Panasonic SD-2501WXC Automatic Breadmaker

The Panasonic SD-2501WXC Automatic Breadmaker with Nut & Raisin Dispenser & Gluten Free Program is probably the most popular breadmaker sold within the UK. There's a good reason for this - it's easy to use and bakes wonderful bread.

Why bother with a Bread Maker

I like bread. Whenever we move house one of the first things I do is look for a good bakers. There’s a very good artisan bakery about 5 miles from where I live. They make a superb focaccia (with goats cheese and red onions, or olives) and fantastic sourdough baguettes, but they’re very expensive so I tend to prefer baking my own bread.

Baking my own bread also means that I can make sure that only the best ingredients (with no funny chemicals or preservatives) are used. I like to know what I’m eating and using top quality ingredients (mainly flour, yeast, sugar and salt) really does make a big difference to the quality of the loaves that my family eats.

Shop bought sliced loaves may stay fresh for longer these days but that’s because they’re baked using the Chorleywood process which extends shelf life by using preservatives – not something I choose to eat.

Baking for myself also means that I can experiment more. Sourdough is always a good staple loaf because I like the taste and the chewiness but sometimes it’s good to have something different.

Which Breadmaker to buy

I bought the Panasonic sd2501wcx which was introduced in early 2011 to replace the very popular SD 257. The recommended retail price according to the Panasonic website is £139.99 but it is usually available for significantly less than this at Amazon where it is known as the Panasonic SD-2501WXC Automatic Breadmaker with Nut & Raisin Dispenser & Gluten Free Program – a pretty good description.

The breadmaker itself looks ok - nothing special, just a white plastic machine that sits on a work surface. The dimensions are 28cm wide, 37cm high and 33cm deep. I don’t think any of my visitors come into the kitchen and make noises of delight (like they do with my coffee machine) when they see it, but it doesn’t look out of place; it’s just a functional object. The beauty of the machine lies not in itself (although I think it’s well made as it feels pretty robust) but in what it produces – great bread.

It weighs 6.4 kg which is a bit heavy to keep moving about so mine tends to stay on the work surface, which is no bad thing as it gets used at least 3 times a week.

Despite the fantastic reviews that the Panasonc sd2501 gets I was a bit sceptical that it would produce the type of bread I wanted to eat. For a start I wanted the loaves to look like a proper loaf. Too many breadmakers have odd shaped baking tins that turn out tall thin loaves; to me they don’t look right, and they certainly don’t fit in toasters. I wanted a traditional looking tinned loaf, and that’s what the sd2501 bakes, at least on the medium setting. I have to say, though, that Panasonic could be more helpful with their description; they say that the bread size is XL, L OR M – not particularly helpful. You can in fact see from this picture that the different size loaves have the same base dimensions (the base size of the pan); it is the height of the loaf that changes. I find that this gives me sufficient flexibility to produce the shape of loaf that I’m looking for. I like the medium one best.

As a guide to what the sizes really mean. The XL uses 600g of flour,  the large 500g and the medium 400g.

The size of the loaf isn’t the only flexibility that the Panasonic 2501 gives you – the crust control lets you choose whether to have a light, medium or dark crust. I nearly  always go for the dark because I like my loaves to be crusty, but that’s just a matter of personal preference.

I find that it’s very easy to make bread using this machine. At its simplest, all you do is put a few ingredients into the bread pan (yeast, flour, sugar, salt, butter and water)  push a few buttons and go and do something else for four hours. Quicker if you use rapid bake.  When you hear a little pinging noise and smell nice aromas, the bread is ready. The medium size setting produces a loaf that will cut into about 8 slices, depending upon how thick you cut it. We find that it’s more filling than supermarket bread because there’s less water and no additives or E numbers – but we still eat more because it’s so delicious.

Some people say that the beep is a bit quiet. They’re right but, having had a Prima machine where the beep could be heard throughout the house and tended to wake the kids, I see this as a bit of a bonus. It depends what you’re looking for.

Changing Ingredients

I know that some people with breadmakers still prefer to buy ready mixed ingredients so that they can just pour the packet mix into the mixing pan, add water and let the breadmaker get on with it. I understand that this can save a little time and can give good results (I’ve tried the Hovis granary mix and it was very nice) but I would encourage everybody to try baking bread from base ingredients. The Panasonic SD-2501WXC comes with a comprehensive instruction manual that not only includes well written operating instructions but also some easy to follow breadmaking recipes formulated with Panasonic breadmakers in mind. You’ll get a cheaper loaf and you’re sure to find a recipe that suits the tastes of your family. 

If you want to try some different recipes you might want to take a look at

It’s definitely worth trying different brands of ingredients. As with everything else in life you get out what you put in and if you use the very cheapest flour you’re likely to get a cheap tasting loaf. I usually use Doves strong white flour and find it excellent.

Do make sure that you measure out the ingredients carefully. If you are out, the loaf is unlikely to look, or taste, as good. It might be worth investing in an accurate set of kitchen scales.

One of the good things about the Panasonic SD-2501WXC is that it can do everything for you. Popin the right ingredients and out will come a loaf that’s ready for eating. Sometimes, however, it’s nice to bake different shaped loaves or rolls. I generally use my mixer with a dough hook to prepare the dough but equally I sometimes use my Pansonic to mix the ingredients and knead the dough (all the hard stuff) and then remove it from the pan before the cooking cycle starts. I then shape the dough as I like and bake it in the oven on my baking stone; or else I just put it into a bread tin or baking dome and put it straight into the oven. I also use the breadmaker to prepare pizza dough.

Some of my friends freeze their dough so that they can make several batches at a time. Then they just defrost before baking, but I haven’t tried this.

Control Panel

I find this Panasonic breadmaker very easy to use. It has an easy to follow control panel.

Cleaning the Bread Maker

One more thing is that the breadmaker is easy to clean. The lid, body and steam vent just need to be wiped with a damp cloth then all of the pieces that need to be cleaned more thoroughly can be easily removed and washed by hand in warm soapy water. None of the parts should be washed in the dishwasher. Don’t use bleach or anything abrasive or it will damage the non stick finish on the kneading blade and bread pan.

I have sometimes found that the kneading blade can be difficult to remove from the pan, but if this happens I just soak it in warm water for 10 minutes and it comes away without having to use excessive force. Only put water inside the pan, do not immerse the whole tin in water.

I find that the kneading blade is more likely to get stuck in the loaf, but that isn’t a problem as it can just be pulled out. It’s important to do this before you slice the loaf otherwise the breadknife could damage the non stick coating on the blade.

Raisin and Nut Dispenser

The raisin and nut dispenser is really useful. It means that you don’t have to be hanging around waiting to put in extra ingredients that need to be added later in the cycle. It only works when certain programmes have been selected but nuts and other things can still be added manually whatever the programme. You just have to be there at the right time and be prepared to do a bit of experimenting.

Take care when putting large quantities into the nut dispenser. I have had problems with the ingredients being dispensed too early when they’ve been a bit heavy – it may be because I’ve knocked the machine, not sure, but the dispenser certainly seems to be a llittle on the sensitive side.

Panasonic help line

I haven’t had to call Panasonic with any queries but a helpline number is included in the operations manual and reviewers on Amazon report that they were helpful.

Jam and compote mode

The Panasonic SD-2501WXC Automatic Breadmaker  can be used to make cakes and jam, but I haven’t tried either of these options.

Timer

It has its own timer so you can wake up to fresh bread . There'll be a great smell to get out of bed for.

Where to buy

I think this breadmaker is really good. If you check out the reviews in Amazon or Pansonic you’ll see that other people do too. It may not be the cheapest machine to buy but because it’s easy to use and bakes good bread, you will keep on baking with it – that makes it better value than a less expensive one that just gets dusty in the cupboard. As a reviewer put it, this is the “Rolls” Royce of breadmakers.