It’s no secret that bread is essential for a healthy and balanced diet. It is a staple food widely eaten for breakfast all over the world. Apart from breakfast, it is also a staple for many recipes.
Whether you want to toast it or satisfy your late-night cravings with a sandwich, bread can be used to make plenty of dishes.
That being said, a bread machine is a handy kitchen appliance that is used for baking bread almost instantaneously. It is also elementary to operate, as it only requires you to put inside the ingredients for the bread.
This means that you can get fresh homemade bread every day with minimum effort. With a bread maker machine, you no longer need to eat semi-stale store bread.
While there is no doubt that a bread machine makes the process of baking bread a lot more convenient and simpler for everyone, it is still possible to end up ruining your bread.
Similarly, we have been seeing many users complaining about their bread machine not mixing the ingredients as it is supposed to.
How to Fix Bread Machine Not Mixing?
It should be noted that there are numerous reasons why your bread maker may not work properly sometimes. If you have been facing this problem, you should try a few troubleshooting steps before replacing it.
Some effective troubleshooting steps are mentioned below:
1. Check the Mixing Paddle
This is the first workaround to try if your bread machine is not mixing. When facing this issue, the very first thing that you should check is the mixing paddles of the bread maker.
It’s no secret that the mixing paddle is the main component responsible for mixing your ingredients inside the bread machine; you should check whether there are any issues with it.
There have been some cases where certain users simply forget to put the mixing paddle inside the bread machine. Similarly, another thing that you can do is to thoroughly clean the mixing paddle and the area where you place it.
There could be something that is disrupting the normal functioning of the paddle, due to which it is experiencing difficulties in mixing your ingredients.
Sometimes, people place the mixing paddle correctly and still wonder why the machine is not working properly. In most cases, the mixing paddle is dirty.
If you use your bread machine often, the chances are that dust has accumulated over time and caused this problem.
Another thing to bear in mind is to remove the mixing paddle once it has mixed the ingredients. If you don’t take it out, it can leave a hole in your bread.
While it doesn’t make much difference to the taste of your bread, the hole can affect the look of your bread and provide an unwanted outlet for moisture inside the bread.
Remember that moisture is terrible for your bread as it encourages the growth of bacteria. So, don’t forget to take the mixing paddle out once it has done its job.
To clean the mixing paddle, take it out first. Hold your bread machine tightly and rotate the fixing paddle gently. After taking it out, clean it with a slightly wet cloth.
If the dust has settled in and you find it hard to clean, consider soaking it in hot water for several minutes. Once you have cleaned it properly, reinstall it in the bread machine.
2. Checking the Belt
If placing the mixing paddle correctly and cleaning it didn’t work, consider checking the belt inside the bread machine. While a mixing paddle is responsible for mixing the ingredients, a belt helps drive the paddle into movement.
So, it would be safe to say that the belt is just as important as the mixing paddle. And if it is not in good condition, your bread machine will not be able to mix the ingredients properly. Hence, you’d have to check whether it is in good working condition.
Belts in bread machines can wear out over time. If you do notice any kind of damage to the belt, you will have to get it replaced to fix this problem. You can reach out to an electrician to replace it, or you can also do it at home.
Although the process is quite simple, it is better to seek help from a professional if repairing electrical appliances is not your cup of tea. And yes, don’t forget to unplug your bread machine.
To replace the belt of a bread machine, flip it over and remove the screws from the bottom. Remove all the screws, including those securing the heating element.
Once you have unscrewed it, grab the metal interior from the edges and lift it gently. Now wedge the jaws of the needle-nose pliers on each side of the rear plastic clips.
After that, gently pry back on the pliers as you pull up on the lid, but stop pulling as soon as it is released.
The bread machine has a cable that must be unplugged to replace the belt. You can access this ribbon cable through the lid or squeeze your hand into the plastic box.
Now, remove the screws holding the metal plate to the plastic base and gently lift the metal plate and prop it up to access the belt. If you see that the string is twisted around the sprocket, cut it carefully.
You can use a razor knife for this purpose. Make sure to cut it carefully, so you don’t end up damaging the sprocket as well.
Once the string is removed, use the tip of the razor to clean the inside of the sprocket. Chunks of rubber or dust can get inside it, hindering its normal working.
Now, install the new belt by placing it around the smaller sprocket and onto the top of the larger sprocket. Consider rotating the larger one so that the belt sits in there perfectly.
Now reassemble everything in reverse order! Install all the screws and gently place the metal box. And yes, save the heating element screw for last, so it is easier for you to reach other screws.
3. Checking the Ingredients
The last recommended workaround to fix the bread machine not mixing issue is to check the ingredients you are using in the bread machine.
For instance, adding too much liquid inside the bread maker can lead to the appliance facing difficulties while trying to mix the ingredients. Not only is it bad for your bread machine, but also your bread.
If you add too much water to your dough, you will have a dense or flat loaf. If you want your dough to be perfect, add more flour if the dough seems too wet.
Similarly, consider adding more water if it feels too dry. Likewise, we suggest that you check all the ingredients and their amounts.
If you have tried all the solutions and nothing has worked for you, it’s time to see the electrician. It is pertinent to mention that most bread machines come with a warranty from the manufacturer.
So, refer to the manual to know the date when the warranty will expire. Furthermore, information about other features of your bread machine will also be listed in the manual.
The Bottom Line
In case your bread machine is not mixing the ingredients, we have discussed some effective possible solutions to the issue.
If the issue seems to persist even after applying these troubleshooting steps, it is possible that your bread machine might be having some kind of technical issue.
If that’s the case, avoid repairing it yourself and consider getting it repaired by a skilled electrician.