Oster 5838 58-Minute Expressbake Breadmaker Review

If you’re new to bread making and want to pick out a great machine, then the market of bread makers out there may be a little overwhelming.

With so many features, options, and varying price tags, how can you be certain the machine you buy is right for your needs?

As a newbie, the Oster 5838 58-Minute Expressbake Breadmaker may be the perfect machine for you. Easy to use with its straightforward bake system, it’s designed for those who want to get comfortable with their bread maker – or who don’t want all the bells and whistles, just great bread at an affordable price and within a fair time frame.

There are some drawbacks to this machine, of course. Here we’ll detail all you need to know before clicking “order.” Let’s take a look!

Oster 5838 58-Minute Expressbake Breadmaker: The Details

In a Nutshell

The Oster Expressbake Bread Machine is simple enough to look at: compact and white with a window on its lid that’s perfect for peeking in at the loaf while it’s being kneaded and then rising.

The control panel on the front is legible and simple. Since it’s such a small and typical machine, it’ll make a great addition to any kitchen without taking up space or being an eyesore.

Specs

• Weight: 14.12 lb
• Dimensions: 12.5 x 15.6 x 12.3 inches
• Crust Colors: 3 (light, medium, dark)
• Bake Settings: 8
• Material: Aluminum
• Warranty: 1 year limited warranty

Accessories

The Oster Expressbake Bread Machine isn’t a machine that needs a bunch of add-ons to work well in your kitchen.

Simple and to the point, it’s an efficient tool for an efficient baker. It comes with the following:

• Aluminum bread pan
• Kneading paddle
• Easy-to-use user manual and recipe booklet

Oster 5838 Expressbake Features

Who needs fancy accessories when the machine’s already so sturdy?

Here are some of the Oster 5838 58-Minute Expressbake Breadmaker’s stand-out features:

2lb Aluminum Pan

You can make a fairly hefty loaf with the Oster 5838 – two pounds in total, which makes for a fair chunk of bread.

The machine doesn’t come with a loaf size button, either, so you can lean towards the smaller side or fill your pan up to the brim – the choice is yours!

Eight Settings

The Oster 5838 Expressbake also enables you to make a variety of the most popular loaves.

These include basic doughs, but also French, sweet, dense loaves, airy and tall loaves, whole wheat, and pasta or pizza dough.

This standard set of dough opportunities ensures that a baker using the Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker has access to all the staples, ensuring a satisfying bake along with way.

Easy-to-Use Controls

The Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker is a straightforward machine; it doesn’t brand itself based on a litany of accessories or an absurd versatility of bread doughs. Rather, the Oster 5838 prides itself on its simplicity.

Look, for example, to its control panel. Spread out on the front of the machine, there aren’t any switches or triggers that need to be flipped – all you, as a baker, have to do is choose your dough and crust color, then set a timer and let the machine do the work.

For someone just getting used to working with a bread machine, this set up is more than ideal.

Other features that may come in handy include:

• 13 Hour Delay Bake
• 1 Hour Keep-Warm Function

Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker Review

Those are the facts about the Oster 5838 58-Minute Expressbake Breadmaker.

What do we really think, though? Is such a simple bread machine really worth the fuss? Well…

The Positives

Perfect for New Bakers

Just getting started making your own bread? Want to avoid the mess of making and resting dough yourself?

The Oster 5838 will serve you well! It’s an easily accessible machine without any complicating features; all you have to do to get started is hit a few buttons on the frontal control panel, and you’ll be on your way to a freshly-baked loaf of bread!

This machine also helps you avoid the mess of regular bread making.

It’s notoriously easy to clean – just fill the pan with water and soap and let the machine run. You’ll be able to wipe away any leftover dough in no time without getting your fingers sticky.

A Workhorse Machine 

Furthermore, the Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker is a machine that’ll stick with you for some time.

Owners report that they’ve been able to make loaves on a daily basis for years at a time without the machine failing.

If you’re a beginning baker looking to buy, or maybe a looking to set up a friend with a gift, this machine is ideal. It won’t need replaced for quite some time, and its standard setup of bread doughs ensures that it’ll suit the needs of nearly all bakers.

You can’t go wrong with the Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker’s eight dough settings; couple those with the machine’s longevity, and you’ve got an ideal gift for the new baker.

Here’s a quick look at the bread machine in action:

The Expressbake Option

Let’s be honest: most of us bought a bread machine because we wanted something that would bake a loaf quicker and easier than it would be if we baked it ourselves.

This is why the Expressbake option is such a godsend on the Oster 5838.

You’ll have your ingredients in and your loaf out on the worktop cooling in under an hour with this model. Some ‘quick’ settings on other bread machines are known for producing lesser quality breads — this isn’t the case with the Oster. Sure, it won’t win any prizes, but it’s tasty and evenly cooked — perfect for dinner parties and quick bread-related emergencies.

Excellent Price

Compare the price of the Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker to other bread machines out there, and you’ll find that it’s hard to beat.

Sure, it’s not the cheapest bread machine on the market, but it’s a solid, reliable machine in the mid-market that’ll suit anyone looking for no frills consistency.

The Negatives

A few things, actually. No machine is perfect, but the Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker is a little basic — great for those who only want basic, but disappointing for more experienced and experimental bakers.

No Fancy Breads Here

While the eight basic bread doughs that this machine offers are excellent, they don’t really allow for a lot of baking creativity.

If you want to make especially complicated bread, or if you’ve had years of baking experience, then this may not be the machine for you, simply because your skills surpass it.

The Oster 5838 is a machine that’s ideal for beginners, sure, but there is a risk that you might outgrow it.

No Fun Add-Ons Either

Much the same can be said for the machine’s lack of accessories.

Now, accessories don’t make a bread machine, but they certainly do lend to its abilities. The Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker’s kneading paddle and pan may seem like slim pickings compared to the goodies other machines can offer.

That simplicity, however, may appeal to some bakers.

If you’re looking for a machine that’ll really push your skills as a baker and challenge what you’ve learned, though, then the lack of fun add-ons here may make the Oster 5838 less appealing.

Overall Verdict

Where does that leave us then? The Oster 5838 58-Minute Expressbake Breadmaker has some flaws, sure – it’s not a machine that comes with a lot of extra goodies – but it’s a machine that’s going to make life a whole lot easier for the beginning baker.

If you don’t like bells and whistles, and simply want fresh bread made at home to serve at dinner, then this is an ideal buy at a low price.

The eight different bread doughs, easy-to-use system, and Expressbake bonuses will ensure that bakers who are just dipping their toes into the baking world will be more than content.

However, if you want a little extra punch and creative freedom to your bread machine, then you might be better looking elsewhere.

Where to Buy the Oster 5838 Expressbake Breadmaker

Cheap, easy to use and reliable — it’s no wonder that the Oster 5838 is so popular.

But while you used to be able to find it far and wide across the web and in store, it’s since been overtaken by the Oster 2-Pound Expressbake CKSTBRTW20.

You can, of course, find it on Amazon however.

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Have you tried the Oster 5838 Expressbake?