Zojirushi BBCC-X20 Bread Machine

This is my first bread machine ever, and as a Christmas gift, I am really enjoying it. Since receiving it, I have only bought bread once (a loaf of French for French onion soup). Now, I look forward to making my own bread.

My husband had originally selected the Cuisinart for under the tree, but when I read the reviews and researched further, the Zojirushi's rating, powerful motor and two paddles really made more sense to us since we enjoy heartier breads (such as Whole Foods' Seeduction bread). We returned the Cuisinart and special ordered the Zojirushi from Bed Bath & Beyond.

The included manual is helpful, but the video was really not (just a smiling woman doing the basics). There are quite a few recipes for the basic bread and wheat settings, and you can also improvise using their recipes as a base. For example, you can make their basic bread and add seeds or oats, seven grain cereal, or other ingredients that they don't mention. You can also find a ton of bread recipes at sites like www.breadmachinedigest.com. There is also an associated Yahoo message board where you can trade tips and talk to other bread makers.

So far, I have not made jam, cake or meatloaf in this machine, which are three things that Zojirushi includes in their marketing. I have no intention of making any of these things, especially the meatloaf (!) in my bread machine.

I have also not needed to create any custom programs, since I really like the way the bread comes out using the basic or wheat settings. I have also only used the medium crust setting because so far every loaf has been perfect on that setting. I haven't used the timer either, but it will allow you to set the machine to have bread ready automatically in up to 13 hours.

It may be helpful to see a sample of the bread making process:

First you add your water to the pan, then your flour and other ingredients like salt, and sugar (be it regular sugar, honey, molasses, etc.). You add your yeast last in a separate "well" you create in the flour (so that the yeast doesn't get wet or touch other stuff before time to knead). Then, you put your pan into the machine and press the desired cycle (basic/wheat) and crust setting (light/medium/dark).

You'll have a bowl (into which you measured your 4 cups flour), some measuring cups, and a measuring spoon to put in the dishwasher, but that is it, other than the bread machine pan, later.

Once you press start, the machine begins its cycles:

Preheat (20 minutes): This brings your ingredients (especially water, butter, etc.) to the proper temperature for kneading. The machine doesn't actually put out any discernable heat until the actual baking cycle, though.

Kneading (13 - 18 minutes): Expect plenty of clanging, squeaking and banging, but for all the noise you get a nice, well-mixed dough ball and the sides of the pan are clean of flour and other ingredients) Also during this time is the "add beep" when you may open the lid to add nuts, raisins or other add-ins, which wouldn't endure the entire kneading cycle so well.

First rising (45 minutes)

Stir down/2nd rise (20 - 25 minutes)

Stir down/3rd rise (40 - 45 minutes): If you don't want holes from the kneading blades in the bottom of your loaf, just remove the blades after the stir down in this cycle. To do this, pull the pan out, flip the bread out and remove the paddles, then put the bread and pan back. You will still have small shaft holes in your bread, but these are not a big deal. I personally don't think that the holes that the paddles leave are a big deal either, but if I am around when the stir down ends, I'll go ahead and pull the paddles off before the final rise.

Baking (62 - 67 minutes): Let the good smells begin! The top and left side surfaces get quite hot, but not hot enough to discourage summertime use.

Keep warm cycle (60 minutes)

To clean the machine and pan, put dish soap and warm water in the pan and let it soak on the counter. Then, just wipe clean, rinse and dry. The pan has moving parts and I think it can rust if you submerge it. So far, I have never had any mess on the outside of the pan, so a gentle wipe is all that is needed. You can wipe the machine exterior and interior as well. If you get debris such as seeds and flour in near the heating element, you can just stick your vacuum's hose in there or wipe with a damp towel.

If you want, you can just dump the ingredients into the machine and not touch it again until the baking is complete. You may get the occasional lump of flour that didn't get mixed in, or your loaf may not be shaped perfectly. I can't help myself though, I am always peeking at it, and poking at it if I feel like it, and my loaves are (so far) very nice, mostly even and pretty, although I am sure my intervention is not required.

Some buying insights: None of the Bed Bath & Beyond stores in our area carried this model in-store. By going into the store to special order, we were able to use their 20% off coupon, which saved us $40, although we spent $13 of that on shipping. With coupon, shipping and tax, the final price was $186. The machine was here in less than one week.

Why did I order from BB&B vs. Amazon? BB&B has a better return policy, basically no questions asked. Special ordered items can be returned to their stores for credit, rather than having to pay return shipping. If you want to exchange the unit, you can also do that at the store, and not pay additional shipping. Amazon does not permit returns if you are simply not satisfied with the design/performance. If the unit is not defective, you must get special permission to return, pay the shipping, and most likely face a hefty restocking charge. I found this out the hard way a few years ago and always factor that into my buying decisions now.