Panasonic Yeast Pro Automatic Breadmaker - SD-YD250

I PURCHASED THIS PANASONIC AFTER READING ALL THE POSITIVE REVIEWS ONLINE FOR IT. I WAS INTERESTED IN MAKING TWO LOAVES OF BREAD WITH IT SO I WOULD NOT BE MAKING BREAD DAILY. I ONLY USE IT WITH THE DOUGH FEATURE AND NEVER HAVE BAKED IN IT. I MIX IT IN THE BREADMACHINE AND THEN TAKE IT OUT WHEN THE DOUGH CYCLE IS COMPLETE AND THEN GET TWO LOAVES FROM THE XL LOAF AND PUT IT IN A GREASED BREAD PAN AND LET IT RISE FOR 3O -40 MINUTES IN A PREWARMED 200 DEGREE OVEN AND THEN HEAT THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES AND PUT IT BACK IN AND BAKE IT FOR 30 MINUTES AND GET THE MOST DELICIOUS BREADS USING THIS MACHINE. THE ONLY NEGATIVE THING I COULD SAY ABOUT THIS MACHINE IS THAT THE DOUGH CYCLE IS SO LONG. IT HAS A REST TIMED PERIOD RIGHT WHEN YOU PUT IT IN AND THAT DELAYS THE WHOLE PROCESS. MY OLD MACHINE STARTED MIXING IT IMMEDIATELY AND I LIKE THAT BETTER BECAUSE IT IS READY QUICKER. OTHER THAN THE DELAY START, I LOVE THIS MACHINE AND LOVE THE LARGE CAPACITY IT HAS FOR LARGER FAMILIES OR FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT MORE THAN A 1 LB. LOAF AT A TIME. GREAT MACHINE!!!!

For our four-person family, we use our bread machine a lot: at least 3 times per week. We've owned several over the years, and the SDYD-250 has been by far the best. Yes, it's somewhat noisy, but it makes terrific bread, and it's very forgiving: you can (within reason) eyeball proportions and get good results. It produces excellent dough, both for rolls and pizza. It's easy to operate and fairly easy to clean. I unplug it and use a vacuum attachment to get at the dried crumbs in the deep reservoir. In sum, this machine has been consistent and reliable. And durable! We are very happy with it.

I love bread baking but I don't have enough time to go through all the processes since I started to work. Bread machine saves time and money and this Panasonic is the best one out in the market. It is understandable because they are the company who invented the bread machine! I love this baker.

able to read settings without difficulty. good tasting bread No complaints at present...

I like temperature stabilizing before adding yeast it really helps with consistancy

Makes excellent bread quick and easy.

Every recipe I have tried in this bread machine has turned out perfectly. I have owned others including Cuisinart but this makes much better bread and costs less. It is so easy to use and clean. I don't buy any bread at the store anymore!

Delayed mode is superb. It's so nice to wake up to the fresh bread smell! Super easy to use. It takes about 4 minutes to put all the ingredients, set the mode, and plug it in :)

We use this product to make French bread which is very similar to middle eastern breads. The bread is very tasty and inexpensive.

Yeast drop at perfect time gives breads the consitancy you need when you bake everyday

I ordered this breadmaker because my mom has the same and she is very satisfied by this product. The machine is absolutly noiseless and it makes 2.5lb bread which is good for our pretty big family. I had different machine for 3 years and right now it's out of order. The reviews from panasonic breadmakers said that this machine works for 6-8 years. I hope so.

I have never owned a breadmaker but went with the Panasonic based on the excellant reviews.I'm glad I did.

Easy to use if your measurements are acurate. Once the yeast adding part got partially plugged but still had usable bread.

I would never say that machine can make better bread than me! It can and this breadmaker does :)

First bread maker, I really like it. Decided to spend a little more based on reviews of the "pros" over the cheaper machine. Glad I did. All loaves of bread were great so far. Even made the dough for bagels- great.

This machine bakes perfect bread for me 2-3 times a week. I make all our bread products. This machine is the heavy duty, dependable easy to use machine I need. It is a workhorse and it is quiet! I expect it to last a long time. I don't have anything bad to say about the Panasonic SDYD250.

I had never used a bread machine before but I'm loving my new one! It's so much more economical and healthy than buying bread! So far I've only used it for whole wheat bread and pizza dough but I have foccocia dough in it right now and can't wait to try other new things!

This machine seems well-made and fairly easy to use. Unfortunately I could see it would not meet my needs (making dense multi-grain loaves and experimenting with different recipes) and I returned it without trying it. The baking time for some recipes is extraordinarily long--5 hours. I think this product would be fine for someone who just wants to turn out a basic loaf of home-baked bread once in a while.

I'm quite happy with this purchase. I've tried twice so far, and the breads came out a little tougher than I'd like. However, it still tastes better than breads over the counter. I'm planning to add some baking soda to the simple bread mix to see if it helps.

Have this bread maker for about a month now and so far everything is great. We taught my wife's parents how to make their own whole wheat bread and seeing as they chomp down a loaf a day, with the economy, this will ultimately pay for itself in a short time. I wish that it had a setting for sour dough bread and additional recipes in the owners manual. The timer function could be improved to be more logical - it would be easier to enter the time of day you wanted the bread done, instead of having to back time.

Makes great break and dough. Easy to use, first time use was a snap. Had power outage longer than 10 minutes the first week, had to throw away ingredients and start over. Could use better reset features.

GREAT!! MADE 5 LOAVES IN 2 DAYS. ALL OF THEM CAME OUT WONDERFUL

After a dozen loaves of perfect bread, there have been no complaints. The machine make perfect whole wheat and white bread. I use milk instead of water on the whole wheat recipe, comes out fantastic.

We bought this as the successor and replacement model to the Panasonic Model SDB-65P bread maker that provided us with a loaf every two or three days for over 15 years. The old one still works. It just has some hiccups occasionally that made us want a new one. We love the quick and easy pan placement of the SDYD250 and the improved quick option; 1 hr/55 min. compared to 2 hr/40 min. on the old one.

I keep the actual machine in my studio since I don't have much counter space in the kitchen. The first 2 loaves I made did not rise as well as I'd hoped but I think the yeast was not as fresh as it should have been. On the third loaf, I carried the pan to my kitchen to put the ingredients in and on the way back to the studio I was carrying the jar of (new) yeast in my hand (along with a cup of coffee that I was drinking and a measuring spoon to add the yeast to the dispenser) and accidentally spilled some of the yeast in the pan with the ingredients - I have no idea how much spilled in. It was the best and biggest loaf of bread I have ever eaten or baked. It was so big, I had to use large size foil to wrap it in. I really don't know what rating to give the machine but it did an excellent job with my "accident". The crust was perfect and the bread was moist and tasty. I also like the fact that the machine runs very quietly and I am looking forward to my next and many more loaves. I wish I had taken a photo of it.

I enjoy making a smaller loaf and eating it in two days, then, making another fresh loaf. We eat only whole wheat bread it is is fantastic. My husband and I like being able to select from three bread size loaves. Great idea.

Terrific machine. Was able to use regular All purpose flour and still had great results. Best part is no cleaning required after making bread. The non stick is excellent. Possibly the best kitchen appliance we ever bought. Healthy bread which takes about 5-7 mins to prepare. Great easy to use recipe guide.Fresh like European breads everyday

So far, we have made whole wheat bread and raisin whole wheat bread (using included recipes). Both types were delicious!

Super easy to use and great bread, though remember that the bread will all be loaf shaped.

So far I've made bread only. The results have been "good" but not as good as the older machine I bought years ago based on Consumer Reports (don't recall). Easy to use, easy to clean, easy to store; in sum worth the price. There is very little of the great bread aroma, however, as the time passes.

[...] Small size loaf too dryWould like crust choices for whole wheat

I am a casual gourmet cook. I only made bread, but in the 3 weeks I had the machine I made 15 loafs of bread different sizes. My family and I love it. To things I wish it had: a window to see what is going on and maybe a front door for easier storage but this does not stop me for enjoying the bread or the machine. So far the machine works great. Much better that the bread you find in the store, at least you know the ingredients that go in your bread. I did not use dry milk on my bread and it is perfectly fine, delicious.

I bought this bread-maker after reading a lot of reviews and I could not be happier with my purchase. My wife made the best bread you could buy at a gourmet bakery. Yeast dispenser is awesome and I would recommend to use a new packet every-time. If some yeast is left throw it away as it will not work as well, even two days later, no matter how you store it.

Very useful small appliance as the bread is perfect every loaf!

Always makes good bread , even the experimental ones turn out good

I have owned this machine for a couple of years. I also bake bread by hand and prefer the uneven texture of hand kneaded dough. The only "con" in my mind is that the bread from this machine comes out too perfect. It's more like a store bought loaf. I bought this one for my son. He is a health nut and wanted just that. The ability to make a whole-grain, store-bought style loaf without additives or preservitives. This is the perfect machine for him. It is very easy to use and clean. It's a great bread baker at this price point.

My dad stopped eating bread because he doesn't like the marshmallow stuff that comes from the store. I take care of him and wanted him to have something to make him happy. He has always loved bread and before his stroke, he used to make it himself. I don't have time to do that. He ordered this machine and I now make bread every day or two because everybody who walks by the kitchen takes a piece and making more is so easy!

Good bread machine. Each loaf, dough, etc. turns out perfect. It is very easy to use, and the receipt booklet has some great receipts.

I have never tasted better bread in my life. It is so simple to use and cleaning it is a cinch.

Purchased for 85 year old Inlaws that bake homemade everything ... This machine simplifies their lives and allows them to enjoy a fresh loaf of bread about every other day. It works great and will be well used.

After alot of research and review reading, it was a toss up between this and a more expensive make, since I'm not a professional I decided on this one. Thus far it has been a good decision. It has been used heavily since it was purchased and it has worked great. I have never made bread before,and everything has turned out very well. In fact the family prefers the french bread from this machine over their once favorite bread restaurant, they are even eating the crust. Large capacity will handle almost any bread machine recipe you can find. Simple to use. Instruction manual and recipes are very good and easy to follow. We have a very inexpensive scale under $10, from [...] just fine to measure ingredients.

had same Panasonic bread machine for many years. This is an updated model and we love it.

Nice unit, make bread about every other day.

I have made several loaves of bread so far (recipes from the manual). They have been perfect every time. I love my breadmaker! I hope it provides me with years of service!

I used Panasonic's breadmaker for at least a dozen years, and always with perfect results --until last summer, when the bread would often rise too high in the machine, leaving me a mess to clean off the inside of the lid (I used a clothes steamer to loosen the bread that stuck there -- works wonderfully). So with summer here again, I just ordered the newest model and tried it tonight. I assume the machine will bake nicely, but does anyone know where to get a measuring cup for such odd amounts like 16th's, or a scale for quarters of ounces? Also, the old model had dozens and dozens of different recipes in the instruction book but the new model lists only a few, and omits such basic recipes as rye and pumpernickel. No instructions on how to convert the old recipe amounts into the new extra large size. Assuming the bread will bake well tonight, I will recommend this product, but certainly not the instruction book.

Once the unit is started, I can go out and mow the yard and know that once it is finished, there will be the best tasting bread waiting for me to enjoy.

I like the yeast dispenser, and this is the first breadmaker I didn't have to stand over to make sure everything was being kneaded properly. I love it! I use mine primarily to mix and knead the dough and then finish it off myself, but I tried baking a loaf & was completely satisfied with the results. The bread texture was great as well. This is a wonderful product for both experienced cooks and beginners as well as those who don't like to bake.

Using this breadmaker is a cinch! It seems to make near perfect bread. Though we have used only the recipe book which came with the breadmaker, we plan to introduce several recipies from other books. We find its performance better than our previous break machine, and would recommend it without qualification.

Thanks to all of you who rated this bread maker. I bought one a year ago and use it to make bread and more so, home made buns. They are so soft and delicious & melt in your mouth. All my neighbors & family love them. The only downfall is it takes 2 1/2 hours to make a batch. I will also spend a day making buns and freeze them with my vacuum sealer and up to 2 months later they are as fresh as the day I made them. I have tried other bread machines. This is the Best, most reasonable, easy to use, easy to clean up Bread Machine out there. If you are a 1st time buyer, please don't hesitate. You will love it!!

I was disappointed with the quality of the bread. I followed the recipes to the letter and the bread always seemed heavier than I thought it should. I simply wanted a way to make bread easily, without preservatives and this machine does just that. No frills.

SO FAR IT IS EVERYTHING THAT I WANT IT TO BE. WISH IT HAD A WINDOW TO WATCH THE BREAD IN DIFFERENT STAGES.

I have had 2 other bread machines from different manufacturers that just didn't bake the bread to my liking. This one is perfect! Love the yeast dispenser.

We use the Bread Machine at least three times a week and share our wonderful homemade yummies with friends. So easy to use and have been finding wonderful additonal recipes online. Easy to clean and love to smell that wonderful aroma of bread baking.

I have worn out one bread maker (10 years), had another that didn't work (which I gave away) and now have an ideal machine. We like this bread better than any we can "buy."

good machine

I use this machine 3 times a week for our bead. Everything is great about this machine. It bakes the best breads. They aren't any bad things about this machaine.

This breadmaker was rated #1 from the info we obtained on the internet. As usual, Abt was in stock, great price, fast delivery, etc., etc. My wife has used it four times. The best store bought bread cannot compete with the bread you'll get from this beauty. Also, it's is VERY easy and fun to use.

Iused a bread machine many years ago and loved it. I have been looking everywhere for a Panasonic bread machine because of its 13 hour timer. I have yet to try that feature but my husband and I are truly enjoying the mouth-watering breads that we have eaten. The smell alone will stop you in your tracks.

I am so happy with this breadmaker. I had a Breadman previously and it was very disappointing. It was very loud, so much so, I couldn't be in the house while it was running. The Panasonic is so quiet, you forget you've turned it on! I am very pleased with the quality of the loaves and I love using it for pizza dough. I am looking forward to trying all of the recipes that were included with the machine. I've made the pepperoni bread and it was fantastic! I also think the yeast compartment is a nice addition. The Breadman required you to make a volcano with the dry ingredients then use your finger to create a funnel in the middle to pour the yeast in. The Panasonic has its own yeast compartment which makes it so much easier. It also comes with a liquid/dry measurer and a teaspoon/tablespoon for easy measuring.

Best buy for the $$$$

I did some online homework before selecting the Panasonic SDYD250 bread machine. I know I made the right choice! It makes good bread period! Just put the ingredients in...it does the rest automatically...The best cycle is standard 4 hr bake..Short cycle comes out little doughy!

I use this product almost every other day. Bread is so fresh and delicious. My family love homemade bread. I baked bread and give my friends and neighbors. Three of my friend bought this bread machine.

I can control the quality of the ingredients that go in to my food....no preservatives or coloring agents or other harmful toxins..I just add the ingredients in a matter of a few minutes, then set the controls and forget about it! Then magically I have a perfect loaf of bread!

Makes a great loaf everytime. The recipes that come with it are very good and are better than the premixed ones you can buy in the store. I make 1-2 loaves a week and add nuts and bran for fiber and the bread is great.

I love this bread maker. I did a lot of research before making this purchase and I'm very pleased with my choice. I have sworn off buying bread since my purchase. I like the rectangular shape of the loaf over the square shape you get from most bread machines. The sandwich setting makes a wonderful size loaf of soft crusted bread and the raisin (fruit) setting prevents the fruit from getting chopped so small that they disappear. For nut breads I suggest using the raisin setting so they don't disappear as well. The only drawbacks I can find is that on the largest size setting (2 1/2 pound) the bread pushes on the top of the bread maker as it bakes. This opens the lid and can cause the bread to collapse (heat loss) or be misshapen. Rather stupid design but I don't really need or want a loaf that tall. And on the 2 hour "bake rapid" setting the crust comes out darker and harder than on the regular 4-hour settings. I imagine this is due to higher heat and probably would happen on any model. I still highly recommend this model and would purchase it again in a heartbeat.

I make at least two loafs a week. Every loaf I baked so far exceeded my expectations.

Must read directions first, and follow the directions. If this is done, the product is easy to use.

This breadmaker is easy to use. I have made bread as well as dough for pizza. Both turned out great. I am very happy with this product.

Purchased the Panasonic on the advice of a friend. I also have the Zojirushi and have used it for a number of years. Overall, I find the quality and texture of the bread from the panasonic machine is superior and larger than the bread from the Zojirushi.

I have been using Automatic Breadmakers for a long time. Each one has its own good and bad features. This one is a little complicated to figure out how to use the digital panel when programming the kind of bread you want to make. My main problem is when the power goes out or you decide to cancel a program. Once you cancel you can't reprogram the machine to do anything else for at least 30 minutes. What a pain. If I decide that I want to use the rapid cycle after I start the regular cycle, you have to wait a long time. Otherwise I must say that the bread turns out great. I haven't made all of the different kinds of bread that are included in the recipe book, but the 3 or 4 have I have tried have turned out wonderful.

Great breadmaker! Easy to use, but a little bit difficult in cleaning.

I used it for bread and dough. My first time ever using bread machine (or making bread). It was easy and came out very good![...]

I've owned a previous Panasonic breadmaker and loved it. Had to go on-line to find a replacement when I wore my first one out. I love this breadmaker, makes perfect bread every time. All my family request that I bring my bread to any family function. Great machine!

I use the breadmaker every day so that my family can have freshly baked bread. I like the fact that the quality of all the different breads is excellent and consistent. With my old bread machines, for example, it was not possible to make good dark breads. Now, I most often use the wonderful whole wheat recipes included in the manual.

It makes wonderful rye bread. Bought this unit because of the reviews. I'm glad I did.

makes great bread! and it is easy!

I wanted to stay away from white appliances but no trendy color selection is the only negative for this breadmaker! I am not a baker by nature, so I love the gentle alarm's as well as the seperate yeast compartment. The unique features of this bread maker take the guess work out of each stage for making dough/breads. I can now give my family of four healthy alternatives and use a wider varity of flours, seeds and fruits/veggies, all preservative free!

Nice to have warm bread at 5 PM to go with our wine and cheese, nice big slices for Texas toast and French Bread. Was hard to find a "bread Box" for the size of loaf.

Didn't personally care for the recipes that came with the bread maker. However, I tried a few of my own favorite bread recipes. I was amazed at how great the bread came out; tastey with a delightful crispy crust.

A very quality product. Use is very straight forward. The bread came out perfect and was delicious. Just like my mother made that took her almost all day. Don't know how I got along without it. Am now trying different kinds of breads and roll dough. The yeast dispenser makes all the difference I think. Can't think of anything I would change. Thank you.

Cooking Specialty Breads

We make whole grain breads exclusively, and daily in our Panasonic. This is a great, light recipe that always works. Dry 3 2/3 cup whole wheat flour (Hard Red Wheat +Hard White wheat combo or all Hard White wheat) 3/4 cup unbleached white flour 3/4 c quick oats 3 T vital wheat gluten 2 t salt 1 3/4 t baking yeast Liquid 1 1/2 cups water 2 T applesauce or apple juice concentrate 2 T honey Set this loaf on X Large and Rapid Bake Whole wheat. Always use Rapic Bake for Whole wheat which is 3 hrs. The regular cycle is 5 hrs and that is too long. It tastes and smells "yeasty". This recipe with these settings will be brown on top and light and taste really good. You can open the lid of your panasonic after the yeast goes in when it clicks which is at 2:42 for the Rapid Bake Whole wheat Setting. Let it knead a bit then check the dough. Sometimes a person needs to add a couple of more Tablespoons of flour or a Tablespoon of water if it is dry. The dough needs to be elastic but not real "sticky". Mainly the recipe works but there are variables with measuring and ingredients that make it better to check the dough and make sure it is not too sticky or dry. The machine stops kneading at 2:31 on the Rapid Rise Whole wheat setting. I am VERY HAPPY with my machine. I am telling all my busy friends that this is the way to go for supplying your family with healthful and tasty bread.

I bake Whole Wheat bread exclusively. I have for more than 15 years, by hand and with a Boshe kneading machine. I am enjoying the simplicity of producing a nice loaf of bread by just putting ingredients in the pan and pressing a few buttons. The Rapid Bake setting is the best for baking Whole Grain Breads, which is a 3 hour cycle. The 5 hour cycle may result in a "yeasty" smelling and tasting product. It is too long to keep the dough warm. I tried it in the Panasonic machine. I have learned over the years that too long of having dough sitting around and warm results in that. For whole wheat Bread it is necessary to use "vital wheat gluten". 4 Tablespoons seems to be the best per loaf large or extra large. Adding 1/2 to 3/4 cup of white flour makes a nicer loaf. Hard white wheat may be preferable or a combination of Hard White Wheat and Hard Red Wheat. Hard White Wheat gives a lighter loaf and not so moist. Don't worry with a large loaf as the machine makes, it is moist enough. I have been using a book called "The Bread Machine Cookbood IV" by Donna Rathmell German. It is great for whole grain breads. You can purchase one used online. Just make sure and add the gluten and some white flour in some recipes to make them a little ligher. I also learned that baking a large loaf (medium in my cookbood and most other bread machine recipes) on the extra large (large in my cookbook and most other bread machine recipes)setting on this machine, results in a browner top to the loaf which is very nice. I am completely satisfied with this bread machine. I believe that one kneading paddle is completely adequate to do the job for a small loaf of bread. One of the "double the price" machines sells on the fact of 2 kneading paddles. I think that probably the dought travels from paddle to paddle in the machine, in essense only being kneaded by one paddle at a time anyway. To have a lump of dough "torn" by 2 paddles would weaken the gluten not strengthen it. So I beleve you can safely save yourself [$]and get this machine. It is attractive and not too heavy that it can be transferred into a large cabinet for storage.

Makes good bread and large loaves

With this breadmaker, I no longer shop breads at grocery store. My family can enjoy fresh made bread of various flavors every morning. I can only wish if this breadmaker has a timer function. That's why I couldn't give 5 stars.

Fresh bread and the smell when it's cooking make owning a bread maker a must.

I'm really impressed with this machine. I realized I had not added quite enough water to the very first loaf of bread I baked, but the bread came out fine. I was able to halve one of my favorite hand-kneaded recipes (it made two loaves) and this machine handled it beautifully. Wonderful.

This is a very good breadmaker. I have not had a failure at all [...] I especially like the automatic yeast dispenser. Panasonic makes a very good, reliable product. The French bread is delicious with a very crisp crust. I have nothing but good experiences with this machine.

I purchased this as a birthday gift for my wife and I am glad that it works so well. We have not had a failed loaf yet. Admittedly, the kids love the white bread loaf, but don't really care for the wheat bread much. The wheat bread recipe is too heavy and it would be nice to have a wheat/white flour recipe. I will check online for it. My main issue with this oven is that it does not have a backlit LCD display. I often put the ingredients in near bedtime while everyone is going to sleep. I don't want to turn on big kitchen lights to see the LCD, but must do so. Additionally, the angle of the LCD must be meant for taller people as I have to go on my tip-toes to see it clearly.

This is my third Panasonic Bread Bakery. I upgraded the first one to get a bigger loaf. The second one fell off my shelf and the lid broke, so I replaced it with this new one. I searched the internet to find one, as not all department stores carry them. I won't buy any other bread bakery than Panasonic. Love the yeast dispenser and perfect loaves every time!!

I had a Panasonic mixer for at least 12 years and bought maybe 2 loaves of bread in that time. Finally the drive was slipping and I felt it had served me well so I bought another

My son recommended this bread maker as he has one. Both sons and I gave it to my wife/their mother for Mother's Day. Works great!

Great product for a good price!

Pretty good machine. Just makes loaf too small for a family of five. We are used to a bread machine with a vertical loaf. Even if we make the extra large loaf it just makes taller bread which is not too great for sandwiches, which is what we mostly use it for. We ONLY use the bread machine--we don't buy any bread from the store.

Exceeded expectations. Easy to use and clean. Makes a perfect loaf every time...

Nice machine, solid construction. automatic yeast dosing a big plus! My only two complains are 1) it is a bit noisy. I can't see how other machines would be less noisy, I think it is just a fact of breadmakers. To me, in my tiny apartment, this means I can't really use it for fresh bread in the morning, as it wakes me up at 4 am with the kneading. 2) too few recipes included. A CD with 100 recipes would probably add only $1 to the cost of the machine.

Panasonic makes the BEST breadmaker, hands down.[...]

My wife insisted we buy this higher end model breadmaker and we are glad we did. The quality of the product is worth the extra expense. The only odd thing, and I imagine this applies to all breadmakers? , is that this machine leaves an open spot in the bottom of the finished loaf of bread. The open spot is about an inch deep and is caused by the agitator piece/mixer wing built into the bottom of the inner shell. Overall: very satisfied with this product.

So easy to use once you get the hang using the different settings, etc. Overall I love it! It does make some noise when kneading, but I don't find it too bad.

Very Nice unit!

I normally have made my own bread from scatch. I thought I would give a machine a try. I am so impressed with the ease of use and quality of the bread that I have not made my own bread since I received the bread maker.

Met my expectations for a bread machine. Wish it had a Jam maker like some of the other bread machines on the market.

This is exactly what I wanted in a bread machine. I was given the Sunbeam as a present but the bread rarely came out correctly--it would rise but then fall. I've used the same recipes with the Panasonic and they have turned out well! The machine is fairly small for the counter, quiet and easy to use. The lack of a back light for the control panel is not a big problem but could be a good addition for future models.

Makes wonderful bread the first time. Easy to use, easy to clean.

I purchased this product based on the reviews I found online. I was not disapointed. Quality product, easy to use, nice features (pizza dough, rapid bake) and esthetically pleasing if that matters to you. You need to experiment a little at the begining, but that is necessary with any other breadmaker. I make whole wheat breads and I live at an altitude of 7200ft...probably the worst situation. So I had to combine some regular flour (30%)with the whole wheat flour and to use double the amount of yeast recommended. And I get tall, fluffy,wonderfully smelling bread. I recommend this product.

I use my bread machine about 5 times a week and have gone through about 5 machines in the past 12 years. The main thing I notice about this machine is that it is quiet, a real plus if you want to run it overnight, and it mixes well, no need to scrape the flour out of the corners during the mixing cycle. I have not used the recipes from the book that comes with the machine yet but for whole wheat bread the result s out perform the Oster machine I had last. I can use a higher percentage of whole wheat flour (80% vs 50% with the Oster) and still get bread that my kids enjoy (not too dense and hard). The regular cycle does take 4 hours which is significantly longer than the Oster which is 3 hours, overall it is a fair tradeoff.

This makes wonderful bread and makes me feel like a professional bread maker! The one draw back is that the rapid method takes 2 hours - my previous breadmaker would produce a fine loaf in 1 hour - now that's what I call RAPID.

So far the unit works great. It's much quieter than previous machines I've owned. The crust is just a tad bit darker than other machines if that would be a problem for you. It makes great pizza dough. The dough setting is shorter than other machines I've had. The only caveat I have is that the loaf sizes are maked M, L, and XL. We finally figured out that means 1.5#, 2#, and 2.5#. I would like the option of making only a 1 lb loaf. I tried using a 1 lb loaf recipe I've been using for years but it gets a bit over done. Other than that it works great.

It makes delicious bread.

A good looking, very efficient, and very very easy to clean. The controls are user friendly and the quality of the bread if topnotch.

The timer cannot be used if you want to have pizza dough ready when you come home. If I knew this, I would not have purchased this machine. The LCD screen is unlit. Even my cheap bread maker had these features. What were they thinking? I'm beginning to think that the purchase price was not worth it. I hope the quality of the bread proves me wrong.

I have had my bread maker for about 3 weeks . After many days of reading reviews on many types of bread makers I felt this one suited my needs and was affortable. I have made several loaves since I got my machine from recipes that were included, mixes, and my own all turned out beautifully. The only change that I would like to see would be a window in top to view process ofthe bread.

I researched about 30 different bread machines before buying this one. They ranged from about $44 to about $200. I purchased this one because of the amount of favorable reviews it had. [...]The directions that come with the machine are easy to understand and follow. In my experience, if the operating instructions are followed and the recipe measurements are made carefully the machine works flawlessly and makes very good bread every time. I was so impressed with the machine I bought a second one as a present for my Sister.

Our first bread maker and all the breads we've made so far turned out great. We have tried recipes from the booklet that comes with the bread maker as well as some we found on the internet. We are using scales for measuring, as recommended. A good buy!!!

We had an older model (205) for about seven years until it would not turn the paddle any more. We loved the Panasonic, so we searched for parts and discovered the new model to be the better choice. I made pizza dough (new feature) as soon as I pulled it out of the box. It worked great. the newer model has a bigger pan than our old model.

I absolutely love this breadmaker. I purchased it as my son is allergic to soy, and all the store bread has soybean oil in the ingredients. I have baked several types of loaves, including pizza dough, and they have all turned out well and extremely tasty. The product is very easy to use, easy to clean and I love it.

Haved owned other bread makers with lots of bells and whistles and had terrible results, but this one has performed beautifully 100% of the time. Only two drawbacks that I have found so far: there is no viewing window - although with most machines you can't really see anything anyway, so it's no big deal -- and the whole wheat cycle takes five hours. There is a shorter cycle available, but the results weren't as good. All in all, though, a great machine.

Love it.

Easy and makes a great loaf of bread!!!

I have had bread makers since 1999, this is my third one and it is by far the best one I have ever used. The menu is comprehensive, the manual has nice explanations of how bread is made and the pivotal moments of bread making. The French bread is consistently better than what could usually be bought commercially. Each time we have guests, they prefer eating bread than the main course. I have already recommended the machine and the vendor to several friends and co-workers. Definitely will buy again when the time comes.

I'm a first time bread machine user. I used to make bread by hand. this machine makes bread as good as my hand made ever was and with a lot less work. I haven't gotten a bad loaf yet.

This is my 3rd Panasonic Bread Maker. I wouldn't buy anythingelse. It does everything I want a bread machine to do.

I bought this online and I really like it.Just try and you will see the result. Thank you

This was the fourth one I bought. My wife has the original and three of my four kids now have one. Only problem I see is that I'm gaining weight. Lub & kisses, Phil & Sandy

I bought this bread maker for my husband for his birthday, he likes to cook & bake. This bread maker is easy to do. Just put the ingredents in fix the settings and go. Couple of hours later hot fresh bread. And the loaves are just the right size for the 2 of us. We love it.

After spending a year in France, my heart yearned for eating fresh bread every day. After searching around, I landed on the Panasonic SDYD250. Part of the draw was the durability that other customers have noted. I've had the machine for 3 weeks and have yet to be disappointed with a single loaf (I've made about 8 so far...and pizza dough). The crust option lets you choose three colors (light, medium, and dark), which works just fine. Cleaning is a snap, especially because the metal paddle stays in the pan instead of coming out inside the bread. Also the automatic yeast dispenser is an excellent idea so the yeast is added when the water is the correct temperature...even when the machine is programmed to wait several hours. The only downsides that I've noticed is that there isn't a window on the lid to look at the bread as it's baking. Also the timing function is slightly difficult; instead of asking the time at which you want the bread to be finished, you have to tell the machine how many hours to wait until starting. Of course these issues are minor in comparision.

Bought Panasonic breadmaker when they first came out and used it for 20 years or so until last month. Probably replacement part would have fixed it but cost is low enough to replace with new one. Have shared my family recipe with relatives who have other brand machines and none turned out properly...must be the Panasonic works best! My first was top of the line at the time and this is very similar in design so I am very pleased to know how it works and even makes larger loaves than the original.

Great product if you like real bread. Takes very little time to do the prep work. Set the machine's timer and you'll wake to the aroma of freshly baked bread.

We eat a loaf of plain bread a day (sometimes whole wheat). We like bread with good body, flavor, and no excessive sweetness, unless it is some kind of desert, tea-time type of bread. Going to the store everyday is a chore, and costly too since ultra fresh, non-factory bread is priced as a luxury item, assuming you can even find it. We have owned 4 machines in 11 years. One of them delivered consistently for 3 1/2 years, the 3 others, including one of the best known brand, were very inconsistent from loaf to loaf, and finding and using a 'standard' recipe was impossible, and endlessly frustrating. We selected the Panasonic machine after researching bread machine forums in France and Belgium, where they take their bread very, very seriously. After three weeks of making bread daily, and trying various settings and recipes, we can say without hesitation that this is the best bread machine we have used. It not only produces perfect bread every time, with excellent crust and good, even texture and chew, but it is also far more forgiving of measurement errors and ingredient substitutions than others. One thing to know: cycles are considerably longer than in other brands (4 hours for plain bread, 6 for French!). However, the 'rapid' cycle (2 hours) produces bread that is already as good or better than those other machines, so even if speed is essential, I would still go with the Panasonic. Personal flour recommendation, from standard grocery stores: King Arthur bread flours

I purchased the Panasonic Bread Machine over the holidays [...]I have used a bread machine prior to this so I was familiar with bread machines. My first loaf was 100% whole wheat and I used the recipe provided by the Panasonic manual. I measured all ingredients as exact as I could (very importantn), put the dry ingredients in first (this was surprising because my last machine said to do the opposite) and then poured in the liquied ingredietns - water and molasses. I put the dried yeast in the automatic dispenser which was quite a novel idea. I followed the easy instructions for the correct settings, i.e. size of loaf, type of crust, type of bread, etc. I made a 2 1/2 lb loaf and five hours later, it was done. It slipped easily out of the container, cleanup was simply a breeze, and the loaf was done to perfection. It tasted perfect and sliced easily. Panasonic has done a terrific job with this bread machine. Since then, I have made a couple of more loaves, each done exactly as I specified. For any bread machine under $[...], this machine is probably the best one out there and well worth every penny. I have done extensive research on bread machines before I bought it and this is the best value with the best resutls. Don't go for the cheap ones because they don't have the sophisticated electronics for monitoring the temperature of the dough and correct time for kneading, resting and baking the dough. Automatic dispensing of the yeast at exactly the right time also assures a perfect loaf The only place for improvement might be for Panasonic to provide a window on the lid to monitor the bread as it bakes although this certainly isn't necessary and to provide a locking lid once the process starts. I can honestly say that I would recommend this machine to all my friends [...].

Panasonic makes the best bread maker on the market; this is our second Panasonic purchase[...] in 12 years and we will always buy Panasonic!

I read a lot of reviews on this unit and bought it as a result of these reviews. I am thrilled to say that all the positive reviews are true. This machine is very quiet (compared to my old Breadman machine)and makes consistently great bread. The French bread is fabulous. I would highly recommend this to any one looking for a bread machine. The price is a little higher than other brands but is worth every penny.

Can depend on delicious bread,any recipe. It rises higher--wonderful texture. One big complaint: The tiny, dark control panel is most inconvenient. As long as I have this unit, I will have to use a flashlight to program the machine , as it is on the flat lid, and dark, dark, especially under an overhead cabinet where most are kept. It seems that the crust gets too brown in certain places on the loaf when programmed to Medium. I like the fact that the paddle does not come out with the completed loaf. I like the somewhat elongated shape. The beeper is not loud enough. I have missed it every time when wanting to add an ingredient. You have to be near it to hear it--and I have good hearing. It's a bare little squeak. It is not necessary to weigh ingredients at all. Recipes from many sources work beautifully. Skip the weighing. This review may sound critical, but I do love the machine and am getting ready to make another beautiful loaf this morning. I have had two other machines, none as good as this one.

I love the way the yeast dispenser waits to add yeast until the temperature of the ingredients is perfect. You can start with cold water. The machine does the rest. I bought a small electronic scale to get exact measurements on flour and other dry ingredients. Works great! This is my fourth and BEST bread machine.

This is my 5th bread maker and second in the row by Panasonic. My first Panasonic (SD-YD205) died after 6 years of service producing 3 loaves a week. So I bought the Panasonic SD-YD250 and it is even better than previous model. I believe it is the best bread maker on market.

Love it it works best compared to other brands and we already have one almost everyone in our church and family as well..... we do recommend this to a lot of people.

Did not like the texture of the bread with the quick cycle... However, the other cycles made perfect bread...Delicious!!

Overall very pleased with this machine. Easy to use; just put the ingredients in, press the settings, and wait. I haven't used recipes that came with the machine yet, but rather jumped in experimenting some and using other recipes that I liked well when done by hand. For the most part I have met with success. I purchased this machine since making bread completely by hand takes timing and attention that I simply can not give it due to 3 kids under 5 years old. Buying good bread at the store is very expensive now, too, and my goal is to stop buying any bread except the occassional rustic sourdough. I do wish I could program the machine with my own cycles of kneading/rising/resting, etc, but did not feel the extra $ for the zojirushi was worth having this ability. Also the panasonic is the only machine I know of that the yeast is kept seperate until it's ready for it. I think this is good; no need to worry about ingredients being too cool and killing the yeast. One note about raisins. I saw a review in which the person said their raisins always ended by the pan and got burnt. I have not had this problem and am guessing that there was not enough moisture in their loaf. fyi, there is a beeper saying when to add fruit on a couple of the cycles. This is supposedly because the fruit will get crushed in the kneading process if they were to go through the whole process and not just the last few minutes of it. If you do use this feature tho, you can not set it on timer. Last, I would like to note that I am very impressed with how quiet this machine is. I can barely tell it's on! Very good buy.

The very first thing I noticed was the quietness; you will hear several clicks as the yeast is dispensed, which is actually reassuring. It is more vertical than wide, a plus in my kitchen. This machine does it all...absolutely great to save your hands and your time. I made dough for bread and cooked it in the oven.Then I used the pizza cycle to simply mix the bread ingredients and I did the final rising in a 90 degree oven and then cooked it in that oven(got a loaf that looks good enough for a photo shoot). Then I made pizza...wonderful. I used the dough cycle for making sticky buns, which disappeared, so I made more right away. Then, at last, I made loaves using the entire mix/rise/cook cycle. I am very pleased with ALL the results. All the dough is beautiful and silky. I use 'white whole wheat' with all-white flour, and occasionally mostly whole wheat flour. All good. You can go with a big or small loaf. The long *(13 hour)timer* is great. So far, by having a multi-function bread machine and a quality hand-held, I have avoided getting a big stand-mixer. I would give this as a gift to someone I love. The *controls* are very easy to understand. I did not immediately read the booklet's instructions on how to push the buttons. The *booklet* is very thorough, and I did read it through after a bit...it is well-written, with recipes and lots of useful infomation, ****especially if you're a novice cook. There's an 800# on the front cover for Bread Bakery help and advice! I will be baking banana bread and everything in Lora Brody's bread machine cookbook. I had been living without a machine for 3 months when I wore out the old one (this new one is my third..I cook a lot and they just wear out after 5 or 6 years in my kitchen). I cannot rate Gluten-Free, as I have never cooked that way.

Had a little trouble programming the machine the first time I used it - pressed start on the wrong program - had to unplug and wait for the machine to reset itself. Bread is excellent, soft consistency. I use the machine every 2-3 days and have not had a bad loaf - this includes using the timer for up to 11 hours.

lllloooovvvveeee

I have purchased Panasonic Bread Machines since 1987. They keep getting better. This model I have purchased 7 of them for presents. The best is now other people can smell the warm scent of baking bread and have it ready in 1:55 minutes. No other bread machine can compare with the preformance and taste that Panasonic does. The only draw back is the older machines had better recipe books for easy of learning how to enjoy this delightful machine.

all im saying is that this machine is great,have been makeing bread everyday since i got it my wife loves it easy to make ,no mess, just put the ingridients set it and you can have a loaf a bread in 2 hours,i love the smell of fresh baked bread,non stick so no matter how you make it the bread comes out whole

I like the soft crust and nice texture of the bread. All the recipes so far have given good results. We make raisin bread overnight for breakfast every week, plus pizza dough and regular bread for meals.

I bought a Zojirushi bread maker at first. Because it was making loud noise during kneeding, I returned it after a month of usage. After comparing reviews about various bread makers, I decided to try Panosonic. It turned out to be a good decision for me. The panasonic bread machine is very quiet compare to Zojirushi and Breadman. The bread quality from Panasonic seems to be the best too. The baked bread came out a lot easier than Zojirushi. The machine itself has very good construction. It meets or exceeds my expectations in many ways. I have a few minor issues with this machine. When making raisin bread, a few raisins always come out of the pan during kneeding and get burned during the baking process. The button layout on the control is a bit confusion at first. The LCD display is not as clear as Zojirushi. Sometimes, it makes it harder to add rasins to the machine because the timing is not always fixed. You need to be around when it beeps for adding raisins/nuts. Nevertheless, I still think Panosonic bread makers is the best bread maker in the market today. I highly recommend Panosonic over any other brand.

Easy to use. The yeast dropper is the key to the great bread this appliance makes!

great,good quality for a good price

I have only used this once but it is much better than the machine I replaced. It also does the work in less time.

With the separate place for the yeast this is pretty foolproof - makes all sorts of great breads! Love it and my neighbors love receiving the results!!

Lived up to all my expectations

Bets bread maker I have owned. The quality of the bread is much higher with this machine.

This is my second copy of this product. The first lasted 12 years and then was destroyed in a flood. It was working perfectly pre-flood. I never once had it malfunction or make anything other than a great bread. I use it mostly for making pizza dough. Set it and forget it. Perfect dough 45 minutes later. [...]

This is my first bread machine, so I don't have any personal experience to compare its performance to. We reviewed all the online opinion sites and settled on this model as the best option. It has performed above expectations: I can't believe the variety and quality of bread it makes. Each member of my family (6) gets to put an order in for their favorite bread of the week (we go through a loaf in a day) and all are satisfied. So easy to clean, and if I need to run out or am engrossed in a project, it doesn't need me there to babysit it. BEST OF ALL: we can have nutritional, fresh, healthful bread everyday.

Wonderful Easy to use!

This bread maker is easy to operate and the outcome is delicious!!!