Customer Reviews

Black & Decker B2300 All-In-One Horizontal Deluxe Automatic Breadmaker for 2- to 3-Pound Loaves

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This is a great machine and the price is great as well. This produces a nice loaf of bread . The first loaf was a quick cook one and even that was good. When I made a nice oatmeal bread it was heavenly. You can't beat the fact that this has a horizonal loaf pan, with dual paddles and is under $100. The other dual paddle horizontal bread machines cost twice this price. And you can make a 3 lb loaf of bread in the beauty.. This is my third breadmachine over the years and is by far my favorite.

Black & Decker All-in-One Automatic Bread MakerI used my old Black & Decker breadmaker for years and never had a problem, unfortunately it died. I bought the Model B2300 several months ago and I absolutely hate it. First, the settings are difficult to figure out, second it burns every loaf on the outside and the inside is doughy, inedible. Second, there are no recipes in the book that I really care to make and it won't successfully make the recipes from my old book.
Third, who wants to make jam in their bread maker, ugh. I am so sorry I bought this machine and I wish I had my old bread maker back. Go back to selling the old machines Black and Decker, this new one is ruining what I previously thought was your good name. I might add that I am not a novice cook and have made my own bread for years. With increasing arthritus in my hands making this painful to do, I thought this supposedly new, up-to-the-minute machine would be a godsend. Not so much.
Colour me disappointed in the extreme.

I received this as a gift and it lasted 10 months before one of the paddle drives broke. It won't knead properly with only one. B&D promises a new replacement machine with the one year warranty. Have to pay for shipping of new machine. Lid is not molded very well at all in the rear and heat discolored the plastic lid over the months. Worked well for 10 months. Paddles tend to come off inside the loaf after baking and can be difficult to remove. Am waiting on a replacement. Will go for a different brand next time. Scant recipes included in booklet.

I have owned and used several bread makers in the past, but I was attracted to this machine for several reasons. (1) Good past experience with Black and Decker Bread Makers, (2) it uses a horizontal pan verses the older style vertical ones, (3) has the ability for large loaves (upto 3lbs).

I have not been disappointed in any means. I was actually suprised by some of the other reviews because my experience has been so positive. It is so easy to use and every loaf that I have made in this machine has come out awesome. I know that it is not just my own opinion on this--I have actually had a friend and my mother go out and buy this same model after seeing the results that I have had. To me this says a lot, especially with my mother already having another bread maker at home that she didn't need to replace yet.

This Black and Decker model has lots of various settings for all types of breads. Very easy to use and clean. Definitely buy this model --after doing my research I concluded that this is the best model currently out on the market.

We had this bread maker for the last 6 weeks, the first trials were not satisfactory, but as soon as we knew how to use it properly, we found that it is amazing. The bread tastes and smells delicious, and nothing can beat fresh bread on the table.

I bought this machine (a B2300) to replace an aging B&D B2005 that I knew was on its last legs. It sounded good as it is a dual paddle machine and could make a 3lb loaf.

I could not find any settings where it would not burn the bread, not only that but recipes that I had used for years simply turned out horrible grainy textured bread. I think this is partly because its cycles are too short, and partly because it cooks the bread at too high a temperature.

Unlike the B2005, the lid does not come off for cleaning so if you get a loaf that rises too much and sticks to the inside of the lid then it is almost impossible to clean the lid.

Because of these problems I called Applica and asked for a replacement under their warranty program. They sent me a completely different model (the smaller and cheaper B2250) as a replacement with no explanation as to why. When I called them about this I was told they considered the two bread makers of 'equal value' and that they had fulfilled the warranty.

Sadly the new, smaller machine is no better - it also burns the bread and its lid cannot be removed for cleaning.

I am still using my old B2005 but when it dies then I will be looking for a new bread maker that is not branded Black and Decker.

On the first attempt to use this product smoke started coming out of the vents and the paddles stopped mixing the bread. I ended up with a lovely baked pile of dried flour with mush at the bottom. The machine was then completely dead. I have read about this prouct on consumer reports websites and everyone listed the same problems. It is immorral for this company to have not already issued a recall, and to continue to sell this faulty product. I'm sure it is also a fire hazard.

Bought it, dumped in the ingredients, plugged it in and nothing. Had the pleasure of scraping the ingredients out and mixing them by hand. Makes you wonder about their quality control.

Update -- Bought another one and dumped the ingredients in. This time it started, but ran for only 5 minutes before it ground to a stop and smoke started coming out. I shudder to think what would have happened had I been baking with it using the timer or if I hadn't been standing there watching it. I suppose I should have taken it into the back yard and plugged it in to see if it would actually burst into flames (for research purposes) . . .

I received one of these for a gift and absolutely love it. So I bought one for my mom. First time out of the box and it starts smoking when turned on. Black & Decker wants her to pay shipping for a new one. Wrong way to do business!! Bad customer service!

Do not buy a bread machine if you like inexpensive store-bought generic bread (or if you are not well-disciplined in restricting your intake of superb-tasting bread). It is not worth the cost or effort. These machines are excellent for producing "artisan style" breads without all the questionable additives. The shelf life is much shorter, but this is never a problem because the bread vanishes so quickly.

Busy or in a hurry? - Let the machine do the job from start to finish (just check and adjust the moisture content when the additions signal sounds and centre the loaf after initial kneading ends. Got some time and want a traditional or special loaf shape? - Set the machine to knead and rise and then hand work the final shape before baking it in the oven.

This bread machine has a large pan and plenty of "headroom" for tall loaves to expand without reaching the lid. I like the texture of the bread it produces. There are plenty of options to bake different types of bread.

The instruction book has a few interesting recipes but is pathetic in terms of regular types of bread. - Use breadmaker recipes you already have, download recipes from the web, or download operating instructions for a B & D B1620 breadmaker. The two paddles are 1/8" above the bottom of the pan, which usually makes them hard to remove from the bread which bakes under them. This also makes bread removal difficult if they stick on their shafts. Allowing ten minutes at room temperature helps the removal of machine-baked loaves.

B & D claims to be able to bake larger loaves in this machine, but the motor labours badly - even when you are baking some 2 lb recipes. You must monitor the knead or a heavy/dry recipe may completely stop the kneading. Perhaps this is why several reviewers have had early failures.

A great machine for a first-time buyer, or someone who bakes smaller loaves. I bought mine as a back-up (and when I want two loaves in-a-hurry) for half the recommended price. Buy a Zojirushi BBCCX20 Bread Machine if you want the "Rolls-Royce machine" (see my review).