Panasonic's new breadmakers are more hands-free than ever
The four new bread makers can automatically add yeast and fruit and nuts to your bakes
![Panasonic SD-YR2550 bread maker](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QznCMMKDJAaW6VcAP2hpNb-320-80.jpg)
There’s nothing better than the smell of fresh bread wafting through the house, but baking your own bread can be time-consuming and if you’re a novice, a somewhat daunting experience. However, Panasonic hopes to make this a thing of the past with its new range of bread makers.
The Panasonic SD-YR240, Panasonic SD-YR2550, Panasonic SD-R2530, and Panasonic SD-B2510 have a wide range of presets that allow you to bake white, wholemeal, multigrain, gluten-free, and brioche loaves as well as cakes, pizza dough, jams, and chutney. Just select the relevant program from the bread maker’s touchscreen display.
In a first for Panasonic bread makers, they also offer a new ‘bread mix’ program that can be used with bread mixes from supermarkets, which already contain yeast. They will be available in the UK in April, with prices ranging from £149.99 for the entry-level SD-B2510 and rising to £239.99 for the top-of-the-range SD-YR2550.
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Compact but still fully loaded
Traditionally bread makers have been bulky kitchen gadgets that in some cases take up the whole depth of the kitchen worktop, so Panasonic has given its new range a horizontal design that it claims takes up less space on the worktop.
Panasonic has also redesigned the kneading motion of the bread, so it “replicates the same motions and processes as hand-kneaded dough” while dual temperature sensors monitor the temperature of the room and the bread maker, adjusting the proving time for each loaf so you get a consistent bake every time.
There’s a delay timer that can postpone the bread making for up to 13 hours, so you can prep the ingredient before you go to bed and wake up to a fresh loaf in the morning. The bread pan also has a non-stick fluorine coating which is suitable for all types of bread, including sourdough.
Even more automation
All of the bread makers, apart from the entry-level Panasonic SDB2510, feature a fruit/nut dispenser, which will automatically add additional ingredients such as nuts, seeds, olives, dried fruit, and chopped or cured meats, spreading them evenly throughout the dough, rather than needing to do this by hand.
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The Panasonic SD-YR240 and the SD-YR2550 also have an intelligent yeast dispenser, which adds the yeast to the baking pan at the right time for the type of load you’re baking, to ensure it doesn’t come into contact with any liquids and not affect the rise in any way.
If you prefer a little more control than the automatic programs offer, the bread makers also include a manual mode that allows you to customize the kneading and fermentation times used during the bread making.
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Carrie-Ann Skinner was formerly Homes Editor at TechRadar, and has more than two decades of experience in both online and print journalism, with 13 years of that spent covering all-things tech. Carrie specializes in smart home devices such as smart plugs and smart lights, as well as large and small appliances including vacuum cleaners, air fryers, stand mixers, and coffee machines. Carrie is now a copy editor at PWC.