Crust is thick and hard, paddles tear large chunk from bottom of loaf when removed from pan.

It is not uncommon for the paddle to get stuck in the bread loaf especially with thick crust breads (i.e. french) Be sure to choose light crust and sometime using milk instead of water help too.

Hi, it is common for this to happen with bread machines. It often helps if you have a modern machine and you can choose the crust color and you choose Light Crust. The other thing you can do is if you are using recipes that use water in the liquid phase use milk instead. If you paddle still sticks then you just need to turn the loaf on its side and use a popsicle stick, tooth pick etc and trace around the loaf where the paddle is and dig it out.

You might need a new paddle if cleaning yours doesn't work. It needs its release coating. You could also try making sure the paddle moves smoothly on its shaft. If it hangs up when you pull the loaf out, it'll tear a big hole in the bottom of the loaf. Replacement paddles for most makes can be found on eBay. They run around $15, though, so I'd try cleaning and lubrication with vegetable oil first. Good luck.

Basic White

1 1/3 cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 3/4 cups white flour
1 teaspoon yeast

1. Measure ingredients in the order listed into Baking Pan.
2. Insert Baking Pan securely into unit; close lid.
3. Select BASIC setting and 2.0 lb. loaf setting. Choose LIGHT or DARK crust setting.
4. Push Start button. There will be a 15-minute preheat delay before mixing begins.
5. The Complete Signal will sound when bread is done.
6. Using pot holders, remove Baking Pan from the unit and carefully turn bread out of Baking Pan. (Mixing paddle may remain in bread. Remove paddle when load if cool.)
7. Allow to cool before slicing.

Time 3:50 hours

100% Whole Wheat

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons powered milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 3/4 teaspoons yeast

1. Measure ingredients in the order listed into Baking Pan.
2. Insert Baking Pan security into unit; close lid.
3. Select GRAIN setting and 1.5lb. loaf setting.
4. Push Start button. There will be a 25-minute preheat delay before mixing begins.
5. The Complete Signal will sound when bread is done.
6. Using pot holders, remove Baking Pan from the unit and carefully turn bread out of Baking Pan. (Mixing paddle may remain in bread. Remove paddle when load if cool.)
7. Allow to cool before slicing.

Time: 4.10 hours

The metal clips in my bread machine are just to hold it steady. You should pull the pan straight up.
When I take the loaf out of the pan after it has baked, I take the pan out and then set it on its side and wiggle the the thing on the bottom that makes the paddle turn loosen the paddle. Then I tip the pan over and holding the pan by the bottom and the handle, I dump the loaf out onto a kitchen towel to allow the bread to cool. It is recommended to allow the bread to cool for a few minutes for easier removal, but if the bread stays in the pan too long, it makes the crust soggy.

Unfortunately that will happen almost every time. I have the instruction booklet and it states it may even BAKE into the bread as well. No way of getting around the HOLE in the bottom of the bread.

We have had a number of bread makers and this is the way they work - the bread cooks and the paddle has to pull out somehow so it just rips a hole in the bread.
We found it better to let the machine do all the mixing etc. then my wife takes the dough out and puts most of it in a loaf pan and some in the form of buns in another pan. Works better for us & the bread is a more "normal" shape rather than the odd shape produced in the breadmaker. Also the crust isn't so tough when done our way.

Try some hard crisco on the post before putting in the paddle or any ingredients. Your paddle SHOULD COME OUT with your loaf. Then when it has cooled off some, you turn it on it's side and surgically remove the ****** from the bottom center. Try to remember the shape(of the paddle) you need to excise for your loaf. Have you ever noticed that most kitchen machines are designed by men?? As with floors that are horrible to try to clean. The big belief is that all companies have test kitchens.. not so. And we my dear must deal with items that do not function as one would logically think they should. I hope you give the company an earfull of customer feedback. Mine is an OSTER. Five 1/2 years and doing fine even with whole wheat, and desert pastry.

Before the baking cycle begins,remove the bread pan ,shake out the batter onto a piece of waxed paper,remove the paddle from the bread pan,place batter back into the pan,close lid.This way you only have a small hole in the finished loaf. I prefer the 1.5 pound rye bread,and set a kitchen timer for 2 hours 5 minutes-when the "shape" cycle finishes,we remove the paddle.
This is listed in my manual on page 76,item # 7;heading is METHOD.
Front of the manual lists the times for the cycles,just add them up.
(When you dump the batter back into the pan,try to pat down the rough edges,it looks better).

Unfortunately trying to stick the paddles in the pan just tends to leave half the loaf in the bottom with them. The best method i have found is to cut the crust around the outside of the paddles, carefully avoiding the bit where the actual paddle blade is, then you insert a rod into the centre of the paddle and tilt it towards the blade. They normally come free pretty easily. Another method you can use if you are around the machine when it is making bread, is to remove the paddles at the end of the mixing/kneading cycle, just before the baking cycle starts. Most machines have a small pause allowing you to do this - sometimes with a "beep" or screen message to tell you that you can do this. Sorry i couldn't find the exact info for your model, it will vary for different baking programs also. If you check the cycle to determine at which stage it starts actually baking, then you can do this quite safely so long as you are careful of the machine heating up while you are removing the paddles - usually you would have around 20 minutes at least to remove the paddles before baking. Hope this helps :)