Hamilton Beach 29987 Bread Machine: Full Review

The Hamilton Beach Bread Maker 29987 is a high-end bread machine that combines versatile programming and features with excellent baking performance. This Breadman bread maker allows you to easily bake 1.5 or 2 pound loaves of bread, and includes settings for making jam and cake as well.

With its sleek stainless steel design, this bread machine looks great on any countertop. The large viewing window and interior light make it easy to monitor your bread as it bakes. Dual kneading paddles provide thorough mixing and kneading for consistently great results.

This bread maker machine comes loaded with features any home baker will appreciate. There are 14 settings to choose from, including Basic, French, Sweet, and Gluten-Free. An Express cycle bakes bread in under an hour. There is also a range of crust color options and three loaf size choices.

Keep reading this review of the Hamilton Beach Bread Maker model 29987 to learn more about how it performs and stacks up against competitors. The pros and cons will summarize the high and low points of this bread machine.

Design & Appearance

The Hamilton Beach Bread Machine 29987 has an attractive stainless steel design that will look nice on any kitchen counter. It measures approximately 15 x 11 x 12 inches, so it has a relatively compact footprint without sacrificing interior bread baking capacity.

The bread machine weighs around 15 pounds, which gives it a sturdy and stable feel during operation. The stainless steel exterior helps make cleaning easy if any ingredients get on the outside.

There is a large viewing window on the top lid, allowing you to watch the bread as it mixes, rises, and bakes. The window has an interior light that illuminates the bread chamber for better visibility.

Overall, the aesthetics and build quality reflect the Hamilton Beach brand. The bread machine looks professional and matches modern kitchen decors well.

In comparison, the Zojirushi BB-SSC10WZ boasts a sleek design with a non-stick coating and a dual kneading blade that ensures even mixing. Its dimensions are compact at 14 x 9.5 x 11.5 inches, making it an excellent fit for smaller kitchens. The machine's lightweight design of approximately 10 pounds improves portability while maintaining stability. Additionally, the BB-SSC10WZ features a bread pan that is easy to remove and clean, and it allows users to bake a variety of bread types effortlessly.

Features

The Hamilton Beach Bread Maker 29987 is equipped with a variety of features to handle all your bread baking needs.

Program Settings

This bread machine has 14 different settings to choose from including options for making white bread, whole wheat bread, French bread, sweet breads, quick breads, gluten-free breads, jam, dough and bake only. The settings automatically adjust mixing, rising and baking times for perfect results every time. There’s also 3 crust color settings - light, medium and dark.

Modes

In addition to the bread settings, there are also 3 different modes. The Rapid setting reduces overall baking time by about 30% for when you need a loaf in a hurry. The Delay Timer allows you to add ingredients in the bread pan at night and program the machine to start up to 15 hours later. There's also a Keep Warm mode that keeps the bread warm for up to 60 minutes after it's done baking.

Accessories

The Hamilton Beach 29987 comes with a bread pan for standard 1.5 pound loaves and a kneading paddle. For smaller loaves, there is an optional 1 pound bread pan available. It also includes a measuring cup, spoon and hook to help with adding ingredients.

Another excellent option for home bakers is the SAKI SK-BM8910. This versatile bread maker features multiple baking programs, a sleek design, and a user-friendly interface. With its advanced technology, it ensures even baking and consistent results. The SAKI SK-BM8910 is perfect for those who want to experiment with different bread types and textures.

Ease of Use

The Hamilton Beach Breadmaker is designed to be very user-friendly. The control panel is simple and intuitive with an LCD display to guide you through the breadmaking process step-by-step. There are 12 pre-programmed settings to choose from for different types of bread, with options for loaf size and crust color as well. The manual that comes with the machine provides clear instructions and tips for getting the best results.

Cleaning up after using the bread machine is straightforward. The non-stick interior pan lifts out for fast and easy handwashing. There is a handy viewing window so you can keep an eye on your bread as it bakes without having to open the lid and disrupt the baking process. The lid, paddle and pan are all dishwasher safe as well for added convenience.

Overall, the controls and settings on the Hamilton Beach Breadmaker are designed for simplicity and ease of use even for first-time bread machine users. With the included instructions and intuitive interface, anyone can achieve bakery-quality loaves of bread from home.

Baking Performance

The Hamilton Beach Breadmaker excels when it comes to baking homemade loaves with excellent crust and texture.

The machine bakes evenly from edge to edge thanks to its convection fan and heater on the bottom and side of the bread pan. This allows heat to circulate all around for consistent baking. The non-stick coated bread pan also promotes even baking.

It produces loaves with nice oven-baked texture and crust. The crust comes out light and crunchy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside. The bread is moist and not dried out.

You can choose settings for light, medium or dark crusts depending on your preference. It does a great job with basic white and wheat bread recipes. The gluten-free setting also makes tasty gluten-free loaves.

With this bread machine, you can trust it will bake high-quality loaves with great texture and crust every time. The baking performance rivals much more expensive machines. It’s ideal for anyone who wants delicious homemade bread on a budget.

Gluten-Free Setting

The Hamilton Beach Breadmaker 29987 has a dedicated gluten-free setting that is very effective for making tasty gluten-free breads. This setting automates and optimizes the kneading, rising and baking times specifically for gluten-free recipes.

The gluten-free cycle is longer than a typical bread cycle, giving the gluten-free dough extra time to properly rise and develop structure. The machine kneads the dough gently to avoid overworking the gluten-free flour. And it allows for extra rise time for the dough to get airy and light.

Many users report great success with gluten-free recipes in this bread machine. The loaves come out light and airy with a nice crust and great gluten-free texture. It does an impressive job handling sticky gluten-free doughs that can be tricky in some machines. The gluten-free setting takes away the guesswork, resulting in perfect gluten-free sandwich bread every time.

Overall, the dedicated gluten-free program on the Hamilton Beach 29987 is very effective. It delivers delicious gluten-free loaves for those with dietary restrictions. The optimized cycle gives gluten-free dough the specific kneading, rising and baking it needs to turn out just right.

Noise Level

The Hamilton Beach Bread Maker is reasonably quiet while kneading and baking. Users report that it produces a low humming sound during the kneading cycle which is not too distracting. The noise level remains about the same while the bread is baking. This machine won't wake up the whole household when used early in the morning before work.

Some users note the beeps are loud when pressing buttons and at the end of cycles. But otherwise, the noise is minimal. This bread machine runs quietly, especially compared to some other budget bread makers which can sound like "a Mack truck driving through the kitchen" as one reviewer describes. The Hamilton Beach hits a nice balance of being audible so you know it's working, but not loud enough to dominate the kitchen.

Accessories

The Hamilton Beach Bread Maker comes with a number of handy accessories to make baking easy and enjoyable.

It includes two kneading paddles - one is standard size and the other is smaller for ingredients that require a lighter mixing. There is also a non-stick bread pan with handle which is ideal for baking loaves up to 2 pounds. The pan's non-stick coating ensures your bread releases easily after baking.

For measuring and adding ingredients, the bread machine comes with a measuring cup and spoon set. It has 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup dry and liquid measuring cups, as well as a standard tablespoon and teaspoon measuring spoon. These accessories make it simple to accurately measure all the ingredients your bread recipes call for.

To remove the freshly baked bread from the pan safely, a plastic dough hook is included. Just latch it onto the handle and lift the bread loaf out in one smooth motion. For slicing and serving the bread, an included bread knife with serrated blade is perfect for cutting neat slices without crushing or damaging the loaf.

With all these useful accessories, you have everything you need to start baking beautiful homemade breads right out of the box. The accessories are thoughtfully designed and allow you to get the most out of the bread machine.

Warranty

The Hamilton Beach Bread Maker comes with a 1 year limited warranty. This warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship for 1 year from the date of original purchase.

The warranty is fairly standard for bread machines in this price range. It provides assurance that the product will work as expected for at least the first year of ownership. If any defects arise during that time, Hamilton Beach will repair or replace the unit at no cost.

The warranty protects against motor failure, problems with the control panel, heating element defects, and issues with the kneading paddle or bread pan. Damage from improper use or care is not covered.

Overall, the 1 year limited warranty provides decent protection against early bread machine failures. However, it is not as extensive as higher-end models that include 2-3 year warranties. If longevity is a priority, purchasing an extended warranty could be beneficial.

Pros & Cons

The Hamilton Beach Breadmaker 29987 has several notable pros and cons to consider:

Pros

• Large capacity - can make 1.5 and 2 pound loaves
• 12 pre-programmed settings including gluten-free
• Features delayed start timer
• Comes with recipes and measuring cup, spoon and hook
• Affordable price under $100
• Stainless steel construction for durability
• Produces consistent quality loaves with good rise and texture

Cons

• Lid opening is small making removing bread difficult
• No window to view bread while it's baking
• Loaf can be unevenly browned on top
• Kneading paddle leaves big hole in bottom of bread
• Noise level is loud during kneading cycle
• Only 1-year limited warranty

In summary, this bread machine can deliver satisfying loaves of bread for the price as long as you don't mind the limitations around loaf removal, lack of viewing window and loud kneading noise. For bakers that need gluten-free options, it's a good value. But those wanting more advanced breadmaking features may prefer other models.