Neretva PE9706U Bread Machine: Full Review

The Neretva PE9706U is a fully programmable bread maker that aims to deliver professional-quality loaves from the convenience of your home. In this review, we'll dive into the features, ease of use, performance and bread quality offered by this bread making appliance. Topics we'll cover include:

• Design and construction - What are the exterior and interior features of this model?
• Programmable settings - How intuitive and customizable is the control panel?
• Baking performance - Does it bake even, well-risen loaves consistently? How good is the crust and crumb texture?
• Versatility - What types of bread can you make with it? Does it handle specialty doughs well?
• Ease of use - Is it straightforward to use for beginners and experienced bakers alike?
• Cleaning and maintenance - How easy is it to clean and maintain the Neretva?
• Value - Does this model deliver good value for money?

By the end, you'll have a comprehensive overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the Neretva bread maker to inform your buying decision. Let's get started with the design.

Design & Construction

The Neretva PE9706U bread machine features a sleek and modern design constructed from brushed stainless steel. At around 14lbs, it has a sturdy build quality that feels durable enough for daily use.

The stainless steel exterior not only looks great in any kitchen, but makes cleaning effortless and prevents corrosion over time. Fingerprints and smudges wipe off easily. The materials used in construction feel substantial, with no plastic parts that might crack or warp.

With dimensions of 13.4 x 13.4 x 14 inches, the Neretva fits well on most countertops without occupying too much space. The boxy design maximizes interior capacity, able to accommodate loaves up to 2.2lbs.

Thoughtful design elements like the viewing window and interior light allow you to monitor the bread as it bakes without having to open the lid. The Neretva's aesthetics and solid construction quality match its performance capabilities.

Meanwhile, the KEEPEEZ MBF-041 bread machine also offers impressive features. Built with a compact design, it is ideal for smaller kitchens yet does not compromise on capacity, accommodating loaves up to 2lbs. Its intuitive controls and pre-programmed settings make it user-friendly for both novices and seasoned bakers. Additionally, the KEEPEEZ MBF-041 is praised for its energy efficiency and quiet operation, ensuring that you can bake delicious bread any time without disturbing your household.

Features

The Neretva PE9706U bread machine comes equipped with a range of impressive features that make breadmaking easy and enjoyable.

One of its key features is its large 1.5lb loaf capacity, perfect for making bread to feed a whole family. It can also make 1lb, 1.25lb, and 2lb loaves providing versatility. The machine has 12 different program settings including options for white, whole wheat, French, sweet, and gluten-free breads.

There are 3 crust color settings - light, medium and dark - so you can customize your loaf to your taste. An express bake cycle produces bread in under an hour for when you need it fast. The Neretva has a 15-hour delay start timer allowing you to enjoy freshly baked bread whenever you want.

The machine comes with a measuring cup and spoon, a hook for removing the bread, and a non-stick rectangular baking pan. There is also a viewing window that allows you to check the progress without interrupting the baking cycle.

Another great option to consider is the KITCHENARM 85203, which offers a variety of features tailored for both novice and experienced bakers. It has 29 automatic programs and a unique “Homemade” cycle that lets you personalize your bread recipes. This machine is known for its sturdiness and consistency in delivering perfectly baked bread, making it a highly recommended choice for any kitchen.

Ease of Use

The Neretva bread maker is designed for simplicity and ease of use. The control panel includes an LCD display and a rotary dial to select baking cycles. The manual provides clear instructions for setting up and operating the machine.

To start baking, simply add ingredients to the bread pan, select the desired cycle on the control panel, and press start. The Neretva will automatically mix, knead, proof, and bake the dough. The LCD display counts down the baking time and indicates each stage of the process.

The rotary dial makes it easy to choose from 12 preset menus including basic, French, whole wheat, quick bread, jam, cake, and dough only cycles. You can also customize settings like crust color and loaf size. The delay timer is handy for scheduling bread to be ready when you want.

With its user-friendly interface and preset programs, the Neretva bread machine doesn't require much effort or guesswork. Even novice bakers can achieve consistently good results. The included recipes and tips provide guidance for making a variety of breads. Overall, the Neretva offers simple, streamlined operation for stress-free breadmaking.

Performance

The Neretva bread machine delivers excellent performance when it comes to the key breadmaking steps of mixing, kneading, rising, and baking.

Mixing

This bread maker has a powerful 550 watt motor and sturdy mixing paddle that thoroughly combines all the ingredients together. Even challenging dense doughs like whole wheat are mixed evenly and smoothly. The pan is perfectly sized to allow proper circulation and incorporation of ingredients.

Kneading

Once the ingredients are blended, the Neretva kneads dough intensely to develop gluten and create the right texture. The machine kneads for around 10-20 minutes depending on the settings, ensuring the dough becomes silky and elastic. The non-stick pan enables all the dough to get worked properly.

Rising

One of the highlights of the Neretva is its ability to create loaves with excellent rise and light texture. The bread maker provides multiple rise cycles and maintains an ideal environment for yeast growth and dough fermentation. There are options for 1st and 2nd proof times up to 60 minutes each.

Baking

Finally, the Neretva bakes bread and other items wonderfully with its upper heating element. It regulates temperature precisely and the non-stick pan promotes even heat circulation for consistent browning. The vented lid allows moisture to escape for a crispy crust. Baking generally takes 30-60 minutes based on the recipe.

Bread Quality

The Neretva bread machine produces loaves with excellent crust, texture and taste. The crust comes out with just the right amount of crispness without being too hard or soft. You can adjust the crust setting to make it lighter or darker depending on your preference.

The bread has a wonderful homemade texture that's soft and airy on the inside with an even, fine crumb. It's never overly dense or doughy in the center. The machine does an excellent job of thoroughly kneading and proofing the dough to get that light yet sturdy texture.

As for taste, the bread has a delicious flavor thanks to the precise ingredients measurements and baking process. It brings out the natural flavors well from whatever bread recipe you use. The loaves have a pleasant sweetness and are never bland. Even simple white or wheat bread tastes fresher and better than store-bought.

Overall, the quality of bread that comes out of the Neretva machine rivals that of artisan bakeries. You get bakery-worthy crust, texture and taste in the convenience of your home kitchen.

Versatility

The Neretva PE9706U bread machine is extremely versatile in the types of recipes it can handle. This machine can make a wide variety of breads beyond just basic white or wheat loaves. You can use it to make hearty whole grain breads, gluten-free breads, sweet breads, quick breads, artisan breads, and more.

The bread maker can mix, knead, proof, and bake breads with ingredients like whole wheat flour, rye flour, oat flour, cornmeal, buckwheat flour, millet, gluten-free flour blends, seeds, nuts, fruits, and more. It easily handles sticky, dense doughs with challenging ingredients.

In addition to bread, the Neretva is great for making dough for pizza, pasta, rolls, bagels, and buns to be baked in the oven. You can use it to make cake batter and quick bread batters to bake in a separate pan. It also has settings for making jam and compotes by mixing fruit with sugar and cooking it down.

With over 20 built-in programs, this machine truly excels at being an all-in-one appliance. It eliminates the hands-on work of making a diverse range of breads, doughs, jams, and more.

Cleaning & Maintenance

The Pe9706U is designed for easy cleaning and maintenance. The non-stick pan and kneading blade can be removed and washed by hand or in the dishwasher. The exterior can be wiped clean with a damp cloth if any flour or other ingredients get on the outside.

To disassemble, open the lid and remove the bread pan. Gently grasp the kneading blade and pull straight up to detach it from the drive shaft. Avoid getting the inside of the machine wet when cleaning to prevent any issues with the electrical components. Make sure all parts are completely dry before reassembling.

When not in use, store the bread machine upright with the cord wrapped neatly underneath. Do not attempt to store anything inside the baking pan to avoid damaging the non-stick surface.

Proper cleaning after each use prevents any baked-on debris that could affect future loaves. Allowing the kneading blade and pan to air dry thoroughly minimizes the chance of moisture issues during storage. Overall, the Neretva bread maker is designed for simple cleaning and maintenance. Just be sure to refer to the manufacturer's instructions for the recommended care.

Value

The Neretva PE9706U offers excellent value for the price. At around $100 on Amazon, it's very affordable for a bread machine with its features and performance.

The price is comparable or even lower than other top-rated bread makers in this class, like the Cuisinart CBK-200 or Zojirushi BB-CEC20. Those can cost $150 or more. The Neretva gives you great bang for your buck.

It comes with a 1 year warranty, which is typical for most bread machines in this price range. While not the longest coverage, 1 year is reasonable.

When you consider the versatile baking options, sturdy stainless steel construction, and solid bread baking results, the Neretva PE9706U delivers tremendous value.

You get a machine that can handle basic loaves, jams, cakes, pasta, and more. It performs well for years with proper care and maintenance. For the price, you'd be hard pressed to find a better bread maker with comparable capabilities.

The value is further boosted by the included accessories like the measuring cup and spoon, hook, paddle, cake barrel, and recipe book. These useful extras help justify the very reasonable price tag.

All in all, the Neretva automatic bread machine gives you a lot of bang for your buck. It's a great value purchase for any home baker that doesn't want to spend too much but still wants quality results.

Conclusion

The Neretva PE9706U bread maker is a solid mid-range option for those looking for an automatic bread machine. It offers a good set of features like 3 loaf sizes, 13 settings, and a fruit/nut dispenser at a reasonable price point.

Pros:

• Large capacity - can make up to 2.2lb loaves
• Functions for bread, cake, dough, jam, etc.
• Fruit and nut dispenser for mix-ins
• 3 crust color options
• Easy to use and program
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Noise level is a bit high
• Design is bulky
• No gluten-free setting
• No window to view bread

Overall, the Neretva delivers satisfying performance and tasty results for novice and experienced bakers alike. It's a great choice if you make bread regularly and want an affordable, versatile machine with modern conveniences like the fruit/nut dispenser. While it lacks some bells and whistles of pricier models, the basics are covered very well. For those seeking an automatic bread maker with solid functionality at a reasonable cost, the Neretva PE9706U is recommended.