So, 2 weeks ago, our black & decker bread maker kacked out on us. After 6 years and a loaf of bread almost daily and pizza dough every friday night…I think it serviced us well. It’s sitting by the door awaiting it’s trip to the dump, if we cannot figure out another purpose for it before Saturday.
But that’s not the failure I’m speaking of.
When you live on a very little income ( and I mean VERY low….well below the national average for the poverty line for a family of four), affording a new breadmaker a $70-100 dollars is not easy to squeeze into the monthly budget.
So, when I saw an advertisement come last week for a sale on a breadmaker, we could not believe the good timing! What luck! We find a breadmaker on sale as a refurbished unit for only $25 at a clearance warehouse type place….IT’S KARMA right!?
Neh Neh! Curb your Enthusiasm Right There Mama!
If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is….remember that.
So, we go off to the city for our monthly supply trip, and purchase this refurbished bread maker. Prior to this, as with every purchase we lamented over it for a while,checked reviews, and compared it to others, and we decided it was worth it.
It had minimal negative reviews, and had all the features I was used to. We even decided to buy the 2 year extended warranty ( which we hardly ever buy!)
This bread maker is really nice looking and has great features. We theorize that refurbished means, it was checked over at the factory and given the seal of approval for resale, and therefore, it’s “just like” brand new, but way way cheaper, and within our means to purchase it.
I was kind of happy, even a bit giddy at our luck. And, trust me, anyone who knows me in person knows I’m not one to show outward displays of joy such as squeeing.
So, we bring it home and to spite my happiness at this find, it takes me almost a week to read the manual, clear the counter and plug it in and decide to make a loaf of bread in it. The garden and other things has had me a tad bit sidetracked.
So, last night I endeavour to make bread for today, and guess what!? It doesn’t mix the bread. It made an encrusted hard block of watery lava dough….
Upon inspection of the “collapse-able paddle” feature, it would seem that the motor turns the paddle in the direction to knead the bread, in the direction it is supposed to turn at the end of the cycle to collapse the paddle to prevent it from baking in the bread. and when it turns at the end of the kneading cycle to drop it down…it turned the paddle UP and it baked in said block of hard crusted molten bread dough lava.
So someone at the factory reversed the wires when putting this specific unit together. With our luck it was probably made on a friday afternoon, or a hungover monday! we seem to have the uncanny ability to at least 70 percent of the time, buy a lemon.
When I take it back for a replacement, you can be sure I’ll be unboxing it and checking IN the store for which way the paddle turns. SHEESH!
So.. my tip for today is……don’t count your chickens before they hatch, or maybe that should be…don’t count your bread slices before they are baked.