The Panasonic SD-YD250 bread machine is in the mid-range when it comes to price and quality. This beneficial balance between price and quality makes it a popular product, one of the bestsellers when it comes to bread machines. In this review, I will look at the key features, advantages, and disadvantages of the Panasonic SD-YD250 bread machine.
Introduction
The Panasonic SD-YD250 can bake three loaf sizes up to an extra large 2.5-pound bread loaf.
The unique feature of the SD-YD250 is the automatic yeast dispenser that automatically drops the yeast into the bread pan.
Then again, the Panasonic SD-YR2500 has both an automatic yeast dispenser and a raisin dispenser. You can read my SD-YR2500 review to learn more about it.
Update: it looks like the Panasonic SD-YD250 is now a discontinued bread machine model, so it is no longer available on the market. I recommend that you look at a newer Panasonic bread machine model, such as the Panasonic SD-R2550 (view it on Amazon – paid link).
Panasonic SD-YD250: Key Features
- 1-year limited warranty on materials and workmanship for normal use.
- 13-hour timer for delaying the start of bread making.
- 60-minute keep-warm function available on the bake options.
- Accessories include manual, measuring spoon and liquid measuring cup.
- Automatic yeast dispenser located in the lid.
- Audible beeping reminder to add raisins.
- Bread loaf sizes are medium, large or extra large (1.5, 2 or 2.5-pound).
- Choose from 6 bread type programs and 6 baking options.
- Control panel with LCD screen and various buttons.
- Crust color selections available are dark, medium or light.
- Dimensions are approximately 14 inches high, 13 inches wide and 9 inches deep.
- Motor protection device that stops the motor for 30 minutes if it overloads.
- Nonstick bread pan that twists and locks into place.
- Power-interruption protection for up to 10 minutes.
- Power supply is 120V AC, 60 Hz for North American Market.
- Rest cycle for warming up ingredients before mixing.
- Single kneading blade.
Control Panel
The display window shows you which options are selected, as well as displaying the timer. The menu button selects the bread type, while the select button chooses the bake option. The size button allows you to change the size of the loaf for the bake, bake rapid and bake raisin options.
The timer button sets the delay timer in 10-minute increments. It also sets the time in 1-minute increments for the bake only option. Apply constant pressure to the button to rapidly increase or decrease the time.
The red indicator light will be lit while the bread maker is working. It flashes upon completion of a baking or dough making program.
The start/stop button starts the bread maker or the delay timer. It can also stop the bread making process or cancel the delay timer setting when pressed and held for at least one second.
Bread Types And Baking Options
Press the menu button to choose the bread type. Here are the options:
- Basic: it is on by default, and it is for loaves made with bread flour.
- Whole wheat: loaf made with whole wheat flour.
- Multigrain: bread loaf made with cereals or grains such as rye or millet.
- French: loaf made without added sugar.
- Pizza: a rapid dough kneading program without baking.
- Bake Only: no kneading or rising, just baking for things such as cakes.
The select button gives you the following baking options:
- Bake: mix, knead, rise and bake.
- Bake Rapid: it does the same as the bake option, only faster.
- Bake Sandwich: a medium size loaf with a soft crust for better sandwich slices.
- Bake Raisin: includes an audible signal for when you may add raisins, etc.
- Dough: prepares a dough that can be used for pizza, dinner rolls, croissants etc.
- Dough Raisin: dough option that includes the add raisin audible signal.
Audible Signals
A signal consisting of eight beeps will sound after the bake option has finished baking or the dough option has finished preparing dough. An eight beep signal also sounds during the bake raisin and dough raisin options to remind you to add the raisins or nuts. It will pause for about 3 minutes to allow you to add the raisins before continuing with the kneading. If you add the raisins or nuts with the other ingredients at the beginning, it will get crushed during the initial kneading cycle.
Accessories
The measuring spoon can be used when adding sugar or salt. The measuring cup is for measuring liquids and not for dry bread flour. Weighing ingredients with a kitchen scale is more accurate than measuring it by volume.
Does the Panasonic SD-YD250 have a gluten-free setting?
The Panasonic SD-YD250 does not have a gluten-free setting on its menu. None of the bread maker settings are suitable for making gluten-free bread loaves. Also, there are no gluten-free bread recipes in its instruction manual. Thus, it is not recommended for gluten-free baking.
Why does it rest before kneading?
The rest period lets the bread pan and its contents warm up to the right temperature. This is an important step if you keep flour and yeast in the fridge or freezer. After resting, the bread machine will continue mixing and kneading the ingredients. The room temperature will influence how long this rest period is.
The basic bake and dough options have a rest period of about 30 to 60 minutes, except for the basic bake rapid, which has no rest period. The whole wheat options might rest for 60 to 90 minutes, but the whole wheat bake rapid setting only rests for 15 minutes. You need to watch out for the French bake and French dough options: it can rest for anywhere from 40 minutes up to 2 hours!
Can you remove the kneading paddle?
No, it is best to leave it alone and let it bake into the loaf. There is neither an audible alert for removing the kneading paddle or a pause button. Sometimes the paddle stays on the shaft when you remove the finished bread loaf from the baking pan, and sometimes it sticks to the bread. The paddle does not leave such a big hole, just accept it that way.
If you really dislike the hole an ordinary kneading paddle leaves in the bottom of a bread loaf, then you should consider getting a bread machine with a collapsible kneading blade.
Panasonic SD-YD250: Advantages
- It is easy to clean.
- The dough option mixes and kneads dough so you don’t have to.
- The construction is good, the bread pan is thick and the kneading blade is thin.
- An automatic yeast dispenser keeps the yeast dry until needed when using the delay timer.
Panasonic SD-YD250: Disadvantages
- Delay timer cannot be used with dough options.
- No specific setting or recipe for gluten-free bread.
- There is no viewing window in the lid, so you can’t see what is going on inside during baking.
- The bread pan produces a tall bread loaf that might be too big for making ordinary sandwiches.
- Bread programs cannot be customized with your own preferences.
- The rest periods can be annoyingly long, especially for the whole wheat and French settings.
Conclusion
This Panasonic bread machine seems to perform well. It gets good reviews from owners, and it is not too expensive. The automatic yeast dispenser is its unique feature, and it works well when using the delay timer for delayed baking.
The biggest annoyance is the long rest periods to warm up ingredients. It might seem as if the bread machine is broken when it does not start kneading right away after pressing the start button. You also need to take the rest period into account when you want the bread to be finished at a certain time. The rest periods in the manual are not precise, the minutes are only estimations.
The baking pan is thick, which results in a more even crust color. It can bake a 2.5-pound bread loaf, if you need a big bread machine to feed a large family.
The Panasonic SD-YD250 bread maker is large at 14 inches high and 13 inches wide, but it makes rather good bread.
Then again, there is a newer Panasonic bread maker on the market: the SD-R2550. Click here to read my Panasonic SD-R2550 review.