Is The Sunbeam 5891 Bread Machine Any Good?
by Robin OBrien
Not only does this Sunbeam bread machine have a small price tag, it also has a small footprint; measuring around 14.5" deep x 10" wide x 12" in height. But you still get a large window and a surprisingly large pan. All this, coupled with its rounded, oval shape design gives a very good first impression.
Its good features don't stop at this either. The control panel is large with big, colored buttons that make operating it child's play. It gives you the features that would expect but it also gives you some that wouldn't expect from a cheap bread machine. For instance, as well as getting bake, dough, cake and whole wheat cycles, you also get others you mightn't have expected like French, quick bake and jam. The Sunbeam 5891 bread maker comes with 12 cycles altogether - enough to satisfy most.
You can bake either a 1.5 or 2lb loaf - though why you can't bake a 1lb like you can with just about every other brand is a mystery.
All in all, this Sunbeam bread machine is a really good piece of kit at this price. It sounds great, I hear you say, so let's buy it. But before you do you should be aware of some of its shortcomings. These will be enough to change the minds of quite a few.
First off, the manual that comes with the machine is awful. It's isn't well structured and is confusing; for instance at one point in the manual it tells you that the pan can be put in the dishwasher, only to tell you different later on. Also, its bread machine recipes are very limited and boring. They may be okay for first-time bakers, but if you've home baked before, you'll want better recipes than those found in the manual. If you want a better manual with better recipes, you should look elsewhere.
Although the control panel is large, the LCD is not backlit. Reading it can be difficult at times. This is despite the packaging stating: "Easy to read LCD display". Having a large panel with differently colored buttons is only useful if you can read what's on the LCD. Other brands of bread makers have far superior control panels.
Finally, putting in extra ingredients, like nuts and fruit, is something that many will want to do. Sure enough, you can stop the machine and add them in, the only problem is; many novices won't know when to do this. Other brands emit an audible signal when it's the correct time to add 'extras'; the Sunbeam bread machine also does this, but many won't know that is what the 'beep' is telling you, because it is not mentioned anywhere in the manual!
This bread maker makes horizontal loaves. It uses a single paddle to mix the ingredients. The problem with a single paddle is that it will sometimes leave flour in the corners of the pan unmixed. You have to manually intervene with a rubber spatula during the mixing phase of the cycle or you end up with a baked loaf with floury corners.
To be fair, this problem doesn't just apply to the Sunbeam 5891. Many, if not most, other horizontal machines have the same problem; one paddle isn't always going to do a good job; two paddles - like those on the Zojirushi bread machine - are always better at mixing.
The Sunbeam 5891 bread machine is a really good buy with its price tag. If you're a first time baker, or are looking for a simple, easy to use appliance then this could be for you. Serious home bakers would want to look elsewhere.
About the Author
Follow the links for the Sunbeam bread machine and bread machine reviews on leading brands like the Oster, Cuisinart and Zojirushi bread machine.
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