Looking at Bread Machines

[rickismom]

I'm wanting to get a bread machine...I think. I've never been very talented at baking bread which is why I'm looking. Is it worth it? If so, what kind works the best? What features should I be looking for?

[joec]

I've looked at two of them one by Wolfgang Puck which also makes jams besides breads. Emerilware also has one but both does require you buy his premade fixes if I understood it correctly. The Wolfgang Puck seems to have a bit more control though I'm not reals sure. I was thinking about getting one for Christmas for one of my son's family but haven't really done much research as of yet.

Wolfgang's is here

http://kitchen-dining.hsn.com/wolfgang-puck-programmable-dual-blade-bread-maker_p-4479959_xp.aspx?webm_id=0&web_id=4479959&sf=qc&dept=qc0010&cat=qc0076&attr=181&ocm=qc|qc0010|qc0076|181&prev=hp!sf!dept!181&ccm=qc|qc0010|qc0076|181

Emeril's is here
http://kitchen-dining.hsn.com/emerilware-3lb-automatic-bread-maker-with-baguette-trays_p-4537088_xp.aspx?rdr=1&sourceid=googlebrand&cm_mmc=Paid%20Search%20Brand-_-Google-_-Cooking-_-emerilware%20bread%20makers&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=emerilware%20bread%20makers&utm_campaign=Cooking

Amazon as well as others sell them also but like I said these are the only two I've even paid attention to as of yet.

[ChowderMan]

>>worth it?

imho, no.

use the money for the big KA mixer with dough hook.
with that you can make bread . . .

[Sherman]

Here's a pic of mine - the Zojirushi BBCCX20.

It's very good and has tons of features. If it's out of your reach, then, like Chowderman says, get a K'Aid Stand Mixer. All of them come with a dough hook.:clap:

[chowhound]

This is the one I have.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FZZ0VE/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00009KF1B&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=158NDAGKQMP0ASZPW3QJ

IMO it's worth it, as it will knead the dough, let it rise, punch it down, let it rise again and then bake it. All at the press of a button. Pretty convenient.
I know some internet bakers, in fact I think one is Mama, who have bread machines if only to do everything but bake the bread. They will take the dough out before the second rise and put it in their own baking vessel. Then use their oven.

Sherman's is definitely top of the line and gives you a more normal looking loaf, but I've worked around the odd shape that mine produces and have no problem making sandwiches with the loaves if I choose.

[homecook]

knead the dough, let it rise, punch it down, let it rise again and then bake it.

I do that by hand. LOL

[chowhound]

knead the dough, let it rise, punch it down, let it rise again and then bake it.

I do that by hand. LOL

I do that while I'm doing something else :mrgreen:

[joec]

That was the only reason I was considering one for a gift for this son's family. They could set it and have fresh bread with their dinner. They are all so busy during the day and just don't always have time too cook in a big way.

[Sherman]

This is the one I have.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FZZ0VE/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00009KF1B&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=158NDAGKQMP0ASZPW3QJ

IMO it's worth it, as it will knead the dough, let it rise, punch it down, let it rise again and then bake it. All at the press of a button. Pretty convenient.
I know some internet bakers, in fact I think one is Mama, who have bread machines if only to do everything but bake the bread. They will take the dough out before the second rise and put it in their own baking vessel. Then use their oven.

Sherman's is definitely top of the line and gives you a more normal looking loaf, but I've worked around the odd shape that mine produces and have no problem making sandwiches with the loaves if I choose.



Thank you, Chowhound.

I'm going to use it again soon.

The last time that I used it, I had a disaster! The machine worked fine, but the dough just wouldn't rise!! The whole wheat flour and the yeast, I think, were the culprits. They were too old.

When you bake bread, you MUST have fresh ingredients, or else all that work will end up being a flop, and instead of having a light fluffy loaf of bread, you've got a heavy mass of dough that wasn't even worth the time making and just sinks like a rock! :bonk:

[homecook]

I do that while I'm doing something else :mrgreen:

:yum::yum::yum: Well I did say by hand..........

[Sherman]

That was the only reason I was considering one for a gift for this son's family. They could set it and have fresh bread with their dinner. They are all so busy during the day and just don't always have time too cook in a big way.



Yeah, you can program them ahead like you would with your coffee maker.

I've never used that feature on mine yet. :chef:

[joec]

I personally don't eat enough bread to make it worth my while. If I could by bread in half loafs it would be a good deal for me as I wouldn't have to throw out so much of it.

[Sherman]

That was also the case with me. But now, since I'm a Type 2 diabetic, I have to have some starch to keep the blood sugar at normal levels because my pancreas is not producing enough.

So the bread doesn't get throuwn out any more, just the heels (end slices).

But bread, in and of itself, IS very expensive, especially whole wheat bread - costing upwards of almost $3.00!!

[rickismom]

This is the one I have.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FZZ0VE/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00009KF1B&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=158NDAGKQMP0ASZPW3QJ

IMO it's worth it, as it will knead the dough, let it rise, punch it down, let it rise again and then bake it. All at the press of a button. Pretty convenient.
I know some internet bakers, in fact I think one is Mama, who have bread machines if only to do everything but bake the bread. They will take the dough out before the second rise and put it in their own baking vessel. Then use their oven.

Sherman's is definitely top of the line and gives you a more normal looking loaf, but I've worked around the odd shape that mine produces and have no problem making sandwiches with the loaves if I choose.

Thanks chow, that's what I'm looking for....EASY! I always seem to kill the bread when I knead it myself. I think men have more experience with that, lol :ohmy:

[rickismom]

I personally don't eat enough bread to make it worth my while. If I could by bread in half loafs it would be a good deal for me as I wouldn't have to throw out so much of it.

Or make lots of french toast! :flowers:

[chowhound]

Geez, first Sherman calls me COWhound, now RM is insinuating that men use their han.... well, ok, I'll give you that one RM ;^)

I'll bet I haven't baked a loaf in at least six months and that one I made the other night came out just fine. I keep my yeast and dried milk (that I get from KA) in a sealable container in the fridge. I was making my own loaves exclusively, but ran into a problem with it getting moldy on me too quick, so I stopped. I'm not sure why that started happening all of a sudden.
I go through a lot of bread because I love garlic bread and like my own loaves because I can slice it extra thick for Texas toast. And for egg in a frame, too. The past several months I've simply been buying the occassional loaf from the store and a loaf of french bread every week. The other night though, the machine sure came in handy when I was out of both.
And don't they still sell half loaves in the store? I don't think I've seen those in a while, but they used to. They might have stopped when they had those big price increases a year ago or so.

I don't use the timer on mine. Well, I did once and the loaf came out fine, but I like to make sure the flour is all collected in the doughball. Sometimes it will stick to the side and need a push with a spatula. And then you can also see if you need a touch more flour or water and add it while it is kneading.

[Sherman]

Sorry for the confusion. Forgot the H in your name.

It's too late to try to change it, as the edit option on that post is gone.

[SilverSage]

I had one for about 10 years and LOVED it. I think it was a Westinghouse, and it made a regular looking long loaf. It finally died about a year ago, and I keep thinking I'll replace it. I saw a Cuisinart on sale $79 at Costco last week, and almost bought it.

Maybe I'll get it for Christmas.

[Sherman]

There WAS on sometime back in the '90s that made regular loaf bread. The machine brand back then was West Bend. I wanted that one so bad, but never bought it.

It had a low-profile slanted control panel and a large oven lid.

[Fisher's Mom]

Here's my 2 cents, RM. Go to Goodwill or Salvation Army or any church thrift shop. You will likely find many, many bread machines, most of which have never been used even once. They are usually $5 to $10.

I have 3 of them - 2 here and 1 at the coast. Plus I have purchased 5 or 6 of them for my kids and friends - none of them "new". Westbend, Breadman, Panasonic and a couple of other brands. I have to say, I don't see much difference in the different brands because I only use them to make my dough - not for baking. (I haven't had consistent results with baking in them but Chow has, so I know it can be done.)

Anyway, I would sooner part with my microwave than my bread machines. They are the reason I have yummy breads almost every day of the week. Not only do they knead the dough very well (it hurts my hands and wrists to do it myself), but the heating element lets the dough rise very nicely.

I would say to go thrift shopping and find one you like. (They come in all sizes and shapes.) Then have a great time playing with it and feel like a bargain hunting queen!

When you get one, look for a book called Electric Bread. It's a wonderful primer for using a bread machine and the recipes are spectacular.

[SilverSage]

There WAS on sometime back in the '90s that made regular loaf bread. The machine brand back then was West Bend. I wanted that one so bad, but never bought it.

It had a low-profile slanted control panel and a large oven lid.


That was probably it - Westinghouse - West Bend - Westward Ho!

[Sherman]

Could be.

[buzzard767]

Sorry for the confusion. Forgot the H in your name.

It's too late to try to change it, as the edit option on that post is gone.

Stealthily FIXED

[Fisher's Mom]

LOL! I love the way you move, Buzz!

[Sherman]

Yeah, thanks Buzz. You move FAST!

[chowhound]

Geez, I got a good laugh from it.
And I was getting ready to call Sherman, Sheman... lolololol

[Sherman]

Sherm is ok.

[rickismom]

Thanks everyone! I found a nice one on craigslist for $20 that I'm going to go look at :)

[Sherman]

Grab it because it might not be there later, and you'll be regretting that you didn't!

[Fisher's Mom]

You go, girl! I think you will really enjoy it.

[Sherman]

All this talk about bread machines makes me want to get in the kitchen this weekend and make some whole wheat bread!

[joec]

I guess I'm the only one that finds whole wheat breads taste like card board, same with the whole wheat crackers too.

[chowhound]

I'm not sure if whole wheat is the same as plain old wheat bread, but one of my favorite sandwiches is meatloaf on wheat bread with mustard. As far as my bread machine goes though, even though it will make jam and has beepers for when to add nuts, I've only used it for plain old white bread. I should try wheat sometime.

Hey RM, can you look up the one you are interested in on Amazon for reviews? A lot of people are turned off by their bread machines, too. You at least want to get one that people seem to like.

[Sherman]

Whole wheat bread, as you already know, is more healthful and nutrisious for you. It's far better than white bread. It provides fiber, a god source of roughage for your digestive system.

I prefer Whole wheat bread over white bread anytime.

[joec]

Whole wheat bread, as you already know, is more healthful and nutrisious for you. It's far better than white bread. It provides fiber, a god source of roughage for your digestive system.

I prefer Whole wheat bread over white bread anytime.

Yes that may be but it still tastes like cardboard to me. That is also why I eat other foods that give one fiber such as vegetables and other whole grains. :lol:

[Sherman]

Nah.

I think it tastes more flavorful than white bread. One of the reasons why I like it so much!

[chowhound]

What I was wondering is, is "whole wheat" the same as what some folks simply refer to as "wheat"? You know, is wheat a mixture of grains and whole wheat isn't?

[Sherman]

I think whole wheat is ALL of the grain, while wheat is just part of it. This CAN be confusing.

[JoeV]

Unfortunately the words Whole Wheat Bread and 100% Whole Wheat Bread are too often used interchangeably, when they are actually two different recipes (formulas). Whole Wheat Bread (http://flyfishohio.us/Butter%20Top%20Honey%20Whole%20Wheat.htm) has 25-33% whole wheat flour, and the balance is white bread flour. This is typical in both home baked loaves as well as those purchased in stored and bakeries. 100% Whole Wheat Bread (http://flyfishohio.us/All%20Whole%20Wheat%20Bread.htm) is made using only stone ground whole wheat flour, with no white flour at all. Both recipes are highlighted here and are TNT recipes that I use for my own baking. Both have excellent flavor and soft crumb, but the 100% is heavier because of using all whole wheat flour.

Back to the original question about machines, I'm with FM on going the used route. I frequent thrift shops all the time, and I have seen as many as 10 machines in one shop...low end to high end and everything in between. Prices run from $10 to $20 because there are so many of them. If you are making the occasional loaf of bread or have problems kneading dough, a machine is great for those things. I bake several loaves at a time, so my KitchenAid mixer is invaluable to me, and it gives me flexibility to experiment with different formulas, something machines are not fond of. If you stick to the machines formulas you are prtty much guaranteed to have good results. The biggest drawback, IMO, is digging the paddle out of the bottom of the loaf.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do, and I'm sure there are a few machine fans here that can share their recipes so you can have some variety. Just remember that you cannot use long delayed bake cycles when using milk or eggs (enriched breads) without running the risk of spoilage. Enriched bread should be made as soon as the ingredients are put in the machine.

[chowhound]

Thanks for clearing up the whole wheat thing, Joe.

My machine's paddle always stays with the pan(?), whatever it's called. I need to put water in it to loosen it up, but the directions say for no longer than twenty minutes I think. Must have something to do with the seal. It loosens up after about ten seconds to remove and wipe off.

[Sherman]

Now I remember!

When I make whole wheat bread, the recipe DOES call for a large portion of white flour.

[PieSusan]

I have one that I got as a gift. I thought that I really wanted it. Now, I think it is a useless device that makes strange looking breads. I prefer to use my kitchenaid and the oven (and to knead a bit by hand)

[JoeV]

One thing I noticed that was not mentioned was No-Knead Bread (http://flyfishohio.us/NoKneadBread.htm) as an alternative to machines or mixer made breads. I remembered this because I will be making two loaves for a fundraiser I will be attending Saturday evening. This, IMO, is the best bread for daily use, and almost anyone can make it.

[Sherman]

I think I've read recipes like that in the past, but never tried them yet.

[buckytom]

i have one of the original breadman breadmakers that's still going strong. probably because it's only been used a few dozen times. but i still like the loaves that it makes.

my favourite bread to make is whole wheat, banana, honey, and flax seeds.

i buy the bob's red mill whole wheat bread mix http://www.bobsredmill.com/ , add 3 overripe bananas, a coupla tbsps of honey, and a cup of flax seed.
it comes out dense, sweet, and a little crunchy.

[rickismom]

Thanks everyone! I found a nice one on craigslist for $20 that I'm going to go look at :)

Crap! I missed out...it's sold!

[Sherman]

Crap! I missed out...it's sold!



OMG!

And that was such a good bargain too!! Well, hopefully, another one will come along that's dirt-cheap. :ohmy:

[bigjim]

Here's my 2 cents, RM. Go to Goodwill or Salvation Army or any church thrift shop. You will likely find many, many bread machines, most of which have never been used even once. They are usually $5 to $10.

I have 3 of them - 2 here and 1 at the coast. Plus I have purchased 5 or 6 of them for my kids and friends - none of them "new". Westbend, Breadman, Panasonic and a couple of other brands. I have to say, I don't see much difference in the different brands because I only use them to make my dough - not for baking. (I haven't had consistent results with baking in them but Chow has, so I know it can be done.)

Anyway, I would sooner part with my microwave than my bread machines. They are the reason I have yummy breads almost every day of the week. Not only do they knead the dough very well (it hurts my hands and wrists to do it myself), but the heating element lets the dough rise very nicely.

I would say to go thrift shopping and find one you like. (They come in all sizes and shapes.) Then have a great time playing with it and feel like a bargain hunting queen!

When you get one, look for a book called Electric Bread. It's a wonderful primer for using a bread machine and the recipes are spectacular.
I agree. At a thrit shop a new, or once used bread machine will cost you less than 10 bucks. The featrures you need depend on your intended use. In my case, I have not used the bake cycle for years. I generally fill the machine at night, roll out the dough in the AM. Takes about a half hour to bake. FYI" A lot of these machines lack manuals. Many of these are available on the internet. Yahoo has a bread machine forum with many manuals available for free download. Breed machine bread costs less than 50 cents and less than 5 minutes of your time.

[Fisher's Mom]

Thanks for the tip about making the dough at night and then baking in the morning, bigjim. That is such a great idea.

[rickismom]

Thanks to everyone and their input, I got my Welbilt Bread Machine at St Vinnie's for a whopping $7.65 including tax, lol. And it works beautifully! I'm so excited!! :biggrin:

Now my question is, can ANY bread recipe be used in a machine or does it have to be a special recipe?

[ChowderMan]

>> can ANY bread recipe be used in a machine

generalization: no

you may have heard that cooking is an art form, baking is a science. baking requires the right proportions of "stuff" to produce the specified results.

the first issue is simply the volume of the recipe. you can't put a six loaf recipe in a bread machine.

since you may have to reduce the volume, you can't just cut everything by 1/x - might / not not work, depends on the "drasticity" of the change.

[Fisher's Mom]

Thanks to everyone and their input, I got my Welbilt Bread Machine at St Vinnie's for a whopping $7.65 including tax, lol. And it works beautifully! I'm so excited!! :biggrin:

Now my question is, can ANY bread recipe be used in a machine or does it have to be a special recipe?Congrats, RM! That was a really great buy!

As far as the recipes, the answer is yes and no. First, most machines will only accommodate about 4 cups of flour. This varies a little from machine to machine. Be sure and download a manual for your machine if it didn't have one with it. If your recipe calls for more, you probably can't use it. Second, a lot depends upon whether or not you plan to bake your bread in it or in the oven.

I never bake mine in the machine - only in the oven. There is a lot more flexibility that way. For example, if your water isn't quite warm enough or your yeast isn't real active, it will take longer for your dough to rise. If you bake in the oven, you can just wait a little longer til the dough has doubled. Also, I think the crust is nicer baked in the oven. All you do it set the machine to dough and let it go. When the dough cycle is done, it will have finished it's first rise (if it's a yeast bread). Then take it out, punch it down, and put it in whatever pan you will be baking in and then let it rise again before baking.

You can also make quick bread doughs in your machine - we have scones a lot! yum

[bigjim]

With the money you saved on the machine, I would suggest that you spend a little on a bread machine cookbook. As stated above, manuals are available on the internet, and contain a few recipes.
For starters, here is my basic white bread recipe.

Yeast - 1 tsp
Sugar - 2 tbs
Salt - 1 tsp
Butter - About 3/8 inch off a cube
Flour - 2 1/3 cups (I use King Arthur, and not bread machine flour)
Powdered milk - 1 tbs
Water - 1 cup

On my machine, order of ingredients does not seem to matter.

You can substitute about 1/3 of rye or whole wheat flour. I add a slightly more regular when I do.

I do not bake in the machine, as mine does not produce a good crust. I start the machine in the late PM and form and bake in the AM. I use a thermometer to cook to 190 degrees.

[Fisher's Mom]

+1 on the King Arthur Flour, bigjim. It never fails to make a beautiful loaf of bread.

[chowhound]

KA rules. And they have specific bread machine flour.
I don't have my recipes handy at the moment, but if you are going to play around with it right away, the yeast goes on one side of your flour mound (I make a little crater for it) at the salt on the other. It seems they would mix soon enough, but everything I've read says to do it this way, so I do.

[Fisher's Mom]

I didn't know that, Chow! I always just put the salt in with the dry ingredients and only put yeast in the little well. I'll try it the other way today. Thanks!

[Wart]

KA All Purpose seems to work better for bread(s) than Gold Medals Better For Bread flour ... just saying ...

[Fisher's Mom]

KA All Purpose seems to work better for bread(s) than Gold Medals Better For Bread flour ... just saying ...I agree and I've used both, too. You can't go wrong with King Arthur.

[bigjim]

I don't know what the difference is in bread flour and regular, regular works just fine for me. A real saving in loaf price can be had by using Costco yeast, about 4 bucks for a 2 pound bag. Yeast will keep a long time in the freezer.

Kids also love bread machines, and they work well for a first cooking experience. You have 7 ingredients, no real danger of messing up if you help them with the measurements the first time. Once the dough is finished, I let them get creative in the shaping of the loaf, and then bake. The smile on an young girl's face when she puts her hot bread on the dinner table is worth the 8 bucks for the machine.

[Meme4251]

I totally agree w/you Bigjim on the "Smile on the Little Girls Face"....You hit that one on the mark!:agree:

[JoeV]

Discussing flour varieties is always fun. I won't go there, because everyone has their favorite brand, and you're not going to convince them otherwise. I will say that when making bread, that higher protein content flours make for a faster and higher raising loaf of bread. Protein levels of 10% and higher are the best for bread baking, and KA fits that criteria, as does my favorite, Sapphire from ConAgra.

bigjim, I would discourage the home baker from purchasing 2# of Instant Yeast, as that's enough yeast to make about 190+ loaves of bread. The 1# package is more than enough for the home baker. I suggest keeping about 4 oz in a sealed glass jar in the fridge, and the balance kept in a tightly sealed container in the freezer for up to 18 months. Refill the small jar as needed.

[Fisher's Mom]

Protein levels of 10% and higher are the best for bread baking, and KA fits that criteria, as does my favorite, Sapphire from ConAgra.This is true. But you will find that certain brands are available in certain areas and not in other areas. I've never seen Sapphire before here in San Antonio, but I'd sure like to try it having seen your results, Joe. King Arthur just seems to be available in a lot of areas.

[PieSusan]

Yes, FM. It is why Nick Malgieri always sends some back with him after he teaches in Ohio. I learned about Sapphire Flour from my Hungarian family and Hungarian church cookbooks. It is known to be wonderful when it comes to baking. It is my favorite flour.

Flour is very regional. When I am down South, I can find brands that I do not see here. That being said, one really can't go wrong with any of the King Arthur flours. I love them.

[PieSusan]

Oh and I almost forgot, RM. Lora Brody has many bread machine cookbooks (3 I believe) that gives different formulae for the different bread machines that are out there. They are pretty good, too. I have them all. However, she doesn't always bake the breads in the machine. You might be able to get them out of the library.

[PieSusan]

Here is the manual and recipe booklet that came with one of the models of your machine. If it is not the right model, just search the site to see if they have it.
http://kitchen.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg/welbilt/abm6900.html

[bigjim]

Discussing flour varieties is always fun. I won't go there, because everyone has their favorite brand, and you're not going to convince them otherwise. I will say that when making bread, that higher protein content flours make for a faster and higher raising loaf of bread. Protein levels of 10% and higher are the best for bread baking, and KA fits that criteria, as does my favorite, Sapphire from ConAgra.

bigjim, I would discourage the home baker from purchasing 2# of Instant Yeast, as that's enough yeast to make about 190+ loaves of bread. The 1# package is more than enough for the home baker. I suggest keeping about 4 oz in a sealed glass jar in the fridge, and the balance kept in a tightly sealed container in the freezer for up to 18 months. Refill the small jar as needed.
I keep it in the freezer and have never had a problem with it going bad, even after a couple of years or more. The Costco brand is, I believe, Red Star, and at around 4 bucks for the bag, represents a good deal. I don't think it is instant. May be. For me, it works.

[Wart]

GFS (Gordon Food Service) sells both SAF (1 pound) and Red Star (2 pounds).

It's been a year since I bought yeast so I don't remember the prices, Red Star was less than $5 and SAF was less than $3.

And I thought I was doing well when I found the little jars of Red Star for $3 or so. Those jars now come in handy for keeping the unfrozen yeast in the fridge.

[rickismom]

So does the brand of yeast matter as well? Is Red Star or Fleishmann's the best? Those are the only two brands I can find around here...

[JoeV]

So does the brand of yeast matter as well? Is Red Star or Fleishmann's the best? Those are the only two brands I can find around here...Yeast brand does not matter. Yeast type is a different story. I only use INSTANT yeast, which is put into my dry ingredients. I use SAF brand because it's $2.48 for 1#, and I buy it at the same place that Wart does. It has the highest concentration of live yeast spores of the 3 types (instant, active dry and fresh). Hardly anyone still uses fresh because it has such a short shelf life. I think home brewers may still use it. Active Dry Yeast must be activated with warm liquid and a bit of sugar. It's another unnecessary step in the bread making process, and it does nothing to affect the taste or texture of the bread, so to me it's time wasted. Many people still like to use Active Dry Yeast because that's what they were taught to bake with, which is why it's still popular. Even as times change and ingredients improve, some people still like to see the yeast froth up in a bowl, then throw it into their mix. As I said, it matters not the brand, but the type affects the process.

[Fisher's Mom]

I've used SAF, Red Star, and Fleishmann's and they all seem good to me, although I'm not nearly as accomplished as some of the other bakers here. It does matter which kind (not brand) of yeast you use if you are going to bake in the bread machine. You need to use Instant yeast (also called Fast Rise, Highly Active, Bread Machine) if you are going to bake your bread in the machine.

The biggest problem I ever have making bread is adjusting for high humidity. At the coast, it's way more humid so I have to decrease my liquids significantly.

[Fisher's Mom]

Joe explained it much better and yes, I only use Instant yeast, too, even though I don't bake in my machine. But I could use regular yeast since I bake in the oven. That is not an option if you bake in your bread machine.