I Just Got a Bread Machine. Now What?
Last Updated on June 30, 2024 – Originally Published in December of 2018
Getting a new bread machine or using one for the first time is exciting.
However, it can be a little overwhelming. Bread flour? What’s that? What yeast should I use? What if the recipes don’t turn out? What’s the best way to store the bread?
This post answers the most common questions that people have when they first start using a bread machine.
First Step, Read the Instruction Manual
I know it seems boring, but it’s important to gather some facts about your new machine. The best place way to do that is to look at the manual that came with your machine.
Check out what settings your bread maker has. See what order the bread machine ingredients should be added to the pan. Learn how to wash the pan.
With Zojirushi bread machines, for example, you do NOT immerse the pan in water. Instead, you carefully wash the inside while keeping the outside of the pan dry.
Don’t have a manual? I have a page with links to manuals for some bread machines.
Second Step, Try the Recipes in the Manual
You know the saying you have to learn to walk before you run? It’s true with your bread machine too.
I recommend that you try the recipes in the manual first.
You’ll also want to follow the recipes exactly as written. Resist the urge to get creative with yeast, flour or to make substitutions to the recipe. People can go a little wild when they first get a bread machine. (I know this from firsthand experience!)
During this phase, I do urge you to try different recipes so you can see how different types of bread turn out and you can see what you like.
The bread machine manual can actually have some great recipes! For example, I love this raisin bread recipe that came directly from the manual that came with my machine.
Remember to Check the Dough
All of my bread and dough recipes remind people to check the dough. “Check on the dough after five or ten minutes of kneading. Just pop the top of the bread machine and see how the dough is doing. It should be a smooth, round ball.”
If it’s too dry, add liquid a teaspoon at a time until it looks right. If it looks too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time until it looks right. I’ve also got an article on the subject of how your dough should look.
Here’s an example of a smooth, round ball of dough.
Bread Flour
You’ll want to use bread flour in your bread machine. It has a higher protein content so it’s better for making bread.
If you’d like more details, I have an article about different types of flour. And don’t miss my article on the two methods of measuring flour.
What Yeast Should You Use?
Bread machine yeast. Rapid rise yeast. Active dry yeast. Instant yeast. Why are there so many types of yeast? Why does yeast have to be so complicated and confusing?
Here’s the scoop, I’ve been using Red Star active dry yeast in my bread machine for years. So most of the recipes on this site use active dry yeast.
BUT instant yeast will work fine too, you just need to change the yeast amount. I wrote an article that gives you the formula for switching between the two types of yeast. The article also covers the difference between all the types of yeast.
Problems?
Don’t get discouraged if things don’t work out quite right. It happens to all of us.
This is what it looks like when you forget to add the yeast.
Your bread machine manual should have a list of common problems and how to handle them. I’ve also got a bunch of articles on troubleshooting.
How to Store Bread
Here’s one of the downsides of homemade bread. You know all of the chemicals that you’re not using in the bread? Some of those chemicals keep the bread from going bad.
Homemade bread just doesn’t keep as long as store-bought bread. Not to worry though, bread freezes really well. I slice mine and then put it in the freezer.
To thaw the bread you can put it in the toaster. You’ll need to use a darker setting than normal because the bread is frozen, but it works just fine.
We’ve also taken a bag of frozen bread out of the freezer and put it on the counter to thaw.
Enjoy and Keep At It
I’m not sure what I’d do without my bread machine. I make all our bread, hamburger buns, and dinner rolls.
I try new recipes all the time. Sound interesting? Sign up for my newsletter to be notified about new articles on the site.
Help, I need to know what program to choose, when the recipe calls for a sweet-program, which my “Zo”doesn’t have
Great question! I’d just use the basic setting.
I got a bread machine and as you said to read the manual. I was scooping the flour out and my bread was solid. I read that you need to spoon the flour in to the measuring cup. My bread came out beautiful. I also added garlic and cheese to the bread. Delicious. Thank you for your help. Jim
Do you use iodized or plain salt? We were given a bread machine for our 50th wedding anniversary.
Thanks Ms Diva!
Congratulations on your anniversary!!
Great question! I use regular salt from the grocery store. I believe it’s iodized.
We recently purchased a Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus bread maker. We tried making the basic white bread loaf – automated course #1. We tried setting the crust to light & then medium. The loaves came out well but the crust was extremely flaky on both loaves. When you slice it it flakes apart. The bread however is not crumbly. Any suggestions on how to prevent this?
Also although the bread is tasty we would like it to be a little softer inside. How does one get that real soft bread with a firmer non-flaky crust?
I’ve received so many questions about the Virtuoso Plus, that I’ve bought one. I’m just getting started with it. In my initial tests I’ve noticed that the crust is a lot thicker than on my other machines. However, I was happy with the softness of the bread. I tried the Sour Milk Bread Recipe – Two Pound Loaf recipe.
I want to bake my bread in the oven, but it is a waste of electricity to bake one loaf at a time. Can I mix up one loaf and put it into the baking pan and into the fridge while waiting for the next one to mix, and then put both pans in the oven at once?
Good question. I don’t know though. I always bake my bread in the machine.
I have three bread machines. I purchased the Toastmaster Bread and Butter Maker years ago and its the bread machine with which I am most familiar. I still have the manual for it, but the recipes that I usually use come from The Bread Machine Cookbook by Donna German. Her recipes often come out as softer with thinner crusts. The Toastmaster manual recipes are often harder, tougher and dry.
The other two I purchased were gently used and came to me without manuals. The controls are very different. Can I get manuals for my Regal and Sunbeam bread machines? Is there a place online to download the manuals as pdf files?
I’ve got a page on the site with downloadable bread machine manuals. There’s a link for one Sunbeam machine, but I couldn’t find a manual for the Regal.
I got a bread machine from QVC at the beginning of the COVID troubles. My friend sent me AP flour, 20 lbs. I did bread all the time when I was young, but haven’t in 25 years. Anyway, my bread machine doesn’t have a dough cycle, even though one of the recipes in the manual says to run on dough cycle. I have a knead cycle. Is that it? I want to use the machine primarily for mixing and kneading, but bake in oven.
What brand of bread machine is it?
I have a Zojirushi virtuoso bread machine, which I love and couldn’t live without. I just recently bought a 25Lb bag of bread flour from Costco (Ardent Mills brand). All the breads I usually make, french baguettes, naan, raisin bread are turning out very dense, and the tops are very torn is there a way to adjust my recipes for the Costco flour? Previously I was using either Gold Medal bread flour, or King Arthur’s bread flour and my loaves were perfect. Does anyone else have the same problems? I usually stick to the recipes in the instruction book.
Thanks for all your help!
How do you measure your flour. You might try weighing it instead and see if that helps.
I use the scoop and sweep method but am preparing to make the switch weighing all my ingredients. I’ve done it a few times and see the wisdom of using that method. It’s just that old habits die hard. 🙂
Following this from the FB article. I remember moving from an Oster (easy peasy) to Zoji. I read and followed exactly and got the worst bread imaginable! Salt, sugar, etc all in little pocket clumps, no mixing, no rising. *shudders* I realized that the way I had learned with the Oster was really the way we do it by hand. Mix the liquids (room temps please) and put in machine. Then do the dry (sans yeast) in a bowl, mixing thoroughly, aka spoon sifting, and getting the mix together then spooning it (actually sprinkling it) into the bread pan. THEN a small nudge for the yeast. If I added VG (Vital Gluten) I put it in with the flour. Only failures I’ve had since then is not paying attention to barometer or forgetting yeast (yes, I’ve done that).
I think experimentation in bread baking via machine is essential. Sometimes the book is right and sometimes … well, it’s up to the baker.
And for the record, if I have failed to say so recently, Marsha, you are a Goddess-send for bakers new and old. I learn things from you I missed, or am reminded. Never too old or too young to find a kindred spirit.
Have a great 2019 and thank you for being here.
Kim, thanks so much for the kind words. I learn so much from you too! And I’m relieved that I’m not the only one that forgets the yeast sometimes. 🙂
I’m really excited about 2019. I’ve taken a class in breadmaking that’s changed my thinking about how I’ve gone about it. I need to blog about that and the dough shaping that I’ve done.
I think 2019 will be an exciting year!
I love my Zojirushi bread maker
I have a new Russell.Hobbs bread machine. 1st loaf sunk despite following instructions to the letter & following advice, changed a couple of ingredients- 2 more sunken / big valley loaves followed. Fwd up now & going back to my old, smaller Hinari bread machine…. :(((((
Darn it! Any hopes of returning the machine?
my new bread machine has 2 dough setting one called ferment dough and other just called dough question is which do I use ..I live in asia and not able speak the local language .
I would thankful for your help John
Interesting! I’ve never heard of a fermented dough setting. What brand of machine is it?
I would guess that you’d use the plain dough setting and not the fermented one. But that’s just a guess.
Could fermented dough mean sourdough possibly?
Maybe. That’s a thought.
I’m so glad to meet you Marsha. Thanks for all your help making my family the freshiest bread possible. My first loaf was pretty, but not enough salt,, huggg,, the second loaf, great and keeps getting better. With your receipts help and tips…
Thank again ,,, so glad i found you…
Thanks so much for the kind words. Please keep leaving comments and asking questions. That helps me to get better at this too. 🙂