[tom]

I too am buying one very soon.
(the loaf my sister sent me home w/ after thxgvg is almost GONE !!)
I could barely believe gluten-free bread could feel like real bread, it was sooooooo good. It was from a mix - Bob's Red Mill gluten-free bread mix.

Anyway - i've searched around and found that some celiacs like the $200 Zojirushi, while others prefer Salton's Breadman (formerly Welbilt) or Regal.

There is much talk of gluten-free bread turning out better w/ just 1 rising, tho most breadmachines do 2 risings. Ppl do all sorts of weird things to get the cheaper models to do only 1 rise, incl starting the machine and not adding any ingred until after it goes thru 1st rise.

I'm going to go w/ a programmable model, which narrows the field down considerably. Those with a pgmable can set it for 1 rising, toss in the ingred and push the button and walk away.

It's kinda hard for me to find which are truly pgmable, and which call themselves prgmable cuz they have 84 prgms (all for wheat-based bread) and a 3 hr delay timer.
I know the Zojirushi is fully pgmable, but i believe some of the $70-80 models are also. My next step is to read some boxes at a big store w/ a good selection (walmart and target should both fill the bill) and maybe buy the least expensive prgmable one there.

You can't go wrong w/ the $200 Zojirushi. I'll let you know if i find out anything good at the stores.

[tom]

The mix my sister used (Bob's Red Mill gluten-free bread) req'd that all ingred be at room temp b4 tossing it together in the machine. I remember eggs and some cider vinegar, but there may be another ingred. Ahh just looked - there's also milk (cow, rice, or soy) and oil.
But once the ingred are ready it is just toss 'em in and push a button.

Only some of the newer models bake it in under an hour and i'd thought i'd read somewhere that the speed cycles don't work as well w/out gluten.

Both of the machines u mentioned have been recommended by celiacs.

I went to 2 or 3 stores yesterday, depending how u count. It was 2 targets and a walmart. Only saw the BreadmanPro and Breadman Corner Bakery models. Surprised that this walmart had no breadmachines at all. The BreadmanPro has 84 pgms but the few w/ only 1 rise were more for specialty breads and didn't seem they'd be right for my gluten-free bread.
Tho i LOVED the bread made w/ the conventional 2 risings, it just seems i'd end up wishing i had the option to adjust any of the 5 or so indiv timings in a bake cycle. So i'm leaning towards the $200 zojirushi. (did see some1 say they'd gotten theirs for $175)

As far as choosing betw the panasonic and the breadman ult, i don't really know any more than u, tho i doubt you'd be disappointed in either.
mmmmmmmmmm i can almost smell the bread now !

[FreyaUSA]

I use an Oster delux 2-lb bread and dough maker. It has 8 different bread settings, one is "bake" where it will start baking immediately, one is "quick bread" that will mix then go through one rise then bake (what I usually use.) It also has a light, medium and dark setting.

Anyway, it's not a very expensive machine, but after my ancient one died, I went through three different machines to find one I liked. This one won over two other far more expensive models (sorry, can't remember what they were.)

I've been very happy with this.

AND, I had no problem trying out a machine then returning it when the end product was not to my liking. This is a big investment, don't think you have to be stuck. (I asked at the various stores if this would be a problem with them, the two places I went were completely unworried about this.)

[tom]

Ahaaaa thank u Freya, i hadn't realized the quick-bake option could be single rise.
That expands my selection greatly.

Do you remember which store had Oster or any store u went to that had decent selection ?

[FreyaUSA]

I bought the Oster at Target. They are also totally fine about returns and have several varieties to try choose from there, too.

Good luck!

[tom]

I just bought the Breadman TR2200C Ultimate Bread Machine !
Found that it IS programmable also. I just didn't want to end up wishing i had the versatility.
Walmart.com actually has it online for $74 or so. (msrp $150 i think)
I got it at Kohl's Dept Store for $120, but also got a 2nd for 1/2 price. Hehe since it was my sister that 1st made me the bread, and on a borrowed machine, i thought i'd send her one of her own. And of course this way i know i'll have good gluten-free bread when i visit her and the nephews.

It's gonna smell good HERE tonight !

[tom]

mmmmmmm SO good.
1st loaf was w/ a Bob's Red Mill gluten-free mix that i already had in the cupboard.
I even screwed it up a little and it turned out great anyway. (Didn't fully attach the little stirrer paddle so it came off after a few minutes of mixing, then i didn't know for an hour THEN after re-attaching it i restarted the whole cycle)

I used a basic Rapid White setting. I get the feeling ANY setting would've made fantastic bread tho.

I can't believe i put up w/ the gluten-free breads in the stores for so long !

[tom]

Oh u don't HAVE to use a mix, but it's certainly easier. The one i used is a blend of a bunch of diff gluten-free flours, and for me it'd be unlikely i'd have that many diff kinds at once. I'm not much of a cook.

I'm heading out to WhFds in a few min to see what types of mixes are there.

And now i think my error on 1st loaf was that i didn't push down the breadpan enough to latch. So, it wasn't stirring/kneading for a diff reason than i 1st thought. No matter .. . it turned out so good.

[cdford]

You can buy the baking flour in bulk from Bob's Red Mill and then add the yeast, xanthan gum, etc. It is a little more difficult, but significantly cheaper than buying the individual bread bags. If you like the individual bags, Kroger carries them in their specialty department. If your local Kroger does not carry them, ask them to special order. They can't order the bulk flour, but almost any of the individual items from Bob's Red Mill can be special requested at the courtesy counter.

I also have been told that the Breadman machine is a good one, I just have not had the extra money to buy one.

Donna