That $3 bread maker from the thrift store changed my thinking on baking

I was talking to my neighbor Carol last weekend, and she said she bakes all her own bread with a thrift store bread maker she got for $5. I told her I thought bread makers were junk, but she pulled out a loaf that looked perfect. She said the secret is just using the right yeast and not giving up after the first try. So I grabbed a dusty Hamilton Beach one from Goodwill for $3, made two terrible loaves, and the third one came out amazing. Has anyone else had luck reviving those old bread machines?

2 comments

2 Comments

amymason1mo ago

The thrift store success comes from older machines that actually mix and knead better than newer ones.

laura_white991mo ago

My KitchenAid from 1984 still goes through dough like nothing. It was my grandma's and it's all metal inside, no plastic gears. Makes me wonder though - do you think the older machines actually hold up better, or is it more about how people took care of them back then? Like people today just beat up their stuff and toss it.