Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker, White
by Sunbeam
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List Price: Our Price: $51.54 You Save: $34.51 (40%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $47.42 (click here) Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker, White
Customer Review: Great, inexpensive, reliable and stylish
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought one of these from a local retailer 2 years ago after looking for a new bread machine.
I had gone through several bread machines over the years, starting with a Panasonic which lasted me for many years. When it died, I began my search.
I first bought a Cuisanart due to name recognition, styling and reported capabilities. It was a HORRIBLE machine...the fan blades were stricking the motor exhaust so I had to tilt it to even to run it without being completely intollerable....took it back.
Bought a Breadman...Ok, but, it was molded poorly so it didn't sit properly. It worked, but, was somewhat noisy and tended to get bogged down in whole wheat and the pan unlatched quite often during kneading.
I bought this little beauty for about $40 and figured that it couldn't be any worse...from the moment I turned it on I fell in love. It's quiet, the pan locks into place with a twisting motion, it handles some of the hardest doughs around and nearly every loaf comes out perfectly (although honestly I mainly use it to make dough for hand forming).
Last year I thought I'd finally break down and buy a Zo (ok, so it was really because I got a bonus)... I got a lemon, it didn't heat during the rising cycle causing lumpy bricks and then most unforgivably simply died all within 2 days of purchase....this was just unacceptable and just not worth the risk for the price (btw...I've since read that this isn't a terribly uncommon occurrance with the Zo's)
I have been so worried that my little baby might one day die, I recently bought a second one as a spare.
Customer Review: Best bread ever
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a 70 year old who has been making bread sense I was 6. I learned from my grandmother. Everything was done from scratch and by hand. As you get older the kneading process gets more difficult so I began to look for an alternative that would give me what my family expected from my bread. My first bread machine 10 years back was not this machine but I loved it and when it quit working I bought another of the same brand only to find they had done what so many manufacturers do. They tried to improve it. Granny always said if its not broke don't fix it. She was right. I was so dissapointed in the results from this machine I went back to doing the bread the hard way. One day while I was looking on the internet for a new machine my son told me to check out Amazon. I did and found the Sunbeam 5891-2Pound programmable Breadmaker for a lot less than my other machine. I told a chance and ordered it. I have made 12 loves of bread in the past two weeks. All the children friend and relatives want some of my bread again. I have told them all about the machine and my oldest son, wno told me about Amazon also bought one. He lives alone and has high blood pressure as I do. The bread we make with this machine has no sodium and both our blood pressures have come down. I have not had one bad loaf of bread come from this machine. It is never put away and is sitting on the counter at all times ready to be used. It cleans up great and the bread never sticks. I give this machine five stars and ask Sunbeam please don't try to improve what is allready great. I wish I could insert a photo of the loaf I just made. It would make your mouth water.Customer Review: Passed 200 loaves / 13 Months -> I cannot praise it enough!
Summary: 5 Stars
Buy this unit. It makes bread, is durable, and cheap enough
to throw away. Above all, it is SO EASY TO USE.
This unit does what a breadmaker should do. I have now cooked over 200 loaves in 13 months. Very easy to use, minimal effort
required. Has proven durable for me. I unplug the unit when not in use.
My routine: pre pack six tubs with flour (50% white 50% whole wheat -- weighed on a weight watchers $10 scale ... which is much faster and easier than measuring the flour). Put in one cup of warm water, drop in one pre-packed tub (with flour, the smallest touch of salt, 1/2 the recommended sugar (brown)). Put in a dab of oil, and 1/2 the normal yeast for a firmer bread. Then add perhaps 1/2 a bananna or a peeled cored sliced apple, maybe some raisins, and some pecans. Best secret: Add a handful of frozen cranberrys. Choose program 5 (sweet), light color, 1.5 pound. Press start and come back three hours later.
Great bread for toast. Everybody likes the end product. Much better than store bread for less than $1 per loaf including the cost of the machine. I have now saved over $300.
We will never go back. I cannot find a reason to try any other machine. This unit does what is required.
Now the real benefit. One family member has suffered from headaches for 25 years. They stopped on the day I started making
bread. Apparently the headaches were gluten related --- I cannot explain it but we tried some store bread on her and the headaches returned. The headaches were very severe. Go figure!
- Laternser
Customer Review: Tips for Gluten Free Bread
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my second Sunbeam 5891, there wasn't anything wrong with the first one except through continual use. The manufacturer will tell you to use the "Basic" setting for GF Bread, but alas, GF Flours only need one rise cycle and that is why the Breadmakers with a GF settings are so popular (yet beyond my budget). Here is how to bake perfect Gluten Free Bread with the Sunbeam 5891:
1). I warm my water to 110 degrees, add 1Tablespoon of sugar and 1 Tablespoon of yeast to the water to let it "perk" a bit. Pour it into the bread pan, and then add the rest of the wet ingredients to the pan (oil, eggs, etc)
2) Add Dry ingredients to the pan
3) Set the "Basic" setting and press start
4) It will mix for 10 minutes, then start the first rise cycle. When the timer reads 2:40....pull the plug
5) Set a kitchen timer for 40 minutes (the machine must be left unplugged for at least 35 minutes to cancel the cycle)
6) After 40-45 minutes have passed, plug the machine back in and use the "Bake" cycle.
Before buying my second Sunbeam, I looked at the Zojirushi Bread Maker with the GF Cycle. (My sister has one). Problem with the Zoji's is the nice "baker style" pan. Gluten free flours do not rise high like regular bread flour, so although she has wonderful tasting bread it is more flat like Baguettes.
Because the sunbeam has more of a "squat" pan, my GF free bread comes out high enough for sandwich bread.
Hope this has helps others on a limited budget create GF Bread that looks like regular bread, and not a brick:)
Customer Review: Great breadmaker for a great price
Summary: 5 Stars
I highly recommend this breadmaker it for anyone looking for an economical option. You will not be disappointed. I purchased this breadmaker a month ago and have had a great experience with it. While researching this product, I read that it does an excellent job of kneading and I can definitely confirm that this is a strength of the product. The dough is absolutely beautiful. I was new to making bread with the breadmaker, so I took a few extra minutes with each loaf to watch the consistency of the dough. This gives you the chance to make slight adjustments necessary to ensure the loaf turns out perfectly. If the loaves are not turning out as you expected, I suspect it is because the dough is either too dry or too wet. Getting the dough consistency right will make sure you get perfect loaves every time. In addition to all the glowing comments, there were some concerns raised by others that they were having difficulty making bread that didn't fall during the bake cycle. I also struggled with that as well. I finally took the advice of the breadmaking community and reduced both water and yeast, which was the secret to avoiding this problem. Now, for one final suggestion. Buy one of the many highly recommended breadmaker cookbooks out there. I have had great luck with Donna Rathmell German's, The Bread Machine Cookbook. There are many others to choose from as well and they are typically quite inexpensive and definitely worth the money. I quickly moved beyond the recipes provided with the breadmachine itself and needed more ideas. Good luck and enjoy the breadmaking adventure!