands are all over and I find myself wiping it down constantly. I do tend to let the flour fly when I bake, so this could be due to human error on my part. I think if the machine were either all black or all stainless, it might be easier, but I do love the styling of it. It all does make me realize, however, why all these appliances were white for so long!



Side note:

This machine does have a power failure feature where in the event that the lights go out, this machine will remember the setting it was on and continue on that setting when the power comes back on. This is great in theory, but if your power stays off for longer than fifteen minutes, then don't count on this feature because it doesn't last longer than that! Most power failures are quick, but those occasional long lasting ones will make this feature useless.



Lastly -

The Cuisinart CBK-200 Bread Maker comes with a three year limited warranty. It has been a fabulous machine and we have not had any problems with it. We have tried at least ten different breads and find that they come out great each time.



Some more great appliances:

Jura/Capresso Impressa Espresso Machine – your own personal coffee cart
Viking 12 cup Food Processor