The Best Panasonic Bread Machine Review

When you hear the brand name Panasonic, you’ll likely think of TVs, DVD players, and cameras. But the company also produces other kitchen appliances such as bread machines. A Panasonic bread machine isn’t as expensive as brands like Zojirushi but you can be assured of the build quality.

baking smart panasonic bread maker

Why Consider a Panasonic Automatic Bread Maker with Yeast Dispenser?

yeast dispenser

Having an automatic bread maker with yeast dispenser can allow you to produce excellent and tasty bread.  Yeast serves as a catalyst in fermentation, an important process in bread making. By putting yeast in the dough, you get a nice texture and even better aroma.

Which Panasonic bread maker is best?

The best Panasonic bread machine would depend on your needs. If you have a large family, the Panasonic SD-YD250 automatic bread maker with yeast dispenser should be good enough for you.

But if you have a small family, or you’re living on your own, the SD-YD250 is certainly one you wouldn’t need as it is unlikely you can consume that much loaf.  Instead, a smaller unit like the Panasonic SD-BMS105-SW and the Panasonic SD-BMT1000-T both of which can make one pound of bread should suffice.

Panasonic SD-YD250 Automatic Bread Maker with Yeast Dispenser Review: Who is this Bread Maker Suitable For?

The SD-YD250 automatic bread maker from Panasonic is best suited for homemakers with large families who love bread, cake, and other pastries. It’s also a good appliance to have for budding bakers and entrepreneurs who may have a few orders every week.

Who is this Bread Maker Suitable For

This bread maker can make rectangular vertical 1.5, 2, and 2.5-pound loaf. Bread is baked in as short as two hours.

Panasonic SD-YD250 Pros and Cons

Panasonic SD-YD250
Panasonic SD-YD250 Pros and Cons

The YD250 has been getting rave reviews. Here are the things you will love about this particular bread machine:

  • It’s highly versatile as it can make loaves of bread in three sizes—small, medium, and large which actually pertain to 1.5, 2, and 2.5-pound loaves. With its versatility, the YD250 can let you make loaves for yourself and your spouse, or for the entire family if needed.
  • There are three settings for crust color (light, medium, dark). You can also choose from six dough options—basic, whole wheat, multi-grain, French, pizza, and cake). Try the French bread option if you want a bread that has a crispy crust and a tender crumb inside.
  • It’s user-friendly, with a beeper telling you when to put in fruits and nuts. The unit also has a soft touch and a push-button control panel that makes it easy to program. The LCD digital display would let you know how much time is left before the cycle ends.
  • It has an automatic yeast dispenser, so you can be assured that your loaf will have the right texture and aroma. Simply put in the right amount of yeast, and the machine will take care of the rest.
  • The delay timer function lets you choose the appropriate time of the day when you need the bread fresh and served. You can even set the machine to stop baking after 13 hours, which means you can go home and be served with fresh bread after a hard day at work. But if you are in a hurry, the machine can bake bread in as little as two hours.
  • It’s a smart machine. The YD250 features power interruption protection that lets the baking process to continue even after a power outage, as long as the power cut-off is around 10 minutes or less.
  • It’s relatively cheap. Japanese appliances are known for being expensive but this one from Panasonic is an exception. It’s up to $100 cheaper than other bread machines with yeast dispenser.

However, it’s not perfect. This machine has some drawbacks including:

  • Lack of a viewing window. Unlike other bread makers, the YD250 doesn’t have a viewing window. This means that you can’t see what is happening inside the bread machine.

However, Panasonic claims that there are advantages of the lack of a viewing window. It argues that without a viewing window, good color, rising, and crust can be achieved. That may be true, but you may not also like this unit if you consider yourself a hands-on baker.

  • It’s a fairly big appliance by any standard, with dimensions of 14 x 13.5 x 9 inches. Compared to other bread makers in the market, the YD250 is tall so you have to check first if you have enough room in your kitchen to fit this machine.
  • There are also reports that the YD250 isn’t durable as advertised. One online review indicated that the user’s unit broke down within nine months.

Panasonic SD-RD250 Review: Who is this Bread Machine Suitable for?

Panasonic SD-RD250 Review

The Panasonic SD-RD250 is another bread machine that suits big families as it can make a large (2 pound ) loaf of bread. But it can also work well for singles who don’t want to throw away unconsumed bread as the unit can  make a 1 pound loaf.

Budding bakers and homemakers who love to make simple bread and add ingredients like fruits and nuts will also find this appliance a good investment.

Panasonic SD-RD250 Pros and Cons

Panasonic SD-RD250

The RD250 is a good kitchen appliance to have given the following advantages:

  • The programmable delay timer lets you choose a time for the bread maker to complete its cycle. You can even set the cycle to stop after 13 hours, which would mean you can wake up in the morning with freshly baked bread to eat.
  • The sleek, white exterior of the appliance makes the RD250 a good addition to the kitchen as it can enhance the look of that part of the house. Moreover, the exterior is easy to wipe clean.
  • If you covet bread with raisins or chopped pecans, then you should get this bread maker. It has an automatic fruit and nut dispenser where you can preload those add in including dried herbs, shredded cheese, and cured meat. The dispenser can hold up to five ounces of add-ins, which should be enough to give a wonderful flavor to your bread.
  • It’s user-friendly. Going back to the fruit and nut dispenser, you don’t have to linger in the kitchen just to put those add-ons at the right time. The unit will be the one to add those extra ingredients. There’s not even an alert to tell you when to put the additional ingredients.
  • You can also choose from the various modes or settings to choose from —basic, French, pasta, pizza dough, and bake mode.
  • You don’t even need to be an expert baker to be able to use this machine. Even a complete novice would be able to create excellent baked goods with this Panasonic unit. Simply follow the instructions for measuring ingredients, select the cycle, and the bread maker will do its magic. There are buttons that you can push to make selections quickly. The display is also well-lit and well-placed; it is unlikely you will be confused.

The RD250 isn’t fool-proof. It has its drawbacks as well, like:

  • It doesn’t have a gluten-free setting, which is a bit disappointing given that gluten-free is a growing food trend to the point that other bread makers have incorporated a setting for this type of food.
  • Like its cousin the YD250, it doesn’t have a viewing window.
  • It can only bake wheat bread with maximum 30 percent wheat flour. Curiously, its competitors can make 100 percent whole wheat, aside from gluten free bread.

Panasonic SD-BMT1000-T Review: Who is this bread maker suitable for?

Panasonic SD-BMT1000-T

The SD-BMT100T can make a tall, one pound loaf of bread. It is thus good enough for singles and small families who love bread and other baked goodies. It’s also good enough for budding bakers who want their family members or friends to enjoy a sample of their creations.

Panasonic SD-BMT1000-T Pros and Cons

Panasonic SD-BMT1000-T Pros and Cons

What makes the BMT1000-T a hit among those who own or have actually used it? Here are some of its strengths:

  • Timer delay function. If you’re a busy person and you prefer that the bread is made later in the day or even the next morning, you can set its timer delay to 13 hours in advance.  You can also wait an hour or so at the earliest because this bread maker can bake a loaf in as short as 60 minutes.
  • It’s very versatile, as you can turn to it in making bread, pizza dough, dinner roll, pan do mi and baguette. You can even produce mocha and udon noodles with this highly versatile kitchen appliance.
  • There are 34—yes, 34!—settings to choose from. You can choose the chewiness of your food, from glutinous to fluffy. Try the marble bread setting that distributes swirls of color throughout the baked good for a marbling effect.
  • It is very stylish, as its exterior comes in purple and brown combination. This unit will really stand out anywhere you put it.

However, there are many things, too, that may irritate you about this bread machine such as:

  • The machine is exported from Japan, so the instructional manual and even the LCD’s language is in Japanese. This makes the machine difficult to operate, especially if you’re a newbie baker.

Other clever users or owners have tried to remedy this problem by using Google Translate to translate the user manual to English. However, they say that the manual is too big for Google Translate to process.

If you go to YouTube to get info on how to operate this machine, you will also be left frustrated as almost all videos are in Japanese, too.

Thus, you may be forced to find someone who can understand the language. If not, you can do a trial and error then label the buttons after you figure out what they mean/stand for.

However, you can also go to Panasonic’s HK website.  In the search box, enter the unit’s model number and you’ll find the operating instructions under ‘support.’  The file is in PDF version and more importantly, in English.

  • It doesn’t make a horizontal bread.
  • There’s no viewing window
  • It’s pretty expensive for a Panasonic bread machine.

Warranty Information You Need to Know

Panasonic bread makers usually have a one year warranty on parts and labors. Panasonic will either repair your product with new or refurbished parts; or replace it with a new unit, or refund your purchase price once it determines that the product doesn’t work due to a defect in materials or workmanship.

Where to Buy Panasonic Bread Maker in the USA?

There should be no problem finding a Panasonic bread machine if you are in the United States. Most of the top retail and appliance stores have Panasonic bread machines on its shelves. These include Walmart and Macys.

Where to buy

If you can’t find a store near you that sells these Panasonic bread makers, then you can go online and visit online stores most notably Amazon.com. You can even read users reviews on the Panasonic bread makers that you are interested in.

Where to Buy Panasonic Bread Maker in Canada, Singapore or Malaysia?

Panasonic bread makers are also available in most department stores and appliance centers in Canada, Singapore, and Malaysia.  In Malaysia, you can look for Panasonic stores where these items are surely sold. Many appliance centers in Singapore are also accredited Panasonic distributors.

But if you can’t find a Panasonic bread machine in any brick-and-mortar store, there are many online stores catering to buyers in these countries.  The best would be Amazon.com.

The Bottom Line

Panasonic is a very respected brand, and its range of bread makers should tell you how good it is in producing high quality but reasonably priced appliances. The price is comparable to Cuisinart bread maker.

The three bread machines here may have their shortcomings – most notably the lack of a viewing window – yet no one can argue that these particular products are highly recommended for those who want to prepare bread recipes for themselves and their loved ones.