The West Bend 41300 bread maker is a dual-blade machine that allows you to make bakery-quality bread at home. It’s relatively small for an automatic bread maker and can make four loaf sizes. The West Bend has a diverse group of programmable settings and makes horizontal loaves that more closely resemble the kind you’ll find at the supermarket.
The design of the West Bend is attractive and functional. The outer shell of the bread-making machine is black plastic, with a stainless steel lid and black buttons with a white font. The buttons are easy to read and the LCD display is conveniently located near the front of the unit. The lid is easy to open during cooking and there are two circular viewing windows to check the progress of your loaf. Most importantly, it’s small size so it will fit well in your kitchen.
West Bend 41300: What you need to know
Most bread makers come with a single blade that makes a tall, vertical loaf. The West Bend has a dual-blade design, which allows it to make horizontal loaves like the sandwich bread you’re used to purchasing from the store. Each blade will leave an indentation on the bottom of the bread, though, so it’s best if you remove them while the loaf is still warm to avoid tearing.
The settings on this bread machine will work for any grain you choose. The West Bend makes four different loaf sizes, from as small as 1 pound of bread to 2 1/2 pounds for a large family. There are 11 different programs, including basic, quick, French, sweet and dough, and three choices of crust color. The delay timer is slightly lower than other bread makers, but its 12-hour delay should work for most situations.
The bread maker also has a homemade setting, allowing you to fully customize cooking time, grain and how much time should be spent on each cycle. The preset programs are fine if you’re a beginner at bread making, but the customizable menu is a great addition for more advanced bakers.
Should you buy the West Bend 41300?
This bread maker is a good value for the amount of features it has, specifically the ability to make horizontal loaves. The dual-blade design is smart and the size of the unit isn’t distracting. The West Bend 41300 is a well-made bread machine.
