Panasonic SD-YD250 Best Quality

Save Panasonic SD-YD250 Automatic Bread Maker

We tried the Breadman 555 and we were a bit disappointed. The bread was slightly inconsistent and the crust was very dark and thick, even on the lightest crust setting. I liked the very large observation window on this model, but apparently that may not be a good thing for the bread. There were numerous other small problems and worries that we had with it, so we decided to return it.
After a lot of research and option weighing, we decided to buy the Panasonic SD-YD250. The deciding factors were performance, construction and ability to replace parts.
The construction of the Panasonic is outstanding! The sturdy die-cast aluminum bread pan has no rivets to loosen and leak. The non-stick surface on the pan and kneading blade is much stronger than on the Breadman model. The Kneader drive components are also much more sturdy. I could go on and on but I'll just say that the construction on the Panasonic is just far superior.
The operation of the machine is also outstanding. It runs very quietly for a bread maker and the motor seems very strong. I was a little worried about the way that the bread pan locks into place (kind of a twist and turn locking system) as-well-as the effectiveness of the yeast dispensing system. I am very pleased that both work great. With the yeast dispensing system you just need to be certain that there is no moisture in it, and all the yeast is distributed just fine. When you start the machine there is a waiting state at the beginning, before the yeast is dispensed, where the ingredients are warmed to the optimal temperature. This adds about 30-60 minutes to the process but apparently it's important. The dough is kneaded very thoroughly for about 15 minutes then the rise process lasts about 2 hours before the ~50 minute bake cycle. The control panel is fairly simple to use. Just select bake options, loaf size and crust darkness (on certain bake options), and that's it. There is also the ability to use custom bake only and dough only settings. It doesn't have the 300 presets like the Breadman Ultimate, but the final result is what it's all about. The bread comes out beautiful. For white bread on the basic bake with light crust setting, the bread has a very nice consistency with a thin beautiful blonde crust. On the wheat setting (which doesn't have the ability to adjust the crust (this also worried me)), the bread is amazing. The crust is obviously darker than the white bread, but not over cooked like in the breadman. A 2 pound bread loaf is about 5 inches wide, 7 1/2 inches long and 6 1/2 inches tall. The height is a little strange but using smaller recipes can adjust this. I did make a wheat bread recipe that was too thick and although the motor seems strong, the kneading blade could not turn. this could have burned up the motor if I had not been there to add water. So always be watchful when trying a new recipe!
The instruction manual has been revised so the measurements are now in weight and standard volume measurements, which makes it as easy and as accurate as you want to be. This is a great machine, and if you think your going to use it often, it's well worth the extra money.
I want to thank everyone who contributed to this review forum for helping me make the right decision in choosing the Panasonic.