Guest review: Seb G. Gadget guru, cinematic champion and never-before baker.
I’ve never used a bread maker before (and in all honesty, I haven’t really given it much thought either)… so when I was given the task to review this rather high end looking piece of kitchen tech I was intrigued to see if it could impress. I tend to lean more towards the home entertainment and gadget side of technology but I thought I’d go at this Panasonic ZB2502BXC with an open mind!
First things first, aesthetics: the stainless steel finish and the black cool-touch housing ooze contemporary and functional style. It’s a product that doesn’t seem to look out of place in any part of the kitchen (I can imagine this is something hard to achieve… from what I’ve always noticed about appliances often being moved around our home, anyway).
Build quality, much like with anything else, is a fundamental aspect. At first touch it feels very “weighty” and the materials and components feel strong and durable (this is definitely always a good start). It’s clear that this is a premium product, the price and brand made that obvious straight away… but it’s still going to have to prove itself (pun intended).
After having a breeze over the instruction manual and taking a glance at the display, the functions certainly appear relatively easy to use and well thought out (why over complicate things, it’s just uneconomical living, right?) After spending a little bit of time looking up some recommended recipes, I am starting to find myself getting quite excited about giving this a test.
Now onto the specs: the 10 modes – including jam & compote – give you an array of options so you can get your bread to exactly how you like it. You can also choose from medium, large and extra large loaf sizes. Features such as the raisin and nut dispenser also make it easy to create a unique recipe and cater for any particular dietary requirements. Panasonic claim their uniqueness with the non-stick surface of the bread pan and kneading blades that are coated with diamond particles, are twice as tough and scratchproof as conventional ones.
The time has now come to become a baker (I use that term loosely)… The kit is unpacked and I give it a quick rinse. I have all of the ingredients set out and ready to make this masterpiece happen… choosing a super-simple recipe is probably a wise start though. A delve into the cupboards reveals what I have available and after that it’s time to consult Google. I have gone for granary wheat, virgin olive oil, sea salt, clear honey and chopped almonds (sounds tasty, huh? Thank the web for that one). I have followed the very clear instructions and everything is now prepped, I am ready to flick the switch and let this Panasonic do what it does best.
After 4 hours (I chose the slow bake option – the whole house smells amazing) the bread is ready to take out. My first impression? It looks as good as it smells! I cannot of course end this review without giving it a little taster; the inner texture is thick and fluffy with the outer being perfectly crisp, the almonds and honey have also been mixed very evenly, the flavour comes across sweet and earthy. In the interest of professionalism, I haven’t served it up with wine (and, hey, it’s still not noon) but this goes beautifully with butter and a glass of ice cold milk. The cost of the ingredients comes in at well under a premium loaf from the supermarket and the satisfaction of knowing it’s your own work (thanks, Panasonic) is immensely satisfying. Before the bread has fully cooled, I’ve decided I’m now a baker extraordinaire! Sundried tomato and Emmental sourdough, anyone?
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