Although, as an eco-blogger, I try to reduce plastic where I can, I’m becoming more aware of trying change longstanding habits and it got me thinking about regular food items. The one that keeps on coming back to me is bread and the benefits of possibly buying a Breadmaker.
Before I continue, I want to state that I haven’t been paid to write a review nor has the morphy richards bread maker been gifted to me. I bought the machine myself and the review is purely based on my own views and opinions.
We generally buy bread in plastic bags and most aren’t widely recyclable kerbside. This has always bothered me because I want to keep reducing my plastic waste as much as possible, and I know there are always areas I can tackle. I appreciate there will be areas that will be a little more challenging when it comes to reducing plastic waste like buying meats.
But we’re all trying our best and I would like to focus on plastic waste from buying store bought bread.
Reducing Processed Foods and Plastic Waste with a BreadMaker
Although the primary reason for buying a bread maker was to further reduce our plastic waste, there was another reason for buying a bread machine.
Many have told me how white bread is a processed. I’ve been aware of this for a while and I have tried my hand at making my own bread before but the kneading part I found really hard. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to have toned arms and think it would be a good workout but I did struggle with it to a point where I stopped doing it altogether.
I did buy a machine that did the kneading part for me, the machine had bread hook attachment but as the bread didn’t rise properly, and all the other ingredients were the same, I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t kneading the dough as much as it needed. Which was a shame but I do use the machine for cakes so it wasn’t a waste of money.
I went back to buying store-bought bread.
I recently watched Irresistible: Why We Can’t Stop Eating on BBC Two with Chris van Tulleken (I knew him from Operation Ouch because my daughter is a HUUUUGGGE fan of the twins).
Watching this programme was a huge eye-opener for me, especially as I’m a parent too. We want to ensure our children and safe and healthy but when you see how much of our food is processed, and even, ultra-processed, it spurred me on to do something about it. Learning about how food brands use science against us, what ingredients and flavours to include in products that encourage us to keep buying the product even though it wasn’t necessarily good for us was a kind of manipulation I wasn’t aware of. A great deal of research, time and effort went into finding the ‘right’ flavours and ingredients would attract us to their products.
If you do get the chance to watch it, I would highly recommend it as it eye-opening. I even bought the book Ultra-Processed People for further reading because I’m sure there is so much more to learn about when it comes to our food.
Something I learned about being an Open University student was… do your research!
Having said that, I can only tackle one thing at a time. I picked bread because that’s something we buy on every food shop.
Unboxing and First Impressions
We did quite a bit of research first for the best bread maker because there are so many on the market varying in price and functionality.
I think you need to be clear on WHY you want to get one in the first place, decide on what you want from it and finding the model to fit your needs is likely to be easier.
We opted for this Morphy Richards model as it fit well within our budget, and I’d seen some decent reviews online based on the loaf size I was looking for. One of the factors I wanted to ensure is that I was able to fit a slice of bread into my toaster as I do love my toast!
When it turned up, I was impressed with sleek compact design and liked that it had an LCD display control panel on the front for ease of use. The machine came with a comprehensive instruction manual, which includes clear guidance on the different settings and options for all the features. I really liked that there is a measuring cup and teaspoon measure included in this model as it means it’s really easy to measure out the ingredients without having to use my weighing scales.
I like that the baking pan is stainless steel with non-stick coating, which meant the bread won’t stick inside. Plus there is a large viewing window at the top so you can see the machine in action or if you want to see how the bread is looking. The first few times, I was a little intrigued.
Ease of Use and Ingredient Preparation
I’m definitely the type of person who doesn’t like complex steps, I like things simple with clear instructions. I was pleasantly surprised by how straightforward the Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker is to use. The instruction manual’s step-by-step guidance is really clear on which order the ingredients should be added, it’s really simple.
To start, I simply add the water, followed by the butter (or oil, as the instructions suggest). Next, I add the sugar and salt, and then the bread flour. The final step is to add the yeast, making sure that it doesn’t come into direct contact with the wet ingredients. Once all the components are in place, I close the lid, plug in the machine, and select the desired setting. It even tells you what temperature the water needs to be in order to activate the teaspoon of quick yeast. Finally, press start.
Customising the Bread-Making Process
One of the features I really like on this Morphy Richards breadmaker model is the level of customisation it offers. There is a range of pre-programmed settings, which does make life easier but I particularly liked the option for the loaf sizes, and crust settings. This allowed me to tailor the bread-making options on my own personal preference.
As I’m the only one in the house who eats bread, I opted for the 1.5 lb loaf setting with medium crust. The recipe does offer a choice of sizes; 1lb, 1.5lb and 2lb, and loaf sizes all at the touch of a few buttons. The machine offers a wide selection of other fast bake settings and the instruction booklet doubles up as a recipe book so if you’re looking for some simple free recipes, this will be up your street;
Basic (prog 1)
- Basic White Bread
- Brown Bread
- Cheese and Onion Bread
- Raisin Bread
- Soft Grain Bread
- Italian Herb Bread
- Malt Loaf
- Sun-Dried Tomato Loaf
- Gluten Free White Loaf
- Gluten Free Cheese and Mustard Loaf
- Gluten Free Sun Dried Tomato Loaf
French (prog 2)
- French Bread
Wholewheat (prog 3)
- Wholewheat Bread
- Granary Loaf
Quick (Prog 4)
- Banana and Nut Bread
- Porridge Oats Bread
Sweet (Prog 5)
- Mixed Fruit Loaf
- Chocolate Bread
Fastbake setting I (Prog 6)
- Fastbake Small White
Fastbake setting II (prog 7)
- Fastbake Large White
Dough (Prog 8)
- White Bread Rolls
- Wholewheat Bread Rolls
- Pizza Base
- Hot Cross Buns
Jam (Prog 9)
- Marmalade
- Raspberry and Apple Jam
Cake (Prog 10)
- Standard Cake Mix
- Mixed Fruit Cake
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- Gluten Free Fruit Cake
Sandwich (Prog 11)
- Sandwich Loaf
- Soft Grain Sandwich Loaf
The Bread-Making Process in Action
One of the most satisfying aspects of using the Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker is watching the bread-making process unfold. As the machine mixes, kneads, and bakes the dough, I love that I don’t have to do that, it’s all done for me.
One of the downsides of this model was how loud this compact breadmaker was, I recall reading this but I wasn’t aware how loud it actually was. It starts off with a rumbling sound as it mixes the ingredients, but as the dough begins to rise and bake, the noise gradually subsides. Although the machine is a little on the louder side, but this hasn’t been a major issue for me, as I typically have it running while I’m in another room or during the day when noise isn’t a concern. After a while you will notice the aroma of baking bread throughout the house, it’s a very pleasant smell.
On my first attempt, I made my first loaf and I wasn’t disappointed. The end result is a beautifully classic white loaf, with a golden-brown dark crust and a soft, fluffy interior.
The Benefits of Homemade Bread
One of the primary reasons my partner and I decided to invest in a bread maker was to reduce our reliance on processed, store-bought bread. By making our own bread at home, we’ve been able to take control of the ingredients and eliminate the preservatives, additives, and unnecessary packaging that often come with commercially produced loaves.
The Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker has allowed us to save money on our grocery bills, as the cost of the ingredients to make a loaf of bread at home is significantly lower than the price of a pre-packaged loaf from the supermarket.
Additionally, by making our own bread, we’re working toward reducing our plastic waste. Instead of constantly buying plastic-wrapped loaves, we can simply store our homemade bread in reusable containers or bags, further contributing to our efforts to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Now that I’m a lot more comfortable with the yeast, I will not longer be buying them in those little plastic sachets, my local supermarket offers the option to purchase yeast in a metal tin, which can easily be recycled kerbside. I was keen to ditch the sachets as soon as a I got a handle on what I was doing.
Maintaining and Cleaning the Bread Maker
A big concern I had before purchasing the Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker was the potential hassle of maintaining and cleaning the machine. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to keep the appliance in good condition. This is really helpful because I have a habit of throwing everything in the dishwasher. As the pan inside is non-stick, this wouldn’t be something that could go into the dishwasher.
The bread pan and kneading blades are both removable, making it a breeze to clean them after each use. I simply wipe down the interior of the machine with a damp cloth, and the exterior can be easily wiped clean as well. The instruction manual provides clear guidance on the recommended cleaning and maintenance procedures, ensuring that the Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker continues to perform at its best for years to come.
Conclusion
I’ve had this Morphy Richards Fastbake Breadmaker machine a few months but I haven’t used all the other settings yet. The main setting I have used is basic loaf of bread and cake setting. I will admit, I wasn’t impressed with the cake setting. The batter didn’t rise that well and the cake felt quite heavy, also, the cake around the edges was slightly burnt so I don’t know if the cake setting is a little longer than it needs to be.
When it comes to making a decent loaf of fresh bread, I’ve got that down to a tee and really does make my life so much easier, because of this, I’m really happy with the machine.
This model does have the option of a delay programmable timer setting, which means you could potentially set it to finish at a particular time but there are two issues that make me a little reluctant to use this dough setting.
Firstly, I personally don’t like appliances on when I’m asleep, assuming I want basic white loaf as soon as I wake up. Secondly, the warm water needs to be a certain temperature to activate the yeast. Assuming I put the time on at night time so I can have fresh bread in the morning, my assumption is that the water would not be warm enough to activate the yeast if it’s been sitting in the pan overnight. I may try the timer setting during the day and see how I get on.
I am keen to try out the other settings like the bread rolls because that is something else we do buy at the supermarket which also comes in a plastic wrapper.
If you’re thinking of buying a bread maker, I think the morphy richards homebake breadmaker (affiliate link) is a great one for anyone who is a novice like me and, in my opinion, it’s good value for money.
