bread maker

Using Bread Maker Panasonic SD206

Introduction

I made this video of myself using a bread maker (Panasonic SD206) in 2001 but had no means of publishing it back then. So I have decided to publish it now so that the effort wasn’t completely wasted.

I hope it helps people who are considering getting a bread maker but are not sure how one is used in practice.

Issues I Had Using A Bread Maker

An example of a simple issue that I found is the need for a place on the worktop with plenty of space above it. The space is needed to facilitate opening the bread maker lid. They are by nature tall even with the lid closed due to the depth of bucket required to contain a loaf, and the space required beneath it for the paddle activating mechanism.

In my kitchen at the time I struggled to find that place because of all the wall cupboards. As you can see in the video I had to place it on the front edge of the worktop. The lid is so thick it cannot be fully opened because it touches the cupboard behind it.

Another unexpected issue, with this model at least, is it wobbles about on its tall rubber feet. This occurs while mixing the dough due to its eccentric position within the bucket.

The Video: Using A Bread Maker – Panasonic SD206

Some Differences Among Bread Makers

The Panasonic SD206 instructions specify a particular order in which the ingredients are placed in the bucket. On discussing this with friends I found their instructions for alternate brands generally specified putting in the ingredients in reverse order. In all cases they put water in last and used the flour to segregate the yeast from the salt and sugar. This lets the mixture rest for hours without the yeast being activated by the sugar or killed by the salt. Then mixing the dough commences.

My Conclusions After Using A Bread Maker

I soon got the hang of using this bread maker. Then I used it every other day to make bread for my lunchtime sandwiches at work. I put the ingredients in before I went to bed and timed it so that the loaf was ready by the time I got up in the morning.

Eventually I stopped using it and gave it to my cousin who was keen to try a bread maker.

Please note there were no technical reasons for me giving it away. I just started putting on weight because of the lovely bread it produced. That was because there was a lot of butter and sugar in the bread I was making. I found I was taking half a loaf of bread to work each day.

Now I’m retired and weigh less my wife suggests we get a new bread maker.. Watch this space.

Time Passed & We Got A New Bread Maker

We bought another Panasonic Bread Maker Model SD-ZX2522 at the end of February 2020. This one is all “singing and dancing” and there’s no wobbling about with this one. We love it.

We still use flour from Caudwell’s Mill amongst other brands. My wife is the baker and loves experimenting with recipes for loaves and cakes all found in the instruction book.

We bought it in a hurry just before the Covid-19 lockdown in case there was going to be a food (in particular bread) shortage.

This model is still very tall and has a thick lid. The bread making process is very similar but load ingredients is different. There is a special compartment for the yeast in the lid. This opens and drops the yeast into the mix when the program is ready for it.

There is also a compartment in the lid to hold other ingredients until required. It holds seeds and small dried or chopped fruit which it drops in at the right moment.

Reference

  1. Instruction Manual with recipes for the Panasonic SD206.
  2. Some spare parts can be obtained for the Panasonic SD206 from: espares_logo
  3. Parts are also available at Google Search.

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Comments

10 responses to “Using Bread Maker Panasonic SD206”

  1. fatveganchickslim avatar

    Hello

    I wanted to thank you for this video. I just spent better part of an hour trying to put the bread dough program wrong way round. I keep forgetting how to do it properly!

  2. Tanyia avatar
    Tanyia

    Thank you very much for the SD-206 instructions with recipes. Whenever I run out of bread at home I always think about my bread machine, but can never find the recipes…now I have them again. Thanks!

  3. Tbo avatar
    Tbo

    Thanx Colin your excellent video & links have saved me hours of messing around, following a fruitless search trying to locate a long lost manual. Fantastic internal view of the machine as the magic happens.

  4. Norman Rees avatar
    Norman Rees

    Dear Helpful Colin,
    Thank you so much for the bread making video.
    I have been offered one, and your excellent video made bread making look easy, I suppose it’s all in the prep !
    Also, I noted your comments , re delicious bread, and I believe I would fall into the trap of eating too much bread. In other words it would be counter productive– don’t want to be fat!
    Thanks again and I have seen thousands of videos, but yours was really , really well made. Excellent presentation ,camera shots , voice-overs and your excellent on camera delivery.
    Very helpful, Colin,

    Norm

    1. Helpful Colin avatar

      Hi Norman,
      Thanks for the pleasant comment.
      Yes, I found fresh bread and just butter irresistible.
      Regards, Colin.

  5. Daniel avatar
    Daniel

    Hello Helpful Colin,

    Thank you very much for the very useful video. We have had this brand of breadmaker knocking around our utility room for years now – though it has hardly ever been used.

    I am happy to say that it has been resurrected and, thanks to your video, I’ve found it very easy to pick up the basics on how to use it. The camera shots were especially useful, as was the PDF version of the manual. I’ve only made a couple of white loaves thus far, but I’m looking forward to getting a bit more creative now that I’ve acquired some strong brown flour and other ingredients!

    Best wishes

    Daniel.

    1. Helpful Colin avatar

      Hi Daniel,

      I’m pleased you like the video. I’ve added a bit more at the end of the post because we have got a new one in Feb this year. My wife is the current baker and she experiments on me. Needless to say her bread is very nice.

      Regards, Colin.

  6. Janette Taylor avatar
    Janette Taylor

    Hi Colin I have had my bread maker several years it has always worked perfectly ! A couple of weeks ago I set it off and ended up with soggy dough with crispy sides that hadn’t risen .Today I put all my ingredients in went to switch it on and the only evidence I had was the red light was flashing nothing in the display box at all ! Pressed the red light button and held it ! Nothing ! Any ideas ! Had it finally died.

  7. Mark Vincent avatar
    Mark Vincent

    Thank you for the video. I inherited mum’s old SD206 after she passed on and decided to fire it up when the lockdown started. I have saved your video on my favourites and always run it through when I am in the mood for breadmaking to remind myself of what to do. It never fails. The only trouble I had was using mum’s left over yeast and flour which I discovered was slightly past its sell by date! Thanks again.

    1. Helpful Colin avatar

      Hi Mark,
      It’s nice to know the video helped you.
      We have a newer model of the Panasonic bread maker.
      My wife prefers to use new yeast and we still get strong flour from Caudwell’s mill.
      Good luck,
      Regards Colin.

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