You are here:   Home > delay timer

Archive for 'delay timer'

Panasonic SD-YD250 Automatic Bread Maker

Comments (5)

Relevant Features

  • 3 Loaf sizes: medium, large and extra-large (up to 2-1/2 pounds)
  • Settings for white, whole wheat, multigrain, French & quick breads/cakes
  • Bread crust control: Light, medium & dark
  • 13-hour delay timer
  • Automatic shutoff
  • Rapid bake cycle
  • Add-ingredient alert
  • Bake Modes: Bake Only, Sandwich, Raisin, Dough and Pizza
  • Yeast Dispenser
  • Recipes booklet for 40 breads and doughs, plus baking tips
  • Included Accessories: Measuring cup & measuring spoon
  • Dimensions (W x D x H): 13.5 x 9 x 14 inches
  • Weight: 15.4 pounds
  • Electric Rating: 120 volts / 550 watts
  • 1-year limited warranty
  • Price: Under $135

Panasonic SD-YD250 Best Buy

With this automatic, easy to use, Bread Baker you have the ability to bake delicious bread, freshly prepared and baked at home. Just place the ingredients in the non-stick pan, set your desired setting options, and it does everything else.

It provides you with many options: It mixes, kneads, rises, and bakes bread in three loaf sizes up to 2-1/2 pounds. Its digital controls offers you settings for white, whole wheat, multigrain, and French breads and three crust color options (light, medium or dark).

Additional settings allows you rapid baking and baking sandwich bread with a soft crust. It has a beeper signal for adding raisins (or other dried-fruit)  so the fruit it’s not crushed during kneading.

The machine automatically adds yeast at the proper time from its built-in dispenser. It also bakes non-yeast, quick breads (like banana and gingerbread) and sweet cakes. And it mixes, kneads, and rises doughs for pizza, focaccia, croissants, and other pastries without baking them.

A timer permits the machine to be programmed up to 13 hours in advance so fresh bread or cake is available for breakfast or dinner. But it doesn’t have a keep warm feature once the bread is ready.

Its instruction booklet is very easy to understand and includes 40 bread and doughs recipes along with useful baking basics and illustrated tips for making pastries.

Customer Testimonial

.

“Has lots of options, and makes very good bread”

The Panasonic SD-YD250 is pretty much the state of the art in bread machine technology in mid 2000s. It’s one of the larger units around with a 2.5 lb. loaf capacity. This size will also eat up your counter or cupboard space: you need just under 14″ of width and height, and 10″ of depth, so keep that in mind when you order.

The bread consistency is excellent. It’s even pretty good in the “rapid” mode, though the results are a bit better in the standard bake mode so that’s what I generally use. Also, the “rapid” mode for whole wheat or multigrain bread is 3 hours (vs. 5 hours standard), so it’s not like you can start the machine at the beginning of a meal and expect completed bread before you leave the table. The fastest full cycle -(rapid” bake mode for white bread) is 1hr 55min.

The SD-YD250 is quieter than most earlier bread makers; however, you’ll still hear the clicking and whirring as it mixes and kneads the dough. It’s a neat idea to wake up to the smell of freshly-baked bread but the machine isn’t quiet enough to run in the bedroom unless you’re a very sound sleeper.

The options for this machine include the following:

  • Basic/rapid bake
  • Immediate start/timer delay
  • White/ whole wheat / multigrain
  • Sandwich (soft crust)
  • Crust color light/medium/dark
  • Raisin (pause and beep to add fruit or nuts)
  • Dough knead without bake
  • Bake without dough knead

Note that not all of these options can be combined. For instance: you only get crust color selection for white bread, and sandwich mode for white and whole wheat; multigrain bread always has a dark, tough crust (although the bread inside the crust is moist and well-textured).

The container inside really is nonstick (based on my not-so-lengthy use since I bought it) and the kneading blade does very little damage to the finished loaf. Ease of use and cleanup are both excellent.

Bread results are quite sensitive to variations in the ingredients in either weight, consistency, or age. Always use fresh bread flour and fresh yeast (bread machine yeast recommended) and the right amount of salt, sugar, and flour. The recipes in the included book specify flour weight in units like 16 3/4 oz., so it’s highly recommended that you get a digital kitchen scale for good results. Note that this will require still more counter space.

Summary: a very good machine, but you’ll need a fair amount of counter space and attention to details to get the best results from it.

Henry Perkins
Santa Clara, CA
.

 

Panasonic SD-YD250 Breadmaker Review

Panasonic SD-YD250 Best Buy

Panasonic SD-SY250 Resources

What To Look For In A Bread Machine

Comments (2)

Features Worth Considering

  • Loaf Weight. This is determined by the number of people that you will normally serve. A one-pound loaf yields about eight slices; a 2.5-pound loaf yields about 20 slices and a 3-pound yields about 24 slices.
  • Horizontal or Vertical Loaf. If you want a loaf that looks like store-bought, choose a machine that bakes horizontally. Otherwise, vertical loaves taste just as good and take less space in your kitchen.
  • Delay Timer. This is the most basic feature. Many bread machines have a 13-hour timer that allows you to wake up with the smell of a fresh-baked bread.
  • Crust Type. With this function you can choose a crust type for your bread (typically dark, medium or light). Some models include a sandwich bake option for an extra thin crust.
  • Bread Types. Whether you like plain white bread, whole wheat or multi-grain, breadmakers can usually bake a range of bread types.
  • Programs. Most breadmakers will have at least 10 baking and/or kneading programs that will cover a range of baking options suitable for a variety of breads.
  • Pasta, Cake and Jam functions. This function allows you to make pasta, cakes or jam, and most bread machines include it.
  • Keep warm function. Keeps your bread warm after baking, so it can be served fresh at any time.
  • Viewing window. For keeping track of the loaf’s baking progress.
  • Baking Speed. For busy households, a medium machine allows you to bake a bread loaf in under an hour. Larger machine set to quick-bake cycle can turn out dense bread. medium machines can bake a medium, soft loaf in 45 minutes or an hour. So, maybe you’ll end up with two different machines to cover your necessities. But always remember the golden rule of baking: “Good baking takes time.”
  • Recipe booklet. Most breadmaker models include a free recipe booklet, for a range of great bread making ideas to help you get the most from it.

Other Importarnt  Points To Consider

  • New bread baking machines need to be operated empty once or twice to burn off manufacturing oils. If it isn’t noted in your manual, call the customer service department to find out if it’s necessary.
  • Breadmakers are also ideal for anyone allergic to gluten, as you can use them to make gluten-free bread.
  • If you decide to buy a pricey breadmaker, it’s worth considering paying for an extended warranty. This ensures that your breadmaker will be covered for any repairs needed and the costs of a replacement if necessary, usually for at least a year from the date of purchase.
  • Set a limit on the amount of money you are willing to spend on a breadmaker. Take out features that you don’t need and buy the one that fits your budget. That’s why I’m giving you the three best options (from budget to full-featured breadmekers) to choose from.