funny, i got rid of mine a few months ago after not having used it in 2 years. i LOVED it, but let's be realistic - one person living alone does not consume that much bread to make it worth it. now if i want to make bread, i just make the no-knead kind and call it a day. sad, but true.

next i'm thinking about letting the waffle iron go, which is an even harder decision!

Give it one more try! I was so scared of mine until I started actually using it.
http://www.sowonderfulsomarvelous.com/2008/03/ode-to-oster.html
If you're really going to give it up this weekend, maybe pass it to someone that wants to give it a go?

I think that IS my bread machine in the pic... it's been in the basement for 5 years!

Please don't just throw it away! Donate it to your local Salvation Army/thrift store/Goodwill, post a "free" listing on Craigslist, leave it at the "good appliances" shed at the dump-- just don't throw it out!

rebecca_f, if that's a round VillaWare V2002 UNO Belgian Waffler, I'll take it off your hands :)

One of those is on my to-get list.

I feel your pain. My husband and I have an espresso maker that hasn't been used in 6 years.

I was thinking of offering mine up on my local FreeCycle list when I move in a couple months.

I want to set up a group of friends so that we share the large and not frequently used appliances: the bread machine, the ice cream maker, the waffle iron, etc. Then each of us will only store one of the items and we can switch when we want to use another.

I gave mine away - I make bread in that old favorite, the Kitchenaide, (and cookies, cakes, etc., etc,) that also has pasta rollers, an ice cream maker, a meat grinder, etc. that I use regularly. The Kitchenaide is versatile enough to merit the countertop footprint - a single-use breadmaker is not.

I use mine every couple of days for kneading bread and the occasional pizza dough. I do live alone, but a 3-cup loaf of bread doesn't last long around here.

While I might not use it every week, I DO use it often enough (and LOVE it enough) to keep it around. In fact, it takes a spot on the counter rather than stored away.

Sciencegeek's idea is good! No bread machine here -- too old to have been taken in by that gadget.

I have the same thing going on with a fondue set. Hand me down, just taking up space!

I always wanted a bread machine. My mom got me one for my birthday a couple years ago. I've used it twice. BUT, despite it taking up some sweet real estate in my cupboards that would be better filled with say, a blender.. I have a feeling that if I only could get myself into the habit of making bread, I'd use it regularly. I mean, it's not like it's hard to make - you just throw all the ingredients in, turn it on, and go about your day.

That's it. I'm using it this weekend!

@alysaaria @mma128 - The bread machine won't be going in the dumpster. It has already found a new home.

We bought a bread machine last September when we moved to a house with a kitchen big enough to store it. We haven't bought any bread since, and it's so simple that even my culinary-challenged husband can use it and produce lovely bread. I'm trying to wean myself off it and do it by hand instead, but I think we'll always keep it so my husband can make bread when I can't be bothered/haven't got time.

sciencegeek, I love your idea of sharing appliances between friends. I'd also love to see small appliance check out at my local library. We have a tool lending library, why not one for kitchen appliances!

Yes, do not throw it out! I have 2 bread machines and I got them both for a song, used. I use it a lot!

Just a note though - some people don't use their bread machine because they do not like what the loaves look like. I only use mine for mixing the dough - for pizza, french bread, regular loaves, cinnamon buns, and all kinds of other stuff. I never bake in there. In fact, my main bread machine does not bake well at all and only mixes. Does not matter to me.

Here is a video I made recently of me using it to make some fantastic oat Bread!

haha, I got mine and used it maybe three times. Then right after that I found I could make dough in my kitchenaid. Then I discovered that I like to work with the dough and shape by hand. I recently sold the bread machine (that had been sitting in my cabinet for about a year) on ebay.

Mine was also a hand-me-down but I sold it at a garage sale a good 4/5 years ago!

Mine was on the Goodwill list after not being used for years. But, just days before I was going to take it in I got an email from King Arthur Flour that had their bread machine recipe for White whole wheat bread. I gave it a try and really liked it. I’m keeping it for use in the summer months when it’s too hot to turn on the oven for ‘no knead bread’.

@AlisonCJ, I agree with you. Our West Bend Just for Dinner bread machine makes smaller loaves in 45 minutes; so, it's great for our small family. My bread m/c has a new home on the counter to remind us to use it every 2 wks instead of every 2 mos ... its easy, yummy, can be much more healthy than storebought breads ... and less expensive than healthy bread in stores.

This and a deli-stile rotary meat slicer are the only two kitchen gadgets I've managed to avoid buying (so far). I've come close on many occasions, though...

Pursuing a strategy similar to @iowasue seems to be helping.

I have one that I use for making dough occasionally - it does that well. Given the number of bread machines I see in my local thrift store, it seems the BM era is long over.

I love my bread machine. I've only had it for a few months, but I use it at least once a week either for a loaf or to make dough to be baked on a stone. I'm probably going to fire it up tonight for a loaf of brioche.

I have one and haven't used it yet, but have been planning to do so a long time already. Is there a website with many good recipes in one place (I'm a stranger to recipes online still, lol) that some of you might recommend? I prefer dark breads.

I actually enjoy make bread by hand. It's so satisfying to get a perfectly looking bread all done by myself. Kneading is so much fun. I don't think I will ever want to get a bread machine.

I love my bread maker, use it all the time. Kitchenaide's are out of my budget and I can't be bothered with making dough by hand.

I've used mine for pizza dough, bread, sandwich buns and cinnamon buns.

next time there is a cure or a kitchn cure, there should be a swap/trade/give-away thread somewhere so that all of these wonderful kitchen items get put to use by folks that will love them.

@ninakk ... Here is some info on bread recipe resources online ... I hope this helps.

Usually food companies and kitchen appliances list their websites on packaging, offer recipes on their sites & add more often. So, check the back of your bags of flour, yeast packet or bread machine maual. For example, King Arthur flour company has tons of recipes plus their blog has recipe tutorials with photos (see below):

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes2008/

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2008/01/14/how-to-put-the-hole-in-the-bagel-and-other-good-bagel-stuff/

Also, check out www.abreadaday.com. The photos will land your jaw on the floor they look so deeelish! Once you stop ogling the photos, you'll notice the recipes. ;-D I should make this blog one of my home pages to inspire me to bake bread.

Does anyone know the name and website of a breadmaking show that used to be on PBS? I cannot remember the name of it & don't know if it is still on the air.

if you need good bread, fresh bread, and there is none around...then you need a bread machine - it takes much less effort than using an oven, you can just program it and let it work overnight...

also you can try different ingredients, textures...and always know what and how much you put in it - if you are lucky enough to have a good bakery next to you or if you don't eat so much bread, then you don't need it.

Just learn to make bread the 'real' way. I do it once a week and slice and freeze the loaves. It's delicious, straightforward, and actually very little work. It just requires one evening at home. The work for my loaf probably adds up to about 20 mins, just with spaces to wait for rising. Nothing beats it and it takes up no cupboard space (I would have bread pans anyway for other baking).

Bad things about breadmakers:

--Loaves tend to be dense, ugly, and incredibly crusty
--Pans are annoying to clean, nonstick and cramped, with easy-to-lose beater bars
--GIGANTIC

But on the plus side, if you actually use them:

--Overnight preparation makes healthy, fast breakfasts; timers mean the bread is hot and fresh
--Dense loaves stand up to soaking in tea, coffee, or (oops) honey and cream
--Lots of practice can make loaves much less chewy and thick-crusted
--Will probably drive you to bake your own bread by hand eventually, out of sheer frustration

I bought one in 2008 and used it for most of 2009. Now I am on a diet and barely eat bred unless it is low calorie. I don't know what else to use it for anymore except making pizza dough. I don't want to get rid of it but I really don't need it anymore. Thankfully I am moving to a bigger apartment in the summer and I won't feel as bad about keeping it, haha.

http://www.re-nest.com/re-nest/cooking/7-green-reasons-to-use-a-bread-machine-073198

I have a Zojirushi machine and love it. I really don't use it often for bread, mostly for pizza dough. It has paid for itself over and over again, and I am so happy with homemade pizza that even the best shop-made pies in town can't do it for me anymore. I can't imagine being without it.

@lifeabundant: Thanks a lot, it really looks delicious! My husband is American and he's dad got us this set from joseph joseph with among others "foreign" measuring cups, so I'm all set for baking in American now, not just Northern European as I'm used to so far. Great!!!

@ninakk: You are welcome. Glad you've gotten what you need for easier baking. Have fun with it!

FYI, I just took a closer look at the last few posts on abreadaday.com that I recommended earlier today ... apparently the bread a day blog posts were only for one year ... & that year is up. But, her archives and posts are still there. That blogger is starting a new blog cld one hundred eggs (see abreadaday.com site for more details). Hopefully, those abreadaday.com recipes will be available for some time.

There's just something about it that I don't like. Sure, it's easy, but it's annoyingly loud, and mine takes forever. Also, I love knowing that I've made artisan bread by myself, and kneading is strangely therapeutic.

Ohhh....can't believe you've thrown out your old one when it probably had the gasket I need to fix mine which is now taking up precious cabinet real estate because my husband swears he's going to find one and fix it and the memory of fresh chocolate bread and sun dried tomato and parmesan rolls and pizza dough and nan and chapati is holding me hostage

My bread maker works great... but i'd trade it for someones espresso maker no problem. I'll ship to you if you ship to me!
message me! jenfierrodowning@gmail.com

My bread machine was a hand-me-down from my mom, and she gave it to me in 2005. I use it all the time (at least once a week!), primarily for dough, although tonight I'm baking a loaf in it for a baseball tailgate tomorrow (hey, I had a lot of other food to prep! gimme a break!). Using it for dough, I utilize it for English muffins, baguettes, Italian loafs, ciabatta, focaccia... It's been an indispensable tool for me! Also, I have a Sharp R930 micro/convection combo so I am able to use it as opposed to the 'big' oven, which allows us to have fresh bread without having to use the energy of a full size oven. Embrace the bread machine!

We use ours once, if not twice, sometimes three times a day!!! Can't imagine life without it!!!

Just say no to these things.

I have one I haven't used for several years. During Snowmagedon I thought about using it but when I got the flours out they were all buggy and I tossed them. Thankfully I'd had them securely encased in plastic bags, in a sealed tub so the rest of my pantry was buggy.

SO now it's either buy a bunch of flours or move it out. I think give it's several year un-use that it's going.

Thanks for the nudge.

I just got rid of mine a few months ago-- donated it. It had been sitting in my cabinet for about 4 years. Since the advent of the no-knead bread technique, it seemed superfluous.

It takes four hours to make bread in my bread machine! I hate that it takes so long as i could make four or more loaves of bread and have them in the oven baking by the time it's almost finished. This product really isn't helpful at all.

Our bread machine is our weekly pizza dough maker and helps us out with our pretzel dough! We use it at least 4 times a month. Keep it!

I use mine twice a week to make a rye and carraway loaf, which I can't get fresh at my local shops. I've just bought a new pizza baking dish so it will also be making pizza dough as well. I never run out of fresh bread. I need mine. The monsters in my cupboard are a sandwich maker and a juicer. As I've masses of cupboard space, I don't need to throw them away. I've just gone through all my kitchen cupboards and cleaned them and all the junky drawers are straightened. Now for the manchester cupboards. It's autumn here in Australia, so I'd better see what the blankets and duvets have been up to.