Originally Posted by
YVR Cockroach
Most important thing in a breadmaker is one that pre-warms ingredients. A former colleague of my partner has a B&D machine (she uses it for mixing and kneading only) will knead and raise the dough twice before my partner's Hitachi(!) can raise it once, both started at the same time but the B&D waits to prewarm.
Or you could warm the bread bin up yourself and/or alter the temperature of the wet ingredients to approximate the 80F/28C you'll be after. Very simple.
I always make sure my bread bin is piping hot by pouring in boiling water, emptying and drying it before adding mochi rice.
Too many features could get in the way and hinder what I decide I need my breadmaker for, rather than what a focus group assumes I will want.
And to
HIDDY - good luck getting Japanese style bread quickly and cheaply. All the Japanese people I've been feeding lately prefer what I've been baking than what they remember from Japan. I worked out that the cost of a loaf for us is about 60p each and the yudane element means it stays fresh for at least three days. The only way to get better milk bread than mine is to pay US$4.80/£3 a loaf (a small one) in Tokyo.