When it comes to small kitchen appliances, a bread machine is a great one to have and are handy whether you are a whirlwind home baker or someone who is just learning their way around a kitchen. They allow flexibility and less mess plus they open the door to many simple yet tasty recipes. The Oster brand specializes in small kitchen appliances and has done a good job with this easy to use a bread machine.
The Oster CKSTBRTW20 is a solid bread maker. It may not have all the bells and whistles that the more expensive ones do but it certainly has enough menu settings to start you on your way to making some delicious recipes. This appliance is also affordable and allows you to bake fresh bread at home rather than be stuck with store-bought baked goods.
OUR RATING
Oster CKSTBRTW20 Features
While this is not a high-priced bread machine, it includes some great basic features:
Feature Details
An important feature of the Oster is the LCD control panel. Once you are ready to bake, just plug in the bread maker and choose from 12 settings, including:
- 1Basic
- 2French
- 3Whole Wheat
- 4Sweet
- 5Express Bake 1.5 lb
- 6Express Bake 2 lb
- 7Quick
- 8European
- 9Dough
- 10Bagel Dough
- 11Jam
- 12Bake
(Note that these settings not only do bread and doughs but jam as well.)
Next, choose the crust color and loaf size and you are set to go. You can delay the start of the recipe if you aren’t using the Expressbake. If you do this delay, make sure nothing in the pan will spoil by sitting out.
Another nice feature is the glass viewing window. While it’s great to see what is going on while it’s working, be careful as it can become hot during the baking time. While the sides stay cool during baking, the window can get quite hot.
The Oster CKSTBRTW20 features a removable bread pan that comes in handy. It’s best to put ingredients in the pan when it’s removed from the machine so as not to spill or get any ingredients inside the bread machine itself. Break makers that don’t have this feature often end up messy inside with spilled ingredients inside the electrical components. This particular pan is non-stick, too, making bread removal and clean-up easy. Just remember not to use utensils in the pan that could scratch the surface.
Another great function that Oster has added is a memory function. If the power goes out, the machine remembers where it was in the process, as long as the power comes back on within six minutes.
As with many bread machines, this one has a kneading blade that ends up being baked into the bottom of the loaf simply because there isn’t always time to pull it out after the kneading is complete. Luckily, Oster realizes this happens and includes a tool to remove it once the bread is baked. It helps save you from having to pry it out with your fingers.
The Oster CKSTBRTW20 has a signal that goes off after the kneading is complete to let you know when it’s time to add extra things to the dough, such as nuts, etc. The only downside to this is it can’t be muted so if you have it set to run at night, the signal may be loud enough to wake you.
Oster has a lot of experience in producing small appliances and understands that a readable manual and recipes are a great help to the consumers who buy their products. They are not only helpful for beginners but experienced home bakers as well. These items offer details about troubleshooting, parts, cleaning, care, and more. As a bonus, they also include extra recipes for each setting. While there are always a lot of recipes available online, having them specifically for this product is a plus.
As with anything you buy, a warranty is essential. Oster’s is limited but covers anything that is their fault within the first year. Keep in mind that this break maker was designed for home bakers and not for heavy use in a commercial kitchen. With normal use, you probably won’t need the warranty but it’s good to be covered.
Pros and Cons of the Oster CKSTBRTW20
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Final Thoughts from a Home Baker
The Oster CKSTBRTW20 is a good product at a reasonable price. It does what it’s supposed to and makes it easy for even the newest baker. While it’s not an overly fancy machine, it accomplishes the basic baking tasks you would hope for in this price range. It is easy to use with clear instructions and recipes, making it easy to create great baked products.
