Stainless steel exterior finish. Convection fan. Fruit and nut dispenser. Gluten-free baking program. Sounds good so far, but how far does it go? Here is my review of the Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus 2-pound convection bread maker.
Breadman TR2500BC Ultimate Plus: Key Features
- 10-minute pause control.
- 24-hour delay bake timer.
- Loaf sizes: 1, 1.5 and 2 pounds.
- Automatic fruit & nut dispenser.
- Crust control: light, medium, dark.
- Viewing window and stainless steel exterior.
- Convection fan circulates hot air inside the baking chamber.
- Bread programs: White, Whole Wheat, French, Sweet, Low Carb, Gluten Free, Batter Breads.
- Other programs: Jam, Dough, Pizza Dough, Bake Only.
Product Manual
The use and care manual that comes with the Breadman TR2500BC contains enough information and recipes to get you started. Please read it before you operate the bread maker. Do not just plug it in and start adding stuff. Study the manual beforehand, so you can understand how the bread maker functions and which recipes and settings will work the best for you. Use the recommended measurements when you follow a recipe. A good kitchen scale is definitely required for weighing the ingredients correctly.
Baking Pan
The baking pan is made from aluminum and is coated with a nonstick coating. If there is unmixed flour in the baking pan, then use a plastic or nylon spatula to scrape the sides because the nonstick coating can scratch easily. Unmixed ingredients occur because the baking pan is slightly rectangular, but there is only one kneading paddle, which means the corners are not covered by the paddle’s circular motion.
It is also not a good idea to immerse the baking pan in water when you wash it. This might cause the bearing to rust prematurely, since the seal is not watertight. The problem lies with the type of metal used: it is not rustproof. Wipe it clean without immersing it in water.
Adding Ingredients
Add the liquid first into the bread pan before adding the dry ingredients with the yeast on top. This way, the kneading paddle will gradually mix the dry ingredients into the liquid instead of having to mix the liquid into the dry flour. This might help to prevent the motor from straining too much and causing bad vibrations. You probably want to keep the motor from quitting or walking off the counter. It is a bread maker, not a cement mixer.
The Breadman TR2500BC has an automatic fruit dispenser, thus you do not have to add extra raisins or chopped nuts by hand. You just follow the directions to load the dispenser, and it will add the ingredients into the dough.
Gluten Free Setting
The gluten-free menu setting works well in combination with various gluten-free mixes that are available. It makes a soft bread, not like the hard and dry frozen gluten-free breads you sometimes buy at a store. You might also save money by making your own gluten-free bread, since gluten-free bread costs more than ordinary bread loaves.
Tips and Crumbs
Remember to leave the lid of the bread machine open when you bake off the oil residue from the factory, otherwise the machine might get dangerously hot inside because it is empty and not filled with bread dough.
If you like to make your own pizza, then you may use the pizza dough setting of the Breadman bread maker. Use the normal dough setting for kneading other types of bread dough.
If you do not want the kneading paddle stuck in the bottom of the bread, then you may take it out of the pan before the baking cycle begins. You can use the pause button to give you enough time to remove the dough ball, remove the paddle, and then replace the dough for baking.
Breadman TR2500BC: Advantages And Disadvantages
- Lots of features at an affordable price.
- It is fairly easy to use and quick to clean.
- The convection fan might bake a better bread with a crispier crust.
- This bread maker has a setting for making palatable gluten-free bread.
- The stainless steel exterior looks good, so it will be sitting pretty on the kitchen counter.
- If you have trouble kneading dough, then this machine’s dough programs will come in handy.
- The digital display screen is not backlit and might sometimes be difficult to read.
- The bread maker can sometimes be noisy when kneading dough or dispensing extras.
- It does not have an audible signal beep that reminds you to take out the kneading paddle.
- The high pan shape makes a loaf and bread slices that probably won’t fit into most toasters.
- Finding a replacement bread pan could be difficult, if it breaks you’re stuck with a stainless steel elephant.
Conclusion: Good, But Not Ultimate
My overall impression is that the Breadman TR2500BC bakes good bread, but that the build quality and customer support is lukewarm. It might last for a few years of regular baking before something breaks, unless you are unlucky and get a bread maker which has a factory fault.
The Breadman TR2500BC is neither a bad bread machine nor the ultimate bread maker. It is a good bread machine, but it is not the ultimate bread maker.
At the present time, it does not really matter, on account of the Breadman TR2500BC model not being available to purchase anymore. I think it still has a webpage on the Breadman website, but there is no price and no stock available.
In light of that, you should probably take a look at the Breadman BK1200SS, which might still be available. Click here to read my Breadman BK1200SS review.