Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker, White review and best price

Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker, White description

2-pound programmable bread maker--perfect for large families. View larger

12 baking functions, including 58-minute
ExpressBake cycles. View larger

2-pound capacity for making family-sized loaves

Large viewing window to monitor the baking process

Easy-to-read LCD digital display

Sunbeam 2-Pound Programmable Bread Maker

Create bakery-style artisan bread right at home--in less than an hour--with this programmable bread maker from Sunbeam. Whether it's cinnamon-raisin bread in the morning, whole-wheat sandwich bread in the afternoon, or buttery dinner rolls to serve with dinner, the countertop appliance makes it easy.

User-Friendly Design with Large LCD Display

For a basic bread recipe, simply add measured ingredients (liquid, then dry) to the baking pan, snap the baking pan into the bread maker, and close the lid. Then make the desired selections from the user-friendly push-button control panel, and it takes care of the rest--baking up a 1-1/2-pound or 2-pound rectangular-shaped loaf to delicious perfection.

The control panel's large LCD display indicates the chosen settings and shows each stage of the bread-making process. Plus, the machine's large glass viewing window makes it possible to sneak a peek without lifting the lid.

12 Settings Offer Exceptional Versatility

Heading to a potluck and needing homemade bread in a hurry? Choose the Express Bake setting for a delicious, sliceable loaf in less than an hour. The versatile bread maker offers 12 settings all together for baking a variety of breads, as well as for making dough, jam, and cake. In addition to the 12 settings, the bread maker also provides three different crust selections (light, medium, and dark).

13-Hour Programmable Delay Bake for Any-Time Baking

Best of all, the machine's 13-hour programmable timer allows for delaying the bake time, which means you can set it so you'll wake up to the aroma of freshly baked bread in the morning or come home to a warm loaf of bread at the end of a long day.

Additional Highlights

A user manual with step-by-step instructions and yummy recipes comes included. Recipes range from homestyle white and whole wheat to banana-pecan and chocolate walnut-zucchini bread.

Also included is a kneading blade and nonstick removable bread pan for easy cleaning and effortless food release. Avoid the use of metal utensils with the removable baking pan, which should be washed by hand in order to protect its nonstick surface.

With its compact, contemporary design that takes up minimal space on the countertop, the bread maker measures approximately 14 by 19 by 13-1/2 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

What's in the Box

Programmable bread maker, removable nonstick baking pan, kneading blade, user manual with recipes, one-year limited warranty

User reviews for Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker, White -

Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker, White features

• 600-watt programmable breadmaker makes 1-1/2- or 2-pound loaves of bread
• 12 cooking functions; 3 shade selections; 13-hour delay bake; LED display; touch-control panel
• Metal utensils should not be used with removable nonstick baking pan
• Wash by hand only; instructions with recipes included
• Measures approximately 14 by 19 by 13-1/2 inches; 1-year limited warranty

Sunbeam 5891 2-Pound Programmable Breadmaker, White best price

Should You Buy A Sunbeam Bread Machine?

The Sunbeam 5891 is a cheap bread machine which looks nice and comes with enough cycles to keep all but the most serious bread makers happy. It's easy to use and can produce nice loaves of bread; however, it does have some problems. Whether you want to buy one will depend on how big a deal you think they are.

The overall look of the Sunbeam bread maker is pleasing and it comes with enough features and at a price tag that makes buying it an attractive proposition for many. First off, its footprint is actually smaller than other, more expensive models, like the Breadman bread machine. It measures; 14.5" from front to back, 10" in width, and stands just less than 12" in height. The window is of a generous size and the control panel and buttons are large.

The Sunbeam 5891 bread maker comes with the cycles you would expect. There are 12 in all; basic, French, whole wheat, sweet, ExpressBake (), quick bread, dough only, cake, sandwich, jam, glazes and butters and spreads - which is enough to satisfy most. You can also set the crust color to light, medium or dark. It can also bake either a 1.5 or 2lb loaf; strangely, there's no 1lb option that is available in most other brands. The ExpressBake, as expected, bakes a 2lb loaf in 58 minutes from start to finish.

There have been reports that bread sometimes fails to rise or that it sinks (usually because there is too much water) but if you follow the recipes given in the instruction manual there should be no problem. You can also check on the consistency of the dough during the mixing part of the cycle; if it's too wet, you can open the machine and add more flour and if it's too dry then you can add a little water.

There are problems with the Sunbeam bread machine. The first is the manual that comes with the appliance. The Sunbeam breadmaker may be cheap but that's no excuse for the quality of the instructions provided. At best, they are rambling; at worst, downright confusing. An example is when the manual says it's perfectly okay to put the pan in the dishwasher, only to contradict this advice later on.

Also, there are not many recipes provided. And, unbelievably, there is a recipe for masa (corn tortilla dough), but only in the Spanish language portion of the manual; obviously people who speak English don't eat tortilla!

The manual really needs to be re-written; there's nothing more guaranteed to upset customers than poor instructions.

The control panel also needs a little redesign. The LCD is not backlit and reading it can be difficult despite the promise: "Easy to read LCD display" that is printed on the box.

Also, this is a cheap bread maker so don't expect the kneading paddle to be able to cope with a 2lb loaf using a heavy mix - as you might have when baking a fruit cake; it just isn't up to the task. It works perfectly well when mixing regular bread though.

But enough criticism. The Sunbeam bread machine is an appliance that has all the basic bake cycles and features you would want and comes at a very attractive price. It's perfectly adequate for most, but if you do take your bread making seriously, then you would want to look at other models.