I suspect the dough wasn't as well hydrated as it probably should have been. You need to check the hydration while it's kneading and add enough liquid for a nice soft ball of dough. When the dough is stiff, it won't spread as well in the pan during the rise.

You can also check the dough ball when the kneading is completed and rearrange the dough in the pan to make sure it's evenly placed.

-Grainlady

I'm curious about this problem too because I've thought that I noticed in pictures of 2 lb loaves that the dough seems to bunch to one side. Maybe it's not a large enough recipe to distribute evenly? I'm interested because I'm going to buy a bread machine and wondering if there's a solution besides taking out the dough and redistributing before the bake cycle starts which seems like a PITA to me. It makes me think I'd be better off with a smaller loaf machine?

I don't think this is an uncommon problem. I wish I could remember where I saw the pictures...ugh...

You could use the opportunity to remove the blades as well as redistribute the dough, killing two birds with one stone.

As I remember, before I purchased my Panasonic, that seemed to be a common complain with the two-lb Zo.

dcarch

dcarch, do you like your panasonic. I see it's only

Posted by arkansas_girl "dcarch, do you like your panasonic. I see it's only First, it makes a vertical loaf, which is not a problem for me. The shape makes a good sandwich just the same.

I will tell you why I picked the Panasonic 250:

1. Based on all the reviews, positive reviews and negative reviews are about the same proportion as the Zo.

2. The kind of problems Panasonic has, based on the negative reviews are problems which I can deal with.

2. Panasonic has a smaller footprint. It takes less counter space.

3. It makes 3 loaf sizes, up to 2 1/2 lb loafs. I have been making much smaller loafs than the small size, still come out OK.

4. I like the timed yeast dispenser. You can load your ingredients any way you want to, not in any particular sequence.

5. I even used it to make rice.

dcarch

Thank you!! You know, I miss the simplicity of the OLD DAYS when all you did was go buy something at the store. These reviews just make me crazy! Even the ZO gets some horrible reviews and myself I find will focus on the bad...UGH! It's so frustrating trying to figure out which to buy. I like the idea of being able to make a small loaf and a large loaf with one machine!

arkansas_girl -

I like the Zo because I can make 100% whole wheat bread dough in it using freshly-milled flour. Not all bread machines are capable of doing that. The Zo is a real workhorse, especially for those of us who make all our breads.

I make a recipe that yields about 2-pounds 4-ounces and I make that amount into two or three loaves and bake them in my Sharp Convection/Microwave Oven (25-minutes for 2 loaves and no preheating). The only time I baked in my Zo was to check how much energy it used with a Watt-A-Meter. It's cheaper to use the bread machine for making dough and to bake in my Sharp.

I can take that same amount of dough and bake one 1-pound Pullman Loaf (a crustless sandwich bread) plus one of the following - 8-inch square pan of dinner rolls (9 rolls), 6 Jumbo Cinnamon or Sticky Pecan Rolls, 6 hamburger buns, or 6 hot dog buns. Lots more versatility when you bake outside the bread machine.

Two pound loaves are just way too large to control the serving size of a slice of bread. A serving is 1-ounce. If you slice a large loaf thin enough to equal a 1-ounce slice, it falls apart. Give me a smaller loaf any day!

-Grainlady

Thanks grainlady!

donnar57, I found a blog about the zo bread machine that said the loaf will be lopsided if the dough is too dry just as grainlady mentioned. I'm giving the link below, I found it interested reading!

Here is a link that might be useful: zojirushi bread information blog

Great info! I just finally got to make my first loaf in my Zo and it was lopsided also. The taste and texture were perfect, it was just the shape that was off. Of course I kind of ad libbed a recipe from the Zo manual so I expected there might be an issue. Over all I'm very happy with the results and will add more water next time.

The last loaf was one I tried to make using the timer feature. If I'm going to have to check hydration, I guess I won't be able to use the timer feature very much.

Is 4-1/4 cups of flour the standard for a 2 lb loaf? My old machine always called for 3 cups of flour (1-1/2 lb loaf). It seems like an awfully heavy loaf, and wonder if I should try 4 cups instead of more liquid.

Donna

I've got both a Zojirushi and a Panasonic. I actually got the Panasonic because of Dcarch's good reports. My ONLY dissatisfaction with the Zojirushi is that the tops of the bread loaves bake much lighter than the sides. Since Dcarch seemed so satisfied with the Panasonic, I got it for my summer baking. I bake all our breads, rolls, buns, etc., because of my husband's salt restrictions, but our Sacramento summers can get unbearably hot. I hoped to be able to use a bread machine during those horrid months. Thus, the Panasonic.

I've discovered some differences between the two machines. I really like the Zo's kneading ability. It's strong and can tackle 100% whole grain dough without any problem. I have easily kneaded up to 6 cup of whole wheat flour using the dough function.

I also really like the fact that it's programmable. Especially the ability to turn off the pre-heat cycle and go straight into kneading. That means that I can start a bread dough, let it mix for a few minutes, and then turn it off to autolyse or just rest overnight as a starter, biga, or poolish. Then when I'm ready to do more dough work, I can start the machine up again, bypass the pre-heat cycle and get to kneading. You can't skip cycles in the Panasonic.

I also like the Zo's timing better. The Panasonic has sensors that determine when the dough is ready for each step. For example, the basic bake kneading function can take anywhere from 15 - 30 minutes and its rise function can take from 1 hr. 50 mins. to 2 hrs. 20 mins. Since I always make adjustments during kneading, I find myself checking the dough's progress every 15 minutes. That gets pretty frustrating.

The Zo has a more straightforward schedule. For basic, kneading is 13 - 18 minutes; first rise is 45 minutes; stir down & 2nd rise from 20 - 25 minutes; stir down & 3rd rise from 40 - 45 minutes, followed by bake. It's even simpler when doing just the dough setting (which is what I use most often). I just set my kitchen timer so I can check the dough's consistency while it's kneading.

As I said before, my only complaint about the Zo has to do with the tops of loaves actually baked in the machine. They turn out lighter than the side & bottom crust. The Panasonic is better at achieving over all consistent color. As Dcarch mentioned, it makes vertical loaves. After using the recipes for a large loaf twice, I changed to using just the smallest loaf size available. Much easier to cut slices from the small loaf. I only used recipes from the Panasonic manual and found they worked well with just minor adjustments during kneading. I was afraid to experiment too much. The French bread recipe turns out a really nice loaf, just like grocery store French breads.

Because I make sandwich rolls for freezing a lot, I found myself returning to the Zo last summer. It's great kneading ability plus its much simpler to follow timing made it easier for me to work with.

I've never used the delay timer on either machine. I also prefer to use recipes other than those provided by the bread maker's manufacturers. Because of my husband's salt restriction, I always halve the amount of yeast & salt in every recipe I use. That adjustment really affects the way dough behaves, enough so that I don't want to trust any machine. That's why I check the dough during kneading and also during the rise. The Zo makes it easy, all I do is turn on an overhead light (sometimes grab a flashlight too) and peer into the window (the Panasonice doen't have a window). If the dough is rising too fast (because of the lessened salt), I can take it out to finish rising in a bucket.

Another thing I really like about using bread machines, is that you can do a marathon using the dough only function. It's not unusual for me to tackle 2 - 3 different doughs in one day. Plopping them out after kneading only and letting them rise in dough buckets. I can bake one recipe that day and then get to the other doughs the next day. That means I'll never run out of low sodium sandwich buns, bagels, etc.

I think the bottom line is that each bread machine brand has it positives and negatives. There's always a learning curve and you need to experiment to see what you can do to improve your final product. I agree with the others that the lopsided loaf is probably the result of too little liquid in the dough. I've found it handy to dedicate a spray bottle filled with water just to bread making. I use it to spray dry doughs during the kneading cycle and also to spray loaves & the oven during baking in my oven. I also give my dough a quick smear of oil & mist of water just before the Zo goes into its rise function. That keeps the rising dough ball from drying out on top.

Great report/review shambo.

To me the first important criterion in selecting anything is to read negative user reviews and check out if the machine is reliable. It makes no difference how good the features are if the machine breaks.

Regarding uneven baking with the Zo. Can you do me a favor by trying the following experiment, since I don't have a Zo?

The baking for the bread is partly done by radiant heat, by having the window, the Zo is losing a lot of radiant heat near the top. I wonder if you can improve the situation by using a shinny aluminum foil to block out the window from the inside. Do not cover the pan with the foil; you will get the opposite result.

dcarch

Dcarch, great minds think alike! (Not that mine is great!) I already tried that experiment and didn't notice an appreciable difference. It's a known complaint, and the service reps at Zojirushi don't have any really helpful hints.

It's not a horrid problem, just annoying. I did get around it by brushing the risen dough with an egg wash and sprinkling some sesame seeds on top before it started the bake cycle. With the seeds covering the top, I couldn't fixate on a slightly light top crust.

I will definitely use the Panasonic for some summer bread baking. And my Zo will get its workout during the more temperate months. I do not regret buying either machine, but, as you probably could surmise, the Zo is my favorite. It's much easier for me to fiddle with both the kneading & rising dough. And it's perfect for all the sandwich buns, dinner rolls, bagels, and "artisan" style breads I like to bake.

I enjoy trying out new recipes and lessening the salt (and yeast) always creates the possibility of "exploding" dough. That's why I appreciate the ability to easily check both the knead & rise cycles on the Zojirushi. That's also why I would never use the delay timer. Too many variables to consider. But that's just my particular situation, certainly not a concern for many others.

Sue

shambo, this may sound stupid. I actually enjoy watching the machine kneading the dough. Often I open the cover and stare at the dough being pushed around.

The Panasonic does struggle a little with whole wheat dough. I just add a little more water to the recipe. I am actually going to get another paddle and cut it down a little for kneading whole wheat.

dcarch

Dcarch, I don't stare, but I pinch! During the kneading process, I'll open the top and pinch away. I like the feel of dough and, of course, I want to be sure it's the right consistency.